Trying Pleurothallis ruscifolia

[estación seca]

I've been wanting to try to keep something in this group alive (unlike the Masdevallia nicaraguae from last November.) I saw this on sale recently. I looked it up and found it has a very widespread natural distribution, and can grow hot, so I thought I would try it.

It was pouring rain when I arrived home with the package, so I gave it a good soak in the rain barrel after the long journey. My plan is to put it into a large, tall hurricane vase you can see

here,

and give it very bright indirect light. Does that seem like a good idea?

[Tindomul]

Hi, I'm not sure how you would use the vase though. I myself have not been that good at keeping Pluerothallis orchids alive. The closest I came was by keeping it's roots wet all the time by hovering the plant over water with a bubbler so that the bubbles kept wetting the plant. I had it and bloomed it until I went away and it dried out. I guess your vase will do something similar?? That being said, if there is a will then there is a way. Keep us updated.

[Pattywack]

estacion seca I have about a dozen different Pleurothallis, all miniature. I grow mine in a tabletop greenhouse in my kitchen. They are at a southeast facing window but sit below it, so I have a CFL I use along with two small fans. The bottom of the greenhouse has Leca covered with forest moss, I keep it damp. The room is bright, humidity is always 80% or above and I water daily. Most of these Pleurothallis are potted, few are mounted.

I have a new terrarium set up with 5 pleuros in it, 2 mounted, grobyi and crinita and 3 others in pots. A pruinosa a macroblepharis and a rubella. I keep them moist, humidity is high here too. The macroblepharis is blooming now. Temp in here is 80s day low 70s night.

I find pleuros easy to grow and bloom. I have a prolifera in a wood basket in a window. It is a bit different for a pleuro, I water it every other day and it is in a south window, room temps are cooler for this one with AC on. Humility is much lower. I also have a longissima in the windowsill and it is about to bloom.

I think you will be fined with your ruscifolia in the vase, though I've not grown that one. Unless it likes to stay wet, I don't think I would let the mount sit in the water. The extra humidity will be wonderful. I would certainly try it grown that way, just watch it closely. Hope it works for you.

[estación seca]

I was thinking of growing it something like this one (you may have read this thread):

Schoenorchis fragrans blooms

[AnonYMouse]

Anyone remember RJSquirrel's pot in glass Masdies?
Something to consider. BRB-going to look for old posts.
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I couldn't find the thread I was thinking of (more details and pics from RJ) but this shows the method: Repotting RJ-Style
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Found the details.

I also remember other people (Pleuro vender in the PNW?) recommending live sphag as media.

[estación seca]

This is the closest I could find to an explanation without going through every single thread:

Masd. Red Panda

A lot of the earlier photos have been replaced with a lot of very strange things, and one extremely strange thing.

[AnonYMouse]

I'm thinking of trying again with some modifications.

The weather needs to stabilize here before I order plants (70°ish to 90° this week and forecast same for the next two).

[Pattywack]

I would think the jar method would work very well. It looks nice and when the moss begins to grow it will be beautiful.

As for Masdevallia, I grow nidifica in my little greenhouse potted in moss in a clay pot and I have erinacea in the new terrarium in a net pot. It is in moss as well with a couple of peanuts in the bottom. I have a new Masdevallia that is still in quarantine, it is potted in moss and blooming like crazy. It is a impostor x floribunda, really cool cross. I might try the jar method for this one, waiting for it to stop blooming before I repot.

Hope to see your new Pleuro in its new vase!

---------- Post added at 09:24 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:19 AM ----------

The vase I use for that Schoenorchis fragrans has worked beautifully though the mount rarely touches the water, it rests on small stones. The lid on that vase is used overnight to help with humidity, it is from a tiny Yankee candle, lol.

[u bada]

My little growing space(s) have been a bit of big experiment towards growing higher humidity like pleuros in warm/hot dry summer areas like here in LA... I grow a bunch of smaller stuff in large vases outside on my balcony, grow things in smaller jars, bowls, and of course my small aquarium tanks...

Some things are doing ok, some really haven't, and I can't say there are any thriving... How Pattywack does it is still mystifying to me, but I just haven't had success growing orchids in somewhat enclosed containers. At the end of the day, I'll throw an ailing pleuro into the tanks which have consistent humidity, steady light, regular waterings, and ample air flow and it's like night and day and they come back from the dead almost instantly...

However, there are a few I can recommend that already are built in to handle variable conditions in general regardless of vase/container techniques or not...

pleuro prolifera (which patty mentioned) has handled outside, low/high temps, however mine doesn't grow very fast at all, it's a slow grower. Had other issues with it so it's on a tank to recuperate hopefully

pleuro circumplexa, very think succulent leaves, what a trooper. Got it at a society society sale for 10 bucks, stuck it in a glass cylinder completely open at top and untouched by heat, slow grower however. Not a pretty one really, flowers are smallish and brownish (hence 10 bucks) but i love the growth habit.

pleurothallis sanderiana- this is a tiny one but also has super thick little succulent leaves. what a trooper too. a friend grows it outside in a hotter and dryer area than me...

Restrepia brachypus, this one has reputedly of the warm/hot handlers in the pleuro group, flowers all the time. Mine's in a big vase.

main takeaway, anything with super thick leaves is more of a contender, although the restrepia is leaves that are only sorta thick...

As for you ruscifolia... you'll just have to keep us posted. I've never tried it but I think there is potential there. The ones I've seen have thinner leaves, although yours appears to have thicker ones...

Air flow has been important too, so I would go for a container that has a bigger opening, but still bulbous at base to retain humidity, a globe may be better... I have a friend who grows bigger pleuros like that one outside, ok so he's nearish to the beach but humidity is variable and they're doing well. He gets good air flow.

just some thoughts...

[Tindomul]

I would think that in the style you want to grow it in, your challenge would be airflow. Keep us posted how you solve this.