Laelia anceps (Project 10 int. - Spring 2010)

[Izzie]

Mine is like the frankenstein of this project- it's a division off of a massive decades-old specimen plant.
I'm hoping I can train the new leads to kind of curl around inside the pot....

The little stinker is a Den. lindleyi (aggregatum) that likes to go on adventures.

The L. anceps has only been in it's new growing area a couple days now- I'm figuring out if it will like it on this table under the umbrella, or on a baker's rack on a east-facing wall that gets morning sun.
I'll take pictures sometime to show you guys.

[Call_Me_Bob]

either yours looks underpotted or mine looks over potted. what do you think?

btw those roots we talked about, in the forst pic on this page, are a little soft and mushy in parts. but i think the rest are doing fine

how much should i be watering?

should i put a bed of spagh on top of mine?

[Izzie]

You use a pot that is the size of your root ball. This guy had a bajillion roots that thankfully have now adapted well to outside the greenhouse. If your pot was not much larger than your roots, you should be fine.

Laelias like lots of water- but like all Catts- must dry out between waterings. It's difficult to grasp. They are drought tolerant, so think of a torrent of rain, and then nothing. I did some research on the weather in their natural habitat (Brazil) and that helped.

Since you just repotted, I'd leave it alone and let yours chill out. They're very forgiving- slow growing, but give it a chance.
If those roots on top are getting pissy from too much watering, I'd not add any sphag.

[Call_Me_Bob]

alright, no spagh

what i meant by underpot, is that your rhizome is way out of the pot mine isnt out that much

[Izzie]

Originally Posted by help

alright, no spagh

what i meant by underpot, is that your rhizome is way out of the pot mine isnt out that much

From what I've learned on this board, the rhizomes of Cattleya alliances should never be buried in medium. Generally, they should be planted with the rhizome just above the media, though just below is fine.

Mine is a bit more elevated than normal because the roots were so long- which has now been remedied by a loose sphag layer on top, to just beneath the rhizome. Since putting the sphag on, several new root nubs have appeared in just a week.

[Izzie]

Look at how they are situated in the wild. Laelias are both rupiculous (live on rocks) and epiphytical.
From IOSPE: "This is a medium sized, hot to warm growing species from Mexico and Honduras and is found from altitudes of 500-1500 meters as an epiphyte in coffee plantations, pastures, osk and oak and pine forests with a solitary leaf in tall scattered oaks, or on rocks below them or in pastures and coffee plantations, often in full sunlight..."
In all of those situations, it's rhizome is not going to be buried, and it's going to dry out pretty quickly.

[Izzie]

Now, bearing those elevations in mind, you can find details about the climate where L. anceps occurs. For example, here's info for Mexico from Wikipedia:
"Areas south of the twenty-fourth parallel with elevations up to 1,000 m (3,281 ft) (the southern parts of both coastal plains as well as the Yucatán Peninsula), have a yearly median temperature between 24 to 28 °C (75.2 to 82.4 °F). Temperatures here remain high throughout the year, with only a 5 °C (9 °F) difference between winter and summer median temperatures."
Other niglets from SBOS:
"Laelia anceps, a native of Mexico but also occurring more rarely in Guatemala and the Honduras, is one of the most common, yet one of the most satisfying orchids. Its ease of care makes it an ideal plant for the beginner as well as the connoisseur.

Laelia anceps' lovely flowers occur in many forms of lavender, white and blue. One of the hardiest for cold tolerance of any of the Cattleya alliance, Laelia anceps are reported as tolerating lows of 22ºF (-5ºC) without any damage. High temperatures, up to 90º or 100º, rarely trouble it. The blooming season for anceps is customarily November through January."
They have a good culture sheet for L. anceps too, can't remember if I've posted it: Growing Guides from Santa Barbara Orchid Estate


The internet has a plethora of information out there- I found just this little bit in under 15 minutes.

[Call_Me_Bob]

thanks alot

[Connie Star]

Thanks for the link to SBOEs care sheet- my two are doing pretty well.

[Izzie]

No problem- great to hear Connie! Any growths?
Too bad we all might have to wait till Christmas to see the blooms!