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shavedmonkey

orchid taught lesson

A few years ago an orchid grower from Equador came to our orchid society. He was preceded by a several very large boxes. I bought a bunch. Most lived and bloomed. One, epidendrin purum, a species is still in transition from the jungle to south florida and my microcline. This plant, when mature, is very large with a potential of hundreds of blooms. It came with 5 or 6 canes that had been chopped to about 1.5 ft. Immediately it responded to feed and care and started new growth. Maybe 8 or 10 new canes. But after trying to make it they gave up. But in a month a new crop of baby canes tried and failed again. And 1 more failure. Then the canes have taken hold are getting big and it looks like it is on the way.

My theory. Like a young fruit tree may develop fruit but only to drop the fruit. As if they know better. Too young to bear. A very large orchid needs a large root system. So each attempt to start canes also started roots and finally the root structure was big enough to support the canes and ended the failures. My guess.

This post was edited by shavedmonkey on Tue, Jan 14, 14 at 18:41

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