# Jewel Orchid Care



## connorology (Oct 6, 2018)

Good Evening,

I just ordered three jewel orchids - A Macodes petola, a Macodes sanderiana, and a Ludochilus (which if I understand correctly is a Ludisia and Anoectochilus hybrid). 

I have been reading up on care guidelines, and have seen the gauntlet of responses ranging from "I put them in a vivarium and they just take off" to "they're finicky and I accidentally killed them." I have also read low light, medium light, moist but not wet, or they do just fine wet, etc. 

...I am hoping the range of responses means they're pretty hardy, but does anyone have advice about basic light/watering/substrate in a vivarium context? My enclosure is fairly tall so my issue is lowered light towards the bottom, but so far it's sufficient to grow lemon button fern, peperomia, pothos, and spiderwort as understory plants.


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

I keep _M. petolata and M. sanderiana_ in vivs lately, and have kept _L. discolor_ for many years in and out of vivs. I usually grow them in plain sphagnum moss, but I should try in ABG just to see how it works. 

I've found _L. discolor_ to be pretty bulletproof. Lighting lighting levels aren't important so long as it acclimates slowly to high light, and it will reach for the light at lower intensities. Based on my own pathos growing experiences, I'd say _Ludisia_ like the same light intensity, and react to different levels in much the same way. _Ludisia_ doesn't like soggy roots in moss, but in old decomposed bark I've grown it really wet (not exactly on purpose...). It grows quickly enough that if it starts struggling you can restart a cutting in different conditions and try again.

_Macodes_ have been relatively fussier for me, but I've only kept them for a handful of months. Moderately slow growth. They don't seem to appreciate high levels of moisture at the roots or on the leaves; consistently minimally moist in a viv has been the sweet spot for them. The bottom of a 18" tall viv under decent moderate lighting (SD panel) seems the right lighting level; I have a 12" tall plant growout viv that they do poorly in -- closer to the lighting and less humidity in that viv. Snails/slugs/something that is killed by a CO2 treatment love to eat them.


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## Deanmachine (Aug 22, 2018)

I have a macodes petola that can be filed under the 'just took off' category. I've had it in my viv since I started it 4 months ago and in that time experimented with lots of diff misting schedules. It has continued to grow steadily under any condition and even has started to propagate itself. I do have pretty strong light, but it is right at the bottom.


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## kimcmich (Jan 17, 2016)

Greetings,

Although we group them together, "jewel orchids" are a diverse group of plants that do not necessarily share the same care needs.

First off, many of the species (and most of the nicest ones) are from seasonally dry tropical climates. "Seasonally dry" in this context can still mean some rain and substantial humidity - but the thin substrate where these orchids orchids frequently grow can become quite dry during this time.

Secondly, many of these orchids prefer to grow as epiphytes - frequently on the thin moss carpets covering tree trunks, fallen logs or boulders. This means they often experience "perfect drainage" and comparative substrate dryness relative to the wet forests around them - even during the wet season. The fat, succulent stems of several species are a hint that they experience water stress in-habitat and hence have evolved stems to store moisture.

Third, many jewel orchids grow in very dim locations - often under deep shade. Deep shade also has the effect of shielding the plants from rain - rather than being hit by rain directly they instead receive mositure as it seeps through their substrate. The beautiful glittering leaves of many Jewel Orchids are an adaptation to dim light. Many species can handle brighter conditions - but they need to be acclimated slowly and the bold leaf colors & patterns will suffer in brighter conditions.

Taken together, these aspects of jewel orchid care mean they are not especially well-suited to the typical always-moist frog viv. But jewel orchids are also _much too pretty_ to give up that easily!

I agree with SocraticM that Ludisia is pretty easy and tolerant of all kinds of conditions. It doesn't need nearly the same careful sighting and coddling as Macodes, Dossinia or Anoectochilus. There are multiple cultivars of Ludisia with glittering dark or bright green leaves - I highly suggest all of them. I have had great luck with Malaxis commelinafolia as well (it's a non-velvety-leaved jewel that handles more moisture).

In my viv, I have a few spots where canopy plants shield the lower areas from direct moisture. In these locations, I pile a very loose substrate of orchid bark and plant the jewel orchids there. Even then, my success is hit or miss.

No jewel orchids like wet leaves. I know successful commercial growers who water their jewels by soaking the trays in water - never wetting the leaves with anymore than a light mist.

In my viv, the plants that persist are in areas with high air flow so any leaf wetness evaporates quickly. I have observed a pretty dependable relationship with plants whose leaves stay wet and plants that decline quickly.

They are a challenge but if you are careful and attentive to their needs, jewel orchids offer some the of the prettiest foliage in the plant kingdom. I certainly keep trying them!


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## connorology (Oct 6, 2018)

kimcmich said:


> Taken together, these aspects of jewel orchid care mean they are not especially well-suited to the typical always-moist frog viv. But jewel orchids are also _much too pretty_ to give up that easily! ...
> 
> No jewel orchids like wet leaves. I know successful commercial growers who water their jewels by soaking the trays in water - never wetting the leaves with anymore than a light mist.
> 
> In my viv, the plants that persist are in areas with high air flow so any leaf wetness evaporates quickly. I have observed a pretty dependable relationship with plants whose leaves stay wet and plants that decline quickly.


So, the good news I did not mention above is that I am probably not planting these with my frogs, I am planning to put them into my very large planted chameleon enclosure. Which has airflow intended for a chameleon (so pretty high, vents and all screen top) and the mister only hits half of the enclosure (by design, I have plants I don't want to drown, and the spray is focused on leaves the chameleon will lap water from).

With that in mind, it sounds like I should probably be planning to plant them only on the side of the enclosure the mister does not directly spray, is that a fair assessment? The substrate is still pretty evenly moist, and the plants on that side will get some indirect fogging effect from the humidity spike when the misters go off, but the plants don't end up with water pooled on their leaves.


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## kimcmich (Jan 17, 2016)

@Connor,

The chameleon enclosure sounds like a good choice.


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