Project 2023 Spring Sarcochilus

[qbie]

I’ve had to toss some because of persistent pests despite repotting almost all on acquisition. I knew I was risking it taking on a lot of plants with visible signs of pests. Too busy to continue to try to eradicate them and I didn’t want to give them away and ruin someone else’s collection.

Haven’t been able to keep as close an eye on the ones outside that remain as I wished. My building got painted last month so had to move them all from my balcony to the grounds around and I just got back from visiting family for Christmas. Even so, Mother Nature appears to be taking better care of them than the few I have indoors! So still hoping for some flowers next spring!

[MateoinLosAngeles]

Mine has been sitting with my Cattleyas, getting a ton of light, Brassavola level of light. It's doing great; instead of growing upwards, it has been growing lateral shoots. The plant has stayed fairly flat, which Barrita mentions is expected to happen in higher light. Trying to replicate their formula: higher light, more compact plant, more flowers.

I've also noticed Cattleya schilleriana growing horizontally (flat leaves parallel to the floor) under higher light, which has been documented by other growers and doesn't seem to affect the plant negatively.


Now my sarc is sitting outside receiving dappled western exposure in Los Angeles. Not sure if the plant is mature enough to bloom, but I'm trying to give it the 6 weeks of night temperatures below 55ºF as recommended on the Barrita website... cuz why not. However, I might bring it back inside in the spring where I can give it higher, more consistent light.

[camille1585]

Mine is sitting on a windowsill behind drawn curtains, in the hopes that it will experience some cooler temps there (but it's not under lights). The disease has stopped progressing, but I'm not sure if it's because the pathogen is gone, or because the cooler temps have drastically slowed it down its development. I have to remember to water it, as it's a bit "out of sight out of mind" right now!

[Dalachin]

The best I can say us that mine is not dead yet! My ceciliae came with a larger blooming growth and a tiny new growth. The larger growth died off completely after blooming, but the small one has clung to life so far, and looks like it might be slowly growing. I have it wintering in my attempt at a cool terrarium with some dendros and paph micranthums.

[Roberta]

I was surprised to find one precocious little lone flower on a Sarco. hartmanii that I have had for a long time. It's showing buds, that little flower is 'way early, I don't expect much Sarco blooming until around March .

[LexaCat]

I've had a lot of fun reading through this thread. Given that the project started in late May, would it be considered bad form to join at this point? I just so happened to have bought my first Sarcochilus in September, a couple of months before I started reading Orchid Board

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by LexaCat

I've had a lot of fun reading through this thread. Given that the project started in late May, would it be considered bad form to join at this point? I just so happened to have bought my first Sarcochilus in September, a couple of months before I started reading Orchid Board

We're not an exclusive club... sure, join the fun and share your experience. Not bad form at all! Prime Sarco blooming time is coming up soon. I'm eager to see what shows up!

[LexaCat]

Okay, great!

My Sarco is an interesting case. It's a hybrid called 'Madge', but according to Orchid Roots, its parentage is 90% hartmanii, so I just treat it as such.

I ordered the plant from Ecuagenera back in September and picked it up at a show. When I opened the bag, I was pleasantly surprised to see a mature plant with 9 growths, rather than the tiny plant I was expecting. Things were not all rosy, however. The plant had a ton of dead roots and yellow leaves that would soon drop, and the green leaves were full of mechanical damage in the form of central splits and lateral tears.

The good news is that, four months in, it seems to be doing great. It's made a substantial number of new leaves and roots and even initiated two new fans. I put it on the coldest windowsill in my house for about six weeks with the hope of inducing flowering and -I think- I might be seeing some tiny spikes emerging here and there. Time will tell...

I've included one picture of what the plant looked like the day I brought it home and two of how it looks now. I hope I will get to post another picture of it blooming in a few months

[Roberta]

That plant looks great! Really robust. On a plant like that, losing some leaves and even roots is no big deal. Clearly it's growing well. These are tough little plants. Looking forward to blooms this spring!

[Dalachin]

Wow, I may put that in my wishlist for my next Ecuagenera order. What a plant.