FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

First time I've kept an orchid alive and happy enough to bloom again. It's mildly fragrant. I bought this because I wanted something to grow alongside my carnivores and it was a sad little thing until I put it into higher humidity. I guess California's idea of "low humidity" is still more humid than an Arizona windowsill.

Good choice! Angraecum distichum is a very durable mini.

Aw - one of my favorite little orchid jobbers!

DragonsEye wrote:Angraecum distichum is a very durable mini.

Any one have experience propagating these? I'm thinking mine might be big enough to take a few cuttings ... but how to get it to root? Looking at you @DragonsEye...

DragonsEye wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2024 1:03 am Good choice! Angraecum distichum is a very durable mini.

So I was told. Since I suck with orchids I figured that would suit me best.

madrone wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2024 1:42 am Aw - one of my favorite little orchid jobbers!

DragonsEye wrote:Angraecum distichum is a very durable mini.

Any one have experience propagating these? I'm thinking mine might be big enough to take a few cuttings ... but how to get it to root? Looking at you @DragonsEye...

I’ve never tried propagating this one, but it should be relatively straightforward, I would think. I would suggest cutting off a 2 to 3 inch section. Then let the cut end callous for a day or two (might even dust the cut with a little bit of cinnamon). Then place the cutting on a mat of barely damp – not wet – sphag. Place the cutting on its moss bed in a clear plastic bag. Blow up the bag like you would balloon and tie off the end with a twist tie. Place this nursery in a bright warm area – but no direct sun. Check the moss once every couple weeks or so to make sure that it’s still lightly damp. If it seems dry, give it a couple spritzes of water, to just barely dampen it. I would expect that within a few weeks you might get some roots along the stem.

Since you seem knowledgeable, I have a few more questions for you (I'm sorry)

How big should I let it get before cutting it back is safe/ a good idea? Should it ever get moved to a new mount, and how would I go about doing that? And are there any other generally small, easy orchids that would do well as carnivore companions? I have highland and lowland setups, and this one is currently with the lowlanders. I have a different one with the highlanders, but I'd like a bit more spice to the setups so they're more an environment than an eclectic bunch of plants.

DragonsEye wrote:I’ve never tried propagating this one, but it should be relatively straightforward, I would think.

Might try this later this summer - I'll let you know if I have success!

Bluefire wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2024 6:58 pm How big should I let it get before cutting it back is safe/ a good idea?

Looks like it’s big enough now if you wanted to take a cutting of one of the stems.

Bluefire wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2024 6:58 pm Should it ever get moved to a new mount, and how would I go about doing that?

Generally, don’t worry about remounting until the amount that it’s on has started to decay.

Bluefire wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2024 6:58 pm And are there any other generally small, easy orchids that would do well as carnivore companions?

“Easy” is an extremely subjective term. Might be easy for me. Could be extremely hard for you and vice versa. However, I will say that for your highland set up there are orchids that would enjoy that environment especially ones like Masdevallia and Dracula. For a lowland set up it will some extent depend also on what kind of lighting are you giving. Now there are leafless orchids that would enjoy the high humidity and warmth of a low lands set up although you’d want them in a corner where there’s very poor air circulation. That sounds many of the leafless orchids are among the few that seem to like more stagnant air conditions. In other areas where there’s a little better air circulation, you could try grow Paphiopedilum orchids. A good — albeit financially dangerous site to visit — if you decide you want to focus on mini and micro mini orchids is Andy’s Orchids.

Thanks for the advice. I actually visited Andy's Orchids once, that's where the one I posted came from.

If you want an absolutely delightful micro-mini orchid, Lepanthopsis astrophora is very easy to care for and blooms with showers of tiny, sparkling purple flowers. Tarzane Group is a good orchid source, and has them in stock semi-often. They can be a bit difficult to locate for sale, but shouldn't cost too much if you can find one.

For care, they like high humidity, and to have their roots kept constantly moist. Potting them in a teeny clay pot of sphagnum, or mounting them on something, and then setting them in one of those glass globe terrarium thingies ought to do the trick nicely in a windowsill environment.