Sedirea Japonica stopped growing

[arleneg]

Back in February of this year, I bought a Sedirea Japonica. One of the nursery staff told me to care for it like a Phal. I did in the beginning until I found the culture info for it and changed the location where it gets medium lighting. Since I bought it, it grew one new leaf...roots grew about an inch and stopped. It's been several months.. Does anyone have any idea what's going on? Maybe I should repot it...still in the same media when I bought it.

[mayres]

Boy I sure WISH I could help you! This is the ONLY orchid I have managed to send to orchid heaven in the last year! Like you, I heard that they should be treated like phals. I transplanted all my phals into coir/perlite/charcoal in July and they are healthier than ever before. I did the same thing with my Sedirea and it is now history. (ouch). Hopefully someone will come through with some great info. On the other hand, a friend of mine purchased one the same time I did about a year ago, has done nothing with it and it is looking wonderful. Hmmmm. :-) mike

[arleneg]

I do hope someone can shed any light on what's going on with my Sedirea japonica. In the meantime, I'll be repotting a few Phals this weekend. Yesterday, the coconut coir I ordered came. I want to try that out with my Phals.

Mike, what environment was your Sedirea in compared to your friend's? I'm curious as to how your friend's is doing well and yours (and mine) didn't.

[mayres]

I had mine under fluorescent lights. I have learned since repotting all 30 of my phals in coir that you are supposed to rinse it several times. I didn't do that and it didn't bother my phals at all (they all are thriving), but maybe the salt residue (that is why they say shoujld be rinsed out) was semi-toxic to my sedirea? Sure hasn't bothered my phals but I will rinse several times before repotting a few other plants this week. My friend actually has hers in a north window of her home which I told her will probably not be good for reflowering - but who am I to talk - hers has doubled in size while mine disappeared. Hers is still growing in the original medium grade bark.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

I can't speak for your current plant, but many plants take a rest from growing for quite a few months, so be patient. Occasionally a plant will react to a change in evironment by going dormant for a longer than normal time, you just have to wait it out. Repotting can often be an upsetting thing for many orchids. Phals don't mind, but that is not the case for most orchids, and just because they say to grow it like a
Phal, they are usually refering to light, warmth, and watering, not necessarily repotting. Unless you have a very good reason for repotting, I would not do it. Cynthia

[arleneg]

Thanks, Cynthia. I'll watch and wait until spring.

[karmavore]

My S. japonica sulked horribly the first few months I had it at home. I placed it ina terrarium - no soil onthe floor, just a thin film of water. it's aerial roots sipped water and I did not water from the top. Just a little misting. We carried on that way until summer rolled around and it could go outside.
I had it in a partial shade situation, but now it takes full sun in just the morning, then shady again. The leaves are now fully trugid again and have put on a set of leaves.

I give it a bowl of water with a pinch of fertilizer, place the root tips in and let it sit for a few hours. Water from the top once a week.
Try it, what have you got to lose?
Good luck
Maryanne in WMass

[arleneg]

Hi Maryanne,

Thanks for that tidbit of info. I'll keep that in mind in case my Sedirea japonica decides not to do anything for the next few months.

[arleneg]

Early last month, it started growing two new roots! A week or so after I noticed that, I repotted it (in coconut husk chips/perlite and layered the top with sphag. moss) since the bark wasn't looking very good. Well, it's been a few weeks since the repot. My sedirea j. is growing a third new root and a new leaf! I hope it will bloom for me this spring.

Cynthia, you were right about it going dormant longer than normal. But that sure was a looong sleep, from April to Dec. 2006!

[Ellen]

I grow mine mounted on a piece of cork. My experience is that it's very slow growing and takes lots of breaks. A real slacker orchid.

[arleneg]

Ellen, thanks for that tidbit of info. I guess, I'll just have to keep doing what I've been doing and don't expect it to do much, especially during summer and fall.