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Need help identifying 'orchid tree'!

12 years ago

A patient of mine gave me this orchid tree as she called it but after searching the web I've yet to find an orchid tree that looks like this. It's about 3ft tall, no leaves and air roots. She got it from Key West on a vacation about 2 years ago (not sure if that's helpful info). If someone could give me some insight on how to properly care for it I would be greatful! Below is a link to a picture of my new friend.

Thanks for your help!

Sara

http://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3327189031632&id=1625631190&set=a.1107100610809.17500.1625631190&refid=7&_ft_=qid.5726259651769739875%3Amf_story_key.7880251705059300417

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Comments (8)

arthurm
12 years ago
This pic. is not available to the general public (you have to login first).
But in any case it sounds like it might be a Vanda though the no leaves bit is a puzzle.
saraisSET
Original Author
12 years ago
SORRY LAST PICTURE LINK WAS NO GOOD!!!
Hope this one works! Thanks for your patience! I'm a first timer! :)

http://www.fototime.com/users/Setudorrdh@gmail.com/Flower%20Power

Here is a link that might be useful: My mysterious friend....
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If you buy a plant that is not in bloom, make sure you read the label. If you are indeed looking for the species, L. purpurata, they are quite common on the market. There a a number of color forms: tipo (typical lavender), semi-alba (white with dark purple lip), carnea (pink forms), werkhauserii (violet blue lip forms), sanguinea (dark, reddish color overall) and striata (a striped form) and caerulea (blue-like) forms. Now, what you have pictured seems more like a hybrid: like Lc. Canhanamiana: a classic and very early hybrid. As with all cattleya type orchids (and now purpurata falls into the cattleya family) all need moderately high light requirements to bloom. They don't tolerate heavy shade. If you do grow them in the home, have the plant in a South facing window. And in the summer, take it outside in a shade house, or under the shade of a tree that doesn't produce dense shade: a locust tree has fne leaves. Direct sunlight can burn the leaves. But too much shade will give you limp and small new growths. Again, ideally, a shade or lath house is best.
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I agree with the heavy pruning. I have three of them--all planted in the ground. There's one with red flowers. It had a strong and damaged branch close to the middle of the trunk. I sliced half of it down and, the tree kept throwing out new shoots at a fast rate and the leaves all look very green and healthy. I was worried about the other two showing sick looking leaves. The last summer, both had many long and straggly branches that were bordering our driveway. They had a good "hair cut," and since then, they have grown a lot faster than before. One of them which is the smaller sized one still has some sick looking leaves that look like they have been munched on. My guess is that younger tree tend to be a little weaker. I'm planning to clip off all those bad looking branches of leaves and see how things go from there. But, definitely trim it back to encourage new and healthier growth.
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Hi Kyrri, I packed it in some t-shirts then in the suitcase. The customs did not ask anything about it, but I was prepared. I usually buy my plants whenever I go to Asia from dealers that work along with the agricultural ministry, with a small fee they guarantee that the plants are desease free and get me the import export permit. By the way, the bulbs were bare root, so it didnt have any medium or soil on it
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arthurm
12 years ago
Maybe it is closely related to this orchid called Papilionanthe vandarum
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jank
12 years ago
Appears to be a terete vanda-type.
Could be something like Vanda Miss Joaquim, or a renanthera, or a mokara.
Lots of light, lots of water, lots of warmth. They don't do well with nights below 55, or in the shade. Water heavily in mornings but be sure they dry before night.
flexdc
12 years ago
Is this plant actually an orchid?
arthurm
12 years ago
The orchid in the picture a couple of posts above at one time was called Aerides vandarum. It is very cold tolerant but difficult to bloom.

But that is the thing here, without a name it is hard to give advice, one thing is certain, lots of light is a must for all the "vandaceous" with terete foliage.

The plant in the original post is horribly over potted, in fact it might be better grown on a tall mount.
jank
12 years ago
Totally agree with Arthur. I grow my terete-vanda-types on mounts, such as tree fern poles or chicken wire cylinders, with a little sphagnum to get them started.
If it is in a lot of shade now, move it toward (almost) full sun gradually, i.e., every week move it into a little brighter area, until it is starting top get purple spots on the green tubes (they really are the leaves).
orchids41
12 years ago
I've always heard that terete vandas won't bloom until their heads/tops grow above whatever they're staked to...tree fern pole, whatever...the point being that they need to be out in the open in full sun to bloom, I suppose. So that plant, situated against the side of the house, probably won't bloom in that location.

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