Pleurothallis grobyi

[Rosim_in_BR]

Cute indeed, Nancy! Mine didn't show its face this year!

[nancy]

This rascal has become very floriferous! Many, many inflorescences and appears to have more in the works.
Regards - Nancy

[Tindomul]

Wow, very cool!

[harpspiel]

I have a question about this. When I got mine from J&L last fall, the leaves were a darker green with red tinges, and very plump. Since then I've struggled constantly to water it enough (a full dousing once a day in 80% humidity), but the leaves still thinned out and refuse to get plump again. They are also fading to a paler green. However, the plant seems happy - it was dormant over the winter, but now is constantly sending up new leaves.

For those of you who grow it, is this a problem? Or should I just accept that it is happily growing, and leave it alone?

[harpspiel]

P.S. Sorry if I've hijacked your thread - you do indeed have a beautiful specimen, which is why I figure it's worthwhile to ask your advice

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Hey, harpspiel!

This is an old thread from 2008. I'm sure they don't care if you "hijacked" the thread at all by now.

I've grown this before.

So here are a few questions for you...

1. Do you grow potted or mounted?
2. What is the intensity of the light you have it grown under?
3. What kind of water do you use? (RO/DI?, rainwater?, distilled?, tap?)
4. How often do you fertilize?
5. What kind of fertilizer are you using?
6. What is the NPK ratio of the fertilizer?
7. Is your fertilizer urea free?
8. What is the concentration of fertilizer you're using?
9. How often are you watering?
10. What's the temperature range?
11. What's the humidity?
12. How are the roots doing?
13. Do you have rooting hormones?
14. What's the air circulation like?
15. Do you grow indoors or outdoors?

[harpspiel]

Man, I didn't check the dates - I wonder how I found this thread. . . .

I grow in a 40g terrarium - just posted a thread about it. Temp 68-80 F, humidity 60-80%, under compact fluorescents - I think they're 23W - and the plant is about 12" away from the lights.

I water with tap water that I let sit out for day or two to let the chlorine evaporate. I'm not organized enough to collect enough rainwater, and I've heard that distilled is not ideal. I don't fertilize, need to find a urea free fertilizer and order it soon.

The roots are healthy and white, and the plant is constantly producing new leaves - it has probably a dozen right now. I don't doubt that it's healthy, just wondered if the leaves should have a reddish tinge and I should water enough that they become plump.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Sounds like anthocyanin production as a means to shield itself from too much light.

These grow in the shade.

I'm certain you've heard this many times, but tap water is generally not recommended for Pleurothallids.

Although different species of Pleurothallids will have different levels of tolerance to high dissolved minerals in the water. Generally speaking, the level of dissolved minerals in your area's tap water is most likely still too much for them.

Some problems that may occur from using tap water in the long run are:

1. Leaves turning yellow prematurely.
2. Leaves drying up for seemingly "no reason".
3. Leaf tips dying back.
4. Root damage.
5. Leaves falling off rapidly.

However...

The temperatures are fine.

I'm not certain about your watering regimen, as I don't think you mentioned it.

Humidity is fine.

I use RO/DI without problems. I don't see why distilled would be a problem either. In fact, many people have used either RO/DI or distilled water without problems.

If you were to start fertilizing today, what would you think the concentration would be?

[SOS]

removed

[nancy]

Hi harpspiel -
Not sure how much will apply - I grow outside most of the year (except this year, which has been arctic) in south Louisiana. This plant likes to be warm, moist, shaded and humid all the time. The leaves are quite succulent! And look like stained glass on the bottoms.
This years' blooming was pretty nice, and the plant won a trophy for 'best flower in its category' at a show in Monroe, LA a few weeks ago - impressive to me because the category includes giant honking cymbidiums! The Bruce Lee of tiny plants.
I think all orchids like a fairly buoyant atmosphere (windy without tearing them up).
Cheers - Nancy