Calvin, Mine's not growing yet, probably because I've changed the medium a couple of times. Currently, it's in 3/4 sphag & 1/4 bark mix in a 5" or 6" clay pot, double-potted w/ another clay pot w/ a layer of sphag between the two. Stones in the bottom of both pots. I switched to this last Sunday after an experienced grower here said his was growing nicely in 100% sphag. (The bark in mine doesn't make rational sense, okay? :)) Paul, hopefully, it's just a matter of getting conditions right... but that's the catch so far. Have you heard of things in our zones that didn't work? 3 resources - 1. On the UK forum, there's a thread on "Hab. myriotricha" that prompted me to take the plant out of the original tiny clay pot. Now I wish I'd retained the medium, which looked like pure sphag. Posters also have options for cultural conditions. http://www.ukorchidforum.com/ (Some use medusa & myriotricha interchangably; some say they're different species.) 2. Article from Orchid Review on Hab. medusa by William Cavestro that gives cultural conditions. 3. E-mail exchange with J&L. I wasn't clear about the size pot so now don't know if they've got theirs in the same tiny pots. And what's in their sphag mix? Ack. Maybe they'll answer a 2nd e-mail. From: CORDELIA HEAD To: _____________ Subject: Re: Habenaria medusa not growing Date: Sat, 31 May 2008 15:09:44 +0000 > Sounds okay, but You could have set it way back by repotting it when it was just starting to grow. Ours are all doing fine, but growing slowly in the moss mix we shipped yours in. Good luck J&L > _______ wrote: > Greetings, All, > > After falling out on the floor at the beauty of your Hab. medusa, I'm not doing well with mine. It hasn't grown beyond the original sprout. > > Can you advise? Mine's double potted in clay, w/ sphag between the pots - recommended by successful medusa growers on the UK forum so the roots don't get too hot in direct sun. (The growers were impressed that US folks could get the > medusa, by the way.) > > The medium is terrestrial orchid mix w/ about 20% bark mix layered in for drainage. Both mixes are from Orchids Limited. There's a layer of stones in the bottom of the pot for drainage. > > The plant is right next to the 5'x5' E/SE window and under T8s in intermediate conditions. Temps are low to mid-60s to high 70s. Humidity runs 40%-55%. > > Outside night temps often are in the mid- to low 40s(!), so nothing can go outside yet. > > Air circulation is moderate: the windows are usually open, and the open door to the smallish bedroom/orchid room is just across from the windows, plus an oscillating fan keeps air moving, although it's not blowing directly on the > orchids. > > The Hab. radiatas (sp?) are taking off, and they're in straight terrestrial orchid mix. > > Thanks for any clues you can pass along. > > ____________ > Zone 4 > Minneapolis, MN If I hear from J&L again, I'll post. Let me know how yours does. Whitecat8 Here is a link that might be useful: Hab. medusa article, Orchid Review

Adding my 2 cents, sorry I'm late to the party: to WC8's questions: 1. When did you take yours out of the fridge? Around St. Patrick's Day every year, middle of March. 2. When did/will yours go outside? Around mid-April, as night temps are regularly 40F. Not so much from risk of cold damage, but these grow much slower in cold temps. You'll progress faster with the higher temps indoors. 3. If they're not outside now, where are they? (Light, temps, etc.) Before going outside, I just stick them in front of a window to get as much sunshine as possible. 4. Full sun when outside? Yes. Love high temps and humidity, but make sure they don't dry out. 12 of mine are planted in an 8" clay bulb pan that sits in a saucer of water a la phrags. 5. When do you bring them inside? Not until the fall. Foliage starts to turn yellow in October here. I stop the frequent watering, but don't allow complete drying out. When foliage is dead and brown (end of Oct here) you can dig the tubers. There will be a shallow network of roots connecting the original, shrivelled tuber and the main plant to an average of 4 new tubers (as Kevin said). Unearth everything carefully, then snip the tubers free. Do not try to trim the root extremely close to the tuber, as next year's shoot is hiding within, and you might cut it 6. When do they go in the fridge, if that's later than coming inside? As soon as the tubers are dug, cleaned, and packaged, they go into the fridge. Idea is to avoid drying out at one extreme and rotting at the other. 7. How do you store yours in the fridge? Paper sack, maybe? Naked? I dampen a clean paper towel, then wring it as dry as possible. I roll the tubers loosely in the paper towel, not allowing them to touch each other. Towel goes into a ziplock freezer bag, sealed carefully, then into the fridge. Fertilizing: I had read that they don't like fertilizer. Two years ago: no fertilizer = few flowers. Last year: regular, orchid-strength liquid fertilizer = lots of flowers. Potting mix: 1:1 sand and peat moss. I fill the pot 75% to the top with mix then put in a single layer of damp sphagnum moss strand. I "nestle" the tubers into the moss, then dribble sand/peat mix to cover completely, but shallowly. Flowers: about 1" wingspan, anywhere from 2-12 per flowering scape. Plants seems to flower when mature, which is a function of when you started them in the spring, and how warm the weather is. For me, about Aug 15, and the flowering period is about 2-3 weeks. Feature often not seen in photos is the flower's angraecoid-like spur, which is up to several inches long. There is also a very nice daytime fragrance. Some MA pollinator must like the flower too, since I found 2 seedpods on the plants last year when I was digging up the tubers. Hope this is helpful. I think this is one of the most rewarding orchids ever for those who live in a temperate climate with warm summers.

My smaller bulbs that aren't gaining in size will be the first to go outdoors, but certainly not the last! Most of my hybrids will join them. I'll keep the more valuable bulbs under lights. I do have quite a few hybrids, so if I were to lose one or two to some unforeseen catastrophe, it wouldn't be the end of the world. I'm hoping I can find some sort of mosquito netting... I think that if I draped them all with netting, the chances of getting attacked by Narcissus Bulb Fly will lessen considerably. I'm not really certain that's even a problem here, but why invite trouble? I've got a pile of cinder blocks, another pile of available plywood and boards of various lengths and widths... I should be able to put together nicely serviceable benches for the pots to sit on. Now, if I can only find the energy necessary to lug about 40 pots down a flight of stairs, through two sets of doors, and out to the benches! I keep going back and forth about taking my bulbs outside... I'm rather paranoid about bulb fly damage... especially after seeing those photos that were posted! Those are ugly bug pupae! Today is a lovely day! The sun is shining, the snow is rapidly melting, and the breeze is mild... chilly still, but much milder than a few days ago! Hurry spring, hurry! Some of my own bulbs have offsets, so I can help replace lost bulbs, too... it's so generous to offer your extras as replacements, thank you! Let's see how the seasons unfold... maybe there won't be any problems, at all!

Mine is a cutting from a dear friend... it's grown in a fast draining medium, very similar to what I use for my bulbs. It seems to like the east window it's in, and has 2 babies growing from leaf nodes. They're a bit too small to separate yet, but I think over summer they will be big enough to take off of the mother plant. I'm hoping for flowers sometime this year, and I'll post pictures when it spikes. It's my very first orchid! My second orchid is a Cymbidium... this one is in orchid bark and a clear plastic pot... it's in the same window as the Epi, and seems to be doing well... it should bloom after it gets exposed to a little cool weather this fall. These are the first orchids that seem to actually be thriving in the less than perfect environment I can provide for them. I plan on adding more Epis and Cyms to my jungle in the future. Both orchid types come in a wonderful array of colors and interesting bloom shapes... and the species types are even more interesting! It's all Cindee's fault, I tell ya! She got me hooked on orchids! I'm really glad, though... they're lovely plants, even when not in bloom! Yours are so pretty in all those different colors! Do any of the colored ones have a nice scent?