dying orchid rescue! (Angcm. didieri)

[Bobblybook]

Hi everyone,

I've just been given this from a friend who thinks it's just about gone.

I've done some googling and I'm pretty excited for this little guy, though I've never tried rescuing an orchid like this so I might need some help from the experts

It has just those two root stubs, though they're both alive & firm and turned green after a soak (see photo).

It had 2 leaves, one yellow & soft which fell off. There's a leaf tip growing thankfully, and it still seems quite healthy.

I think the biggest issue may have been temperature. I just don't know what to do to keep it alive, since there isn't much of anything to work with.

Currently I've placed it in my terrarium, just sitting on a log for the warmth/humidity.
I have some cork coming later this week, and was wondering whether it would be fine mounted to some cork in my terrarium. It's very humid in there (80+%), and I was thinking about mounting it bare without moss to allow the roots to dry properly.

I'm also hesitant to fertilise it yet due to it's limited roots... would a diluted spray be beneficial at all?

Sorry about the lighting - it's night and hard to get a good quality photo.

If anyone has any advice, please share it!!

EDIT: It seems I can't link photos from a website.. attached instead.

[lepetitmartien]

I'd try the guy on some sphagnum first, it has not much reserves and should be feeding first thing or it won't go anywhere. The terrarium is a good place btw.

Mounting it or leaving it on some branch will just be harder for it. Once it's stronger, with more roots and leaves, it'll do fine out of rescue. Given the size I'd apply the 3x3 rule: 3 leaves, 3 roots, of 3cm each like for keiki, to go on some regular cultivation.

[Bobblybook]

Thanks. My only concern is if I put it in some sphagnum, given the high humidity in there it will never dry out (which I believe is required for most Angraecums). I really don't want to rot these last few roots..

[nenella]

I have in the past rotted roots on didieri. my 1cents worth... I would probably put into a tiny clay pot (with a bit of sphag) or none at all.... If you do put sphag/bark it needs to be extremely loose so it dries up quickly. Your terrarium at 80% humidity is more than fine. I would also give it a weak fertilizer and rooting hormone if you have any..
As you have mentioned they need to dry up fast.
Good luck & keep us posted.

PS: I have the same sort of conditions as you and I leave mine with 'white' roots for days & days. Although the pot sits on wet Leca that fills the bottom of my terrarium.

[Leafmite]

If you use the moss, use a plastic vanda basket and keep the moss shallow. This allows plenty of air to circulate. I use lava rock and net pots for most of my orchids and the angraecum roots grow amazingly in it. I have three angraecum didieri (one is in bloom!), as well as some others. If it were my angraecum, I would stake it in lava rock/net pot (so it cannot wiggle) and keep it watered (with distilled water) in a very warm, bright, humid, location to get the roots growing. Personally, I find the angraecums that I have to be very easy and not at all fussy. The big things to remember is that they like lots of light (when healthy), good air circulation (including around the roots), prefer distilled/pure water, and do not like broken roots.
I think it will recover...some of mine were nearly rootless when purchased and over a summer, they grew roots like crazy without any extra effort.
Good luck!

[Bobblybook]

Thanks for the help!

nenella, my terrarium setup sounds very similar to yours - I will give it a little liquid fert, good to hear it will be happy in here!

leafmite, that sounds encouraging I've used the last of my lava rock but I have a lot of spare LECA and mesh pots, I may try that as it should work the same.

I'll post updates for better or for worse, if anything happens

[james mickelso]

If there are no roots or damaged roots, then a Q-tip with a little dilute fertilizer or rooting hormone is about all I would do. Just dab it on the root stub and leave it alone with no moss or anything. Your humidity will be sufficient to keep it going. Mist it daily and then put it back in the terrarium. Here is what I did with a completely rootless catt. No root stubs or anything else. Bbulbs from about the 4th or 5th back from the lead. With this I wet it by emersing it in RO water, then let it dry thoroughly then watered it again. 4 months later this poked it head out.

[Bobblybook]

Well that didn't take long. I couldn't find any more LECA (I had a huge bag, not sure where I put it) so I sat it in a mesh pot with VERY loose sphagnum - not really even contacting the roots. It's only been a couple of days, but already both roots have a little split in them and a new root tip is poking out.

I will probably take your advice James and remove the sphagnum - I measured today and my terrarium is sitting at around 90% humidity. Looks like he's on the mend!

I won't disturb it for root photos now, but here it is sharing it's new habitat with mini catts and a Myrmecodia.

Also a photo of an experimental Masd. mount. It almost died last summer so I've moved it to a (hopefully) happier home

I should probably post these photos in a terrarium thread, but I'll bother with that once everything settles in.

[Leafmite]

Great to hear the news! Here is some more info on Angraecums: Genus Angraecum - Angraecum Encyclopedia