Cycnodes Wine Delight

[daemondamian]

Hi folks,
I got a small Cycnodes Wine Delight a few months ago which I opted to put into sem-hydro after reading of several peoples sucess in growing that way.

It may not be true semi-hydro, I used the translucent pots with slits down the sides, dome and drainage holes in the bottom, which I sat in a small plastic container[originally for dip or cream cheese I can't remember] and I used hydroton.

I was happy to see new roots on top and I lifted out the plant to find roots growing all the way to the bottom.

I usually water from the top until the container fills up and the water pours out the side slits.

Now though one leaf has started to brown off- I understand cycnodes is deciduous- it dies back to the bulb and requires a dry winter rest?

I have a Malaxis latifolia that also dies back to the bulbs and then resprouts in the spring but that isn't in semi-hydro.

What I'm unsure about is when if at all I should stop watering? I did read sometimes they grow through the winter if they are young and the conditions are right.

Additionally it is growing in my Jebo, [sorry for the crappy quality photos ] which is always hot/warm and very humid.

[nancy]

Hey -
This is an old post, but I was browsing around looking for someone else growing Malaxis (latifolia, as luck would have it). This particular plant is considered semi-terrestrial or terrestrial. I was advised that it is a 'door ledge' plant; when the leaves start to drop, put it up somewhere where it gets good light, but no water. It has managed to survive and sprout out each spring, so that must be pretty good advice. It is really lovely with or without flowers, I think. I believe there are species of Malaxis native to both the US and OZ; probably few as pretty as latifolia, though.
Cycnodes is cycnoches x mormodes - both are completely deciduous. Urban legend says tear them out of their pots/mounts each fall and cut all the roots off - I think this is terrible advice (and mean). I leave my catasetinae potted or mounted, but do withhold water. In the spring, they already have a good anchoring root system.
A staggeringly beautiful and odd-looking bunch of flowers on these! In mid-winter (you are?) yours should be dormant, leafless, hibernating. I like to give them good light in the winter, too.
Regards - Nancy

[daemondamian]

Originally Posted by nancy

Hey -
This is an old post, but I was browsing around looking for someone else growing Malaxis (latifolia, as luck would have it). This particular plant is considered semi-terrestrial or terrestrial. I was advised that it is a 'door ledge' plant; when the leaves start to drop, put it up somewhere where it gets good light, but no water. It has managed to survive and sprout out each spring, so that must be pretty good advice. It is really lovely with or without flowers, I think. I believe there are species of Malaxis native to both the US and OZ; probably few as pretty as latifolia, though.
Cycnodes is cycnoches x mormodes - both are completely deciduous. Urban legend says tear them out of their pots/mounts each fall and cut all the roots off - I think this is terrible advice (and mean). I leave my catasetinae potted or mounted, but do withhold water. In the spring, they already have a good anchoring root system.
A staggeringly beautiful and odd-looking bunch of flowers on these! In mid-winter (you are?) yours should be dormant, leafless, hibernating. I like to give them good light in the winter, too.
Regards - Nancy

Hi Nancy,
thanks for the extra info and tips on both of these deciduous orchids, both are up high getting good strong light. I have left both dry for the past few months perhaps lightly watering them once or twice due to being in a heated GH, but no bulb shrinkage has occured. The cycnodes is dormant and leafless but for one shrivelled brown leaf. Spring is coming soon, so I'm not sure what I'll do with cycnodes as it is in hydroton- either I will spray it frequently or sit it in a dish of water as before I'm not sure Hopefully I can get it to blooming size this growing season! The M. latifolia will stay in the same pot and terrestrial mix- easiest orchid I've ever grown!
Regards
Damian.

[Dorothy]

Damian - Tell me about your 'tank' in the last picture - What is the size and where did you purchase it?

[daemondamian]

Originally Posted by Dorothy

Damian - Tell me about your 'tank' in the last picture - What is the size and where did you purchase it?

Dorothy,
it's a 2ft Jebo tank that I purchased second hand. I don't know if that brand is available in the USA or not. There are three flouroescent lights above and a computer fan inside the tank circulating air around. There is a layer of hydroton on the bottom of the tank for drainage but I'm still carefull with water otherwise it fills up above the hydroton which is no good.

I currently have paphs, bulbophyllums, a phalenopsis [just spotted a new spike ], pleurothallis, aerangis, angraecum, nanodes, panisea, mediocalcar and a polka dot plant in there .

[nancy]

Hi Damian -
Regarding the Cycnodes: usually it's pretty apparent when to start watering and fertilizing. Rule of thumb used to be when the new growth was 2"/50mm or so tall. I think a better rule is to start when the visible roots on the new growth are about 3" long. If you start watering and feeding too soon, the catasetinae are really prone to getting mushy and rotting.
They are kind of variable, with some beginning new growth in later winter, others all the way into mid-late spring. Unfortunately, once you get hooked on these (easy), you'll learn by losing a few (not so easy). I have started trying to err on the side of caution, and have not had any 'lose the will to live' in a couple of years. Knock wood!
Regards - Nancy

[daemondamian]

Originally Posted by nancy

Hi Damian -
Regarding the Cycnodes: usually it's pretty apparent when to start watering and fertilizing. Rule of thumb used to be when the new growth was 2"/50mm or so tall. I think a better rule is to start when the visible roots on the new growth are about 3" long. If you start watering and feeding too soon, the catasetinae are really prone to getting mushy and rotting.
They are kind of variable, with some beginning new growth in later winter, others all the way into mid-late spring. Unfortunately, once you get hooked on these (easy), you'll learn by losing a few (not so easy). I have started trying to err on the side of caution, and have not had any 'lose the will to live' in a couple of years. Knock wood!
Regards - Nancy

Thanks Nancy for the great info and advice! If catasetinae are as easy a terrestrial to grow as the terrestrial Malaxis latifolia [and not like Pleonies which I bought two lovely big potfulls full of and ended up with three tiny shrivelled tuber/corms that might come back to life this spring ] I'm sure I will be tempted to add more to my collection

I saw this catasetum at the last Melbourne Orchid Spectacular/OSCOV show I went to, bizzare yet totally gorgeous!