First Phragmipedium, no ID
 

During one of my latest orders, I noticed the option for a free orchid, orchids the vendor wishes to unload because they do not meet their high standards and/or the tag is missing. I decided to give it a try. The orchids I ordered were all very nice but the free orchid turned out to be something that I did not recognize. Fortunately, a hand written tag labeled it as a Phrag.
The problem is...I have never grown a Phrag before. Any ideas on what general type of Phrag this is and how I should grow it?
What I have done so far with it: I put it in the miniature greenhouse with the Phal. bellina (there is a heating pad under the greenhouse to keep everything toasty). I plan to water it often (with distilled water) to keep the LECA damp.

I haven't grown Phrags before but I've read up on them for when I take the plunge. They need A LOT of water. Many people grow them with the pot standing in water. I don't think your potting in a basket with LECA is a good idea. There is a lot of information in the threads on the

Slipper Orchid forum

on this board.

Nope not Leca! Pot in peat and bark mix and keep it with a tray of clean water at the bottom. Especially plants as small as yours. Need lots of moisture. And intermediate temps mostly

---------- Post added at 05:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:32 PM ----------

The leca already looks dry which is not good

I actually have one potted in Lecca and used to have more Phrags growing that way. I wouldn't use an open basket with Lecca, but in plastic pots with lecca I found them to grow well. HOWEVER I also would keep the pot of lecca always with water at the bottom so that the lecca is always damp and never dries out.

I moved one out of Lecca a few months ago, simply because the other division of the same plant in moss was showing wonderful roots. When I unpotted it I saw that it also had wonderful roots, they were just further mixed into the lecca, while the ones from the plant in moss were all at the outer edge (so more visible). I went ahead and put both in moss but I think it had grown really well in Lecca and would grow them that way again.

I can't grow them in bark, either with or without peat. That's how all of mine were bought but for me the roots rot when grown that way. They do well in moss for me, when growing in moss I don't keep water in the bottom, but also don't allow the moss to fully dry (at least not often or on purpose).

Something to note is that they hate stale medium. I almost lost one simply because I didn't repot soon enough. I repot those in moss every year, those in Lecca I may leave two years but replace it with thoroughly washed lecca at least that often (I reuse old lecca only after thorough cleaning to remove salts).

---------- Post added at 05:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:44 PM ----------

Oh and due to the fact they don't like high salts I would always water with pure water (I use rain water, distilled or RO water would also work) and I fertilise very lightly. I use weak fertiliser on all my orchids, but I use it less often on phrags and then only half the strength the others get.

Phrags show signs of too high fertliser/salts when the leaf tips brown.

---------- Post added at 05:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:47 PM ----------

One problem with Leca though (I'll stop spelling it with double c if I remember :)) is that often the plant rides up so the base of the plant is high and the roots are exposed at the top. Especially if they roots are small.

That looks like it may be happening with yours. It's hard to tell but I don't think it's potted deep enough. Too deep and it will rot, but the base of the green of the plant should be just below the top of the medium, otherwise the roots are likely to die back where they are exposed.

The one I mentioned that almost died from stale medium was first off moved into leca and started to recover there, however it started with hardly any roots and as a result kept riding up in the leca. While it was improving from how it had been I still wasn't happy that it kept riding up and moved it into moss which held it more firmly instead.

Thanks, RosieC!
I had assumed that this just didn't have bottom leaves on the fan but, upon closer observation, there is a little nub just below the leaves that is probably planning to be a new root. I just re-potted it and the older roots are all the way at the bottom of the pot. The base of the fan is even with the medium.
I had to remove part of a leaf as a spot it had on arrival turned out to be some infection. I have been careful when watering not to get water on the leaves as I have read these are prone to leaf issues. Hopefully, the infection won't spread further.
The LECA was still damp before I watered it this morning. I have the pot sitting in a saucer with a little water on the bottom. I will water this twice a day to keep the LECA damp and keep a little water in the saucer.