Pleurothallis allenii - division guidance?

[Kelly R]

I picked up a pleuro. allenii today at a local orchid greenhouse. They must have had this plant forever, because it is well exceeding it's little 2.5 inch pot. It is so bushy it is near impossible to see the little flowers. I am strongly considering dividing it, but it is so huge, I don't know if I should divide it into two plants or three. Also, since it grows tubular, I assume that I would basically cut the mound down the middle, etc?

Below is a picture of the plant up close and from afar to gauge size. Thanks for the help!

[greengarden]

I think it's a shame to divide these too much, they are such fine plants that they look best as larger specimens. Personally I'd leave it as it is and just move it into a slightly larger pot.

The ones I have divided for whatever reason I easy out of the pot and just gently ease them into sections with my fingers, I don't like to cut them if I can help it.

[greengarden]

Can i ask what the one in the large terracotta pot on the right of the photo is?

[Kelly R]

Originally Posted by greengarden

Can i ask what the one in the large terracotta pot on the right of the photo is?

It is a grammatophyllum multiflorum. I have two of these - long story lol - so this one is for sale locally at the moment.

[greengarden]

Cool, caught my eye as being a bit different. I have a couple of grammatophyllum flasks on order at the moment but this might be another one to look in to.

[Kelly R]

I un-potted it and discovered how tangled both the roots and the leaves were and ended up deciding to divide it. The plant was very root bound in the pot and there was hardly any moss left to hold water. The new leaves were just curving in on themselves because there was no where to go. The two plants I now have are in spag. moss and are still quite large, so I am hopeful that the two new plants will have a little more room to breathe and send up new growths now.