Sophronitis coccinea

[Guldal]

Evening light:Plant and flower in toto:

 

[DrLeslieEe]

So cute! Looks 4n.

Culture tips?

 

[GuRu]

Jens, lovely flower and a strong plant....even in a flower pot. This species has always been attracting me but for different reasons I never was able or had the opportunity to grow it.

 

[Djthomp28]

Lovely one!! I have not figured this one out. I try and try but can not keep coccinea alive.

 

[kitfox]

I am jealous...Bloomed one once...and very quickly killed it. I have tried a few more times, with no success on blooming, but lots on killing them.

 

[abax]

Spectacular flower. Very good culture Jens.

 

[Guldal]

So cute! Looks 4n.
Culture tips?

I, too, think it most likely to be 4N.
I really don't think, I'm the right guy to give optimal, cultural tips, as my growth conditions can't be described as such.
I love Sophronitis, though - and, yes, I know, they've been transfered taxonomically to Cattleya - but on my own windowsill I will persist, no matter, to keep the old name for the plants, described thus by Withner.
Optimally, most of this genus will do best in a cool greenhouse - that's not quite on, when you live in a smaller, fifth floor appartment. I try to accomodate the growth conditions the best I can:
At the moment (winter) the plants get a wee bit of coolness from the window - and I try to keep the window partly open as early in spring untill as late in the fall as possible. What I will try to optimize this year is providing better shading, when the sun is strong during spring and summer.
I grow the plants in my usual inorganic growth medium (Greenmix), that provides a nice degree of constant moisture, while at the same time, due to the waterrepellent ingredients in the mix, gives the roots sufficient "air" around them not to rot. Greenmix must never dry out completely - and you know you are using it right, when a layer of green moss forms on top of the medium. The humidity around the plants is also to some degree helped by the humidity tray.

 

[Guldal]

Thank you all for your encouraging comments!

 

[BrucherT]

Wonderful. Nice to see somebody succeeding with Sophronitis indoors. Given the irresistible visual appeal, I’m surprised few seem to have figured it out. I sure haven’t. But 3 years ago I got a tiny seedling from Hausermann’s, in a 2-inch pot with just a couple chips of bark. I set it down into my high-sided decorative terrarium with my slippers, right down front, in a southeast-tipping window. It gets watered about once a week. Misted lightly with RO most mornings (misted, almost fog, not sprayed). It’s got two marching leads now, I 11 growths. Puts on two per year. Food is K-Lite. It gets cold in the window in winter and hot enough to near-murder besseae flavum in summer. The seedling doesn’t seem to care.

 

[Don I]

Beautiful.
Don

 

[Tom-DE]

I love all of the Sophronitis species...very nice!
It is not easy to photograph this...and I had photographed a few of mine and they didn't do justice to the flower... I am sure yours looks more beautiful in person. Congrats!

 

[Ozpaph]

very good flower.
I, too, wish it was easier to grow.

 

[Tom-DE]

I, too, wish it was easier to grow.

S. acuensis is a good substitute..., It is an intermediate to cool grower. It has smaller flowers but far better/easy grower and bloomer.

 

[Linus_Cello]

S. acuensis is a good substitute..., It is an intermediate to cool grower. It has smaller flowers but far better/easy grower and bloomer.

Is there a 4n version of S. acuensis?

 

[Tom-DE]

Is there a 4n version of S. acuensis?

Mine was a normal one...I have never seen a 4N acuensis. In terms of culture, the normal S. coccinea and 4N one are just about the same.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

S. acuensis is a good substitute..., It is an intermediate to cool grower. It has smaller flowers but far better/easy grower and bloomer.

I might have an acuensis or pygmae in my Winerium. Never bloom though and smothered in moss.

 

[NYEric]

Nice, thanks for sharing. Yes, they need some cool. I killed enough that I am hesitant to try again.

 

[Tom-DE]

I might have an acuensis or pygmae in my Winerium. Never bloom though and smothered in moss.

"Winerium" is such a small enclosed growing area... some species or genera may not like such an environment...perhaps you will have better luck if you grow them outdoors during the warmer months in Toronto. Seasonal changes can do a lot of good...S. coccinea and its relatives are more like an intermediate grower in the summer months, drying them out slightly between watering is beneficial. "smothered in moss" or constant wet isn't a good way to grow them IMO. They need good light and air movement too. I grew mine(coccinea and acuensis,,,) in a small clay pot with bark mix(small and medium barks, sponge rock, and some charcoal).
Hope this will help others too,

 

[DrLeslieEe]

"Winerium" is such a small enclosed growing area... some species or genera may not like such an environment...perhaps you will have better luck if you grow them outdoors during the warmer months in Toronto. Seasonal changes can do a lot of good...S. coccinea and its relatives are more like an intermediate grower in the summer months, drying them out slightly between watering is beneficial. "smothered in moss" or constant wet isn't a good way to grow them IMO. They need good light and air movement too. I grew mine(coccinea and acuensis,,,) in a small clay pot with bark mix(small and medium barks, sponge rock, and some charcoal).
Hope this will help others too,

Unfortunately I live on the 19th floor with balcony facing south. Temperatures there in summer can get up to 30-35C in heat of sun. So this recommendation is almost impossible. They would cook there.

Also I have tried growing them under lights, only to have them withered away.

In the Winerarium, they grow quite well, and happy. Just no blooms. I can move them up to my LEDs that can generate 2500-3000 FC if close enough. At the moment they are getting 1200 FC.

 

[Tom-DE]

They need a lot more than 1200FC...... Cattley light more likely.