My Chirita family is just about to bust out with blooms. Cant wait!
Holy Bloomin' Chiritas Batman
Here's c. eburnea - I love the felty leaves on this one.
edited to change the spelling on Eburnea
This message was edited Mar 19, 2006 9:39 PM
Diane Marie. (bad photo, sorry)
I thougt for sure this plant was a gonner. When I was in FL, it didn't get water and when I came home it was like limp spinach. I watered it with warm water with VF11 and it perked back up.
What is amazing to me is that the leaves were so dull and now they are shiny like a new penny!
Yes ! They like it dry too much water it would be dead ,
Are you growing your's under light > They like it cool also.
yes, they're under the lights. I keep them on the dry side, when the soil pulls away from the pot, then I water.
Another baby that is blooming, but not really a Chirita (but since I know Key will likely look at this since it's Gessie related, I thought I'd put this here for her - wink)
This is the chirita that was blooming a few months ago, along with the strep that was blooming too. Now they have seed pods forming. i'm hoping they stay.
Key, will they dry on the stem, or do I remove them to dry? Thanks!
Begonia, sorry to butt in but I have a question concerning the AV on the left of your chirita. (first photo). Isn't that pot too big for that little baby? Is she root bound in such a big pot?
thank you.
lovely plants and lovely pots!
lol, yes, I'm looking!
good growing!
I find that chiritas do prefer to be on the drier side, but at the same time, they are less drought tolerant than AVs. An AV will live for longer without water, but the thinner-leaved chiritas will be dead in half the time. I may have to try the chiritas on wicks.
Spider, it was a much larger plant until I divided it and sent a pup to Ali. And yes, but so far it has new growth and is happy and so I hate to mess with it. I took a lot of leaves too so I figured I better not fiddle with it lest I kill another one. And I love it so much. (kind of like that old saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"
But according to all AV theory, you are correct, it should be in a small pot.
You are growing so good ..so you don't need it but i like this link it's in sticky
How to Grow Chiritas
http://www.maavs.org/html/growing_cheritas.htm
I wish I had more room to grow all mine under lights I really like growing them. They root so easy and babies grow fast.
And yes what Anna said ? " Spider"
Yes be real careful watering it ...
dang, I can't hardly get online tonight (all day really! GRRRRR!)
the name on that Lady Slipper, Paph is
(Supersuk "Eureka" AM/AOS x Paph. Raisin Pie "Hsinying") x Sib (in case Key wanted to know
Water During the growing season, chiritas should be kept evenly moist, but never wet. This requirement goes hand-in-hand with having a well-drained and well-aerated soil. Chiritas are quite tolerant of drying out, but may rot if kept too wet. They can be grown successfully on wicks, but if you use this method, you must use an especially light and porous soil. Wicking may promote large, lush growth-a disadvantage if you are trying to grow compact plants.
Fertilizer Chiritas are not heavy feeders. Use the same Chirita sinensis ‘Hisako’ fertilizers you use for your other gesneriads, but mixed at about half the usual strength
http://www.maavs.org/html/growing_cheritas.htm
ooops, must have missed your seedpod post last night. The pods should be left to go almost dry on the stem, and picked just as it's about to split. Generally, strep pods start to twist and twist, and then the seam becomes more pronounced. Then you kinda have to guess. You can wrap some tissue paper around/under the pod if you're not sure, to catch the seeds in case it splits.
I picked some chirita tamiana pods a bit early recently and am about to sow a few to test for viability.
Very Beautiful. I love the orchid.
Wow Laurie :)
Gorgeous!
Begonia, i was asking because I got some AV pots from Lowes yesterday but now I am thinking that they may be too big for my AVs. Do you think they should be OK in a big pot or should i dump the AV pots? they are 4" deep and my AVs are planted in 3" pots.
thank you for any advice.
you're asking me? Better you ask the experts, LOL, I'm pretty new at this -
Critter, Ali, Nanna where are you? Anna needs help
well, Begonia, you ARE one of the experts! :o)
if only you know how many AV's RIP in my compost bin... you would reconsider. LOL!
(not to mention begonias in the compost!)
Anna too large for babies, mini, semi or small plants. Miniatures and Semi-miniatures never need a pot larger than 2.50.
Maybe a large standard if the root sytem fit properly. Not all of them work well. I just use mine for decor by placing plastic pots in them.