Probably not. I know that sounds like an awfully negative answer, but I want to be realistic. Most orchid growers find Disas pretty attractive to look at; many of them try one or two in a corner of their greenhouse; very few succeed in growing healthy Disas for very long.
It is not that Disas are all that difficult to grow. The more commonly grown ones are fairly straightforward, provided they get the right treatment. Unfortunately, most growers mistakenly assume that "the right treatment" is pretty much the same as for the Paph, Phal, Cattleya, Vanda, or ................... (fill in the blank) that is next to it on the bench. Disas do need special, different treatment including but not necessarily limited to the following:
| very high quality water, low in mineral salts |
| constant moisture |
| cool temperatures (root temperatures shouldn't exceed 25 Celsius; air temp can be higher) |
| good humidity (at least 50% RH) |
| good air movement |
| bright light (but avoid full sun in heat of the day) |
| repotting every year |
| special media |
| low fertilizer concentrations |
| regular treatments with fungicide and insecticide |
| a grower who listens to his/her plants, learns from them, and can cope with the occasional death of a prized plant |
If for any reason you cannot provide all of these, please don't try Disas! We don't want these beautiful orchids to get a bad name just because people don't treat 'em properly. If you do provide all of these consistently, you might just have a very rewarding experience growing your Disas. Check out the page on Disa culture for more details on how to treat them!
