Beallara Tropic Lily 'Ice Palace'

[fredr]

Anybody know what causes blooms to shrivel up and drop off before opening? I have lots of brassias which are happy as orchids can be but this Beallara gives me only one of two flowers while the rest never open up. It's such a shame as I have no idea why?

[WhiteRabbit]

Beautiful bloom!

I have an Onc. alliance intergeneric hybrid that blasted whole spikes over summer, but blooms fine in fall - it was suggested that the cause was perhaps low humidity (it CAN be VERY dry here summer days), or even just the media getting too dry ...

So, in my case, I believe that was likely the problem ...

Drafts (warm or cool), temps too high or too low, sudden changes in temperatures, are other possible causes of blast

[fredr]

I have my orchids in a greenhouse with fans blowing all the time. Maybe it's the wind?

[fredr]

BTW humidity is very high here all the time, therefore the fans to prevent rot and other nasty stuff.

[NYCorchidman]

Low humidity and underwatering, or heat. Since you mentioned you have a high humidity, it is not the cause. Fan, unless it is strong enough to knock the plant over, shouldn't be a problem. With fans blowing all the time, I don't think the heat is the cause either.
Did you water plant enough?

[fredr]

OK, that leaves watering as a cause. I left my orchids outside subject to available rain. That works fine in the summer but then it dries up a bit. As it got to the point of possible cold weather I moved the orchids into a greenhouse where I now control the watering at every three days. Everybody else seems to be OK with that but the Baellara may have been previously desprived. It's just such a shame to lose all those pretty flowers before they ever had a chance to open.