Macodes petola
Velvety, dark green leaves with golden veins, often resembling lightning. When mature, Macodes petola will produce flower stalks with small red-ish and tan flowers during the late fall and winter, though the timing of flowering can vary when grown indoors. Collector soil-grown orchid, grown mostly for its leaves rather than its flowers.
Botanical Name: Macodes petola
Common Name: Lightning Jewel Orchid
Family: Orchidaceae
Native to: Southeast Asia
*This plant is considered pet-friendly.
LIGHT
Thrives in medium to bright indirect light. Do not allow to have direct light as it can scorch the leaves. Will lose variegation if not receiving enough light.
WATER
Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Avoid periods of drought. Please do not use ice to water! These are tropical plants and like warm temperatures and being watered thoroughly, ice can harm the roots and shock the plant. Normal tap water may be used but if you start to see deposits on your orchid, you will want to switch to distilled or rain water. Prefers a humid environment.
TIPS
- Fertilize once a month during spring and summer, reduce fertilizing during winter dormancy.
- Rotate regularly for even growth.
- Wipe leaves regularly to remove dust.
- Prefers higher humidity.
TOXICITY
This plant is not considered toxic.
REPOTTING/POTTING UP
When plants change environments they will need a period of time to acclimate to their new home. We recommend waiting at least a couple of weeks to repot your new plant. Plants can grow just fine in their plastic nursery pot and in most cases, will not be root bound. To avoid shocking your plant, give it time to adjust to your home as these conditions might vary greatly from where it was previously being grown.
Below are some general tips on when to repot:
- Root to soil ratio is around 75% roots to 25% soil
- If your plant is in a pot without drainage (we never sell plants this way)
- The soil that the plant was grown in is not ideal for that particular plant
- If you notice pests or grubs in the soil (typically from plants that have been outside)
- If your plant is suffering from root rot
When repotting, consider the following:
- Not all indoor plants want the same soil. Do some research on what type of plant you have and its soil needs.
- If you are going to pot up (increase the size of your pot), only increase by one size at a time. An example would be if your plant is currently in a 4" pot and the roots are at 75% and time to pot up, get a pot that is no more than 6". If you can find a 5" pot, this would be ideal.
- ALWAYS use pots with drainage. Please. Yes, plants can technically grow in pots without drainage but we do not recommend this approach. Plants don't like their roots sitting in water and if you've accidentally over-watered then your plant is at risk of getting root rot. When you have plants in pots without drainage, you also aren't allowing your plant to be watered thoroughly.
- When deciding on a pot, either keep the plant in its nursery/grow pot and put that inside a cachepot or find a pot with drainage.
- Most plants will be happy in their pots for about two years, sometimes more. As long as the roots aren't past the 75% ratio, they are good. If you are worried about nutrients or soil has washed away from the top, you can top dress (add fresh nutrient-rich soil, compost or worm castings to the top, not to exceed the original height of the soil) or add fertilizer to regular waterings from spring to summer (please see fertilizer instructions for frequency as these can vary).