Hi Orchid Reddit! I need your help. My bf got me an orchid for our anniversary, but I don't think it's in good health. Advice needed!
imgur.com/a/tzXkZ
imgur.comPosted Jun 8, 2012, 9:17 PM UTC
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imgur.comI have purchased quite a few of Andy's orchids myself. Your bf has good taste!
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I have never brought form Andy's before, but it was the best packaging I've seen. I guess I have good taste by association! :P
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Sorry this is my first time posting since I'm a shy lurker... I love the plant!
Type: Laelia Anceps Guerrero, mounted Bulbs: 3 bulbs. Looks like the largest 2 just finished flowering. Leaves: Yellowed with black spots on the tips.
Questions: Is it normal for it to be yellowed at bulbs and leaves? Is there a care sheet for this? What can I do?
My Experience: I currently have 17 other orchids at home. I have a Vanda, a Bulbophyllum, a Ludisia, a Dendrobium, and others are Phals. I have 3 of the the phals for over 2 years, but most of the other orchids are recent acquisitions. I have "rescue" some phals from grocery store's clearance section. That's why I have so many. Thank goodness there are not much stray cats around or I would be a crazy cat lady. :)
I feel like a new parent at lost on how to take care of their baby. I wish they come with instruction manuals! Any advice would be great!
Congratulations on the new "baby" :) She'll be fine and you'll enjoy her for years to come.
The yellow bulb is one of the back-bulbs, i.e. from a prior year. When the folks at Andy's split it off from the parent plant, it probably didn't like it so much and it turned a bit yellow and last year's growth (the other pseudobulb) ended up quite a bit smaller. You have a new growth coming, which probably will be in size a bit bigger than last years.
The most important criteria of health of most any plant, but especially of an orchid is the health of its roots. From the look of it, your plant seems to be doing well in that department. Since it is mounted, you will need to water it a bit more than your potted plants, but on the other hand, you will find it near impossible to overwater this one. Feed it like you feed your Dendrobium, Laelia anceps are pretty hardy and don't need much other than water and sun. Mine are growing in partial to full sun on the side of a palm tree and I feed them very irregularly.
Don't worry about the spots on your leaves. Those could be from salt or insect damage. Unless they dramatically expand and/or are mushy and soft, nothing to worry about.
The yellow color of the leaves is probably telling you that the plant is getting a lot of sun light. Not necessarily a bad thing but you might want to provide a little more shade. Don't overdo it on the shade, otherwise she might not flower as well. L. anceps can take quite a bit of sun. Personally, I think that last year's leaf looks great.
EDIT: forgot to point out that since this is a species, you will want to write the name as 'Laelia anceps var. guerrero', meaning it is a Laelia anceps of the variety guerrero rather than the non-existing hybrid 'Laelia Anceps Guerrero'... just a minor niggle though ;)
Hi Sunkid, thank you for your advice! You make me feel whole lot better now. The plant just arrived at the door and the first thing I did was dunked it in water.
You're welcome!
Depending where you live, this would make a great outdoor plant, btw.
I would love to plant this outside, but I suspect my area has acid rain. I once left my orchids outside for an hour when it's raining. When I brought them in, they look great until a day later... they look half dead. ie. limp leaves, roots dying, leaves dying. It took me a while to get them happy again.