How to care for a Prosthechea cochleata - Orchid Board

Tindomul · #1 07-02-2008, 03:27 PM

Prosthechea cochleata

Hi all, How do you care for this. I just got this in a trade, and wanted to know all the different methods people on this board use to grow theirs. Thanks.

Royal · #2 07-02-2008, 05:04 PM

I'm waiting too. It's supposed to be pretty easy culture, but those are usually the ones I have trouble with. Med light, med temp, med moisture?

whygreenberg · #3 07-02-2008, 05:42 PM

I've only had one since February. I think it's relatively immature, it only had three pBulbs when I received it. It has been growing a new pBulb the past month or so. I dunno if it's going to spike when it'd done with this new growth, but I don't do much with it. What Royal says is what I've read. Also, to dry out between watering, and use a very fast-draining medium. They have pretty thin wiry roots. I'll be interested to see if anyone has any secret magical tips!

Chubidubi · #4 07-02-2008, 05:44 PM

I grow mine just as I do my Catts. They are very easy to take care of.

Paul · #5 07-07-2008, 10:07 PM

Very easy to care for. Average holdhold temps (so more on the intermediate to warm side), lighting -- phal to catt levels, water -- if you are not watering enough, crinkled leaves will be an issue. I do find mine seems to like to stay lightly moist.

cb977 · #6 07-07-2008, 11:41 PM

High light and moist. I have mine in aliflor and they are just BOOMING! With the two here, at least one of them is almost always in bloom.

Tindomul · #7 07-08-2008, 12:27 PM

Thanks all. I put mine under high artificial lights and am keeping it moist with bark, charcoal and sphag mix. It looks good so far.

MJSK · #8 07-08-2008, 01:59 PM

I have 2 Prosthechea (aka encyclia) cochleatas - one regular and one white. I have them in different locations, the regular one in a southwest window and the alba in an east window. They have bloomed every summer for a few years. I don't keep mine too wet.

Roly0217 · #9 07-09-2008, 01:08 PM

Thank you all for the information even though I didn't started this thread. I'll be getting one of this guys by the end of the week and I needed to know a little bit more about it's care I get it'll go outside with my Catts.

Learner · #10 07-09-2008, 03:19 PM

I don't know if this history will be of any value or interest. We have had one for about 25 years and only knew it was an orchid. It never bloomed. I guess I would say that the rest of the year "low light conditions" prevailed. The plant lived and slowly added pseudobulbs. We had it on a bark mount until the mount started to fall apart and my wife laid it in a shallow dish where it was periodically watered and seldom fertilized. About five years ago she started putting it outside in the summer in mottled sunlight and in a southeast window in the winter. She watered regularly with fertilizer. We started to get blooms that start in June and finish in September or later. Right now it is beautiful with blooms on three spikes and two more spikes starting so far.

The roots are always moist and hang out from below the remnants of the mount. Often into the water below. There are 11 p-bulbs starting to appear.

And I found out what it is by posting a photo on the Orchid Board and some wonderful people responded with an ID.

Since it is growing so rapidly now, I have to do something like repotting. Maybe into S/H . It is about 18 inches across. Is it a good idea to divide the plant or just get a really big bowl to put it in. And when would be the best time to divide if that is the best option.

Jim