Corning's Phalaenopsis is native to Borneo. It occurs on the limestone rocks of the island of Borneo at an altitude of 457-610 meters above sea level. Plants are usually found near waterfalls, on huge, mossy trees, 3-6 m above ground level. Moved to the lowlands they quickly die. Today, due to the huge extermination of the areas once inhabited by this plant, Phalaenopsis corningiana almost does not occur in the natural environment.
Phalaenopsis corningiana orchid, also called Corning's Phalaenopsis (named after the 19th century American Orchid Enthusiast Erasmus Corning), Phalaenopsis cumingiana, Phalaenopsis sumatrana subvar. sanguinea, Phalaenopsis sumatrana var sanguinea, Polychilos corningiana, is a species of the genus Phalaenopsis. This species was described by Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach in 1879.
IDENTIFY PHALAENOPSIS CORNINGIANA ORCHID
Corning's Phalaenopsis is native to Borneo. It occurs on the limestone rocks of the island of Borneo at an altitude of 457-610 meters above sea level. Plants are usually found near waterfalls, on huge, mossy trees, 3-6 m above ground level. Moved to the lowlands they quickly die. Today, due to the huge extermination of the areas once inhabited by this plant, Phalaenopsis corningiana almost does not occur in the natural environment.
This species is a small sized, hot to warm growing epiphyte with oblong to obovate leaves. The leaves are 15-30 cm long, narrow, fleshy and hanging. They can be dark to light green.
It blooms in the spring and summer on a shorter than the leaf, 12" (30 cm) long, zigzag inflorescence with sequentially opening, few flowers. The flowers are 5-6 cm in diameter, they open successively and have a star-shaped shape. The shiny, fleshy petals of both whorls have different shades of white, yellow, gold or green. They have red to purple-brown spots that are not around the edges. The lip is white and purple with yellow edges, and the violet color sometimes extends up to the petals.
Phalaenopsis corningiana flowers give off a very intense and pleasant spicy scent. Just one developed flower fills the entire room with the smell of the plant. After flowering, the flower shoots should not be cut, the clover blooms on the same shoots for several seasons in a row.
GROW AND CARE PHALAENOPSIS CORNINGIANA ORCHID
Phalaenopsis corningiana is considered by many to be difficult to grow. There are also opinions that maintain that even in greenhouse conditions the plant can not survive more than a few seasons and then it begins to die out. Perhaps these opinions concern mainly plants that have been obtained from natural habitats. There are many varieties on the market today obtained by selective cultivation, and it seems that at least some of them are more resistant to the conditions that can be provided artificially.
Light:
Corning's Phalaenopsis do not have too high demands on the intensity of lighting and are satisfied with moderate amounts of light. A light level of 8,000-12000 lux is good. Morning light is recommended because in the natural habitat, the afternoons are usually overcast.
Temperature:
The average day temperature is 28-29 ° C, the night 20-21 ° C giving a daily difference of 8-9 ° C. Night temperatures should not exceed 21 ° C, because plants quickly die transferred to a warmer climate. The average temperature of the winter day is 27-28 ° C, the night 20-21 ° C, giving a daily difference of 7-8 ° C.
Humidity:
This plant need a humidity of 80-85%. A very important role in the cultivation of this orchid is air movement. Corning's Phalaenopsis are susceptible to root rot and can not be kept in an unheated area.
Substrate and growing media:
The substrate must be a mixture of 12-16 mm bark with moisture retaining additives or sphagnum with perlite or charcoal added to improve breathability. Small pieces of limestone may be added to the substrate.
Watering:
Plants should be constantly moist throughout the year. It is recommended to water with warm water at a temperature of about 21 ° C (rainwater or demineralized water is best). Phalaenopsis corningiana is very sensitive to cold water that causes damage to buds and damage to cells.
Fertilizer:
It is recommended that 1/4-1/2 doses of fertilizer for orchids applied every week or every 2 weeks in the growing season.
Rest period and repotting:
In a natural habitat, a period of heavy rainfall occurs in winter, but the amount of water should not be increased in the crop, because then the temperatures are generally lower.
Repotting can be performed after flowering or early spring.
Note:
It is necessary to strictly observe the temperature regime and keep a small diurnal temperature drop. Higher or lower temperatures cause this orchid to have stress, which can lead to decay of the plant. For the outflow of water and to prevent decay of the rosette of leaves, the pot must be placed at a certain angle.
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