Cycnoches explained! In this video I discuss cultural needs and natural history of this group. I include discussion on why this genus is more difficult to grow than Catasetums and give some suggestions for overcoming cultural challenges.
I thought the reverse was true? That sect. Eucycnoches have similar greenish male and female flowers and sect. Heteranthae have very dimorphic male and female flowers?
Fun fact: Cyc. herrenhusanum got its name because a plant just popped up in Herrenhäuser botanical gardens in Hannover, Germany. It was supposedly imported from the Americas, but it had not been given a label/lost it and nobody knew when exactly it arrived there and from where exactly it came. Debates were held over wether this was even a valid species and if it could be described with no clue about wild poulations. This went on until wild populations were found years later in Ecuador and Columbia.
This is a very nice information since I live in Hannover! I visit the botanical gardens as often as possible since they house one of the largest collecion of orchids in whole europe!
Oh wow, I had no idea!! Crazy how these things happen! I know people regularly get new or recently described plants even today, especially from Peruvian vendors. Cool stuff!
Hi Stephen, I really appreciate this video, mine are all catasetums but they share many similarities. My big disappointment with catasetums was the flowers lasting only 10 days. However a month after shedding its flowers, a new spike is developing. That’s great ! Thanks Stephen, sharing all this information with us is really generous on your part.
My pleasure! And yes, male flowers only lasting a short time is frustrating….until the plant gets big enough for multiple spikes! Growing this group is definitely a rollercoaster of emotions! lol
Really appreciate you taking the time to make this video! This was helpful. I didn't know they liked warmer nights. The rot during winter is noted, I'll be very careful. Im hoping Browns choice pulls through 🤞🤞 Thanks again Stephen!
Thanks for the tips as I just got one of SVO's new cooperi. Disappointed to hear they don't live very long though! My whole collection is basically plants that want to rot and die in winter though, so it'll be in good company. 😆
I received my 1st Cycnodes, Taiwan Gold last November, gave it winter rest, planted into PET per your instructions, & followed your instructions about watering & feeding. It has 2 new growths, 1 is 1 ft, other is nearly 2 feet! I am loving it! Than you so much for sharing your knowledge!
I see why Cycnoches is called the swan orchid. Their flowers are incredible 😍 I've just added a Cycnoches hybrid to my collection. So, thank you for the timely culture & care tips! I think I'll have the warmer winter requirement covered when I bring all of my Catesetum-types indoors (between 60-70 degrees). Also, Cycnodes Wine Delight is called Cycnoches Wine Delight because it's a hybrid between Cycnoches lehmannii and Mormodes sinuata, correct? Considering the suggested care tips you shared for Cycnoches, should I start keeping a stricter wet and dry regime for this particular Cycnodes as well?
Yes to the Cycnodes genus being a Cycnoches/Mormodes cross. Those intergeneric hybrids are somehow bulletproof and seem quite a bit more forgiving of wet dormancy than their constituent parents. Hybrid vigor is real! You can certainly treat them all the same though.
I had been learning a lot from you, thank you 😊. Can you make a video about the Psychopsis Mendenhall Hildos culture? I live in FL and the temperatures are similar to Texas, I’ll appreciate it a lot. Thank you 😃
Another great video, thanks Stephen you really help your followers on your Chanel. If I may suggest another video but in the same family. Coryanthes Thanks Ronald
Hi Stephen, may I ask you something about catasetums ? I have read from H.G. Hills that catasetums need an open fast draining medium with good aeration and that using baskets is an option. Also that continuous wetness is not good. All of these conditions don’t seem to be met when I am using the PET growing-potting method in my environment, particularly, "good aeration of the roots and/or medium" (if that’s what he meant) is not present in PET. Any comments ? Thanks Stephen.
I’m not sure who HG Hills is. Where can I look them up? Overall, I’d say that HG Hills might have outdated information? A lot of the old information for this group posted in the old AOS magazine was not very accurate.
Wonderful video. I have the Wine Delight and saw that one of the parents is a cycnoches and thus I found your video and was greatly informed about my plant but the other parent is a Mormon?? something. I can't fund much about this Genera and the only thing I could find, if this is even correct, is that this group has both male and female flowers at the same time but Cycnoches does not?? So I would also love to hear what you have to say about this group as well. Thanks!
While I can’t comment on your plants religious preferences, I can tell you that Cycnodes is a cross between Cycnoches and Mormodes. One has perfect flowers (male and female parts) while the other does not. The Cycnodes really are a great example of hybrid vigor, where the offspring is basically bulletproof compared to the parents. They don’t react as severely to watering early on spring or to cold. It’s very odd!
@@SVKLOrchids LOL, dyslexic here. I can't see the letters unless I really focus. Took me a bit to see that these two names are different. Thanks for your answer! So maybe you can enlighten me on another problem. When I was in basic biology we learned that a species was a species because it could not have babies with any other animal. So how is it that Orchid can cross Genera and produce offspring?
@@DouglasEKnappMSAOM Ohhh, that’s a good question! The concept of a species has been greatly updated since you and I were in biology, in large part because of this exact question and because of genetics. Something else to consider is that barriers to breeding come in many forms, including geographic separation and differences in pollinators. Two plants isolated from each other won’t breed unless a human with a toothpick comes along. Same thing with two species growing next to each other that use totally different pollinators. Only a human with a toothpick will overcome those natural barriers. So the biological species concept isn’t completely dead in natural situations. This topic is so huge that we could chat about it for days!
@@SVKLOrchids The honest truth is that I can get a million MissOrchidGirl style videos on RU-vid but so far you are one of the only ones that produce videos beyond the kindergarten level of learning and I love it. If you have the will to make a a bunch of 20 minute videos about genetics, I would watch them for sure. For me one of the best videos here so far where the PET method of watering, the orchid judging and the fertilizer video (still have yet to figure out how to implement it here in Germany). The only other channel I have found to be really good besides yours is Motes Orchids but they have not posted for 3 years. Looking forward to more in depth info videos! As for the Genetics, based on a study I read it looks like the whole orchid tree needs to be redone. A big question for me is what can breed with what and why (artificial)? I just crossed a huge beautiful big box store orchid with a Phalaenopsis Sweet Memory Liodoro, The X with Liodora as mother took and a pod is growing. Hoping to get big flowers and lots of them with the smell from Liodoro. I have no idea if it is possible but it will be fun trying. :-) If you have interest, these are my collection. Most of the photos are taking from the net and not my plants. docs.google.com/document/d/17AIBDFigXoxfnEfHnOPdluJf5d6IcZAh_-Aqy6xcv6k/edit?usp=sharing Also working on an orchid book. Started as my collection of data to help me with my collection. This means that is is not original and the photos are not mine but should it get to a finished product then I will redo the place holder photos and rewrite the text so that it is all mine. I might be open to a collaboration. My experience is from just one year of actively collecting and learning but I have had phals and dendrobium nobiles for years. docs.google.com/document/d/1cNfzWcljIsqjR115ugzNYGu-2iDOvjxcEgWDadYyriw/edit?usp=sharing
@@DouglasEKnappMSAOM Very cool! I have spoken to a guy in Florida about making a genetics discussion. He’s a professor and is busy, so we’ll have to get our schedules to line up. I understand the basics, but I’d definitely have to get an expert on the channel go more in depth. Writing about orchids fun! I’ll start on another AOS article in January.
I guess since they don't tend to hold back bulbs, there isn't a lot of chance that Fred would have divisions of the older primary hybrids available. Surely he still has them in his building for breeding purposes.
Hi Stephen! I have my first cycnoches and it is starting to sprout new growth. How much space does it need in its pot? How do I know when to repot versus leave it in the pot it’s in? Where can I find more info on the PET method? Thank you!
I published a new PET video in late February which might answer all of your questions! Let me know if you have any more questions after checking it out!
Hi Stephen, I need your advice ,please... My cicnoches is now with a new grouth almost ready to be watered, and a baby one from another bulb which I think will be ready only in winter time (North hemisphere _Portugal). The one that is almost ready, I have messed up and started watering too soon, having realised that because the new roots were starting to rot, I have changed the sphagnum moss to a dry one (using pet method) and now those roots seam better. I am worried though, on how should I manage the 2 state of growth as they are in the same plant (the baby growth and the one more developed. Furthermore they are with the south hemisphere growth schedule Brasil, I would think . Could you please help?
Good morning Stephen. I love your videos. My orchids in PE T and cypress mulch have giant bulbs and doing great. I have a question- should I add any chemicals to my rainwater for possible pathogens or bacteria? I have been using stored rainwater for the past few years and never had issues that I am aware of. Just want you input. Thanks again
Hi Jackie, I don't add anything to my stored rainwater! Healthy Catasetums shouldn't have a problem with any pathogens at their roots during summer. However, Ray Barkalow (First Rays Orchids) sells a probiotic called Quantum (here: firstrays.com/product/quantum-total-1-quart/) which could be added to your rainwater. In case you're not familiar with pro-biotics, the idea is to overwhelm a system with "good" bacteria such that the "bad" species are crowded out.
Thank you for this very interesting video! I wanna as for your opinion : does it make any sense to separate the oldest bulb in order not to lose it? And if it's okay to do so, when would be the right time?
I think having backup divisions of your favorite plants is a good idea, especially if you’ve got a three bulb plant. Single bulb divisions do well for this group, but two bulbs are best, especially for Cycnoches that seems to absorb a bulb during dormancy. The best time to divide is when the plant is dormant.
How warm would they like to be during the winter? Heating mat warm or just 60s is fine? Thanks for the video- they’re so beautiful- hope mine does well.
Hi Stephen! How come I find this video a year later? I have this cycnodes, one of my oldest plants, with four bulbs right now. But now I got three species, witch are much more challenging, as we all know. In your video there`s one thing I didn`t get right! Does cycnoches want to be bonedry in winter, or do they want some moisture, like mormodes? Thanks for your time
Good question! I've had more success growing them with a dry winter, but now that I know Mormodes like some water during winter, I will try growing the Cycnoches a bit wetter as well. My guess right now is that Cycnoches are especially sensitive to cold and dryness, so keeping a warm, humid winter environment is probably very important for that group. I will certainly do more investigating!
Cattleya luteola is quite small in comparison to other Cattleyas. Walkerianas and nobiliors do not need much vertical space, but will ramble and take up a lot of horizontal space over time. Many rupiculous Laelias are also small to very small (in some species, the whole plant [bloom, spike, leaf, bulb] will not get taller than 4"), but can be a bit trickier in cultivation. Also, their blooms are not very fancy (not native speaker, this is the word the online dictionary gave me).
Hi,I have a Cycnoches Taiwan Gold,I got it in March.It lost it's leaves then it grew a large tree like growth with leaves then it finally died off.I make sure that the bulb itself does not dry out.It is now October.How do I take care of it?I am in an apt
