Dracula erythochaete care?
 

Hi! I'm new around here! Nice to meet you guys :)

My dad just gave me a brand new Dracula erythochaete as part of a new collection. It looks nice and healthy as far as I can tell, but I can't find ANY care sheets for these little guys anywhere :((
How do I ensure that he stays healthy, and possibly get him to bloom eventually?
thanks!

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...throchaete.jpg

Your Dracula needs watering badly. The moss looks bone dry.

Dracula erythrochaete is an intermediate grower. It may tolerate a bit of cooler temperatures. I would grow at around 55 degrees F to 85 degrees F.

Draculas in general like to be constantly moist. You will start experiencing leaves buckling and dry leaf tips, or leaves turning yellow and leaf spotting if the media is allowed to go bone dry consistently. Humidity should not be allowed to drop below 60% in order for it to bloom.

The flower spikes are long, thin, and grow pendulous. Flowers have features that resemble a (monkey or ape -like face).

Grow in shade to bright shade.

Here's a link:

IOSPE PHOTOS

Oh, yeah, take it easy with the fertilizer on this guy. Their roots and leaf tips will burn. I would only apply a weak solution of fertilizer once every two weeks.

USE RO/DI WATER. THEY DON'T LIKE HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF DISSOLVED SALTS AND MINERALS IN THEIR WATER! IF ANYTHING, THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF INFO ANYONE CAN GIVE YOU ON THESE PLANTS, IF YOU'VE NEVER GROWN A DRACULA SPP BEFORE.

Actually I had just soaked it...must be the picture. However I do have a watering question....how dry should I let it get? I'm worried about rotting the roots.
Will it be ok if the summer temperatures get higher than 85? They can get into the 90's here during the "dog days of summer".
What does RO/DI water mean? I checked the glossary and neither were listed, nor were they under "water".

Thanks

It should never be dry. Let it "dry out" to when it gets damp, (according to what you feel is damp), then water again.

Warmer than 85 degrees F is fine, it's just the ideal top range. I used to own one, I grew it outdoors all year long. It can get over 100 degrees F during the summer here as well, but air lots of air circulation helped out. No leaf blemishes or massive leaf droppage occurred. But you gotta keep up with the humidity and watering. When it starts getting over 100 degrees F, expect to be watering everyday.

RO//DI means Reverse Osmosis/Distilled water. I'm serious when I say no high concentrations of dissolved minerals and salts in the water. This means no tap water. In the long run, you could run into leaf burn or worse yet...leaf droppage which = death.