culture for Arundina graminifolia (Bamboo Orchid)

[JamesK]

My wife went to Hawai'i to care for her step-dad after his cancer surgery. She has asked if I wanted something from there, and I remember the bamboo orchids from our honeymoon. So she is bringing me one back. Does anyone here know what kind of culture these things take?

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

James

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by JamesK

My wife went to Hawai'i ... and I remember the bamboo orchids ... she is bringing me one back. Does anyone here know what kind of culture these things take?

Arundina graminifolia grows wild in Hawai'i. I've seen large colonies of it growing on hillsides on the outskirts of Honolulu on the island of Oahu. Therefore Hawaiian climate is ideal, namely:

Fairly bright dappled light
Year-round watering, possibly slightly more in winter, and high humidity
Intermediate-to-warm temps, 60F winter nights up to 90+F summer days
Pot in a semi terrestrial mix

[digitalgate]

probably the easiest of the lot to grow. Dump them on the ground/pot and it bloom
like crazy.

[patticake]

digitalgate, You crack me up....

[mitko]

Hello, from one german internet site for seeds i bought seeds from Arundina . Has someone experiance with seeds of Arundina? Is it the same procedure like every other orchid - sterile medium et cetera ?

[digitalgate]

yes , agar solution. But that take so long. A cutting is so much faster. 6 months tops to
blooming size.
Seed pod germination- 2 month to germinate, 3 month to 10cm size. 6-9 months to
blooming size not worth the time and energy. Cutting is definitely faster.

[Vivienne]

JamesK - might I suggest a different orchid from Hawaii. Actually I'm not certain that it's 'from' Hawaii, but my local orchid store gets theirs there.

Comparettia speciosa

I LOVE mine! I've had mine for one year now - I grow indoors only with minimal setup - and my plant has bloomed 3 times the past year. It is currently putting on a new spike. They are very tolerant and rewarding.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Six months from one of those baggy cuttings you get at the airport on the way back?????? Not mine. Two cuttings per bag, and the whole thing could not have weighed more than an ounce. One died, the other has been crawling sloooowly forward for a year or two, and is now about 8" tall. Catt light, and watering like reedstemed Epis, so I don't think the culture is a problem, just the starting size of the cutting. I once got "Cuttings" of Arundina babusafolia from India.These weighed in at about couple of pounds apiece. The shipping costs were abominable, but I'd do it again in a flash to get some really good Arundinas. Wish the one I kept had survived.

Where ever you get yours, be sure that they will provide you with a Phyto certification, or you may have trouble bringing it back to the mainland.

[digitalgate]

Originally Posted by Cynthia, Prescott, AZ

Six months from one of those baggy cuttings you get at the airport on the way back??????

nah, mine was straigth into the pot after cutting from the plant.(the cutting
already start to grow some root on the plant itself)

just gave one to RMT135, He should see some boom in six month.
Hopefully, it did not died of natural disaster, join the dark side...

[rmt135]

I just dump the plant in the pot & let nature take it course. Rain or shine it is still standing. None of its leaves had dropped.

I will not be tempted to join the dark side. The light will always be there.......

[evagentry]

May the force be with you both on your journey.

[digitalgate]

so say we all..
wait a minute ..!that the wrong sci fi show.

[mitko]

Originally Posted by digitalgate

yes , agar solution. But that take so long. A cutting is so much faster. 6 months tops to
blooming size.
Seed pod germination- 2 month to germinate, 3 month to 10cm size. 6-9 months to
blooming size not worth the time and energy. Cutting is definitely faster.

Thank you very much. I can`t find cuttings from arundina , so i will try the long way of germination seeds . I would like to be more educated in growing orchids from seeds , so i will try it.

[digitalgate]

oh boy. flask is hardest for newbie to learn. But does not hurt to try. Dont give up if
your seeding did not make it to maturity.

[udomueller]

Hi...
could i have by any chance instructions in how to grouw arundina graminofolia/bambusifolia from seeds?

tks
Udo

[digitalgate]

it is a lot easier my opinion to let the professional germinate the seed pod for you. Plus
the hard work of reflask as it get bigger .