Plant care
Two-colored Lacaena (Bicolor Lacaena) care
Lacaena bicolor
Also called Bicolor Lacaena.
Watering rhythm
5-8days
Water when the medium is nearly dry at the surface, roughly every 5-8 days in active growth; reduce to every 10-14 days in cooler months
Light
Medium indirect light (a couple of metres from a window)
Soil
Fine bark mix with added perlite and sphagnum moss in a small pot or hanging basket
Humidity
65-80%
Temp
12-22°C (day); cool nights of 8-14°C are strongly preferred for consistent flowering
Pet safety
Pet-safe
Mature size
10-20 cm tall
Care at a glance
Light
Picture the indirect light an east-facing window gives mid-morning — that's the brightness two-colored lacaena grows fastest in. Provide bright, diffused light similar to conditions for Odontoglossum or Miltoniopsis. A shaded east-facing window or a greenhouse bench under 40-50% shade cloth suits this cool-growing species. Avoid direct sun which scorches the narrow, soft leaves. You'll know it's right when new leaves come out the same size and colour as the established ones. Smaller, paler new leaves = move closer to the window.
Watering
Aim for water when the medium is nearly dry at the surface, roughly every 5-8 days in active growth; reduce to every 10-14 days in cooler months for two-colored lacaena, but treat that as a starting point rather than a rule. A south-facing summer windowsill will dry the pot twice as fast as a north-facing winter room. Lift the pot; if it feels noticeably lighter than it did wet, water it. Even moisture during growth is important — this species has modest pseudobulbs and limited water storage. Use cool, low-mineral water and ensure all excess drains freely. A brief, drier rest in autumn after pseudobulb maturation helps trigger flowering.
Soil and pot
Two-colored Lacaena grows best in fine bark mix with added perlite and sphagnum moss in a small pot or hanging basket. A fine bark, perlite, and moss blend (2:1:1) in a small, well-draining container suits the modest root system. The pendant spikes are best displayed in a hanging basket. Replace medium annually as fine mixes compact quickly. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.
Humidity and temperature
Two-colored Lacaena sits happiest at around 65-80% humidity and 12-22°C (day); cool nights of 8-14°C are strongly preferred for consistent flowering (54-72°F (day); cool nights of 46-57°F strongly preferred). High humidity is a key requirement for this cloud-forest native. A dedicated orchid case, greenhouse, or high-humidity shelf with a small fan is ideal. Low humidity causes rapid leaf dehydration and flower bud blast. If you keep the room above 12 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.
Fertilising
Feed two-colored lacaena sparingly. Feed with a dilute quarter-strength balanced orchid fertiliser every second watering during active growth (spring through summer). Reduce to monthly feeding in autumn and skip winter feeding entirely. The plant's nutrient needs are modest given its slow growth rate. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.
Common problems
Below are the issues we see most often on two-colored lacaena in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.
- Root rot in warm conditions — Warmer temperatures increase metabolic demand and moisture retention; cool growing conditions with excellent drainage reduce rot risk significantly.
- Bud blast — Low humidity or a sudden temperature rise when buds are forming causes premature bud drop; maintain stable, cool, humid conditions from spike emergence through opening.
- Spider mites — More common in warm, dry conditions — which this species already dislikes; maintain high humidity and inspect leaf undersides regularly.
- Failure to initiate spikes — Without sufficiently cool nights (8-14°C), this cool-grower rarely flowers; a cool greenhouse or an unheated spare room in autumn and winter is often the key.
Companion plants
Two-colored Lacaena pairs well with Miltoniopsis roezlii, Odontoglossum crispum, and Dracula bella. These are species with similar light and water needs, so you can group them in the same room or on the same shelf and water as a batch.
Propagation
Divide at repotting in spring when the clump has 5 or more pseudobulbs, keeping at least 3 per division. Pot in the smallest practical container in cool, shaded conditions with very sparing watering until new roots are visibly active. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.
Toxicity to pets
Two-colored Lacaena is pet-safe. Lacaena bicolor belongs to Orchidaceae. The ASPCA broadly classifies orchids as non-toxic to dogs and cats. Lacaena is not individually catalogued by the ASPCA, but the genus has no documented toxic compounds and the family-level non-toxic guidance applies. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).
Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.
Two-colored Lacaena care — frequently asked questions
What is the common name for Lacaena bicolor?
Lacaena bicolor is most commonly called Two-colored Lacaena, but it is also known as Bicolor Lacaena. The names refer to the same species, so care instructions for Two-colored Lacaena apply identically to anything sold as Bicolor Lacaena.
How much light does two-colored lacaena need?
Two-colored Lacaena grows best in medium indirect light (a couple of metres from a window). Provide bright, diffused light similar to conditions for Odontoglossum or Miltoniopsis. A shaded east-facing window or a greenhouse bench under 40-50% shade cloth suits this cool-growing species. Avoid direct sun which scorches the narrow, soft leaves.
How often should I water two-colored lacaena?
Water two-colored lacaena water when the medium is nearly dry at the surface, roughly every 5-8 days in active growth; reduce to every 10-14 days in cooler months. Even moisture during growth is important — this species has modest pseudobulbs and limited water storage. Use cool, low-mineral water and ensure all excess drains freely. A brief, drier rest in autumn after pseudobulb maturation helps trigger flowering. The finger-test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) beats a fixed weekly calendar because pot size, light, and season all change how fast the soil dries.
Is two-colored lacaena toxic to cats and dogs?
Two-colored Lacaena is pet-safe. Lacaena bicolor belongs to Orchidaceae. The ASPCA broadly classifies orchids as non-toxic to dogs and cats. Lacaena is not individually catalogued by the ASPCA, but the genus has no documented toxic compounds and the family-level non-toxic guidance applies.
What USDA hardiness zone does two-colored lacaena grow in?
Two-colored Lacaena is rated for USDA zone 10-12 (cool intermediate greenhouse; challenging as a standard windowsill plant in warmer homes) and RHS hardiness H1C. Outside that range, grow it as a container plant that overwinters indoors before the first hard frost.
Two-colored Lacaena deep-dive guides
Every aspect of two-colored lacaena care, each with its own calibrated guide:
- Common two-colored lacaena problems & fixes
- Two-colored Lacaena watering schedule
- Two-colored Lacaena light requirements
- Best soil mix for two-colored lacaena
- Two-colored Lacaena fertilizing guide
- When to repot two-colored lacaena
- How to propagate two-colored lacaena
- How to prune two-colored lacaena
- What's eating my two-colored lacaena?
- Two-colored Lacaena growth rate & size
- Two-colored Lacaena cold hardiness
- Two-colored Lacaena temperature & humidity
- Is two-colored lacaena toxic to cats & dogs?
- Is two-colored lacaena toxic to cats?
- Is two-colored lacaena toxic to dogs?
Featured in these plant shortlists
Two-colored Lacaena qualifies for 16 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:
- Best pet-safe houseplants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs — every one verified against the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list.
- Best low-light houseplants — Houseplants that need no direct sun and cope with a north-facing room or a spot well back from a window.
- Best plants for a north-facing window — Houseplants for a north-facing window: bright, even, indirect light and no scorching direct sun. Each pick verified against its documented light needs.
- Best pet-safe low-light plants — Non-toxic to cats and dogs AND happy with no direct sun — the two hardest constraints to satisfy at once.
- Best drought-tolerant houseplants — Houseplants that prefer to dry out — forgiving of forgotten watering and ideal for travel or busy weeks.
- Best houseplants for beginners — Forgiving of irregular light and watering — the houseplants least likely to die in a new plant parent’s first season.
- Best humidity-loving houseplants — Houseplants that thrive in a bathroom, kitchen, or by a humidifier — selected by documented humidity preference.
- Best bathroom plants — Humidity-loving houseplants that also cope with lower light — suited to the steamy, often-dim conditions of a typical bathroom.
- Best pet-safe low-maintenance plants — Non-toxic to cats and dogs and forgiving of forgotten watering — the easiest safe choices for a busy pet household.
- Best pet-safe bathroom plants — Non-toxic to cats and dogs and happy in the humid, lower-light conditions of a bathroom — safe greenery for the smallest room.
- Best small & tabletop houseplants — Compact houseplants that stay under about 40 cm — desk, shelf and windowsill plants that never outgrow a small space.
- Best fragrant houseplants — Indoor plants with scented flowers or aromatic foliage — greenery you can smell, selected from our care library.
- Best pet-safe bedroom plants — Non-toxic to cats and dogs and happy in lower light — calming greenery for a bedroom where a pet often sleeps too.
- Best cat-safe plants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats (and dogs) — safe greenery for a home with a curious cat.
- Best dog-safe plants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to dogs (and cats) — safe greenery for a home with a curious dog.
- Best small pet-safe plants — Compact, tabletop houseplants that are also ASPCA non-toxic to cats and dogs — safe greenery for a desk or shelf.
- Browse all 30 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more
Related guides
Two-colored Lacaena is also commonly called Bicolor Lacaena.