Orchid of interest
Restrepia cuprea
re-STREP-ee-ah
by Rick Lockwood, OSMT member
Our March speaker, Geraldine Powell, gave a presentation on cool growing orchids. Restrepias are a genus of Pluerothallid that would be considered in this group of cool growing plants. I have been growing Restrepia cuprea since 2001, and over the years found Restrepias to be a bit more warm and low humidity tolerant than many Pleurothallids. I grow it indoors in a humidity controlled case under compact florescent lights.
For more information visit the American Orchid Society and read the Culture Sheet.
Restrepia cuprea is from Columbia, although I got my original plant from Andy’s Orchids in California. It is one of the larger flowered species of the genus with petals and sepals sometimes up to 3 cm long. The individual flowers only last a few days, but I’ve had a 6” basket of the plant in continuous bloom for several months in a row, and sometimes with 6 or more open blooms at a time. The flower spikes originate from the underside of the base of the leaves, and each leaf can flower several times. Occasionally keikis will be produced instead of flowers. This is also one of the few species of orchids that can reproduce from leaf cuttings.
This pictured blooming is a first time blooming seedling from a breeding between my original plant and one of Dale Borders (from Oregon). I obtained pollen from Dale’s plant in April of 2005, and the seed capsule was matured in only one month. The seed was sent to the Meyers Conservancy for flasking, and I received a flask of seedlings in February 2007. The first blooming of this seedling took place in February 2008.
Temperatures are generally under 80 F and humidity is around 70% or greater.
Light levels are around 800 FC.
Water low in salts is good for this group.
Generally grown in baskets of sphagnum moss or mounted, and the best growth is observed when live moss grows over the substrate.
Photos by Rick Lockwood
