Linda was looking for answers on how to get her Oceoclades spathulifera to
bloom. She commented that none of the previous answers given were useful. I
think the message in that is nobody on this list knows. Linda, you should
now charge forward knowing you are as expert in growing this species as
anyone else on the list. You will just have to look at the habitat
information, look at your growing conditions and do what all the other
expert growers do in this situation - Guess and Experiment. Let us know if
you succeed.
That is the problem with trying to grow rare species. There simply
are no experts, you are it. Take the best care you can of your treasure.
As a thought, you mentioned you have had it for 10 years. Well, if a
plant is still growing for you after 10 years, it means you are meeting
most of the cultural requirements. If you were not, it would have died
years ago. Make no drastic changes, since you are already near enough
optimal that it is still with you. It just needs a little more of
something, be it light, water, or perhaps a sharper dry period. Regardless.
Be cautious about making drastic changes as you obviously have conditions
almost right.
Time, one thing that orchids need is Time. The mass production of
Phalaenopsis have spoiled us. Some orchids are very slow to mature and
bloom. Some clones of a species are slow, while other clones of the same
species are profligate bloomers. An example, I have a number of different
clones of Paph micranthum. I have one clone that has bloomed every year
since the year after I acquired it. I have another clone, growing side by
side to the first, that has only bloomed once in 15 years. It was
magnificent, so I keep it. I have a number of Paph micranthum that seem to
bloom on a 3 to 5 year schedule. All growing side by side, all healthy
plants. The variation is incredible.
Some species such as Laelia tenenbrosa are famous for taking 15 to 20
years to first blooming of some seedlings, then they settle into an annual
pattern. Now there are clones that have been selected for ease of bloom
induction, but your Oceoclades is too rare and too recent an introduction
to have had this horticultural selection. Time may be all your plant needs,
even though it has already had 10 years.
Good luck
Leo
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