What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Recently, I jumped on a sale of U. Reniformis (though I have not grown any of the orchioides utrics previously). As with any new type of plant, I am overly paranoid and have a few questions that I haven't found answered in the guides here (which I have read religiously). I feel like I'm hypothetically pretty comfortable, or at least informed, about caring for it, but just in case:

What does it look like if it's rotting!? How will I know?

Is it normal if it loses a few of its old leaves in adjustment?

How dry does it actually need to be during the winter/approximately how cold is "too cold?"

I've got it in the container it was shipped in currently (which is woefully undrained, oops...), until I get a couple of net pots (currently in the mail, should be here in a couple days). It's in a windowsill which drops to about 40 degrees, and I try to keep it moist but not too terribly wet. It actually does look like it's making 3 or 4 tiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnyyyyyyyyyyy new "leaves," though, so that seems promising! I'm planning on grabbing some live sphagnum in the spring for this and some of my neps, so eventually it will be in a little bit more preferable media (right now I've got it in my usual nepenthes mix: LFS, perlite, orchid bark, so I reckon it should be just fine for now).
 
Recently, I jumped on a sale of U. Reniformis (though I have not grown any of the orchioides utrics previously). As with any new type of plant, I am overly paranoid and have a few questions that I haven't found answered in the guides here (which I have read religiously). I feel like I'm hypothetically pretty comfortable, or at least informed, about caring for it, but just in case:
I'll take a shot since everyone else appears to be ignoring your query (although, the answers to your questions really weren't in the Orchidioides stickies at the top of this section??)

U. reniformis - although officially listed in Orchidioides was in section Iperua before the sections were combined. Even though the taxonomic geniuses believe the sections are better as one, the Iperua plants are actually quite different from the original section Orchidioides species (imho). When I first started growing U. reniformis, I found that in my conditions, it actually prefered a peat-based airy mix vs the straight live LFS the true Orchioides enjoyed (ymmv).

What does it look like if it's rotting!? How will I know?
Squishy swollen rolons

Is it normal if it loses a few of its old leaves in adjustment?
Sure - same as most plants when they are disturbed. When they dry out for the winter, some plants will completely lose their leaves.

How dry does it actually need to be during the winter?
Not sure precisely but I've kept them anywhere from mildly dry to bone dry - both worked. My preference was probably between the two.

...approximately how cold is "too cold?"
Sorry - don't really know as I never pushed the envelope in temp. Having a cooler, drier resting season helps get flowers the following season. Iirc, UK growers have reported overwintering just above / below freezing in unheated greenhouses.

I've got it in the container it was shipped in currently (which is woefully undrained, oops...), until I get a couple of net pots (currently in the mail, should be here in a couple days). It's in a windowsill which drops to about 40 degrees, and I try to keep it moist but not too terribly wet. It actually does look like it's making 3 or 4 tiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnyyyyyyyyyyy new "leaves," though, so that seems promising! I'm planning on grabbing some live sphagnum in the spring for this and some of my neps, so eventually it will be in a little bit more preferable media (right now I've got it in my usual nepenthes mix: LFS, perlite, orchid bark, so I reckon it should be just fine for now).
Netpot not necessarily optimal for this species (imho) & will cause repotting issues once the thick rolons get entangled in them (there's plenty of issues with those rolons getting tangled @ the bottom of regular pots). I wouldn't worry about leaf production until spring.

 
Do not, under any circumstances put U. reniformis in a net pot The rhizomes will go through the pot and you'll have to cut them off to re-pot..Try treating it as an emergent terrestrial, not an epiphyte. ( the undrained pot/tray isn't a problem)
As for temperature it will take frosts but will lose all top growth. That just leads to a burst of leaf production in spring I've found.

Here it is in autumn

23038153606_bf69295376_o.jpg


And after a frost in winter.

24211337259_a1576f2e73_o.jpg


What you have to look forward to in spring though

18962792049_1a8a16086e_o.jpg
 
Last edited:
Thank you guys, that's very helpful (particularly the points concerning soil, potting, and moisture). RL7836, As far as feeling that my questions weren't answered in the guides, it's more that there were a couple of small specifics not necessarily covered because they are personal worries, not "General Guide" worries, but that's neither here nor there. Thank you for humoring my newbie inquiries. It appears that I'm probably worrying for nothing, but I feel when it comes to inexperience, it never hurts to ask questions just in case. Of course, some of the plant died off due to stress and probably temperature drop; I'm reserving judgment until spring when it warms up a bit. I will probably move it to a standard pot and put it in a slightly more airy mix, then. Seems like everything else should be more or less okay!
Also, Fred, I've been admiring your reniformis posts for quite a while now, excellent growing!
 
Last edited:
Thought I'd pop in and update with some good news. I changed the media some time ago (and added another insurance clump). Also acquired the "big sister" form (through this forum, yay), and so far it's been picking up steam too (though, I just accidentally cut off a new leaf when repotting/removing part of the plant from growing out the bottom of the pot, whoops). Thanks again for the help, guys.
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/48401030@N06/27445625245/in/dateposted-public/" title="Untitled"><img src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/8/7415/27445625245_4ee079dd83_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="Untitled"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" ch****t="utf-8"></script>

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/48401030@N06/27346754972/in/dateposted-public/" title="Untitled"><img src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/8/7013/27346754972_5195eaa547_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="Untitled"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" ch****t="utf-8"></script>
 
I'm actually pretty impressed that the schizandra hasn't fried in the windowsill :-o
 
HA Full disclosure/funny story, I've made that mistake before. This one seems to like life behind the screened window/in the back row. The first attempt in the front row of the unscreened window next to it..not so much. Oops.
 
'Big Sister' has since been relegated to the species U. cornigera, not reniformis, but they're otherwise relatively similar. I have U. reniformis myself (and they definitely like big pots), but hopefully one day I'll manage to find cornigera.
 
U cornigera is a disputed "species". Many of us just ignore it.
 
Back
Top