Chiloschista usneoides (Asian Ghost Orchid)

[Bud]

This orchid specie is native to the region of the northern Himalayas, starting from Garhwal in the west, through Nepal up to Sikkim. These plants are found at an altitude of about 1650 m. It is an almost leafless (in early spring I found two small leaves appear but it dropped when it got warmer), hot to warm growing, miniature epiphyte or lithophyte with many long, twisted, tufted roots.
I do not expose this orchid plant to direct sunlight and I placed it on the east facing window of the kitchen. I provide it with good air circulation indoors in winter with an electric humidifier with fan. Currently this orchid plant is outside on the fire escape where it can be rained on and the humidity in Manhattan is still high.
Chiloschista usneoides do not produce leaves, and photosynthesis that normally takes place in the leaves, for this orchid plant, it takes place in the roots. Therefore, it is the roots that must be exposed to light. These plants are usually mounted on small branches. They usually grow better on relatively smooth surfaces, but it happens that I inherited this on a piece of nylon netting.
I give it delicate morning spritzing every other day, especially during sunny hot weather, it protects this plant from over drying. I feed it fertilizer starting spring and I do not feed it when frost starts.
In the past years, this orchid plant gave me flowers maybe four or five and one spike. But when I stopped giving it winter rest and continued spraying water indoors in winter, this gave me several spikes and lots of flowers!