New walkeriana… bark, mount or s/h?
 

So I just got a new walkeriana Alba, it has new roots just emerging and is “bare root” in spagnum. Ready for repot! I’ve been trying Cattleyas in bark, on mounts, and in semi hydro. So far all have been doing well, but the semi hydro ones are particularly vigorous-looking. Anyhow, I have a walkerania in bark (Chairman from svo) and one mounted (coerulea). In fairness this one should be semi-hydro… what do you think, has anyone had good experiences with walkeriana in semi hydro? My second choice would be large bark in terracotta. My third would be lava rock… I actually don’t have any Cattleyas in lava rock, not sure why not…;) I could mount, but the mounted area is pretty full right now😂

Which culture technique will work best with your growing conditions to meet the needs of the plant?

The walkerianas I tried to grow in S/H all failed to root into the LECA. My humidity was too low and I didn't have time to water daily. The roots would extend to the LECA then the root tips would die.

I would consider it a bad match for a pot in general because of the rambling habit. I feel like mounts and baskets are best for walkeriana. That's the only reason I dont grow them

the less a walkeriana root touchs, the more it grows. :waving

https://photos.smugmug.com/2023-Cyms...%5B1%5D-X2.jpg

As Ray says... what will work with your environment and culture? I'm with LouisW on mount or basket. They sure like to ramble.

All of mine are in shallow hanging cedar baskets because they are "walkers"!

I am really curious to try a walkeriana in semi-hydro someday, but I’m not feeling like killing one today, so I mounted it. Seems like the safest bet.

All of mine start in pots and end up in some hybrid of potted/mounted culture

I’ve killed one Walkeriana because I just started out and didn’t know what it liked. It was in way too much sphagnum moss and wasn’t staked properly. It took 2 years to die however. The roots wouldn’t establish.

Then I got a c sea breeze which I didn’t realize was walkeriana x warneri until later. The roots were already well established and the leaves were very plump so I potted the thing in straight orchiata bark in a clay pot and it’s doing great. Not sure if the warneri makes it easier but the potting situation has worked well for me. I can spray it lightly daily or I give it a good douse. Either way the clay makes it dry quickly. I can even go away for 3-4 days and it does fine because of its succulent qualities. Houston here is really hot and humid so they can stand to be dry for a while.