Anyone have any tips for stanhopeas??

[tansyflower]

On the weekend I bought 3 stanhopeas. They are nice and healthy looking with about 10 - 15 bulbs each, and a heap of leaves. They are in hanging baskets with coconut liners- altho both the liner and the bark looks a little the worse for wear.

The varieties I got were-
Stanhopea tigrina x occulata
Stanhopea Assidensis
Stanhopea wardii x cirrhata

The man that I bought them off said to water them once a week (ish) and they should flower around Christmas (in Aus)

Anyway- anyone got some tips on the love and care of these?? Anything they particularly love or hate??

Should I change the bark and liners?

Can I separate the back bulbs and see if they will sprout?

[kmarch]

Have you got info on their basic culture?

[tansyflower]

I have basic culture

Light- bright filtered light such as verandah or under tree
Watering-don't let them dry out
Medium- cymbidium or medium open mix
Fert-weak and regular

I was hoping someone with a few of these could give me a some tips apart from the basic culture.

Advice anyone?

[kmarch]

I have 5 of them. I grow them in plastic baskets that have approximately 1cm openings in the bottom and sides. One basket is lined with sphagnum moss but the other 4 have no lining. I really don't think it matters too much what kind of basket or ining they're in just as long as they remain moist enough and the flower spikes can get out the bottom when they come.

[fred]

I have mine an a wire hanging basket with sphagnum moss
myself I would not put them in cymbid mix as that may inhibit the developing flower spikes

I think with the lining it just stops the sphagnum moss falling out between the gaps
I am lucky enough to get good length sphagnum moss

[Stitz]

The Stanhopea Pages by Nina Rach, edited August 2009

Nina Rach is well-known for her knowledge with the genus Stanhopea

--Stitz--

[dtje2000]

great post... I have something labeled Stanhopeastrum annulatatum and both times it presented me with a bud, the darned thing blasted each time. PFFFT! I must do more research... mine is in plastic basket with sphag.

[katrina]

Excellent link Stitz!! Thanks!

[tansyflower]

Great link, Stitz.

I now know:
Stanhopea tigrina x oculata = Stanhopea Spindleriana
Stanhopea Assidensis = S.tigrina x S. wardii
Stanhopea wardii x cirrhata- I didn't find any mention of this one- maybe it is new or unregistered?

I don't think I will repot just yet. The roots are all through the coconut liner, so I may leave it till after they flower.

[Stitz]

it is new or unregistered according to my OrchidWiz

[mdomingz]

I got most of mine mounted on treefern... another is mounted on a big chunk of coconut husk and the bigger one is in a wire basket with treefern chunks....

I do keep them humid all the time.... all of them are in my balcony... lots of light with no direct sun on them.. and good air circulation.....

I let the bottom be free of anything that would keep the blooms from coming out....

[kmarch]

The best place to check to see if a cross has been registered is the RHS International Orchid Register: Royal Horticultural Society - Plants: Registration of Orchids

It's kept quite up to date.