Encyclia cordigera ?

[snowflake311]

Every time I went to Trader Joes I would see this little plant. It had been there for weeks.

I went with my 6 year old daughter to trader joes. I pointed out this plant to her. I told her it had been here for a long time. She said "GET IT! you have to take it home it will be so happy if you do." There was a tiger looking zygo type plant I wanted. My daughter said no you have to get this one. Then I smelled this Encyclia cordigera and I was sold. It smells so good and the plant it's self is so cool looking.

This is my first Cattleya type plant. I will repot it when its out of bloom. It is in a dirt like mix. should I switch it to bark. What would be best for it?

[Ray]

It certainly should not be in soil.

However, in order to keep the flowers for as long as possible, rather than repotting immediately, I suggest that you barely moisten the soil when it is bone dry, and maybe even open it up a bit with a skewer.

As far as what to repot it in, that's going to depend to some degree on your conditions and habits. What other orchids do you grow successfully, and what medium are they in? Then, we can make an appropriate modification for the cordigera.


Ray Barkalow
firstrays.com

[Ordphien]

I just got one from trader Joe's too! The scent is amazing.
It's on a orchid mix called promix. It just looks like soil.

Bark might work out great for you, but its not the only orchid mix out there.
I personally find bark to be a death sentence to my orchids. And really wish I could get promix as that's what my orchids thrive in.

[snowflake311]

I don't like to use a bark only mix. I used fine bark with moss and perlite I make my own mix. I think with this plant I will do the fine bark perlite mix in plastic. From what I have read these plants like it on the dry side. also how much sun should this get. East facing or south?

Off topic a bit
My milatonia I am going to repot in a peatmoss , per light, fine bark mix. It's going like a weed but still looks like shit this plant needs more water than I can give it. All my new growth is wrinkled. I feel a mix that holds lots of moisture would be good for my milatonia.

[Ordphien]

I can't do oncidium for the same reason. Just needs more water than I can give it. Too dry in my growing area.
But if I use a moisture retaining mix its roots rot. I couldn't win lol.

I don't grow milatonia though so hopefully that works.
A finer mix worked well for my dendrobiums.

I've only had mine a month but so far it's fine in south window. The leaves are lightening up done but no burning or anything.

Hopefully someone who grows this plant will chime in.

[plumania]

Encyclias grow well in south Florida, we have lots of heat, humidity and sun shine but it is either mounted here or potted in a quick drying and very coarse mix, some just use lava rocks. Hope that gives you idea and adjust your potting mix, light etc.

[FSUOrchids]

I personally don't like lava rocks (any of the plants I've purchased that are potted in that tend to have issues for some reason). But either that or some kind of bark mix is fine.