Laelia anceps outdoors year round?

[margitks]

Hello fellow orchid enthusiasts!

I am considering the purchase of a Laelia anceps for my balcony.
We are in Washington State at the Southern end of the Puget Sound.
Our balcony is pretty sheltered, South facing with dappled shade starting around 1p.m. (large evergreens).
Temperatures in the winter very seldom go down below freezing. If it would get below 32 degrees, I would put the plant up against the house to shelter and if necessary, cover it for protection over night.
Night temperatures can stay between the low 40's & mid 30's from about the end of October through March / April.

I'm looking for opinions and input, if those winter temperatures might be too low, for too long for a Laelia anceps to stay outside year round.
What are your thoughts?

Thank you!
Margit

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[estación seca]

I've seen what was probably this species in habitat in Mexico. It was growing in an oak tree, flowering in November. At that elevation there is probably overnight frost frequently during the winter. Some of the other plants that were growing around it are also in cultivation and tolerate overnight frost quite well. Days are quite warm there, but nights cool down throughout the year. I think you should try it. Giving it enough warmth during the summer will be a bigger issue for you.

[WhiteRabbit]

I believe they can tolerate short periods a little below freezing - I grow mine outdoors year-round (zone 9), but I do shelter it from frost / freezing temps.

[D_novice]

I'd like to tag along to this post. Regarding freezing, this morning at my house (in Marin County, California, just north of San Francisco) my thermometer read 29 degrees and none of my anceps appear harmed. They may have been a little sheltered by a large oak tree but were basically exposed. One leaf tip of a mounted plant that isn't yet established may have been damaged.

However, I have another question. I can start a new thread for it if need be, but this is the beginners section so maybe this is a good place for this question.

Does anyone have detailed instructions on watering anceps? I know they need a winter rest, but no one seems to take into account that plants in spike are in spike through the winter. Not watering is supposed to initiate spike--- this is very confusing! I purchased several in spike anceps, plus several not in spike, though all seem to be equally healthy. Should I not water the ones not in spike, and water the ones in spike? When do the spikes start? My in spike plants are in no hurry to flower as far as I can tell. Every site I've seen that covers this topic does so in the most vague and general possible terms - which suggests the possibility that they don't know either!

One other thing about Washington state - these are high light plants. Some people grow them under shade cloth, but botanically speaking they grow at the tops of trees and get exposed to everything: sun, wind, rain, frost, etc.

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board, D_novice!

It might be better to start this in another thread, but then again it is all about Laelia anceps outdoors.

Expanding on what I wrote might answer some of your questions. The climate in the center of Mexico, where this plant lives, is different from that of the USA, and especially different from the winter-rainfall regions on the west coast.

Rain falls here for 2-4 months during the summer, beginning early to mid May. Summers are very humid. There may be a lot of rain. The rest of the year there is no rain whatsoever. Fall, winter and spring, humidity is low, under 30% or less. When these plants bloom, there has been no rain for at least several weeks, and there will be none for many months - just as their seeds mature.

There may be dew, but not every night, and there is a lot less dew during the winter. When frosts occur, it is very dry and there will not have been any dew for some days. These frosts are not caused by cold air masses moving in. They are radiative frosts. When there is no cloud cover and minimal humidity in the air, there is nothing to stop heat from radiating away from the earth. Generally plants under a canopy or a man-made roof will be protected because the cover keeps in the warmth.

The L. anceps grow on the main, lower branches of evergreen oaks. These oaks drop some older leaves in the fall but keep newer leaves, so there is a leaf canopy all year. The orchids are below the canopy in bright shade. I doubt they get any direct sunlight, but it is pretty bright. The canopy protects them from frost.

There are other orchids that grow exposed near the tops of trees, but not this one.

[D_novice]

Thank you.

So your helpful answer mentions what happens when the plants bloom. However, being in spike is different than blooming flowers. And those spikes last for many months. That is the reason I am seeking clarification.

I had read that anceps grows at the tops of trees, and gets full direct sunlight. So that is interesting. California Orchids in Bolinas, CA, has a wonderful quote from the first Westerner to describe L anceps, and it is wonderfully dramatic. Wish I could find that. Not sure it says direct sun, but certainly these are hardy plants. Thanks again!

[estación seca]

I don't know when they spike. I saw one in bloom in habitat in early November.

[silken]

Well, for what its worth, I grew an anceps species and I have several hybrids with half anceps. My species was just treated like my other Catts. In winter it did get cool temps because the greenhouse is heated but not up to room temp. Coldest is 60F at night tho. Mine had spikes thru most of the winter and bloomed in Feb. I don't think I gave it any special dry rest other than because it is cooler and shorter days (I do use lights in the winter tho) I didn't water as much as in summer when these seem to be thirsty things. I just finished blooming a hybrid with one parent anceps. I have another anceps hybrid in spike but it will be a while yet. I have been watering it about every 9 or 10 days along with other Catts. OrchidWiz says they have a definite drier period from late autumn till spring. Water should be greatly reduced after growths mature in the fall. I guess my reducing due to cool temps and my normal practice was enough as it did fine on that to produce the blooms in Feb.

[D_novice]

Thanks to Mary Nesbit of California Orchids in Bolinas, CA.

Supposedly this was the first westerner to describe L anceps.

Kienast-Zollyin's description

[margitks]

Thank you for the awesome information added to this thread! This might help me with keeping my two anceps happy, that I purchased a few weeks back!

Yes, I did it! I purchased two Laelia anceps!
One is L. anceps 'Ruby Heart' and the second L. anceps var. veitchiana.
Both plants arrived in spike!
Right after they arrived (from California), the temperatures dropped into the low 30's and high 20's here. I am waiting til spring time before putting them outside!
I am looking forward to seeing how they will do outside in the spring and summer time here

The 'Ruby Heart' is in full bloom right now. LOVE IT!
As soon as the other Laelia is in bloom, I will post pics of it as well!




Margit