Guarianthe aurantiaca

[Jirel]

I bought this plant on ebay. It arrived (beautifully packed) in a 3 inch pot with a lot of wonderful fat white roots showing at the top of the pot. Can/Should I repot this? Can I put it in a wooden basket if I can find the right size? Does it need to be a deep container (the wooden baskets tend to be rather shallow.)

I've read about Catt care and know about watering, etc. I'm just not sure about repotting. Everyone says they like to be a little cramped, I'm just not sure when its a little cramped and when its "I want OUT".

I'll try to get a picture of it tonight.

Thanks!

[Tobi]

I've found the best time to repot a Catt. is when it's starting its new growth and new
roots. Doing it at this time helps to prevent damage to the roots and the new leads
which will be the next flowering ones.

[slippery_biscuit]

I don't look at the plant in a pot as being "cramped". You could say then the pot is too small to contain the roots, but it will try to grow out of it eventually. There was a thread recently which showed how they can thrive as they outgrow the pot. Also, think of a mounted plant, where the roots can go as they please.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Are you sure you want to put it in a basket? The plant will grow over the basket and become a big ball. It has the advantage of not needing regular repotting (like a mounted plant), but will be difficult too change over to a pot when you finally decide this arrangement is taking up too much room. By then the roots will be wound around the wood slats, and the rhizome at the base of the plant will be going every which-a-way. Nice effect if you have room for a specimen plant. Don't think of having a basket big enough to allow the plant to cross the top and then repot every 2 or 3 years like as if it were potted. If you are going to do that, you are probably better off with a pot (no slits), where it can be removed from the pot easily at repotting time.

[PhalPal]

Jirel have you thought about mounting it??? I am new to catts (the past six months) and the ones I mounted (cork bark) are doing the best by far and have the most new growth. With my potted Catts I am having a hard time keeping them hydrated enough. I would think a mounted anything would do great in your Florida humidity.

[exasperatus2002]

I have a Cattleya aurantiaca with a pod & 2 new growths in a 5" pot. Unless its a sprawling mess and roots all over the place outside of the pot I'd only think of replacing the mix it in if its an old mix and breaking down. step by step...

[kmarch]

I've changed the name of this thread to correct the genus (Guaranthe not Cattleya).

[arleneg]

Jirel,

I've been contemplating about buying one from eBay. Is it a mini/small plant or medium sized plant?

I agree about mounting it. It will thrive in Florida humidity.

[norris]

I bought one last month, I'm really new to them, but I would say it's a small to medium sized plant. The largest bulbs are about 3 1/2 inches, with about 5 inch leaves.

[JLu]

Guarianthe,Kevin

In the original post there is a comment about the plant wanting its roots in tight quarters (I don't remember the exact words used). This all started when it was suggested that the amount of potting medium surrounding Catt roots should be minimized to minimize the retained moisture in the root zone. Somehow, sometime, somewhere, it was construed to mean that the plant wanted its roots in a tight situation. Tain't true, McGee! It's an epiphyte. It grows on trees for goodness sakes.

I know Cynthia worries more about how she can get the plant out of a potting situation than how well it might grow in that situation. I think about growing first and extracting later. A wooden basket works great for Catts and personally I've never seen one grow into a ball like a Cirrhopetalum does. Baskets drain and dry out very well and thus make great Catt houses. By the time it needs moving it will need dividing anyway. aurantiaca is a weed so be ready for a vigorous grower....let the darn thing dry between waterings. You won't kill it by being dry, but you will by keeping it wet.

Good luck!!

[kmarch]

Thanks LJu. Apparently even the nomenclature police need to be checked up on from time to time.

[JLu]

You're welcome! I love nomenclature and have few other talents that I'm willing to discuss in public.

[norris]

JLu, I see what you mean about it growing like a weed! I haven't even had mine a month, and I just counted five new growths starting

[Jirel]

Here's a picture, one of the things I don't like about the small pots is that they fall oever so easily; whereas a basket has a more stable footing.



And while we are on the subject - what about this phal? It too needs a more stable pot to be in. I can't afford the beautiful cereamic ones with holes in them - although when I have time (in 6 months or so) I'm going to be very tempted to find a ceramic shop so I can make a few of my own.



The phal is a NOID. I'm not mounting more because I'm going to have to leave my house and move into a one bedroom apartment in about 4 months. Although I'm hopefully of getting a patio, I will probably have a very limited space to hang mounts from.

[norris]

I personally like plain clay pots from home depot, they're inexpensive, and the one by me carries the ones with slits on the side. That might solve your problem of plants falling over.

[Jirel]

When I'm not working anymore, I think I will try to understand genus and stuff. Right now I just copied what the seller had on the ebay posting. (I have memory and concentration problems so all mind work is on work).

[exasperatus2002]

Originally Posted by arleneg

Jirel,

I've been contemplating about buying one from eBay. Is it a mini/small plant or medium sized plant?

Its a medium sized plant.

[arleneg]

Thanks, exasperatus2002.