ID Brassavola / near Vertical root growth

[Will-13]

All I can find for the name of this very small but heavenly fragrant flower is Brassavola Little Stars, yet I was hoping for something a bit more taxonomical.

Second question. . . has anyone experienced near vertical root growth. I suspect it's directly related to the white walls and the light. Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Will

Tilt clockwise to view. Why do pics post horizontally. Grrr

[WhiteRabbit]

Brassavola Little Stars is a correct name - a hybrid of nodosa and cordata - tho I don't think that is what you have ...

[PaphMadMan]

Well, your Brassavola is probably Epidendrum ciliare. Can't be absolutely certain there isn't a similar species or hybrid.

No ideas on the roots, sorry.

[Will-13]

Thanks Madison WI. . . Epidendrum Ciliate is correct based on the photo's I found.

[euplusia]

Epidendrum ciliare confirmed.

[MrsH530]

A whole bunch of my phals are growing their roots like this. They are growing up and away from the window. Not sure why, but as long as they have healthy roots I'm happy

[RosieC]

On the question of root growth. Often the types that cling to trees in the wild will grow their roots away from the light. If we grow them in windows that often gives vertical root growth into the room. Basically they are searching for the tree which would usually be on the darker side of them.

I've long wondered why when my phals grow roots those on one side with go down into the pot, while the others go out into the air. It's only in the last couple of months I've twigged that those on the window side go down to the medium, those on the room side go out searching for something behind them to cling too. One phal responded within days of turning it around, all those roots going out into the room turned downwards towards the medium as soon as I turned it so they faced the light.

[Will-13]

Hi Rosie,

Well, if your theory is correct then the other bare root hanging plants, which are right next to it, would do the same. Yet they do not.

[RosieC]

I've found some are more prone to it that others. Some phals do it more than others, some respond to being turned round more noticeably than others. My Den Stardust hybrids grow roots straight backwards, so do my Den kingianum ones, but not my NoID Phalanthe type Dens.

As every orchid requires slightly different conditions perhaps some do this more than others. Certainly all my ones that grow roots out horizontally away from the window seem to respond to changing the light direction. I've been getting some interesting directions of roots turning 90 or even in one case 180 degrees when the light direction was switched from one side to the other. I've experimented a lot in the last couple of months with this.

[Will-13]

I'll try experimenting in the same manner.

Thanks, and it was my hunch as well. . . light seems to drive everything.

Will