Sedirea japonica and Phalaenopsis stuartiana Care ?s

[aliceinwl]

I went to an orchid show this weekend and ended up with a Sedirea japonica and Phalaenopsis stuartiana both are potted in moss and look really good in terms of root systems with lots of flowers coming. The vendors said standard Phal care would be fine, but in perusing some of the threads on here it seems like that might not be the case. Can I keep them like my hybrid Phals? Specifically, can I repot them in bark and water them like my others (give them a good soak once a week or so and not water again until they're dry and fertilize every other watering)?

[jcec1]

I have a Sedirea that just gets standard phalaenopsis care, and I grow it in bark just like my other phalaenopsis. It does seem to tolerate and grow in cooler conditions than my other phalaenopsis, stuartiana I don't grow so can't give you any advice.

[SundayGardener]

Originally Posted by jcec1

I have a Sedirea that just gets standard phalaenopsis care, and I grow it in bark just like my other phalaenopsis. It does seem to tolerate and grow in cooler conditions than my other phalaenopsis, stuartiana I don't grow so can't give you any advice.

Not an experienced orchid person, but my Sedirea has been quite happy in bark and in cooler temperatures, while the phals around it have been droopy and lethargic. Right now, I'm allowing myself to believe that the Sedirea is "the one I can grow" but we haven't been together long enough, we'll see how things look at the end of summer! I have mine in bark in a net pot, it gets a fair amount of sun from a window. I don't soak it (that doesn't work well for me in the winter) but I drench it weekly and mist the upper exposed roots on occasion. I also have a few strands of moss on top of the bark.

[fishmom]

My Sedirea japonica grows in a chunky bark mix, watered like a phal, but it seems to enjoy more light than I would give to a phal. I have the sense that Sedireas are less demanding in terms of range of temperature and light than phals.

[aliceinwl]

Well I managed to kill one Sedirea.

I potted them up in bark and grew them alongside my indoor Phalaenopsis. One looked really good but neither seemed to be putting on any root growth in the substrate, and one started getting really long twisting leaves like it wasn’t getting enough light.

I decided to move the one with the twisty leaves outside since I read they could take the cold and I could give it more light. I figured I’d experiment with this one since the other was doing well. To my surprise, the indoor plant that was looking good suddenly dropped all of its leaves; I unpotted it and the roots and stem were completely dead. The leaves were all firm and green when they dropped and it literally happened overnight.

The outdoor one is growing roots now, but only air roots. It’s in the regular size orchiata (whatever falls between the fine and medium grade) in a clear slotted pot: both plants were potted this way.

I’m wondering if I should transfer my surviving plant to something like a slatted hanging wood pot and a coarser grade bark and keep it outside. I wouldn’t be able to keep up with watering a mounted plant so that’s not really an option. The fact that it’s not pushing any roots in the pot has me thinking it’s not happy with the conditions in there. Despite all this, it does look like it’s going to spike.

[Roberta]

I grow Sedirea japonica either mounted or in a plastic basket, outside relatively shady. (Night temps almost down to frost occasionally) So they can take a lot more cold than a Phal (Maybe genetically it is now a Phal, but it isn't as tropical in its requirements) It should also grow under Phal conditions, but I think it needs to dry out much more. I'd say more like a Vanda. Phal stuartiana grows for me pretty much like any other Phal. I have it in a wooden basket with large bark and the roots are all over the sides of the basket. I have found that my Phal species grow a lot better that way than in pots, but that is in MY conditions, yours results may vary...

[aliceinwl]

It sounds like there’s a good chance the Sedirea will do better in a a coarser media and more open pot than it’s currently in. If I’m lucky it’ll thrive under the conditions my other Phals barely survive outside.

The Phal. stuartiana has been doing fine inside set up like my hybrid Phals. It’s been growing lots of roots both inside and outside the pot. It does seem to be a little more sensitive about watering: if it stays too moist I see a little browning in the roots but the leaves start to droop if it goes too dry. It blasted all its flowers when I bought it so it’ll be great if it spikes for me this year.