Beautiful Red phragmepidium but

[BunnytheOrchid]

There is a local nursery that I typically go to for all my orchid questions, and I have found that everyone there is extremely helpful and knowledgeable. The nursery is also my guilty pleasure for looking at (usually) very healthy and pretty orchids. The last time I went there, I saw a very lovely phragmepidium with some new growth, but very brown roots. They also felt a little mushy. So I immediately thought "root rot!" but I asked one of the gardeners, and he says, oh their roots are brown, that's how they are.Ummmm, is that true? I don't believe brown mushy roots are EVER a good sign, but is it true that some orchids actually have brown roots and are healthy?

[articuno75]

Some roots on orchids, coming out of medium, will look brown, white, or green. As long as they aren't mushy and feel nice and firm or crumble apart when you hold them they should be fine.

[evagentry]

I agree with Jenny, as long as the rooys arent mushy, or papery their are probably alright.

[kmarch]

Phrag roots are different than most of the other orchid roots commonly grown in the home. The roots belonging to Phals, Cattleyas, Oncidiums, and Dendrobiums are all epiphytic roots, meaning they're often mostly exposed as they wrap around tree branches or rocks. Phrag roots are described by some as semi-terrestrial. They're usually buried in leaf litter and woodsy, leafy shmutz along with some sand and dirt. Phrag roots are not velehmen (sp?) covered or smooth like phals; they're a bit fuzzy.

For Phrags, the roots can be brown but still should not be mushy. Most Phrags grow in a fairly moisture-retentive mix and many of them take lots and lots of water. So brown-ish Phrag roots are ok, but not mushy ones. I've attached a picture of some nice healthy Phrag roots. Although brown, these roots were firm and "crispy."

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

One has to recognize that the slipper orchids are VERY different from other orchids. There was even talk of moving them out of 'orchids'. So, don't expect everything said about other orchids to apply as well to the slipper orchids.

[kmarch]

Talk about removing slippers out of the Orchidacea Family?!?!?!?! Who? Where? In papers published? That's a bit of a stretch isn't it?

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Don't remember where. Sorry. The reason tho, as I recall, is that the staminode is very different from that of other orchids. Was it something about 2 pollen masses? But talk is cheap, and people like you and I would never stand for it.

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by Cynthia, Prescott, AZ

Don't remember where. Sorry. The reason tho, as I recall, is that the staminode is very different from that of other orchids. Was it something about 2 pollen masses?

Well it is true that the staminode shapes found in slipper orchids are quite different from the columns found in catts, phals, etc., etc. but the definition of a column is that it is a fusing of the stigma/anther structures found in other flowers, which the staminode is as well. So it's more than a bit of a stretch (in my brain at least) to say that eventhough it contains the same structures, serves the same purpose, and functions similarly, it si a different shape therefore we should consider removing them from the Family Orchidacae.....

I frequently read discussions of the number of pollen masses as features which differentiate between different species.

Originally Posted by Cynthia, Prescott, AZ

But talk is cheap, and people like you and I would never stand for it.

You got that right, sister. I can't imagine that anyone would actually take seriously the notion that slipper orchids aren't orchids.

[jerrymeola]

scientist believe their mission in life is to organize everything. It usually evolves into a desire to rename everything according to their belief of order.

I hate the recent renaming whether it was more accurate or not. What happens is that people buy what they think is a new plant only to find they own one or it is a type they wanted to avoid. At best they think it needs a different type of care, and they do not know what to do.

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by jerrymeola

What happens is that people buy what they think is a new plant only to find they own one or it is a type they wanted to avoid. At best they think it needs a different type of care, and they do not know what to do.

It just means the nurseries we buy our plants form have to work harder to inform us.