Mounting my Chiloschista usneoides

[pikkumyy]

Hi everyone,
I recently bought this little guy from a guest speaker at my orchid society and i was just wondering about peoples opinions on what i should mount it on, i was thinking of trying a tree fern slab, it'll be my first ever tree fern slab mount so i would love some hints and tips or opinions

There are no leaves, the roots will do the photosynthesis for this plant. You are right with your instincts to mount it on tree fern. It will need bright diffused lights. It is also of the vandacious family, originating from the Himalayas and Northern India. The moonsoon rains pour endlessly from spring to fall, then dryness occurs...pretty much like your area, when it rains it floods...you need to water this everyday if you're mounting it...I am curious what kind of blooms it will make...I like your new avatar, Michael

[pikkumyy]

thanks anky, do you have experience with these or have you just done some research?

thanks about the avatar, it is my Den. Ellen, i can't wait until my NOID dendroiums flowers, because im hoping for a flower that doesn't have either pink or purple, or in other words, one that isn't as girly

[katrina]

Anky - why do you give advice about plants that you don't grow? If you don't have experience growing a plant...please refrain from providing googled information as many times googling provides inaccurate information.

Just so you know...Chiloschista does grow leaves. They are very small and they last only a short time but they do grow leaves each season.

Michael -- I grew my Chiloschista on cork w/a little bit of sphag underneath to help hold some moisture for a short time after watering. My concern w/the tree fern is that the roots could potentially grow into the tree fern and they would then not be getting the light they need. On the cork a few do make their way into the interior nooks and crannies but there is more exposure for photosynthesis. I would say cork or any type of wood where the roots would be most likely to grow and attach across the top rather than dig themselves down in. I hope that makes sense.

During the so-called "dry" season there is considerable overnight dew so water should not be totally eliminated during the time. I grew segawai and never stopped watering it all year. I watered a little less in the Winter but it still got some water every day.

As for the light...it does not need super bright light. Mine hung near my phals and did beautifully. These little guys can burn quite easily. Also, if temps soar, it's best to keep it on the shady side.

Here's a pic of what mine looked like. The flowers are a different color for your species but it gives you an idea. I really do need to replace this one...after that storm carried it away I forgot how cool it is.

[pikkumyy]

thanks katrina, would i be able to grow my chilo. in with my den's, catt's and onc.'s in a shady corner of the shadehouse, or will it die, im just trying to keep as few orchids inside as possible (i don't yet have somewhere outside for my phal's)
also Katrina, would it be able to stay outside all year round, it goes from 0c to 40c or 36f to 100f?

and

[Emma Grey]

What a cool plant! I look forward to seeing its progress.

[orchids4me]

Oooooo this is an interesting one never heard of them until now.
Good luck with your new Chid Michael

[pikkumyy]

hopefully my nearest orchid supplies person sells cork (i dont really feel like ordering online, plus i think that not letting me use her credit card, is her way of trying to control the expanding numbers of orchids)

[katrina]

I re-read my earlier post and I should amend it a bit. There's nothing wrong w/sharing what we've researched (via Orchid Wiz, friends growing, even google) but it should be mentioned that the info came from those sources. Especially when it comes from Google. To present in a manner that appears as personal experience is misleading and if the googled info is incorrect (as happens frequently) it could create problems for the person actually growing the plant. I hope that makes sense.

Michael -- As I mentioned earlier...I don't/didn't grow usneoides but it's reported to be able to take cooler temps than segawai. Orchid Wiz says usneoides Winter native habitat temps are:
Day time average = 54-56 F (12-13 C)
Night time averages are 42-44 F (6-7 C)
Sounds like it'll have to be inside part of your Winter.

Something else to consider...if it's really cloudy/overcast during those cooler temps I would go easy on water...maybe just some light mistings from time to time....mimicking that night time dew. On those days that get real sunny you could do a bit more watering. Meaning - cloudy and dark = less water when it's cold but Sunny and bright = more water.

As to the light question -- if you can find a protected spot...an area that would be good for a phal or slightly higher light than a phal (1200-1800 footcandles)in your grow space then it should be happy. I sometimes use my larger plants to shade my smaller plants that don't want as much light...that could be your solution.

In the Summer -- water it every day. If the temps are really high it'll do best w/a couple of waterings each day.

HTH!

I had mine on cork but I've seen some doing very well on cedar shingles so anything like that would also work really well. Actually, now that I think about it...mine first came to me on a cedar shingle and I kept it on that for several months before moving it to the cork.

[pikkumyy]

Originally Posted by katrina

Michael -- As I mentioned earlier...I don't/didn't grow usneoides

due-ly noted

Originally Posted by katrina

but it's reported to be able to take cooler temps than segawai. Orchid Wiz says usneoides Winter native habitat temps are:
Day time average = 54-56 F (12-13 C)
Night time averages are 42-44 F (6-7 C)
Sounds like it'll have to be inside part of your Winter.

thankfully those cold temps were for about a week or two in the very middle of winter, spring is definitely on its way (certain plants and flower and smells and sounds are now making them selves present so im really excited)

Originally Posted by katrina

Something else to consider...if it's really cloudy/overcast during those cooler temps I would go easy on water...maybe just some light mistings from time to time....mimicking that night time dew. On those days that get real sunny you could do a bit more watering. Meaning - cloudy and dark = less water when it's cold but Sunny and bright = more water.

i use that kind of thinking with all my orchids, if its cloudy, easy up a bit, if its blisteringly hot, FULL THROTTLE

Originally Posted by katrina

As to the light question -- if you can find a protected spot...an area that would be good for a phal or slightly higher light than a phal (1200-1800 footcandles)in your grow space then it should be happy. I sometimes use my larger plants to shade my smaller plants that don't want as much light...that could be your solution.

okay, i plan on making a small phal shadehouse, well more a phal sheld outside, with shadecloth, so i'll have to get snapping

Originally Posted by katrina

In the Summer -- water it every day. If the temps are really high it'll do best w/a couple of waterings each day.

HTH!

I had mine on cork but I know people who grow this plant on cedar shingles so anything like that would also work really well. Actually, now that I think about it...mine first came to me on a cedar shingle and I kept it on that for several months before moving it to the cork.

cool thank you so much katherine, i find that getting info from actual people, meanS you can ask questions (a thing i do A LOT),
i'll let you know how i go, now to just hide my chilo, behind some catt. or something until my new shadeshelf is built

[royalkat]

Hi hi. I have one of these, kinda, a Chilochista exuperi. It does grow tiny leaves, but mine dropped after the spike was done. Mine grows mounted with a tiny bit of sphag. on a piece of willow. I give it mod high light and lotta water misted twice a day, good air flow and average 70% humidity. Sorry the flowers are kind of blurry. Looking back over the thread, I might need to ammend its spot a bit.

[pikkumyy]

thanks royalkat, all advice, and experience is much appreciated, and i especially love the inclusion on the photo (i don't see why most people think that you should only post a pic of the flower, a lot of the time the flower is just pretty but the plant is interesting)

[royalkat]

Let's face it, most of the time you are looking at the plant and wondering when it is going to flower. I love the roots, leaves, pseudobulbs etc. Flower is just gravee on top. They look like the yellow ones posted earlier in the thread, only white, so I thought I would focus on the way it was mounted and thats the best picture I had of that.

[pikkumyy]

"Let's face it, most of the time you are looking at the plant and wondering when it is going to flower. I love the roots, leaves, pseudobulbs etc. Flower is just gravee on top."

i don't think i could agree with you more, i not only go on what the plants flowers look like, when i buy it, but i also see if the plant would be interesting just by it self, and so far i have never once said no, i just find them so different and intriguing

[pikkumyy]

ok so i finally mounted it, i decided to mount it onto a disk of she-oak with a pad of sphag. moss under it like royalkat and Katrina sudgested, well without further ado.....


p.s. i uploaded a heap of photo's because i took a heap and these were the good ones and i couldn't see a reason why not to upload all of them3

[pikkumyy]

what, is noone going to comment on my attempt at mounting ? come on guys, im hurt

[katrina]

awwwww....sorry Michael. I missed this earlier.

You did good! It might have adhered quicker to a piece w/crooks and crannies but it looks great. Good job!

[-k-]

I LOVE IT!!!! LOOKS FANTASTIC! the roots are just beautiful and makes an excellent mount< i add this to the list as I really enjoy mounting plants< despite the amount of work it takes to care for them indoors.. (without making a mess)

Sorry katrina, posted same time!

[pikkumyy]

Originally Posted by katrina

awwwww....sorry Michael. I missed this earlier.

You did good! It might have adhered quicker to a piece w/crooks and crannies but it looks great. Good job!

hehehehe thanks Katrina, the peice of wood doesn't have nooks and crannies but the surface is very rough, there were places where it was a bit smooth but i soon fixed that with my handy steel brush

[pikkumyy]

why thankyou -k-, i was going to put it outside in the shadehouse but id probably forget to water it so its inside with my phals for the moment being, i take what you said as a great compliment because i never cease to admire your mounts, they are just amazing.

[katrina]

Originally Posted by pikkumyy

hehehehe thanks Katrina, the peice of wood doesn't have nooks and crannies but the surface is very rough, there were places where it was a bit smooth but i soon fixed that with my handy steel brush

Excellent! Smart move!!

[-k-]

For me, what I really look forward to seeing when your mount takes off is it will look like a real cool spider web with all those roots spread out symetrical like that should they continue their current direction It will be one impressive / spooky and of course beautiful mount, (Love the spooky stuff)

[royalkat]

Really nicely done, Michael! Now...the flowers! Keep us posted, please.

Don't get too too shady here, its the roots that photosynthesize, mine likes pretty high light.