Angraecum didieri

[Oscarman]

Originally Posted by zxyqu

Mine seems to be doing ok, but your post does worry me a bit on continuing to use tap water. It hasn't rained in quite awhile here, so I've been out of rain water for about 2-3 months now.

The ones I had looked good and that is what surprised me when they kicked it. They started to loose leaves from the bottom and then they all died. Almost like they died from the inside out.

Our water details pH 7.7, hardness is 177mg CaCO3/L ro 10.4 grains or hardness. Could have something to do with it!

[Jennyfleur]

This might not be the best timed post as I just read that NeoNJ is having troubles with one of his (the thread is also in this forum if anyone can help), but I wanted to give some updated pictures on mine as the flower's really starting to develop

As you can see, the bud's starting to elongate and the spur is starting to uncurl

[Leafmite]

Thanks for sharing the pictures! That's really neat how the buds develop. I really love the angraecums, blooming or not, but blooms are a wonderful bonus. Keep us updated! Too bad pictures can't convey the fragrance. You'll have to tell us how it smells!
I hope Neo discovers what happened to his didieri.
Leafmite

[NeoNJ]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

Thanks for sharing the pictures! That's really neat how the buds develop. I really love the angraecums, blooming or not, but blooms are a wonderful bonus. Keep us updated! Too bad pictures can't convey the fragrance. You'll have to tell us how it smells!
I hope Neo discovers what happened to his didieri.
Leafmite

As I indicated, this mounted Didieri had 2 plants mounted on Cork ---- both plants have lost all of their leaves --- it just finished blooming about 3-weeks ago. It has solid healthy roots attached to the Cork (no root-rot noted) and alot of 'fine dangling roots'.

I only used DISTILLED WATER when watering. Also the humidifier only has Distilled Water in it.

Could have been too much light ... and temps too high .....

[zxyqu]

Given the above warnings on this little one, I've also switched to rain water whenever possible (although I'm once again running dry... thanks Atlanta weather).
However, I only did this after the first signs of some distress. Some of the roots that had started to grow off the mount lost their green growth tip, and started to shrivel back. it reminds me a bit of what lund posted some time back. I didn't know if this was water/mount/or environmental, but given the abundance of worry with tap water that was the only switch I made. The roots that died back, only died back to the mount, and are still healthy as best I can tell. Anyone have any new pointers?

[calvin_orchidL]

In my humble and limited experience, I have not had a problem with water and this plant - in the last few years I have watered with RO water, or tap water, and it hasn't blinked. What does affect it is low humidity, especially if mounted. Then again, I may have just been lucky with the water in my municipality. *shrug*

[Leafmite]

I envy those with great tap water. Ours is very hard so we have to use a water softner. I have to use rain, dehumidifyer, or melted snow. Then I have to make certain the plants get the stuff the tap water would contain. So complicated!
Leafmite

[calvin_orchidL]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

I envy those with great tap water. Ours is very hard so we have to use a water softner. I have to use rain, dehumidifyer, or melted snow. Then I have to make certain the plants get the stuff the tap water would contain. So complicated!
Leafmite

I hear ya - the water at my last place was softened, for absolutely no reason since we have great tap water. In the end, I resorted to using the RO water, which is outrageously wasteful. You might have to get one of those to help you out : ( Hopefully your rain water is collected properly - I only say this because I had rampant fungal infestations a few years back from water dripping down from the trees overhead .. the trees were infected with something and I guess the spores just got carried down with the rain! I don't use rain water, so I'm not sure if some sort of treatment can be done.

BTW Jennyfleur that bud is looking mighty fine - make sure the spur doesn't crumple into the medium, if you can manage it! Good growing!

[Jennyfleur]

Originally Posted by calvin_orchidL

I hear ya - the water at my last place was softened, for absolutely no reason since we have great tap water. In the end, I resorted to using the RO water, which is outrageously wasteful. You might have to get one of those to help you out : ( Hopefully your rain water is collected properly - I only say this because I had rampant fungal infestations a few years back from water dripping down from the trees overhead .. the trees were infected with something and I guess the spores just got carried down with the rain! I don't use rain water, so I'm not sure if some sort of treatment can be done.

BTW Jennyfleur that bud is looking mighty fine - make sure the spur doesn't crumple into the medium, if you can manage it! Good growing!

Nice to know that I'm not the only one with horrible tap water! We've just come out of a three and a half month drought, so my water butt dried up ages ago! Luckily, after Christmas I bought a water distiller which is fantastic and has probably helped all my plants get through without rain water!

With respect to the spur, I'm keeping a really close eye on it and will do my best. This is my first Angraecum flower so I haven't had experience with them before, but I'm learning as I go which is always good

[Jennyfleur]

Hi everyone, we're finally there

Actually, it fully opened a couple of days ago, but it's been so overcast here, I wasn't able to go out and get some pictures

Anyway, here are a couple and I've put some more in this thread for anyone who wants to see more: http://www.orchidboard.com/community...rst-bloom.html

So, my question now is, reblooming. Do these run to a particular season? or are they triggered by light, temp differences etc?