Potting rupicolous Laelia sanguiloba - advice PLEASE

[MattWoelfsen]

Laelia sanguiloba comes from the state of Bahia, Brasil. Bahia is closer to the equator than Zimbabwe. Rupiculous Laelia live in hard, rocky places putting roots down into crevices and capturing nutrients and moisture from rain and wind.

Because these plants live in warmer places than some of the other Rupiculous Laelia, the advice I was given by my Laelia Rupiculous vendor is "it likes to be grown on the bright side, and grows year around. Provide good water, very dilute fertilizer, and lots of air movement."

I have learned to avoid disturbing its root system by repotting it. Hence the recommendation to plant in inorganic material like stones or sponge rock, etc, such that they stay in the same pot for two to three years--or longer.

Therefore, I recommend that you keep your plant as it has arrived. Keep vigilant that the bark remain whole and not breaking down into compost. Water it early in the day so that it is not wet but damp. Give it high humid, moving air. Perhaps a year from now, you can re-pot it in rock, or pebbles. I would leave out macadamia nut shells.

I have started using grow stones--which is made of glass and through a heating process has caused the glass to become porous and absorbent. I used this to re-pot a couple of my Rupiculous Laelia earlier this Summer, and these two plants have grown strong roots. So when I get around to re-potting my other Laelia, I'll mix in this media.