Phymatidium tillandsioides watering?

[Fishkeeper]

I picked up one of these little cuties from J&L orchids. I'm a bit unsure of how much to water it, though. Andy's Orchids says a mounted specimen should be watered 5-7 times a week, but the packing slip in the shipping box had "dry grower" next to this plant's name. I sent a message asking about how they keep theirs, but haven't heard back yet.

So, does anyone have one of these? If so, how do you grow it? My current plan is to let it get sprayed several times a day (I have an autosprayer), but to keep it somewhere it shouldn't stay damp for long. I figure that's a good bet for a lot of micro-minis.

[estación seca]

When I face this I look up herbarium specimens, find out where they were collected, then look up the climate.

According to the Tropicos server, it's correctly Phymatidium falcifolium. There is a specimen in the New York Botanical Garden that was collected in Brasil, Paraná province, locality Guaratuba.

Tropicos | Specimen - Gert G. Hatschbach - 23350

You could go to the NYBG herbarium site and look up this specimen for more information.

[wisdomseeker]

Can't keep up with the name-game changes anymore, but I think this one is now Phymatidiium falcifolium (personally, I like tillandsioides better).

I've mananged to keep a couple divisions, from my original mother plant, going for several years. This is a unique miniature species that is under-rated in my opinion (and it puts on a good show when flowering). They are mounted on cork bark, with a sphagnum pad.

Used to drench these guys with a hand sprayer (2-3 times a week) until a couple years ago. Now I just dunk & soak the entire mount in a small reservoir of water for 4-5 minutes, at least once/twice a week. The leaves dry out in about an hour, but the mount stays damp(ish) until the next watering. Has worked out well for me with my growing conditions.

[Fishkeeper]

Ah, gotta love name changes. I like tillandsioides better, too- it looks so much like an air plant, except for the roots. I wonder why that is- coincidence, or some functional reason for the shape?

Tried the NYBG search function, and apparently they no longer have that plant in their collection.

I guess I'll put this little guy in a well-ventilated area and keep its roots lightly moist. Hopefully, if it doesn't like where I put it, I can spot its upset before it gets too far gone.

You've got a nice little specimen there. What kind of schedule does it bloom on?

(Sidenote: I do have this in the correct subsection, right? Doesn't look like an Oncidium relative, but that's what I was reading, and I guess the flowers are a bit towards Oncidium shape.)

[estación seca]

You have to go to the NYBG herbarium, not the live plants section. It's a dried specimen. If you go there and input Phymatidium you will find 16 voucher specimens, with localities. It turns out it's a pretty widespread plant.

[wisdomseeker]

Originally Posted by Fishkeeper

I guess I'll put this little guy in a well-ventilated area and keep its roots lightly moist. Hopefully, if it doesn't like where I put it, I can spot its upset before it gets too far gone.

(Sidenote: I do have this in the correct subsection, right? Doesn't look like an Oncidium relative, but that's what I was reading, and I guess the flowers are a bit towards Oncidium shape.)

That's probably your best bet, especially if humidity levels are good.

My divisions are still small compared to the original mother plant (which was a good size specimen plant). They've been slow growers for me, but do fill in nicely over time. Roots are very fine & thin. Took some time for roots to get established and attach to the mounts. Mine have flowered in late spring, although my mother plant would flower (like clockwork) around late September. Blooms last a couple of weeks and then the flowers start dropping. Mine are grown in 'warmish' temperatures under bright artificial light.

I think you are right about the 'subsection', but not 100% sure. I was under the impression this species was from the oncidiinae subtribe, but I'm just going from some of the things I've read in the past.

[Roberta]

As far as group, Orchidwiz has it in Maxillariae (related to Zygopetalum, Lycaste, Stanhopea, etc.) So actually not Oncidium. Fishkeeper, I can move it if you wish. Left in place a person searching by name will still find it, though.

(The structure of the subforums actually has one that doesn't fit the botany, grouping Catasetinae - which are related to Cymbidium - with Stanhopea - related to Lycaste and Maxillaria. People still find what they are looking for)

[Fishkeeper]

If it's not too much trouble to move the thread, I'd appreciate it, just for the sake of accuracy.

I'll try to remember to come back here and update with how this does. It currently has some long roots that are pressed against either cork bark or the glass, and some shorter roots tucked into moss. That's how it came on the mount, and it looks neat this way. Humidity should be pretty high.

[Roberta]

Done.

[wisdomseeker]

Thanks for the clarification, and unscrambling the uncertainty.

Orchidwiz is a nice reference tool.