Maxillaria [Max.] sophronitis

[LeeB]

I just received a bare rooted division of Maxillaria [Max.] sophronitis from Mountain Orchids. Please give me some advice as how to grow it. I grow in a cool greenhouse in NH. Thank you for any advice you can give. Lee

[MattWoelfsen]

I am a member of American Orchid Society. A benefit is I have access to a lot of information on orchids. Here is a quote regarding your plant from AOS:

"Maxillaria sophronitis, now correctly Ornithidium sophronitis Rchb.f., is an enigma to most people who grow it; very easy to grow, but producing only an occasional flower or two at widely scattered intervals. In our experience here in our greenhouse, it grows better cool and humid. Dunsterville writes in Venezuelan Orchids Illustrated that it grows on the "edge of cloud forest," but this talented author doesn't give an elevation. We have grown it into a large mat on a slab, keeping it cool and bright, but it rarely flowers, and even then only sparsely. We've never experimented with resting it, which doesn't seem warranted for a cloud-forest denizen." says Ann and Phil Jesup/AOS

[cbuchman]

I am growing mine in a tree fern "pot". When I bought it, it was on a tree fern slab stuck into a pot of pebbles for added moisture. In no time at all, it looked unkempt and the tree fern in the pot was decomposing. So I moved it.

It had 1 flower this past spring. It is producing lots of new growths, right now. so maybe 2 flowers next year? Here is a pic of last Spring's flowering . After reading the above, I'm thrilled with my one flower - haha


I have mine outdoors for the summer in dappled light and shade in the middle of the day. It gets watered frequently as I noticed that I had a few accordion leaves starting - so I increased my watering. It is fed regularly with all my other orchids. It will come inside in to a sunroom for the winter where it gets a little less light and I have to work on maintaining sufficient humidity - not ideal conditions.

[LeeB]

Originally Posted by MattWoelfsen

I am a member of American Orchid Society. A benefit is I have access to a lot of information on orchids. Here is a quote regarding your plant from AOS:

"Maxillaria sophronitis, now correctly Ornithidium sophronitis Rchb.f., is an enigma to most people who grow it; very easy to grow, but producing only an occasional flower or two at widely scattered intervals. In our experience here in our greenhouse, it grows better cool and humid. Dunsterville writes in Venezuelan Orchids Illustrated that it grows on the "edge of cloud forest," but this talented author doesn't give an elevation. We have grown it into a large mat on a slab, keeping it cool and bright, but it rarely flowers, and even then only sparsely. We've never experimented with resting it, which doesn't seem warranted for a cloud-forest denizen." says Ann and Phil Jesup/AOS

Thanks Matt, I'm a member of AOS also, since 1973. I was hoping for more then what they said. I will try mounting it & putting it in a terrarium.
Lee