Sophronitis cernua
 

A week or so ago I tried to post about this wonderful plant. In doing so I discovered that Photobucket went stupid, and wants users to pay a "hosting fee" to link. That's not happening, so I'm slowly migrating to a new host.

Anyway, Sophronitis cernua (also now called Cattleya cernua) is a sheer delight. Mine grow on my mini bench, where they are watered at least twice a day when growing/blooming. They sit where in the Summer the temperature may reach 90, while in the winter nights can drop to about 60-65, and the humidity never goes below about 55%. I have two plants, the one in bloom has two new growths, the second budding, and the other plant has three, all setting buds. I'd have to say that this is as easy to grow of an orchid as I've ever had, and I truly love it.

https://i.imgur.com/INJvo27.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/YCIG2QK.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/vfTUFe3.jpg

I grow and flower my two but imagine how much better they would do if I watered more frequently!

Yours are lovely.

If memory serves, you posted pics of yours in January, and that is what prompted me to buy mine! My experience has been that this plant will tolerate almost constant watering when growing - though mine are mounted and so impossible to overwater. I feel a debt to you for introducing me to this orchid!

Very nice! :)

Gorgeous plant, second post of yours that I'm drooling over in the past 5 minutes! I also used to have one of these, and love the intense color, though it didn't seem quite as bright as yours. Since mounts and I don't get along, your photos make me want to put together a nice terrarium for mounts.

Beautiful

Camille, mine aren't in a terrarium. They just hang out. I keep them where humidity is good and they seem to thrive. You simply need to water them often.

---------- Post added at 03:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:49 PM ----------

Sam, I just saw your flava and am in love. I adore mine but now want to find a v. flava to put in with them!

Humidity is good at my place, but it's the "water them often" which is the problem with mounts. I'll be away for 2 weeks in November, 2 weeks for Christmas/New Year, and always gone 3 weeks every august. I need a fully automated terrarium set up for mounts to be able to deal with my travelling...

Gorgeous!

Plant #1 is now really in flower, while #2 should open first buds this week.
https://i.imgur.com/1pqnj0o.jpg

Thank you for sharing some cheerful colors on what is going to be another wet miserable day in the Netherlands. I needed that!

Help. I thought since it was in catt alliance it would not like a lot of water. I have it on a Kool Log that is never filled and it driesout completely between waterings. It has had very little growth in 3 years. Should I water it more or pot it? If it should be mounted isn’t what I am doing the same!

If it were my plant, I'd water more often. A mounted plant dries out in a few hours after watering, even in a humid environment. I have tried Kool Logs for some Pleurothallids, and did not see the plants be very enthusiastic about attaching. You may do better with a wood or cork mount, that has rough surfaces that the roots can grab on to, and see how it performs if you water every 2 or 3 days. Don't put any moss between the plant and mount - I have found that if there is moss, the roots go into it and not the mount/

I am so glad you replied. I see you posted last october and thought i would take a chance that you saw it. I have it soaking so I can remove it and I have some cypress. Thank you!

If it roots have attached to the Kool Log, then you don't have to remove it, it's doing fine with that for a mount. (My plants never attached.) Just increase the watering, I think that once a week for a mounted plant is not sufficient.

It is so attached I was worried about getting it off without losing all the roots. Thank you so much!

If it likes the mount, the only reason to unmount it would be a rotted mount (not a problem with Kool logs). When I have a plant that outgrows a mount, I just tie it to a bigger one.

It is almost impossible to over-water a mounted plant, so don't be afraid to water more often. I have Laelia anceps hanging over the Cymbidiums because both need bright light, nearly full sun. The Cyms like to be damp, so they are in fine bark. The L. anceps hate to be damp, so they are all mounted or in baskets with little or no media. The area gets watered every day in summer, every 2 or 3 days in winter... and both types are happy - the L. anceps are dry within a few hours so even daily watering doesn't bother them.

My experience has been that this species needs frequent waterings.

It's beautiful. I hope I can get mine to have that many blooms one day. Yep I sure do have to water mine allot.

There are a lot of threads you can read on Orchid Board about this plant. I seem to recall the best growers grow them mounted and don't let them dry out much.