Trichopilia Becky Unruh

[flexdc]

Do you have any info about growing trichopilia suavis?
Bought one recently and have been growing outside. Min night temp around 50 but day can go up the 70s in winter .

Yours is quite a cutie. If it is a cool grower might consider getting one


Andrew L.A.

[estación seca]

Andrew, if you search the board on Trichopilia suavis you'll find about 3 pages of threads. I learned a lot reading them all, and decided to try T. suavis and T. tortilis. They got here two days ago from Carter & Holmes. They are tiny. You can see them here:

Seedling Lycaste and Trichopilia growth

One of the comments somewhere is from isurus79 in Austin, who wrote a member of his orchid society there is growing it in a greenhouse. I figured if it grows in Austin I can figure it out in Phoenix. You're even cooler.

I'm going to grow mine in a clay pot sitting in a dish of water, semi-hydroponic. I will use LECA with a thin layer of sphagnum on top for more moisture and evaporation at the root level. This has been working well with an Odontoglossum lacerum I bought by mistake. This will provide evaporative cooling to the plant.

Mine is tiny so I may also invert a transparent, 1-quart / 1 liter food container, with a few holes, over the plant in the pot, for a mini greenhouse.

[katrina]

Originally Posted by flexdc

Do you have any info about growing trichopilia suavis?
Bought one recently and have been growing outside. Min night temp around 50 but day can go up the 70s in winter .

Yours is quite a cutie. If it is a cool grower might consider getting one


Andrew L.A.

I'm not sure if I'm qualified to answer this because I have been the killer of one suavis. Although, I did get another one last spring (in March '15) and so far it's doing well. It's not grown much but it's not dying and the foliage it staying pretty good. I'm growing it like most of my others...in a moisture retentive medium, keeping it very moist during the "active" season with a slightly drier period for a short time in the winter. Not dry...just not as moist. If that makes sense. Med light and intermediate temps. I think it would prefer slightly cooler temps that what I can give it in the summer but so far, it's done ok. Also, I've read they do bloom better if given higher light but w/my summer temps, I tend to protect it a bit more. If your summer temps are in that 70's range then you might do better w/it at the low end of catt light. I'm afraid I'll cook it if I do.

I double checked on Orchid Wiz and the habitat suavis comes from has typical/usual temps in the 70's during day and 50's a night. And not much variation from those temps in the winter vs summer...lower end of the night time lows in the winter but, still, not a huge difference.

Becky is a cross of fragrans and sanguinolenta. Fragrans and sang both being ones that like those same ranges as suavis. 70's ranges during day and 50's ranges during night...higher end in the summer and lower end in the winter.

I'm growing both fragrans and sanguinolenta and, so far, sang has been the hardest for me to get right. It's not a happy plant and it looks really bad right now. If it dies, I likely won't try another one because it seems to be one that's not as forgiving of my less than ideal conditions.

[flexdc]

Originally Posted by katrina

I'm not sure if I'm qualified to answer this because I have been the killer of one suavis. Although, I did get another one last spring (in March '15) and so far it's doing well. It's not grown much but it's not dying and the foliage it staying pretty good. I'm growing it like most of my others...in a moisture retentive medium, keeping it very moist during the "active" season with a slightly drier period for a short time in the winter. Not dry...just not as moist. If that makes sense. Med light and intermediate temps. I think it would prefer slightly cooler temps that what I can give it in the summer but so far, it's done ok. Also, I've read they do bloom better if given higher light but w/my summer temps, I tend to protect it a bit more. If your summer temps are in that 70's range then you might do better w/it at the low end of catt light. I'm afraid I'll cook it if I do.



I double checked on Orchid Wiz and the habitat suavis comes from has typical/usual temps in the 70's during day and 50's a night. And not much variation from those temps in the winter vs summer...lower end of the night time lows in the winter but, still, not a huge difference.



Becky is a cross of fragrans and sanguinolenta. Fragrans and sang both being ones that like those same ranges as suavis. 70's ranges during day and 50's ranges during night...higher end in the summer and lower end in the winter.



I'm growing both fragrans and sanguinolenta and, so far, sang has been the hardest for me to get right. It's not a happy plant and it looks really bad right now. If it dies, I likely won't try another one because it seems to be one that's not as forgiving of my less than ideal conditions.

Thanks for that extensive answer. From your answer, I am going to grow it with my Miltonopsis. Seems to have the same requirements.
Thanks you!


Andrew L.A.