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thornton_clark

Inept Gardener needs help badly

thornton_clark
11 years ago

Orchid has rebloomed for serveral years, but now has leaves beginning way up the bloom stalk. Should I induce roots, cut it off and plant it or leave the leaves where they are?

Once the bloom stalk is lost, is there any hope an orchid will bloom again?

Seven years ago I purchased from Logee's an orchid cactus "Unforgetable" because of the picture of its apectacular bloom. Despite following their directions, including actions such as putting it in a place where the temperature at night will fall below 60 degrees, witholding water beginning November 1, and not resuming until spring....still not one single bloom. The plant is now quite large and from broken pieces I now have six small and medium sized plants.

Any suggestions? I have loads of Dragon Fruit and this past winter got a pineapple to bloom and fruit inside the house, but I don't know how to deal with orchids.

Thank you

Comments (16)

  • arthurm
    11 years ago

    Sounds like you have a Phalaenopsis, but i could be wrong. Google Phalaenopsis and look at the images to confirm.
    If a Phalaenopsis does rebloom from the old stem the process could go on for years. Baby plants on the stem are called keikis and are removed once some roots grow.
    Loads of information in past posts or in complete cultivation notes on the net.
    Use the search facility at the top of the discussions page to find useful info.
    Suggested searches
    Keikis (baby plants)
    Phalaenopsis + blooming.

    Re orchid cactus. didn't know they needed a winter drought. just barely moist might be better and here night temps in winter are in the 40 to 50F range.

  • ifraser25
    11 years ago

    Nice one, Arthur. You're getting more patient. Orchid cactus....oh dear.

  • ginnibug
    11 years ago

    I couldn't have said that any better! Good job slug!ginnibug

  • olympia_gardener
    11 years ago

    Orchid cactus is type of Epi. It needs be in cool and drought condition in winter time in order to form flower bud internally.

  • arthurm
    11 years ago

    "Orchid Cactus �Unforgettable� (Epiphyllum hybrid)" is the entry in the site where the OP purchased the plant. There is pic. there too. Lovely flower, pity the blooms only last a short while.

  • olympia_gardener
    11 years ago

    Epi needs to be root bound, stay dry and low temp. in the winter in order to form flower bud. My night bloom Epi has flower buds this year, and is going to bloom soon. It grow fast, quite large plant but it is still in 4" pot. After it bloom, I may change it to 6" pot, but if the pot too big, it take years for it to rebloom. Another thing is to plant more than one in the pot so it will be in root bound condition sooner.
    This is the cuttings I just planted this summer. Red, yellow, pink, white, 8 differnt color cutting in the same pot.
    {{gwi:190126}}
    This is my fragrant night bloom epi with flower bus, 9-10 of them, may have more hidding under the leaves.
    {{gwi:190128}}

  • jane__ny
    11 years ago

    We moved from NY to Fla. last September. Twinkle was spiking. Stuck them in a bright, sunny spot and they continued to make new spikes. It started to flower early Jan and continued through Feb.

    Mine start to spike about 4 months before blooming. It always drives me crazy because it gets moved around, spikes get broken, etc. I put a big, black dot on the pot to keep it facing the sun in the same direction or I get a messy blooms.

    Jane

  • olympia_gardener
    11 years ago

    Hi, Jane, Yours is a beautiful Twinkle. Don't you love that massive flowers and pleasant scent fills winter air with something fresh, especailly for us upnorth where windows are sealed and air is a bit stale. Mine usualy lasts 3-4 weeks stretching from early Dec. to early Jan.
    The leaves on your twinkle seems much longer than mine. Maybe due to FL. sun.

  • jane__ny
    11 years ago

    Thats actually a division from my larger plant. I was amazed at how many spikes it threw considering the move, which killed many of my other orchids. I think the Twinkles liked the heat and neglect!

    This is the 'mother plant.'

    Jane

  • vtandrea
    11 years ago

    I've gotten epiphylum oxypetalum to bloom twice for me. My neighbor gave it to me when she was going to Singapore for a couple years. It had never bloomed for her. I put it in a pot on my patio and watered it lavishly during the summer months, and gave it orchid fertilizer. I kept it fairly dry and cool during the winter. It put out one flower bud toward the end of August. The bloom period of one day was very exciting! I've since given it back to her because one flower for one day just doesn't do it for me!

  • orchidnick
    11 years ago

    And that's not even a full 24 hours. Mine opens in the afternoon/evening and fades by 9AM the next morning. If you have a big plant with multiple blooms, it can be attractive.

    Nick

  • olympia_gardener
    11 years ago

    At least you two saw your flower bloom. Last time, another Epi plant bloomed, I was excited for couple of days, wasn't sure which night it will bloom so I stayed up every night till midnight except one night that I went to bed at 11. Guess which night it bloomed? Sucks!!. But the flower is large, beautiful, and very fragrant. Many people have never seen the flower in their life time. The plant is easy to grow so I think worth it.

  • olympia_gardener
    11 years ago

    At least you two saw your flower bloom. Last time, another Epi plant bloomed, I was excited for couple of days, wasn't sure which night it will bloom so I stayed up every night till midnight except one night that I went to bed at 11. Guess which night it bloomed? Sucks!!. But the flower is large, beautiful, and very fragrant. Many people have never seen the flower in their life time. The plant is easy to grow so I think worth it.

  • olympia_gardener
    11 years ago

    This site has problem of allow me to post. Every time I click " fresh " buttom, It post again. But if I don't click refresh buttom, the page is blank...I saw other forum/thread had same problem, double, triple posting... Someone need to fix this problem.


    Jane, Wow. The Mother plant looks even more impressive! A lot more flowers. I love its soft white/very pale yellow color with apricot colored center. Your one just like mine, multiply very fast. Every other year, it has to be divided. Otherwise , its roots and bulbs are too crowded.

  • olympia_gardener
    11 years ago

    This site has problem of allow me to post. Every time I click " fresh " buttom, It post again. But if I don't click refresh buttom, the page is blank...I saw other forum/thread had same problem, double, triple posting... Someone need to fix this problem.


    Jane, Wow. The Mother plant looks even more impressive! A lot more flowers. I love its soft white/very pale yellow color with apricot colored center. Your one just like mine, multiply very fast. Every other year, it has to be divided. Otherwise , its roots and bulbs are too crowded.

  • blondy27
    11 years ago

    i just bought one of these and it has a bloom and hi everyone i am from trinidad WI