Bifrenaria inodora issues - Orchid Board

greengarden · #1 02-06-2013, 09:07 PM

I was recently given a division of inodora. It was a salvaged piece removed under licence from the wild and had that neglected struggling look about it that some wild orchids can have, particularly after our recent dry summer. Anyway I grow harrisoniae and it is doing very well so potted up the inodora and figured it would come good. Well it has now just lost its new lead and the bulbs are still looking quite shrivelled and I am increasingly concerned I may loose the whole plant. Can anyone suggest what I have been doing wrong? I am wondering whether I would be better to mount it since chances are it was growing that way in situ and then just hope it puts out a new lead. Currently it is potted in coarse bark and recieving low to mid levels of watering as I didn't want to water it more strongly until the lead was more developed. The lead looks like it rotted off but the base of the plant wasn't wet

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #2 02-07-2013, 12:35 AM

I wasn't aware that Bifrenaria inodora is now naturalizing in Australia along with some other non-native orchids - interesting...

Usually Bifrenarias grow extremely dry during the winters and then really wet during the warmer months.

I don't know if this helps at all.

Since there aren't any photos, it's hard for me to tell you much.

greengarden · #3 02-07-2013, 01:29 AM

Argh, it's not, excuse my blonde moment there

I was sure the guy said he had salvaged it and like you thought it was kind of odd but on looking back now it's a greenhouse grown chunk but just not in the best of health.

---------- Post added at 04:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:27 PM ----------

I bought a large number of other plants off him at the time and they were all salvaged natives and thought he'd got this at the same time.

Muppets · #4 02-11-2013, 08:43 AM

I wasn't aware about "Bifrenaria inodora". I’m glad I’ve found this. Much appreciate if you can provide some more information about this issue.

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #5 02-13-2013, 12:48 AM

The following is some basic information:

Bifrenaria inodora is an epiphytical orchid found in the South American tropics. They grow in highly seasonal forests, where the wet seasons are very wet (spring/summer), but the dry season is very dry (fall/winter).

They grow under moderately bright to bright indirect light.

They are intermediate to warm growing (55 F - 95 F).

These are considered to be Maxillaria relatives.