Lycaste bradeorum (plant habit!)

[JP020366]

Hi all

I have a lycaste bradeorum which still hasn't lost it's leaves. It's now beginning winter here in Sydney and I thought this would have happened by now.

Is this unusual and posibble it will just happen a bit later? Any chance the leaves may not drop at all and should I keep watering until they do, or just stop now?

The weather is cooling down but not sure what temp triggers the leaves to fall.

Appreciate any comments.

Cheers

John

[smweaver]

John, this one for me tends to lose its leaves later in the season than its cousins, Lycaste aromatica and cruenta. My plant discarded last year's leaves about six weeks ago--long after my cruentas had begun their new growths. It's now finally getting ready to flower (just in time for the wonderful Japanese Beetles...). So if I were you I wouldn't start sweating with anxiety just yet. Bradeorum also, in my opinion, seems to appreciate warmer temperatures than the other yellow-flowered Mexican and Central American species. You could probably reduce watering quite a bit to help convince it that the time has arrived for it to start shedding its leaves (but don't let it get bone dry like aromatica and cruenta between waterings). Good luck with your plant.

Steve

[JP020366]

Hi Steve

Thanks for the tips.

Will see how it goes.

Cheers

John

[Stitzelweller]

John, Follow Steve's advice to reduce water dramatically. It will lose the leaves in time, probably by August where you're located.

Steve, Mine already put up the big "flush" of buds almost concurrently with aromatica this year. I'm not complaining!

[smweaver]

Stitz, you sound like you had better luck, as far as timing goes with Lycaste bradeorum, than I'm having. My plant finally started to open its flowers yesterday--and today it's surrounded by flies! I can't keep them off the blooms. And I have no idea why they're congregating around the plant, as the blooms don't have a smell that I would think would be appealing to flies. I'm hoping that all of the wolf spiders running around the front porch start making a dent in the fly population. I'll bring the plant indoors in a couple of days so that I can take some decent photos (without the current entourage of nasty flies tagging along for the photo session).

Steve

[JP020366]

Hi

My Lycaste Bradeorum lost its leaves eventually and bloomed a few days ago. Here are a few pictures. Two new growths and 8 flowers from one pbulb. Hopefully the new pbulbs flower next year with same success.

Cheers and thanks for those who gave early advise.

John

[smweaver]

Beautiful group of flowers, John. It's also great that your plant is developing multiple leads, a trait that Lycaste bradeorum shares with many other of the yellow-flowered, deciduous species. How do you like the smell of bradeorum's blooms?

Steve

[JP020366]

Hi Steve

The scent is very citrisy, orange like. So not too bad. I suppose sometimes it could get overpowering but so far ok. And I brought the plant inside and have had no problems with flies or wasps, thank god!

Do you recommend repotting (up-potting) to allow more room for growth? There won't be much room in the current pot when the new growths mature.

Cheers

John

[Stitzelweller]

This is the second year that I've had mine. I was very pleasantly surprised. It has been in continuous flower since May although it appears to be "winding down" after the winter solstice. Most of the time there have bee a few flowers open, especially during May/June and November. It needs a break...

--Stitz--

[smweaver]

John, I usually repot the deciduous lycastes after the new growths have reached maybe a few centimeters in height, but before they start to produce a new flush of roots. You can also start watering a lot more once the new growths begin to produce their own roots (but try to keep water out of the new growths since they're prone to rotting when they are very young).