Advice on oerstedella verrucosa?

[cmoonbeam1]

I just acquired an oerstedella verrucosa and it's unlike any orchid I've seen before, due to its long, thin stalk and thin leaves.

I'm finding it very hard to find advice on the care of this plant. Does anyone have any experience or knowledge that they can share?

[No-Pro-mwa]

I'll give you a bump.

[estación seca]

All tbe Oerstedella species appear to have been moved back into genus Epidendrum. Here it is at IOSPE:

IOSPE PHOTOS.

I've never grown it. Based on the IOSPE information, I'd keep it in bright shade, damp but never soggy, with good air at the roots, average house temperatures in winter, to warm outdoors during the summer, and high humidity.

[PaphMadMan]

Oerstedellas need high humidity and cool conditions (ideally 50-60F nighttime temp), good air movement, bright (Cattleya) light, regular water but never stay wet for long so good mounted, same conditions year round. If stressed by heat and low humidity, spider mites are a huge problem.

You may also find it as Epidendrum verrucosum, probably the preferred name now.

[cmoonbeam1]

Thanks for the replies! It's currently next to the cattleyas, so it's getting good light. Humidity might be an issue though. I keep it at 50% with a humidifier but it's in my apartment, and higher is intolerable for me. Maybe a makeshift enclosure to keep humidity in. ItIt's just a seedling, so not very big. Any ideas?

[katrina]

I don't have this particular species but I am growing centropetalum and pinniferum. The pinniferum I got in '10 as a barely "out of flask" flaskling and it struggled (really struggled!) the first few years. It's still a tiny plant and is still likely years away from blooming so for now, it resides in a 3" aircone pot with lava rock. It's climbing out of the pot but seems happy. It's compact enough that it's ok in the pot, for now. Catt light and I water well but it dries fast.

The centropetalum is a much bigger plant but not because the growths are big but more because of it's growth habit. It's super rambler. It would be impossible to contain in a pot. I have it on a tree fern totem, I grow it as bright as I can get it the winter (under HO T5's) and in the summer it hangs outside in a spot that is exposed to full sun all morning and into the early afternoon then it's dappled light (because of a tree) until evening when the sun is lower and it's once again getting some direct sun. VERY bright. I acclimate it to that level for a couple of weeks but I've found it blooms even better w/the direct sun. Keep in mind, I live in central Ohio and I didn't check where you are so my sun may be less intense than where you are so you'll want to adjust accordingly.

I water it twice a week in the winter and then increase that to 3x a week when the spring temps increase (when I have the time) until it goes outside and then it gets watered every day.

I've been growing centro since early '10 too and it is a "twig" epiphyte (mostly) and as such you will see that, as it ages, it does lose sections to age. It'll get really big and the older sections after a few years just die off so it requires some pruning like you would do to an older shrub. Sections die off but new ones are constantly growing in. I did major "pruning" this past winter but it never skipped a beat. When you see sections turn brown and die back...don't let it freak you out, it's just normal for this group of Epis.

I find it to be an easy grower and I'm pretty sure yours will grow very well under the same culture.

FWIW - I've never worried about temps w/mine. It isn't given any special treatment on those extra hot (90+ days) in the summer. I didn't even know it was a "cool-er" grower until I saw mention of it on the forum a year or two ago. My winter temps are low of 58 w/highs in the 70's during the day...spring can be very warm under lights w/days into the upper 80's and when it goes outside in the summer it's exposed to whatever Mother Nature throws at it and that includes some very warm days in July and August.

Your biggest concern w/this group of Epis will be the roots. They like a lot of water on a regular basis but they don't want their roots to remain wet for long periods. Lots of water but also lots of air flow...which is why most do best mounted. Now that I'm typing this...I should try and mount my baby and see if I can get better/faster growth.

Anyway...this pic is from '13 but it gives you an idea of how much of a rambling/rampant grower it can be.


I recently cut off that one long side shoot to give to a fellow club member in trade for a Trichopilia I wanted. These guys' growth habit make them very nice if you like to trade divisions w/other growers.

[cmoonbeam1]

What a gorgeous plant! Thanks for the pic - it really gives me an idea of how it's going to grow, as it's basically one twig right now.

I'm thinking I'll try to mount it based on what you've told me.

High light is a bit of a challenge for me. I'm a relatively new grower so my lighting setup consists of a floor lamp with a daylight terrarium bulb shining directly at my two cattleyas with the other ones in close proximity getting whatever they can from there. The whole setup is right in front of sliding glass doors which face slightly northwest, so it gets some nice light in the late afternoon. I live in southern Ontario, so the sun is not particularly bright. Outside isn't really an option for me, since my balcony is essentially inside a wind tunnel.

All in all, I think it's time to get another lamp! haha.

You know you love this hobby when you upgrade your lighting system for one plant.

[katrina]

You're very welcome and thanks for the compliment. I know some people grow this plant well under lower light than I have and they still seen to do fine. You prob won't see as fast as growth or maybe as many blooms but give it as much as you can and see how it responds.

Rest assured I get the light comment...if you check out the "show your light set up thread" you'll see what I mean. Good luck with it...this is a gorgeous plant and mine always generates a lot of interest when it's in bloom. I have a waiting list of people who want pieces.

[estación seca]

I got my tiny seedling from Hausermann's in March of this year. It was sold as blooming size. They were on special for $5 in a 2" / 5cm pot.

Hausermann's still has them, but in a 2.5" / 6.25cm pot. Interestingly, the catalog number on the Web site begins in a Z, which indicates a mericlone, but the tag on my plant begins in CH, which indicates a seedling.

On arrival something told me it would be a spider mite magnet. I have been watching it closely, and it is. Had I not noticed very early spider mite signs, before they could make webs, this tiny little plant probably would be dead. The spiders preferred this plant to the Catasetums just springing into growth right next to this Epidendrum.

It hasn't grown yet. I've been trying to follow Katrina's advice.