Root and leaf problem on Amesiella Monticola
 

Hello all :waving, I have a little problem and decited to ask the people here. I have an Amesiella Monticola and it isn't doing very well. It only has two roots, and its newest leaf has been chewed on by slugs. But the part i'm most concerned about is that it is trying to grow an inflorescence. I am is concerned the flower(s) are going to drain all the energy out of the plant and it may die. The pictures show the plant, me pointing at the developing inflorescence, and me pointing at the bottom of it (it is just resting on the moss). Thanks for any help! :D

-rico

I see two roots there, however if you are worried about it taking energy from it cut it...

I had to do this to a couple of mine, I was sad, but now it put out new growths and 1 turned into 6!!!!!! HCC/AOS Paph.

so if worried, be safe rather than sorry. even though you'll be bummed. thats my opinion

I wouldn't cut the spike. However, I would repot the orchid. I just bought one of these and I put it in red lava rock and a net pot. At orchid shows, I always see these mounted on cork or cedar shingles. This orchid is related to the angraecums and they tend to like good airflow, even around the roots. If you want to use moss, you can use a very small net pot with good quality New Zealand sphagnum. I have angraecum leonis potted this way. It dries very quickly. Most of my other angraecums are in the red lava rock/net pots.
Angraecums tend to be hardy and once you figure out how you want to grow this (so that it dries quickly and has good airflow), it should recover. If you decide to mount it, the cork can be found at a pet store. I use the stocking pieces found at shoe stores to tie orchids onto the cork.

I grow my monticola almost the same way as Leafmite and it too is in spike for me. It is in a net pot, with grow stones and sits in a shallow saucer of water. About once a week I run water through the pot and sit it back in the saucer.

I wouldn't cut the spike but would let it bloom. If you have comprised roots, let the bloom stay open for a couple of days and pinch it off. If you remove the spike now it may re-spike again causing more strain on a weak plant. If you have good roots, enjoy it.

Brooke

I had one of these and it grew little spikes but they take forever to develope. They grow VERY slow. I would leave the spike. It will stall if it needs to. Good luck!

I wouldn't cut the spike, either. I do not believe that a plant will bloom itself to death, whoever started to say it.
A plant in not so great condition will not flower in general.

Does it have any more roots buried in the moss??
Make sure the roots do not stay too wet to long. but otherwise, you want to water the plant enough to keep it well hydrated.

I have this plant on mount and is in spike as well. I plant to somehow take it off the mount and pot it up as I find mount dry out way too fast for me and I cannot stay home and mist the little thing every hour.

Good luck!

Actually it is in a pot and the two roots go all the way to the bottom of the pot. They are okay roots but it just isn't growing any more roots.

I hope you will post pictures of blooms, NYCorchidman. They are really pretty in bloom. :)

I have seen the flower pictures and I liked it.

Mine had a spike last fall too but I got lazy with watering and I blasted it.

I will see if I can manage to get it to develop all the way this time. lol

I am so not good with mounted ones.

I just love the ones you hang somewhere for the winter and then don't bother with them. In the winter, I get busy with everything else. :|