Promenaea Limelight

[orchidsarefun]

I got this plant in November 2014, covered in leaves. From a Mid-West grower so I thought, OK - not deciduous. In the course of the next 2 months it lost all its leaves; they gradually got black spots and then fell off. In the meantime I thought it was a fungal infection and was trying all different remedies with no luck.
Basically for 3 months it has done nothing. I have watered it on the odd occasion to keep the bulbs plump, similar to how I water my Lycaste ( which is now full of buds and has new growth )
I repotted it to see if all the roots were rotten or if there was some other issue going on. Surprisingly, the roots are fine and are even greening up.
So - for those that grow promenaea - do these plants have a dormant period ? Do I wait for new growth before increasing watering ? I can't find much on the internet about dormancy, if any.


---------- Post added at 11:11 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:41 AM ----------

there's an interesting article on proms from Page 4

http://www.manitobaorchidsociety.ca/.../mos201402.pdf

[camille1585]

I have Prom Limelight x xanthina. It's my only Promenaea and I've had it since September but mine stayed green and leafy all winter and has been in bloom for the past month or so. I watered it quite heavily even though the winter, in that I kept it moist. Lots of new growth starting now. Sorry I can't give any true advice about yours. Sounds like a healthy plant though so I'm curious to see what it will do next!

[lotis146]

I have several Proms - not this one though I do believe I have a hybrid of it - and honestly I'm a little unsure of how to make them thrive as well. That said none of mine went dormant/lost their leaves this winter. One is a division with just two pbulbs and it's doing nothing but living (Chameleon). Prom. xanthina, silvana & Ben Berliner all have new growths that have continued to grow slowly however I have no spikes.

[orchidsarefun]

OrchidWiz says grow 58/75f at night. Mine has been at around 70f for months. I think I'm going to put it in the basement for 2 weeks - around 60f - and then outside. Hopefully temps outdoors will be at around 60f min by then.
No harm in trying....

[lotis146]

I'd say mine are growing consistently around low 70s/high 60s as well.

[camille1585]

I was just inspecting my Prom now, and got to thinking of yours. How's your plant doing now, does it seem to have come out of its weird 'dormancy'?

[orchidsarefun]

I had it in the basement for about 2 weeks - temps around 63f. Then it was outside - temps got to late 30's once or twice. Results - nothing ! I will just keep on watering it as per usual and hope something happens.........anything....

[lotis146]

That is how I'm still feeling about my Prom. Chameleon. However I repotted silvana a month or so ago and despite it pitiful root system (most likely my fault) one growth now has a spike on it. I keep this plant in a south facing window and try to keep it moist. It stayed quite wet in the moss it came in though now I have it in a coir/moss/bark mix so it doesn't stay as wet but I throw some water on it regularly. The spike has been there a few weeks at least and is a bit longer now and turning somewhat green (vs. the pale yellow it has been).

Meanwhile my Ben Berliner, which has older pbulbs that have lost their leaves, is outside (came in during the cold front) where we've had fairly frequent rains and temps from low 50s at night to high 70s during the day. One of its pbulbs is beginning a spike, at least I believe it is. This plant too I've been trying to keep consistently moist.

Prom. xanthina has a couple of well-growing new growths I'm keeping an eye on but no signs of spikes. Silvana is the only one not outside now and wasn't before. I'm wondering if perhaps these guys like it a bit brighter and more moist than I had thought. How bright or shaded are you keeping yours? (I'll try to get a pic tomorrow of mine and post a thread & keep updated when it blooms.)

[orchidsarefun]

mine was in a south-facing window for a few months, then in the basement under lights. Its now on a north-facing porch. I looked closely today after watering - the roots do go green. Its been in high humidity and lower humidity. The only factor it hasn't had is high temperatures - over 85f consistently. That should come in Summer/Fall.
Its puzzling that it doesn't even attempt any type of growth and I don't even know if roots are growing.

[lotis146]

I hear you, like I said above my Prom. Chameleon division is doing NOTHING. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what summer brings...