Re Potting Jewel Orchid - Ludisia

[@velvetchiharu]

I was so excited to finally receive my Ludisia Discolor in the mail but I was terrified of overwatering it and I didn’t find much information online. Your explanation of the potting media was incredibly helpful and much appreciated. Thank you!

[@stanleybonk2519]

I've rooted them in water a couple of times. They take about three months to root that way. A piece broke off and I didn't have time to repot it, so I just stuck it in water with some cuttings of a Chinese evergreen. Eventually, I saw little fuzzy red rootlets. The roots are almost like Velcro. They stick to everything. In fact, by the time I got around to potting it up, it set a flower spike, the first ever for me.

[@PlantzNThings]

That's Interesting. I might need to try rooting some in water. maybe i'll get a spike too :)

[@growingthings6232]

the jewel orchid is one of my favs its easy to care for and beautiful

[@PlantzNThings]

I like that it looks nice all the time... No need for flowers with these..lol

[@growingthings6232]

yeah they are great as a ll around house plant to have beautiful leaves and flowers.

[@Neonrollerskates]

I just repotted mine in a mixture of soul and bark too.

[@LGW3-Orchids-Exotics]

Old vid, but helpful! I was nervous to attempt a more soil mixed media, but after watching this I will repot tomorrow! My experience here in the NE US has been one where it likes moisture and a bit of extra light (despite the low light claim). We have fairly moderate humidity, but these awesome specimens like some moisture at all times and my old mix may not be satiating its requirements.

[@pri22v11]

Could you do a care video for how to take care of jewel orchids?

[@Alypinkflower]

Did you do an update on this Lucida...pls attach links if so..love tp see how is growing by now

[@briankane6547]

How would a decent Leaf mo(u)ld figure in the compost if it's terrestrial and grows under trees?

[@VaxsanBR]

Ludisia discolor reminds me more of Tradescantia than average orchids, maybe that's why some hobbyists don't lke it. :D

[@PlantzNThings]

I love Tradescantia :)

[@SlumberBear99]

At 0:47 I’ve had one or two stems fall off like that. It’s in a bigger pot than yours. Is it rotting?

[@growingthings6232]

awesome bill great looking plant

[@PlantzNThings]

Thanks Chris :) I hope it continues to do well :)

[@marlyntorres7546]

Are these okay to grow in ceramic pots? I've heard that orchid roots burn when grown in ceramic pots, is this the case with ludisias as well?

[@erees3929]

Doesn't the moss need to be rehydrated with warm water and sit a while?

[@jackiegarcia3484]

Was there ever an update? :)

[@lisalull699]

I think I overwatered mine but roots are still healthy looking so I cut and discarded the soft part of the stem and kept both the bottom part and the top part placing them in bark, soil mixture. Do you think I am okay? Both the bottom part and top part have nubs showing not sure if those are going to be roots or another plant. Can you advise?

[@PlantzNThings]

Its hard to say what the nubs would be without seeing a photo... but either way.. growth is growth.. if its a root.. new leaves shouldn't be far along

[@janiartopawa68]

Beautiful orchid, is it native to your place?

[@CatherineLittle]

Do you think jewel orchids could work in semi hydro?

[@sippigrrrl]

Catherine Smith No. absolutely not. These orchids are not even in the same ballpark as those which would work in semi hydro. Have you seen a Ludisia discolor in real life, out of the soil? There’s not even another orchid that I can compare it to, it’s so far removed from anything else that I have in my orchid collection (which is quite extensive, with well over half in S/H). The jewel orchid grows with very shallow and hairy roots, I have mine in a 5 inch deep plastic plant saucer that I put a couple of drainage holes into with my soldering iron. The roots have the hairs on them to kind of “grab” onto the substrate (so, in the wild, that would be leaf litter, debris on the forest floor, maybe decomposing tree bark) and it would likely grow right up and over something that was more solid, like a rock. The canes are kind of floppy, even when the plant is healthy, and I think that they’d dissolve in S/H. They’re really unique compared to any other orchid that I’ve dealt with, and they’d do better in peat moss (with something to help it with air circulation, like sphagnum moss, a bit of smaller-sized orchid bark, or some perlite) than it would in S/H.

[@mrtcguitar]

How many bananas do you have? Species wise.

[@PlantzNThings]

I have 3 Types. an Ensete, Musa Basjoo and i Think a Dwarf Cavendish

[@mrtcguitar]

PlantzNThings have any ever fruited?

[@PlantzNThings]

not yet..

[@sippigrrrl]

PlantzNThings I live in New Orleans, and we have bananas all around the pool in the backyard; there used to be a forest behind our home, so we were okay with the chain link fence that the Parish puts up along the canals, but then they put a furniture warehouse back there, so we lost our “privacy fence” on that side, and since it backs up to the canal, we can’t put up another fence, in case the Parish needs to access it for some reason, so we dug up some bananas from the sides and planted them in the back. They filled the area in nicely, and they completely surround the backyard now. I use them as my shade trees to allow me to put some of my Cattleyas and my Vandas outside to get some real sun during the summer. I’m not certain what their exact variety is, but if we can make it for a year without a hard freeze, the following year, they’ll produce for us. They have the most beautiful HUGE blossom and then the hand of bananas just materializes, really quickly. They’re more like a plantain, but smaller than those that you’d find at the market. They’re darker yellow on the outside, and my father-in-law has a bunch of friends who all call dibs on them as soon as they find out that we have some coming. I wish I could post pictures, the blossoms alone are worth the trouble (and slime that covers you when it DOES freeze, and we have to chop them down). They almost dissolve after a freeze, it’s really gross, and the slime permanently stains whatever you’re wearing, so we have specific clothes for cutting down the bananas! I used to live waaaaaay up north so the idea of growing bananas in the backyard as shade trees is still a foreign concept, but I love it!

[@tinawindham6958]

I miss New Orleans! Lived in lake view for many years. Worked at Tulane hospital. ❤️👩🏼‍🌾I agree about the banana flowers. They are so beautiful. It’s how I know I have different varieties.

[@briankane6547]

A GOOD soil/compost, I reckon, ALMOST smells good enough to eat. ;¬)

[@chunfu2]

This plants grow wild in Hong Kong.

[@PlantzNThings]

I would love to see that :)

[@chunfu2]

PlantzNThings I've actually seen it for myself. They grow in high elevations of above 400m above sea level, in humid, hill slope forest with average trees being 3-8 meters tall. I found them besides rocks on mossy growth, and because of the high elevation, clouds usually brush the mountain slopes, resulting in humid weather, Ideal of orchids living hundreds of meters from the nearest stream. Most of the wild and native orchids of Hong Kong grow besides mountain rocky streams

[@PlantzNThings]

Very interesting!

[@sippigrrrl]

Chun Fu Tube ☉‿☉ That explains the hairy roots, and the fact that they grow out (as in, spreads out) instead of up, like most orchids. The hairy orchids help them cling to the sides of the mountains. Very interesting! Do orchids grow in the wild closer to sea level, that you’re aware of?

[@briankane6547]

Must have been pretty damnHUGE if you only bought it last year matey. :¬()

[@happybuddyperson]

I try growing these but they always die of what I believe is thrips. The leaves get attacked and become ugly and then the plant just withers.

[@PlantzNThings]

That's weird

[@happybuddyperson]

And annoying. I used to have a healthy collection of L discolor subspecies, but theyve all died to thrips... I also havent lost the ones in my carnivorous plant terrariums (I have a few small ones and a medium sized one). Ive lost the green Ludisia to them, within a month, and all the different black ones. I also lost the other random types of jewel orchids that they sell at clouds orchids (can't remember the names).

[@PlantzNThings]

wow so they got wiped out fast.. that's not cool!

[@happybuddyperson]

It was over a month or so, but when I noticed it was too late. I kept most of them in a terrarium and they all got it... except the ones I have with my carnivorous plants.

[@PlantzNThings]

Yikes!

[@brauliomena6260]

Sorry but that's not called spiderman...is a ludisia discolor alba

[@sippigrrrl]

Braulio Mena It’s probably the trade name, like this Ludisia discolor is sold as the “Jewel Orchid,” that’s not its real name.

[@Neonrollerskates]

Soil, not soul. Hahaha!!

[@PlantzNThings]

lol

[@mrtcguitar]

I do not live there