Help with Trichopilia tortilis!
 

Hi all!

My Trichopilia tortilis is not doing too hot. I purchased it a few months ago. When I received it, it was putting out two new growths. I potted it in sphagnum moss, bark, perlite and I threw in some slow release fertilizer pellets. I've kept it under my grow lights and watered it as it neared drying.

Now, both new growths are browning. The old growths all look good - plump pseudobulbs, no browning on the leaves.

Anyone have experience with this genus? I've heard they can be a bit tempermental... maybe it's just transport shock? Fertilizer burn?

I'm not growing it but you're not watering enough. Especially when making new growth these shouldn't get dry. Trichopilias have fine roots. Large bark isn't a good idea unless you water almost every day. I would use straight sphagnum or fine bark. I wouldn't repot now. Wait for new root growth, which should occur on the next new growths.

Hello Sweetas647,

I find Trichopilias to be extremely obnoxious plants. They are very sensitive to unideal cultural conditions in my experience. I think the suavis may be the worst one but the tortilis is not too kind either.

I do have a decently sized collection of these now.

I have them half out of frustration because I cannot get them to bloom, and half because I really like fragrant orchids and they are an extremely fragrant genus. They smell potently of creamsicles or melon pops to me.

I think these do best in net pots with moss or a regular plastic pot with very fine bark. That medium does look a bit coarse and dry for Trichopilias. They do tend to wrinkle up though when watering is the issue. I would say it is probably best to treat them like Miltoniopsis.

Overall though, it does not look to be in too bad of shape. To be frank, even in supposedly good conditions, I have had mine lose the new growth. With the suavis, I have gone through at the minimum 4 plants.