Agapetes ... anyone growing them?

[Tracy]

I just added a couple of these two hanging baskets of Agapetes to my garden on the advice of a friend.  He's got them growing here in Leucadia, so thought I would be ok trying them as well.  Anyone else want to share their experiences with the genus?  Flowering time is a long way out but thought I would post them anyway and get some feedback.

[epiphyte]

i've grown them over the years.  had one on my tree for several years, but it barely grew.  it finally kicked the bucket when i reduced watering frequency because of a drought.  My friend near culver city had one happily growing in a pot for a couple years but this year it decided to randomly quit.  i love them but it's definitely something i highly recommend having multiple back ups of sooner rather than later.  perhaps some of the less commonly available varieties are somewhat more forgiving.

Maaayyyybeeee Macleanias are a better bet?  i remember kartuz had one with a huge caudex in a pot for a long time (Macleania insignis?).   Jeff from aloes in wonderland has a pretty big one... in the ground?  A different friend near culver city had Macleania pentaptera potted for a long time.

[Tracy]

23 hours ago, epiphyte said:

i remember kartuz had one with a huge caudex

Thanks Carlos.  When I was there at Kartuz last I was still so overwhelmed with things I didn't know that I must have missed it.  Haven't visited there for several years though.  Andy (Andy's Orchids) showed me an Agapetes he has growing with a pretty large caudex, it was one of his keepers, not for sale, but it was a good demonstration of what they can do over time.

[Tomas]

I used to grow it many years ago and it survived for qiute a few years flowering too. It doesn't like it too cold and too hot, so it should grow fine for you. It also reproduce easily from cuttings.

The basket is a good idea, but maybe too small? I think to remember agapetes likes to be constantly humid and not to dry out..

[daxin]

 

This Agapetes serpens started from an 1 gallon in 2006. It stays in the shade, gets watered everyday plus occasionally diluted fish emulsion + Miracle Grow solution during summer time. No irrigation in the winter. The soil mix is half 3/8” pumice and half Cactus Mix. It blooms every year with no disease or pest problems. Very easy and durable

[Tracy]

5 hours ago, daxin said:

 

This Agapetes serpens started from an 1 gallon in 2006. It stays in the shade, gets watered everyday plus occasionally diluted fish emulsion + Miracle Grow solution during summer time. No irrigation in the winter. The soil mix is half 3/8” pumice and half Cactus Mix. It blooms every year with no disease or pest problems. Very easy and durable

So in winter is it just getting periodic rainfall?  How early in spring do you typically cut off watering or is it more driven by temperature when you stop?

Beautiful specimen too.

[Tomas]

2008

[daxin]

Usually I stop watering after the first winter rain and resume in March/April, but the last few winters there were long stretches of no rain and I had to water a few times after seeing drought stress of wilted leaves. In habitat Agapetes experience cool dry winter rests and heavy monsoon rain in summer. My plant is halfway under the eaves but it definitely gets quite a bit of rain. I think Agapetes have very similar cultural requirements as standard Cymbidiums, and are just as easy in coastal regions in California.