Grow and care Aerides orchids - Cat's-tail orchids - Fox brush orchids

Aerides orchids, also called cat's-tail orchids, fox brush orchids has the name refers to the epiphytic growth habit of the species, and literally means "air-plant".

Aerides orchids, also called cat's-tail orchids, fox brush orchids, is a genus of Aeridinae subtribe. Several synonyms are known for this species such as Aeridium Salisb, Dendrorkis Thouars, Orxera Raf. The name of the genus refers to the epiphytic growth habit of the species, and literally means "air-plant".

The species of Aerides are among the most beautiful of Orchids, many of them uniting every good quality that a plant can possess, evergreen, and regularly curved foliage; a graceful habit, flowers deliciously scented, and of peculiar elegance. Even when not in bloom the plants themselves are interesting objects, and give a tropical character to the collections in which they are found.

Grow and care Aerides orchids - Cat's-tail orchids - Fox brush orchids

Aerides is a group of tropical epiphyte orchids that grow mainly in the warm lowlands of tropical Asia from India to southern China to New Guinea. They are valued in horticulture for their racemes of showy, fragrant, colorful flowers.

The stems of Aerides are straight or slightly bent, with leaves attached on opposite sides, and they are nourished by large fleshy roots, shooting out horizontally from the lower part of the stem. The flowers, which are rich and waxy, proceed from the axils of the leaves and extend in delicate racemes one or two feet in length, while their fragrance is so powerful as to fill the house in which they grow with grateful perfume.

Aerides odorata or Fragrant Aerides is a type species of this genus. It has one to two inch wide flowers which are waxy, white with purple markings and fairly fragrant. There are also solid pink varieties of this species, alba forms and unusual greenish-yellow variety with purple tips of sepals and petals. Aerides flabellate has one inch wide orange-red flowers with white-purple lips, flowers are fragrant. Aerides crassifolia has fragrant solid pink two inch wide beautiful flowers. Aerides falcata possesses one to two inch wide fragrant flowers with white sepals and a pink lip. Aerides rosea is a large sized orchid, its flowers are two inchs wide, fragrant, they are whitish pink with dark pink markings and dots. Aerides multiflora is medium sized and has similar to previous species flowers but the plant, as well as its flowers, are smaller.

TEMPERATURE REQUIREMENTS FOR GROW AND CARE AERIDES ORCHIDS

During March to the latter end of October, keep the temperature, by day, from 70° F to 75° F. It may be allowed to rise to 80° F and 85° F, or even higher will not do any harm, provided the house is shaded from the rays of the sun. The night temperature should range from 65° F to 70° F in March and April, and afterwards it may rise five degrees higher. In the autumn and winter months let the temperature average from 60° F to 65° F by night, and by day a little more will be of benefit to them.

LIGHT REQUIREMENTS FOR GROW AND CARE AERIDES ORCHIDS

They require bright filtered light with some direct sunlight in the morning, so moderate light or even some semi-shade is perfectly OK for this genus. When the leaves are yellow it means too much light. If dark green leaves its mean its lacking in light, its may not flower.

HUMIDITY REQUIREMENTS FOR GROW AND CARE AERIDES ORCHIDS

High humidity, excellent air circulation, and frequent rainfall from spring through fall is ideal. We advise a humidity of around 30-70%. This differs per species within the gender.

When you have high humidity levels, it is equally important to maintain proper air movement to prevent orchid disease from developing. If you notice that your orchid is beginning to develop brown spots on its leaves, this is an indication that you need to increase air circulation. You can increase air movement for your orchid by placing an oscillating fan nearby.

WATER REQUIREMENTS FOR AERIDES ORCHIDS

They require frequent watering at the roots during the growing season; indeed, they should never he allowed to become thoroughly dry, not even during their season of rest, as they are liable to shrivel and lose their bottom leaves. Aerides require but little repose, and the moss should always be kept damp; but during the dull months of winter no water should be allowed to lodge on the leaves or in the heart of the plant, as it would be very apt to rot them.

Make sure you only water the roots, not the flowers. Take a good look at the Aerides to see if it needs to be watered. You can determine this by looking at the roots and leaves. If the roots are white/grey and the leaves are somewhat duller, it needs water. Watering the plant 1-3 times a day during summer. In winter this can be reduced to around 3 times a week.

FERTILIZER REQUIREMENTS FOR AERIDES ORCHIDS

Aerides orchids is a species of orchid with strong vitality, self-nutrients from the air so the plants do not need to fertilize much. Use 20-20-20 fertilizer, dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of fertilizer in 4 liters of water, spray drenched leaves, roots every 15 days in the morning.

Fertilizer is important if there won’t be enough sunlight for the Aerides. Normally, the sunlight provides the Aerides with sugars that are essential to create the growth of flower branches. Therefore it’s harder for the Aerides to start blooming without the fertilizer.

POTS AND REPOT FOR AERIDES ORCHIDS

Aerides orchids can grown in baskets, in which they have a fine appearance, especially if there is room for suspending them, letting the roots grow out of the basket. All the kinds will succeed well in this way. In pot culture till the pots about three parts full of potsherds, large piece sat the bottom, but finish off at the top with small; above this fresh living sphagnum moss should be used, and when the moss begins to decay fresh should be given to keep all healthy. They all do well on blocks of wood, but to grow them in perfection they require care as regards moisture. Sphagnum moss and broken potsherds have proved the best materials for filling baskets.

The plants, if not in pots, should be suspended from the roof, but not very near the glass, lest they should be affected by cold; and they should be kept perfectly free from insects, especially the different kinds of scale. There is a small kind in particular which is apt to infest them, and which, if allowed to increase, will speedily make the plants look yellow and unhealthy. It may be kept under by washing with warm water and soft soap, applied with a sponge and left on the leaves for some twenty-four hours, when all remains of the soap should be removed with clean water.

Aerides orchids culture is not very difficult, in fact, Aerides orchids are perfectly suited for indoor cultivation and rather easy to grow, so they are could be recommended for beginners.

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