cattleya schilleriana bud watch

[Optimist]

I am still reading to see if I can keep it alive. C. shilleriana grew? (Extinct there) in Espiritu Sancto (state) and grows? (grew?) in a river valley, on rock or at the bases or trees in the open as lithophites along with cactus, on the sides of cliffs called Pedra dos Ventos (crags of wind) where they recieve evaporation from the Jucu river, as well as rains as well as maritime mists wind (notice that Espiritu Sancto is right on the coast). Apparently if you plant them in a pot with anything less hard than rosewood or ebony, they die. Thus it is better to go lithophyte all the way. They need lots of wind and they need lots of moisture, but cannot have wet feet. They also get very angry and sulk for years if they are dropped, so keep that in mind.

There is a scale called the Janka wood hardness scale and Mopani wood found in pet shops has the kind of hardness but slightly less (Janka Hardness: 3,390 lbf) of (Brazilian ebony 3,692) (Camaru (Brazilian Teak) 3,540. This is from W&A Zaslawski pf AWZ orchids in Espiritu Sancto and Piedra Azul at website Brazilian Orchids And also look at the insitu photos of the orchids (both Schilleriana, Walkerania and also other Brazilian orchids, and you will see that they are often on plain stone growing in huge patches like grass (which is awesome to see).

I may kill mine anyway over time. I mean, I did not start this plant.

---------- Post added at 11:30 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:12 AM ----------

by the way, it has bloomed. i will take a picture when it is fully out. it is very vivid.

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by Optimist

...C. schilleriana grew? (Extinct there) in Espirito Santo (state) and grows? (grew?) in a river valley, on rock or at the bases or trees in the open as lithophytes along with cactus, on the sides of cliffs called Pedra dos Ventos (crags of wind) where they receive evaporation from the Jucu river, as well as rains as well as maritime mists wind (notice that Espirito Santo is right on the coast). Apparently if you plant them in a pot with anything less hard than rosewood or ebony, they die. Thus it is better to go lithophyte all the way. They need lots of wind and they need lots of moisture, but cannot have wet feet. They also get very angry and sulk for years if they are dropped, so keep that in mind.... And also look at the insitu photos of the orchids (both Schilleriana, Walkerania and also other Brazilian orchids, and you will see that they are often on plain stone growing in huge patches like grass (which is awesome to see)....

Well, a little further in the article that you read

Orchid News 28

is this

Q How would you summarize the cultivation of Cattleya schilleriana?

A It grows well if we don't put it in a pot. We must pay attention to the high humidity, strong air movement and very high light levels it requires. It requires plenty of water, but the roots do not like to stay wet for much time. If it has proper conditions, with strong air movement, well-ventilated roots, the high light levels it likes, and high humidity, it grows well.

I might add this Web site has a vast amount of information, but it is not easy to find what is there. Use the search function. The article Optimist referenced has between some and very detailed growing information for Cattleya aclandiae, amethystoglossa, eldorado, elongata, guttata, harrisoniana, leopoldii, lueddemanniana, nobilior, porphyroglossa, schofieldiana, tenuis, trianae, velutina, violacea, walkeriana, Laelia praestans, sincorana.

Originally Posted by Optimist

by the way, it has bloomed. i will take a picture when it is fully out. it is very vivid.

By the way!

[missbehavecutie]

Originally Posted by Optimist

(Warning, temps in Fahrenheit

That's what I am trying now, and it seems okay for now.
I plan to keep them a bit cooler though as it gets hotter here. In their natural environment they never completely dry out. So don't let the roots totally dry out like a phalenopsis. (Or my Recchara friend who is growing 4 new leads).

---------- Post added at 02:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:56 PM ----------

Oh, I also use dyna-gro fertilizer, but I am sure any good orchid fert would work.

---------- Post added at 02:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:05 PM ----------

After it flowers it goes dormant. Yours might be just young because this is about when the bulbs form and bloom (may-june). The next sheath I am getting might not bloom according to its habits.

i noticed the same thing with mine , i thought it was too small to be blooming size so i've put it in a semi hydro set up and one day i didn't refill the water to the same level and the bulbs shrivelled a bit, it really seems to love the water i'm giving it!