Peristeria elata is a tough plant

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by estación seca

It is in the Cymbidium tribe, but not in the Stanhopea subtribe. We don't really have a good place to put it. And it grows very much like a Cymbidium.

No, its definitely a Stanhopea relative. Do a search for Peristeria here: Stanhopea Culture Sheet

---------- Post added at 08:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:43 PM ----------

Also, its featured in Nina Rach's Stanhopea pages: The Genus Peristeria; edited May 2007

[estación seca]

I was going by IOSPE, where it's listed as TRIBE Cymbidieae, SUBTRIBE Coelopsidinae.

[Fredmax]

Thanks very much for the info, I was told this is a warm grower as was going to treat it similar to my Lycomormium and Anguloa and but was advised has different (hotter) year round requirements.

If it can handle 10c dry I'll endeavour to find one to add to the greenhouse, unfortunately a $22 plant won't be an option here as they fetch quite a bit, it would be nice to see Ecuagenera in Aus.

[JScott]

I recently got one of these. It's pretty small and probably several years from blooming. It grew well outside for about a month, then when we started regularly having days above 100 degrees it just stopped growing, so I brought it inside and put it under my lights, and it started growing again. It may be coincidence, because I had read that this plant is fine with high temperatures, but that's what happened with my plant, so make of it what you will.

[estación seca]

The idea of hot varies amazingly with where people live. Most people I know think hot weather starts above 72 F / 22C.

A large-leafed plant like Peristeria will only be able to tolerate truly hot weather if the humidity is very high and it is extremely well watered. I have put mine outside in later winter after all chance of frost, but then need to bring them inside when the nights start warming up. They've tolerated temperatures in the low 100s F / 37-39C but not higher, because here spring always has very low humidity.

[JScott]

Originally Posted by estación seca

The idea of hot varies amazingly with where people live. Most people I know think hot weather starts above 72 F / 22C.

A large-leafed plant like Peristeria will only be able to tolerate truly hot weather if the humidity is very high and it is extremely well watered. I have put mine outside in later winter after all chance of frost, but then need to bring them inside when the nights start warming up. They've tolerated temperatures in the low 100s F / 37-39C but not higher, because here spring always has very low humidity.

Ah, that could be the case with mine. Our humidity in the summer usually stays in the 40s except right after a rain, and it's been kind of dry this summer. It sure has done better since I brought it inside.

[isurus79]

Mine grew like a weed all summer long and this was Austin's third hottest summer on record. I hit it with water every day though.

[isurus79]

For example, in this photo I'm pointing to the newest growth which formed completely under my care. It is already a head above the most recent growth and hasn't started forming its bulb yet. I bet the next bulb is 2x (or more) larger than the previous bulbs. Our summers are hot and the humidity regularly drops to 20% during the day, but rebounds at night to above 70%.

I post this not do disprove anyone, but rather to show that heat and low humidity are not as negative to good orchid health as often portrayed. Many species do very well under these conditions.

Peristeria elata- new growth by Stephen Van Kampen-Lewis, on Flickr

[DirtyCoconuts]

Cool. So it would be healthy here for me too

[estación seca]

Here it is tonight, 37 days later. My phone camera doesn't have a night mode. I aimed blindly and hoped for the best with the flash and autofocus.



This growth just last week began making new roots (that I could see.)

DC, it needs a dry winter rest to flower. If it gets winter rain in a tropical climate it keeps growing but doesn't flower. You can find a blog post from a guy in Puerto Rico who finally flowered his when he kept it dry all winter.