Basic on Zygopetalum?
 

I belive the title is self explanatory. Give me tips and hints. If you need specifics, it's a mature Zygopetalum James Strauss 'Scentsation' that came with a bloom quite literally today, and i am absolutley in love with the scent.

I've had a No ID Zygo from a lidl (was labeled Zygo and not Odontoglossum/Cambria, and that's quite rare for that brand as it seems). It died a SLOW and painful death. I also had a cambira hybrid that had zygo flowers, but was more odontoglossom-y, not sure if i should mention it. The point is, both went the same way, quite like what my surviving odontoglossum is going trough - putting out new growths at a constant rate, with all of them wilting, either from top or bottom. Didn't matter how much i watered it, less or more, didn't care about light... it just did the same thing over and over. Until it couldn't. Both.
I'd like to fail less this time around, as the fragrance is to die for. So hit me with any useful info you might have - it's love for water, light, fertilizer, whatever.

Also, i've read on quite a few places that they are a good companion plant for cymbidiums, ie they tend to like the same conditions (or at least quite similar). Is that true?

Thank you in advance.

They like high light, pure water, and most want cool temperatures. A professional grower told me Zygo. Advance Australia does better with a maximum temperature of 21C / 70 F.

There are Zygopetalum species that prefer warm temperatures, like Zygo. triste. They have smaller flowers, so seem not to be used much in breeding. Some intergeneric hybrids with Zygopetalum involve warm growing species, like Zygonisia and Zygonaria, also do well in warmer temperatures.

I did not understand what you mean by Advance Australia. Is that a line/genus/something or did i miss something? Or are they from actual continent of Australia?

Advance Australia is the name of a well-known Zygo. hybrid. The convention for naming orchid species is Genus (capitalized) species (lowercase.) The convention for hybrids is Genus (capitalized) Cross Name (capitalized.) Examples, Zygo. triste and Zygo. Advance Australia.

You can look up species ancestry if you know the name. Use orchidroots.com . For information on orchid species, go to orchidspecies.com .

What you should do is look up the ancestry (orchid roots Home page of orchidroots.com ) If they are a good mixture of both, warm/cold growers, they will be quite easy.

I currently have several Zygos. Mine are all closely related (some cooler ancestors, some warmer ancestors, some that grow on trees and some that grow in ground) and they do very well with tap water, planted in 1/4 inch lava rock, south-facing window, fertilized three or four times a year. I try not to get water on the leaves and I keep them indoors where they have air conditioning in the summer.

I actually find them to be very easy and forgiving compared to many other orchids. They grow well in almost anything as long as they get plenty of water (though I sometimes forget to water and they are dry for a couple of days). I think that as long as they get enough light, are not exposed to hot temperatures and water does not get between the leaves, they will do well for you.

Advance Australian
 

I have this one that I got from Seattle Orchids and I like it a lot. It’s been outside mostly since I got it(mostly to get best light) but after hearing all you have said about it, I’m considering bring it inside, just hope I can give it enough light. It did bloom for me once with two blooms just not as nice as I would have liked and I never noticed any
fragrance

I got mine because reading it was a companion plant for cymbidiums made me not think at all.
In hindsight, i should of learned there are cooler growing and warmer growing kinds first.

Remember, what works in one location may not work in another. Near the coast in Croatia, it may do very well outside. Temperate summers (warm but evening cooling especially in fall), winters are cool. The Gulf Coast of the US is a completely different animal - very hot, humid summers, little cooling at night and winter can be very warm too. Also, seedlings need to be pampered more than mature plants.

My own success rate with Zygos isn't great, so I didn't jump in with advice. But most Zygos should do fine outside in Croatia (a little more shade than Cyms) I think that mine have suffered from less-than-wonderful water quality (they don't get pampered with RO). Cyms are far more forgiving of the "liquid rocks" local water, they grow and thrive on water far worse than mine.

I suspected that based on our earlier discussion on cymbs, still wanted any extra tips, like weather it likes it a bit wetter/dried, more fertilizer or what not; just trying to figure a good spot for it.
It's by no means a small plant, being about 3 times the size of my previous one (foliage alone) at it's max. I've attached a picture i took as soon as i unwrapped it (and soaked a bit, it was dry). A few leaves are missing, but it's by no means small as i said; just the spike alone is a bit more than half of my finger wide, with flowers being the same size as any of my "medium flowered" phals.

Edit: I wouldn't call our summers temperate. It has not dipped bellow 30C in like three months, but the humidity is so bloody high, people are getting sick (most of us are used to pretty dry summer).

It should be fine outside. It does not look like one of those with dominant warm-growing ancestors, which have a different shape.