Zygopetalum

Zygopetalums prefer bright light levels, a little less than Cymbidiums.  They grow best with 2500 to 4000 foot-candles. In warm, humid conditions, plants benefit from increased shading, air movement and watering, as this helps keep the foliage cool

Day temperatures in summer of 70–80 f (21–26 C) with nights of 65–70 f (18–21 C)

Day temperatures in winter of 65–75 f (18–21 C) with nights of 45–60 f (7–15 C)

Zygopetalums need to be watered in a way that always keeps the medium slightly moist at all times, similar to Cymbidium plant culture.

Year-round humidity should range from 40-75%

The fertilizer type depends on water quality: for hard water use a 20-20-20 and for pure water use a 13-3-13.  Use at half strength, about ½ teaspoon fertilizer per gallon of water with each watering.

Year-Round Air Movement and Air Exchange:

There should always be moving air around the plant. It helps cool the plants in summer and dry the plants off during after watering. Air exchange is equally important, for greenhouse or outside growers air exchange is usually not an issue. For indoor growers:  a fresh air inlet to your growing allowing for some air exchange will benefit your plants.

Zygopetalums need a potting media that holds water.  Coconut husk mixes with perlite work well. Plastic pots are fine and in warmer summer growing conditions using clay pots will help keep the root system cooler..  

Repotting:

The best time to repot is when new roots and growth are starting in early spring.

Zygopetalums generally flower in spring, just in time for those spring shows and often a second flowering occurs in early summer.

Zygopetalum Leaf Spotting: 

One of the few challenges encountered with zygopetalums is a tendency for the older leaves to develop black spots. Although unsightly, they don’t appear to be infectious, spread to other plants or reduce plant vigor. These spots appear to develop from the environmental conditions in which the plants are grown in.  To help reduce the chance of spotting: keep the plants in an open, well-ventilated location and  irrigate a little less frequently over winter.

Further information can be found on the Zygopetalum genus page.

Best orchid care practices are also provided for watering, repotting, and fertilizer types. There are also detailed discussions of growing orchids indoors, outdoors, or in greenhouses.

For more information on genus name changes, see Taxonomy.