Coelogyne mayeriana growth issues

[SundayGardener]

I purchased a Coelogyne mayeriana last September. This was an impulse buy, made at my first orchid festival in Chicago just as I was approaching the point of checkout and the endorphins were high. I hadn't done any research on it.

So now I have, and realize it was not a good buy for my conditions and abilities, but that aside, its growth is becoming problematic. It has this side "branch" that is quite heavy. Right now, I have some wires (I make sure they don't cut into the orchid) holding it up in its normal location.

When I look at pictures of other Coelogyne's online, they all seem to be happily contained in their pot and not trying to turn into a tree, but typically internet pictures don't capture the full story! Is this, as I suspect, the main rhizome extending off to the side? Should I be dividing it, or propping it up? I can't capture all that in a single pot!

Thanks!

[Roberta]

Yes, this one is a beast. Beautiful flower, but a rambling beast. I have at least somewhat controlled one of these in a shallow bulb pan (10", or 12" if you can find one). Then, you can gently bend the rhizome to coax it to go around the inside edge of the pot. The shallow form cuts down on the amount of "dead space" in the middle of the pot relative to a deeper pot, but it's still large for the amount of plant... I suggest an inverted pot in the middle, to take up space and provide an air pocket.

[estación seca]

How often do people post here about an impulse purchase growing too well?

Coelogynes are generally easy to grow if you take care to keep them moist during their growing period, and select ones that will be happy in your temperatures. Those with wandering rhizomes and curtains of roots are harder to keep well-watered in a lower humidity environment. Mine seem to sustain healthy roots out in the air with relative humidity over 50%, even if I don't water every day.

Hardware stores carry sturdy plastic mortar mixing tubs in several sizes. I was planning moving my Coel. mayeriana to one 20" x 28" x 6" deep (51 x 71 x 15.25cm) this spring. The rolled lip will not be strong enough to carry the thing by when potted up, so I will need to carry it from the bottom.

[SundayGardener]

Holy moly! What have I done?! This is exactly the kind of plant I try to avoid. This is a good lesson learned!

I'll try a bulb pan then, with inverted net pots if needed to provide air. Or maybe I can rehome it. It is a cool plant but a bitof a space hog!

[estación seca]

There are smaller, well-behaved ones, too.