Temperature tolerance

[plumania]

I posted the question earlier today but it seems like the post disappeared. So,I am posting again.

I would lie to know general lower limit of temps for Cattleya and Encyclia.

I have couple of bifoliate Cattleyas. Do they have different temperature requirements.

Encyclias are radiata,randii and alata.

Thanks a lot.

[silken]

I looked in OrchidWiz at the Bakers' culture sheets for the Encyclias. They do vary somewhat. The lower winter night temp for radiata is 44 to 46 F, randii don't really have a winter rest and their night temps are 73 to 74F and the alata are around 64F for winter night temps.

I don't know if bifoliate Catts specifically need different temps than unifoliate. If you have names for them I can try and look in OW for you.

[plumania]

Originally Posted by silken

I looked in OrchidWiz at the Bakers' culture sheets for the Encyclias. They do vary somewhat. The lower winter night temp for radiata is 44 to 46 F, randii don't really have a winter rest and their night temps are 73 to 74F and the alata are around 64F for winter night temps.

I don't know if bifoliate Catts specifically need different temps than unifoliate. If you have names for them I can try and look in OW for you.

I have C. Green Emerald 'Orchid Queen' and Ctyh. Siam Jade'avo'.
Thanks a lot.

[silken]

OrchidWiz has fairly general info on hybrids but it does show what species each is made up of.

C. Green Emerald has 38% aclandiae which is a warm to hot grower, and 25% intermedia, 19% loddigesii which are both cool to warm growers. So it recommends growing cool to warm or min. 58F at night or warmer. With these complex hybrids, I think they are more tolerant because the parents usually have various temp. requirements.

The Ctyh Siam Jade is 50% C. guttata which is a cool to warm grower and it is 25% C. mariae which is also a cool to warm grower and min night temps for this hybrid are 58F as well. It has a little more cool growing parentage than your Green Emerald but they would take similar conditions.

[plumania]

Silken, thanks a lot. This information is really helpful. So it looks temps under 55 may be risky and plants need protection. We get down to 40s frequently during our winters.
OrchidWiz seems very useful but also too expensive for a casual grower like me. I feel so grateful for this information from you.
I would sure like to know if there is another source of getting this kind of information without costing an arm and leg.
Thanks again.

[silken]

No problem. I am a hobby grower-whatever that exactly means, but I find OW so useful and it is where I keep all my orchids cataloged and add photos etc as they bloom. There is a website where you can get the detailed culture sheets for species by Charles and Margaret Baker: Orchid Culture -- Charles and Margaret Baker. They offer a number of free ones and then you can buy 3 for $10.00 at any time. You don't have to get all 3 at once. Otherwise I find Googling an orchid name and asking for culture often works. There is also a 'light' version of OrchidWiz which is less expensive.

the 40's is fairly cool for many orchids. Mine all grow cool in the greenhouse in winter but the low at night is 55F. I lost many to root rot in the first years by keeping them too wet at those temps. I know better now and really hold back water and fertilizer in winter. Other people's orchids may grow faster in warmer conditions and mine are more or less resting for the winter, but it works for me for the most part.

[tucker85]

I live in South Florida also and I've never brought my encyclias or my cattleyas indoors. It is important to shield them from the wind when it comes from the north or the west. That's the direction that cold fronts come from and the cold wind can damage orchids. I have my cattleyas and encyclias on the south side of the house and they have never suffered damage, even down into the 40's. If they're on a concrete slab it's even better because the concrete will hold some heat from the day. When temperatures go below 50 degrees I bring my phalaenopsis and vandas indoors. Some of my vandas have shown cold related damage even above 50 degrees. Two of my vandas have lost lower leaves this month and it hasn't been below 55 yet.

[plumania]

Thanks Tucker. I am not too far from you. May be about 1/2 hr drive south. I have a big tree on the south side of my lawn but no concrete or any other surface. Just a bit of grass.
Do you think they can be left hanging from the tree, or even in screened patio(protected from wind but light level is moderate to low).

Thanks for pitching in. I forgot to post on our Florida Orchid growers forum.

[james mickelso]

I am in SoCal on the coast and my orchids, all of them, are outside in a semi greenhouse. Open sides and so get whatever temps are there. They survive quite well in the 40's and high 30's as long as they are kept on the dry side. Their growth stalls until it gets back into the 50's at night then they really take off. Just be careful watering them. Water only in the early morning so the media dries out during the day. They do just fine in the low temps if kept dry. They even bloom just fine in the lower temps although very slowly.

[james mickelso]

One other thing. The info that comes on OW and other culture sheets as far as min temps are a guideline. That is what the optimal temps are for those orchids. They are not what the orchid will still grow at. Lows and highs. Orchids are very haRDY PLANTS AND WILL GROW VERY WELL IF you watch your culture. Watering is probably the most important consideration in growing orchids. Light levels are second. Don't sweat the small stuff.