There are only two (2) species of this genus. Both are found growing wild Mexico. Two species from Epidendrum and Encyclia were separated and placed into their own genus. Both of these plants have gray-green foliage and have enough unique floral characteristics to justify a new genus. Grow mounted on cork bark or tree fern plaques to display the plants at their best.
Euchile
Euchile
There are only two (2) species of this genus. Both are found growing wild Mexico. Two species from Epidendrum and Encyclia were separated and placed into their own genus. Both of these plants have gray-green foliage and have enough unique floral characteristics to justify a new genus. Grow mounted on cork bark or tree fern plaques to display the plants at their best.
Both of these species have been used to create hybrids. They are still registered as Epidendrums when hybrids are registered.
Euchile Species Orchids
There are only two (2) species of this genus. Both are found growing wild Mexico. Two species from Epidendrum and Encyclia were separated and placed into their own genus. Both of these plants have gray-green foliage and have enough unique floral characteristics to justify a new genus. Grow mounted on cork bark or tree fern plaques to display the plants at their best.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Of the orchid growers I know, including myself several times over, who acquired their first Euchile citrina plant have all been successful in killing it a some point within a year of purchase. But I had seen photos of truly sensational specimen plants in bloom and I was determined to at least keep one alive for several growing seasons and of course hoped to eventually flower it.
ReplyDeleteWhat I learned, and what I have since heard from a few other growers, is that the Achilles heel of Euchile citrina culture is not rigorously adhering to an out-and-out perfectly dry, long [five month?] winter rest. During active summer growth, a mounted Euchile citrina can be watered daily and fertilized heavily. Sometime in November as the photoperiod shortens both relative humidity and minimum night time temperatures are lowered and winter dormancy must begin. During this rest period absolute bone-dry conditions around E. citrinas [mostly exposed on my plants] roots must be maintained. It is highly predictable that even a couple of days of suffering with a wet mount will trigger a slow irreversible decline in vigor ending in Euchile citrine death.
I have seen one E. citrina flourish in a basket with the pseudobulbs semi-upright, but in nature this orchid grows on the undersurface of tree limbs with the pseudobulbs ‘upside-down’. So that is how I grow it: I mount Euchile citrina P. bulbs inverted on the underside of a horizontal Manzanita stick raft suspended by a wire at each end. This mounting system makes maintaining dry roots during winter even easier then it is for traditionally stick or slab mounted plants hung vertically.
Of the orchid growers I know, including myself several times over, who acquired their first Euchile citrina plant have all been successful in killing it a some point within a year of purchase. But I had seen photos of truly sensational specimen plants in bloom and I was determined to at least keep one alive for several growing seasons and of course hoped to eventually flower it.
ReplyDeleteWhat I learned, and what I have since heard from a few other growers, is that the Achilles heel of Euchile citrina culture is not rigorously adhering to an out-and-out perfectly dry, long [five month?] winter rest. During active summer growth, a mounted Euchile citrina can be watered daily and fertilized heavily. Sometime in November as the photoperiod shortens both relative humidity and minimum night time temperatures are lowered and winter dormancy must begin. During this rest period absolute bone-dry conditions around E. citrinas [mostly exposed on my plants] roots must be maintained. It is highly predictable that even a couple of days of suffering with a wet mount will trigger a slow irreversible decline in vigor ending in Euchile citrine death.
I have seen one E. citrina flourish in a basket with the pseudobulbs semi-upright, but in nature this orchid grows on the undersurface of tree limbs with the pseudobulbs ‘upside-down’. So that is how I grow it: I mount Euchile citrina P. bulbs inverted on the underside of a horizontal Manzanita stick raft suspended by a wire at each end. This mounting system makes maintaining dry roots during winter even easier then it is for traditionally stick or slab mounted plants hung vertically.
Nick Anderson Wilson Wyoming's only Encyclia enthusiast.