Ok growers of caudatum, walissi, and the like...

I would really like to hear how you successfully grow your long petaled phrags. I need specific tips on culture here. Please don't say "I just grow them like everything else and they bloom their fool heads off" because then I might cry...;)

I would love to hear your experiences with water quality, frequency of watering (how dry do you let it get?), light, potting medium, humidity, fertilizer, voodoo magic, ritualistic chants, spell casting, prayer.....what works?

Speaking from my experience, I found that the number one most important thing to grow the caudatum type species is to provide PLENTY OF AIR CIRCULATION 24/7 especially during hot weather. The second most important thing is to never overwater them, they prefer to stay on the dryer side, staying too wet will kill their roots in no time and attract bacterial rot and that is why air circulation is very important. The caudatum types also prefer very bright light to grow and bloom to their full potential. In nature they grow high on trees and cliffs where they get plenty of light and air circulation and they are never submerged underwater like the longifolium types, so I try my best to mimick nature. I have actually seen a Phrag caudatum growing on a tree when I visited South America.

Hope this helps! Lets hear some more tips from other members as well.

I agree with peter about the air circulation.VERY important for all orchids and plants in general.
I water them just like all the others 1-2 times a week and also grow them standing in 1/2-1 inch of water. The water in the trays only lasts 3-5 days before they go dry.They require repotting more often because they grow so fast and the need for a open mix.
All but 3 of my phrags are in oak hills basic mix with styro peanuts in the bottom third of the pot.Humidity 50-90% year round and 55-90*Temp. Feed every week with a variety of name brands.
Im no expert but it works for me. Good luck

I'm glad Teresa asked this question because I'm over here taking note of the replies too ;).

Yes please, I'm lurking like Ginn. Just got home yetserday with five more species Phrags
Phrag Longifolium X self
Phrag Wallisii X self
Phrag Caudatum (Old Man Moses X Anne"s Delight)
Phrag Pearcei (Katydid X Ray)
Phrag Caricinum
to go with the 2 besseaes that I already had.
Keep those great tips coming

Thanks
John

I'm paying close attention to this too! I have 2 grandes and they have this bad habit of playing one for one: one new growth comes up, an old one dies. So it doesn't get much bigger or ever bloom!

Yes please, I'm lurking like Ginn. Just got home yetserday with five more species Phrags
Phrag Longifolium X self
Phrag Wallisii X self
Phrag Caudatum (Old Man Moses X Anne"s Delight)
Phrag Pearcei (Katydid X Ray)
Phrag Caricinum
to go with the 2 besseaes that I already had.
Keep those great tips coming

Thanks
John

Hi John,

Those are beautiful species, you'll love them! Another tip, species are never capitalized for example: Phrag caudatum. Only hybrids are capitalized for example: Phrag Grande. :D

Hi John,

Those are beautiful species, you'll love them! Another tip, species are never capitalized for example: Phrag caudatum. Only hybrids are capitalized for example: Phrag Grande. :D


They techically should be italiced ;) Phrag caudatum hehe no one really does it here anyways.
Your Phrag wallisii and Phrag caudatum will be the only two that need this 'long petal' type of culture

My culture reccomendations would be very much like Peter's.:iagree:

I think they should probably be kept a tadd cooler and wetter though. Which could be a catch 22 when trying to get the high light aspect.

I don't think they are very particular about potting mixes as long as it stays well aerated. I had a fantastic wallisii (got to hot and rotted) that grew fantastically in pure moss in a basket. There was always a 1/2 in of water in a tray beneath it.

I think semi hydro would work great for just about all phrags. Also since the long-petals are epiphytes the bulk of water they see is rain water, and very low in salts. I use RO water.

As for potting medium, I forgot to mention I use barkmix for my Phrags, in fact for all my Paphs and Phrags and other orchids. For root aeration, I drill extra holes around and the bottom of my plastic pots.

I'm growing my young plants in a very chunky mix: diatomite, CHC, Pearlite. They're in my south-facing windows (in Michigan, not much sun in the Winter...) in intermediate temperature. I've an oscillating fan about 8' away. Also, I water them 2x per week.

My older ones are under a bank of fluorescent lights in my basement, also on the intermediate side and with an oscillating fan very close to them. Same mix, although I've a couple in S/H. The latter, I watch like a hawk because most of my Phrags didn't do so well in S/H after about 3 years. I water these 2x a week, also -- except for the S/H ones: if there's still water in the well, they are only watered once a week.