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aachenelf

Encyclia bractescens

aachenelf z5 Mpls
17 years ago

Small species from Mexico, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador. Individual flowers are around 1 ½ inches.

Entire plant. I think a lot of people grow this mounted, but I found it does well in a shallow pot with lava rock. I tried a regular sized deeper pot and it didnÂt do well since the roots seem to like spreading out near the surface.

{{gwi:174832}}

Kevin

Comments (22)

  • moomoos
    17 years ago

    oooh... very cool.

    Lovely picture of the flower.

  • Judybird2014
    17 years ago

    loveeee it

  • ifraser25
    17 years ago

    Brilliant. So how would you describe the difference between Encyclia, Anacheilum and Prostechea ?

  • olyagrove
    17 years ago

    Super cute!
    Olya

  • sdahl
    17 years ago

    I like the colors!

    Sharon

  • xmpraedicta
    17 years ago

    Neat - how tall is the entire plant?

  • aachenelf z5 Mpls
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thanks everyone. I really love the grass-like foliage of this one.

    ifraser - I won't tackle that subject.

    Calvin - The whole thing with flowers is around 8 inches.

    Kevin

  • carolinn_on
    17 years ago

    Great growing! If I ever try this one again, that's what I'll use-I don't do well wth mounties. Is it fragrant for you?

    Carol

  • aachenelf z5 Mpls
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Carol

    I don't think so.

    K

  • birding_nut
    17 years ago

    Mine is lightly fragrant during mid-day, but you have to have your nose right against the flower to detect any fragrance.

    BN

  • picotee_sofl
    17 years ago

    Well done, Kevin. It looks great.

  • xmpraedicta
    16 years ago

    sorry to pull up an old thread but I just had to share that I finally got one of these puppies today at the royal botanical gardens orchid show...ever since kev's pic i've had this little seed of desire planted in my mind...then last month I saw a glorious one in RL at a show and I had to get it....and today, I found one for 20 bucks! A vendor had it...it was part of a fresh shipment of chids in from mexico (really awesome species epidendrum/encyclias, some laelias...most priced beyond my spending range - $30+)

    I also got a coel. cristata for 8 dollars...and I *saw* a catt luteola which is also on the wish list big time...but I exercised some restraint...

  • aachenelf z5 Mpls
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Calvin

    I think you'll really like this one. I was just looking over the plants and admiring this one again. It's in bloom right now with 4 spikes. There's just something very graceful and unassuming about the whole plant.

    PS - I can't emphasize the lava rock enough for this one unless you want to grow it mounted. It's done so much better than it ever did in a regular pot with regular old bark mix.

  • paul_
    16 years ago

    Looks great, Kev! (Though it does bring back sad memories mine's demise .......)

    Received one from a friend whom I have since lost contact with. I killed it I'm afraid. I was trying to grow it in regular media. From what you've said -- that was likely my problem. (& its such a culte lil thaing too -- just my size

  • xmpraedicta
    16 years ago

    Thanks for the tip - I'm assuming high light? Lucky I didn't shove it into sphag like I do with everything else. I want to put this in the orchid tank I'm planning - in your experience, do you think the high humidity is a pro or a con?

  • aachenelf z5 Mpls
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Yup - high light. Humidity doesn't seem to be an issue for this one. Mine really hasn't been that high this winter, but I have a feeling it would do well in your tank.

    Paul

    The problem I found with trying to grow this one in a pot is the roots really like to spread out on the surface of the medium. Any of the ones that went down into it rotted. Luckily I discovered the problem early and moved the plant to what its in now.

  • Sheila
    16 years ago

    I'm glad this thread re-surfaced. I missed it the first time around. Kev, I will look for this plant and give it a try. Post us a pic of your plant, it sounds gorgeous. How tall is it now? Compact growers is my mantra now, no room for more space hogs.

    Sheila :)

  • aachenelf z5 Mpls
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Sheila

    Here's a quickie pic of the plant today - about a year since the first pic in this thread. The tallest leaf is around 7 inches. I noticed H&R has a FS in a 2 inch pot for $5. I think that's where I originally got mine and as I remember it was crawling out of it's pot at the time. They have some of the best deals in the $5-7 range. Also noticed that Oak Hill has one for $15.

    {{gwi:1101554}}

  • xmpraedicta
    16 years ago

    Oh no...I am such an idiot - I just realized that I had enc. bractescens on my H&R order list (which I've already sent out)!! Cr*p -_-;

  • clintdawley
    16 years ago

    Very nicely grown, Kev...

    This one looks like a total Kev plant as well. Nice and small...yet interesting!

  • Charm
    16 years ago

    Your plant looks very happy! I also grow mine like you do. I grow nearly all of my potted orchids in lava rock. I am glad the thread was brought back up.~Charm

  • Sheila
    16 years ago

    Kev, that's beautiful. Good growing!!!

    Sheila )

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