Help! New Baby-Brassavola Digbyana

[LLW]

I normally research a new orchid BEFORE I get it, but my (well meaning) husband "won" this orchid on e-bay so I'm appealing to the group for quick info.

The orchid is definitely a "baby" in a 3" pot. The tag says Brassavola Digbyana 'Mrs Chase' and a little research turned up the info that this orchid is also known as Rhyncholaelia Digbyana and grows under the same conditions as a cattleyas. If this is correct that is some help, but I have never had such a "baby" orchid and I have never had one that just came out of a packing box. I always buy from a place where I can see the plant first. (Granted this has not stopped me from rescuing many orchids from Home Depot and Wal Mart.) The leaves are firm and green and it seems to have quite a few roots. Some of the roots seem to be dried out though. How do I "welcome" this new orchid into my collection. Lashelle

[atcrosby]

Way too funny -

I just got the same Brassavola from Ebay. Probably the same grower (Canby Orchid)

Brassavolas as a whole are very hardy plants. I have a Brassavola Nodosa and a "Little Stars" which is in bloom at the moment. It's night fragrant and the smell is very pleasant and covers the back side of the house!) The plant is in the Cattleya alliance and prefers to get dry before watering.

The plants require intermediate conditions. THey require full sun in winter with only misting of the plants; watering generally must be restricted, with increasing humidity in spring and summer. It is important that very free drainage be provided. The roots need to dry quickly after watering.

My orchid came planted in small lava rock which i am going to continue to grow it in. I have mine under a grow lamp a the moment to encourage it to grow faster. I am nervous about it being in full Texas sun but under a shade cloth would work. For the record, I am treating it like a Cat since their roots are similar.

Perhaps Cynthia has more information? Also, here's a picture for those of you not familiar with the the species.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Yes, I picked up a mature division of this plant at a local orchid society auction. It bloomed for me a month ago with two flowers on the single forward growth. And I must say that Mrs Chase, an AM/AOS, produces an absolutely wonderfull flower. I've had a common digbyana before, and the flower was very inferior by comparison.

This plant will get to be about the size of a standard Cattleya, with fairly narrow leaves. It can take more light than Cattleyas, but I think I would not quite go for full sun in winter at my latitude (Arizona). I am sure that keeping it dryer in winter is fine, but not a sever drying. Just extend out the dry time between waterings, but not completely dry at the roots thru the entire winter. I have had this plant just over a year, and watered it regularly after a thorough dry out each time thru last winter and the most recent growth is full sized and it bloomed just fine. Cynthia

[LLW]

Oh Wow! I asked for quick info and got it even quicker! OK, I have managed to keep at least a couple of catts happy(one has huge beautiful & fragrant blooms that I can smell as I type this.) but they were "adults" when I got them so I am still a little worried about the "baby" aspect of the new one. Is there anything special I should do for this one just because it is a baby?

I am very excited that this one sounds like a wonderful orchid that is fragrant. (My husband may be let off of restriction from E-Bay after all.) I have been trying to add orchids with a fragrance to my collection ever since I discovered they actually existed. I actually did not know about the fragrance orchid for many years, because the Phals I got first do not have a fragrance. I understand that some Phals do and I am looking for some of those. Lashelle

[johnemartin]

As mentioned above, the fragrance will be "lemony" and is produced in the evening (hence, the common name for the related brassavole nodosa or "lady of the evening"). If you also grow a lemon tree indoors, you will have a lemony fragrance all the time. I like this as it smells like I've just cleaned whether I have or not. ;-)

[atcrosby]

I would agree with the lemony mixed with vanilla. Who needs room freshners!