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Malaxis latifolia care?

Discussion in 'Orchid Culture' started by Tillander, May 3, 2016.

  1. May 3, 2016 #1
    Tillander

    Tillander New Member

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    Title says it all. All that I found on this species is that it is a terrestrial native to Borneo. Can't find naything more about it on the internet. Does anybody have experience with this species? Thank you in advance!
     
  2. May 4, 2016 #2
    KellyW

    KellyW Orchid wonk Staff Member Supporting Member

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    I have minimal experience with this species but it does OK for me. It originally came to me from John Klinger a few years ago. I keep it in potting soil amended with perlite in a plastic pot. Growing in intermediate conditions on the floor of the greenhouse in deep shade for most of the day. In the fall when the leaves wither I lay the pot on its side so it doesn't get water and leave it that way until new growth starts in the late winter/spring.

    Here is a photo from today
    2016-900.jpg
     
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  3. May 4, 2016 #3
    KellyW

    KellyW Orchid wonk Staff Member Supporting Member

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    I started looking around the internet at this species and it seems that the current accepted name is Dienia ophrydis with Malaxis ophrydis and Malaxis latifolia as synonyms. :confused:
     
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  4. May 4, 2016 #4
    Tillander

    Tillander New Member

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    Thank you for the help! Your plant is beautiful! What about water however? You mentioned that you stop watering over the winter and then water it when the plant restarts growth. Do you keep it moist when it starts growing again?
     
  5. May 4, 2016 #5
    KellyW

    KellyW Orchid wonk Staff Member Supporting Member

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    Being on the floor under a bunch of hanging plants it gets watered daily in the summer months just from run off from the mounted plants above. If I was growing it better it probably would not get watered that frequently. So ... yes, I keep it moist once I start watering it.
     
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  6. May 4, 2016 #6
    John Klinger

    John Klinger Active Member Supporting Member

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    If you follow Kelly's directions on growing, you will be OK. The only difference from my growing, I have a special place for plants I am drying out for the winter.
     
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  7. May 5, 2016 #7
    goods

    goods Well-Known Member Supporting Member

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    Never heard of this specie until this thread, but it's definitely neat looking. Well grown Kelly!
     
  8. Jan 6, 2017 #8
    elamental

    elamental New Member

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    Hello I have had this plant for a number of years and it has never really done that well for me, I think it because I'm using the wrong compost mix (sphagnum moss, perlite and fine orchid bark) as that's the mix I use for most of my other plants. So I was wondering what compost mix you use as you said you use "potting soil", it is a multi perpuse compost or loam based compost?