Microcoelia gilpinae - dry winter dormancy?

I have no experience with gilipinae (wish i did!), but I grow stolzii, exilis, and gracile. I reduce the water by about half in the winter. So about once or twice a week vs. every day.

Good luck...you must keep this beauty ALIVE!! It is so rare.
Pete

 

I haven't grown this species but I had a Microcoelia (Solenangis) cornuta. It was growing well until I gave it a drier winter. I lost it within a few weeks of the beginning of winter and now can't find another to replace it. These obscure little Angraecoids are very interesting and you have another great one.

 

I grow M. stozii & I treat it about the same as Peter - water once every morning except in winter, when I cut back to about twice a week. Mine never really seems to slow its growth during winter. Seems happy enough although it hasn't bloomed for me yet.

 

When the roots stop growing, I reduce the watering but don't stop it and give more bright light!!

 

I would go with water as long as the root tips are active. Once they go inactive, reduce water. As you say, in nature there is still high humidity, so they still get moisture from the air.
Pete

 

quote:

In truth I would much rather see these plants grow wonderfully and never bloom, than risk killing them by trying to induce bloom.

I know what you mean. I remember years ago, before I had a grnhs and was going outdoors under the patio. I had bought a number of Laelia's from Andy that he said I could grow outside year round. The first few years I chickened out and brought them in, they were getting big and looked strong. The next winter I decided to be tuff and leave them out even though my instinct's told me it was just too cold (down to low 30's). Well they survived the winter but they looked so ruff I said never again, I want my plants to look pampered not beat up.

 

All this talk about Microcoelia promted a visit to the greenhouse. The one I have that's never bloomed (that I obviously don't inspect very often) has 14 small spikes on it. We'll see if I can keep 'em on.

 

I'm interested in trying Microcoelia stolzii. Does anyone know where there might be one available. I emailed Andy and am waiting for a reply. If someone has a keiki they want to part with please PM me. Thank you.

 

Hi everyone,
Are there any new developments on Mcrcoel. gilpinae culture? I have a specimen which I recently got from our speakers at the HOS meeting. Tin told me it grows in "bright to very bright" light; more than bulbocalcarata, which I grow in "bright" light (maybe too bright?). So I've positioned it in my IW terrarium with MH lighting...

It's big and has never stopped actively growing roots and is now putting out several flower spikes. But, I haven't had the plant for very long, so I'm suspicious. Are there any other cultivation threads out there? I like can't find anything.

I also would like to hear about it if anyone has pollen for me, or pollination advice.

may have triggered the flowering:

increased light (went from a greenhouse in winter at laorchid to bright MH lighting indoors)
photoperiod of the lighting (12 on, 12 off - same as the sun at the moment, and several other plants in the growroom are also blooming right now)
increased temperature
CO2 enrichment
simply the change of venue

Thanks,
Ty

 

It's worth attempting a selfing. Or see if LOC has a sib they can do at another time.

 

I would be inclined to think the "trigger" to flowering may have occurred previously since you say you haven't had it all that long, and the flowers are forming now as a result of that past trigger and not necessarily a very recent trigger.

I'm not sure where in the LOC GH these are growing now, but I believe they were on the drier, sunnier side at one point when I visited, so they likely receive a seasonal reduction in moisture simply based on the fact that everything is staying more moist longer in cooler weather. It would be worth shooting them an email and asking if they purposely reduce water on this species, though.