Aerangis punctata is native to Madagascar. This orchid is found in the central highlands as well as Reunion on shrubs and trees in highland forests at elevations of 900 to 1500 meters...
Aerangis punctata also called as The Dotted Aerangis, is a species of the genus Aerangis. This species was described by Joyce Stewart in 1986.
IDENTIFY AERANGIS PUNCTATA
Aerangis punctata is native to Madagascar. This orchid is found in the central highlands as well as Reunion on shrubs and trees in highland forests at elevations of 900 to 1500 meters.
It is a mini-mini plant, which reaching 2.5-5.0 cm, with up to 3 giant flowers, grey green, flattened, verrucose roots and grayish green, spotted silver, elliptic or oblong, 2.0-3.5 cm long and a width of 0.5-1.2 cm leaves that are acutely bilobed apically.
The Dotted Aerangis blooms in the spring and summer on a 3.5-2.5 cm long inflorescence with a solitary large flower. The flowers reach up to 4 cm in diameter. The outer and inner whorls may be greenish or pale brown. Aerangis punctata and Aerangis curnowiana are very similar in many respects, but Aerangis punctata is distinguished by several features. First, the roots are wider, flatter and always have an uneven surface. The leaves have a different shape at the apex, and their surface is speckled with tiny silver spots that seem to be punctured with a needle when viewed through a magnifying glass. The plant often spends 2-3 flowers on the inflorescence, whereas Aerangis curnowiana only spends a single flower. The inner whorls of Aerangis punctata are shorter and larger than those in outer whorls, whereas in Aerangis curnowiana they are all similar. The lip of the Aerangis punctata is variable, sometimes it is wider closer to the apex, but it is always wider than the curved Aerangis lip.
AERANGIS PUNCTATA CARE AND CULTURE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Aerangis punctata needs a light level of 12000-20000 lux. The plants require scattered light and should never be exposed to the direct sunlight of the midday sun. Strong air movement should be ensured all the time.
Temperature:
It is a thermophilic plant. The average summer temperature in the summer is 26-27 ° C, and at night 15 ° C, with a daily amplitude of 11-12 ° C. In winter, the average daytime temperatures are 21-22 ° C, and the night 8-9 ° C, with a daily amplitude of 12-14 ° C.
Humidity:
The Dotted Aerangis needs the humidity of 70-75% in summer and autumn, falling to 60-65% in 3 months of late winter and early spring.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
The substrate around the roots should be loose and well ventilated, must not be outdated or soggy. Like most species of Aerangis, Aerangis punctata grows better, and its hanging flower shoots look better when the plant is fixed on pieces of tree fern or thick bark. However, such plants require high humidity, and during hot and dry weather, they should be watered several times a day. When the leaves begin to wrinkle or curl, you can usually save the plant and will continue to grow well if you immerse it in water for about 20 minutes at least three times a week.
The plants can also grow in small, 8-13 cm hanging pots or baskets, filled with very thick, a loose, well-permeable substrate that keeps the plant, but allows the roots to grow out of the container.
The plants should be repotted when the substrate begins to decompose. If repotting is done at the time when new roots begin to appear, the plant will be accepted and rooted in the shortest possible time.
Watering:
In the period from late spring to early autumn rainfall is moderate to heavy. The average rainfall falls sharply in mid-autumn, at the beginning of the drought lasting about 5 months, until late winter or early spring. The cultivated plants should be abundantly watered during active growth, but excellent drainage should be ensured. When new growths reach maturity in the autumn, the amount of water should be reduced.
Fertilizer:
During the period of active growth, the plants should be fertilized every week with 1/4-1/2 of the recommended dose of herbaceous fertilizer or a normal dose of fertilizer for orchids. You can use sustainable fertilizers throughout the year, but can also use fertilizer with an increased nitrogen content from spring to mid-summer, and then, in late summer and autumn, fertilizer enriched with phosphorus.
Rest period:
In winter, Aerangis punctata need much less water, but they should not be completely deprived of it for a longer period. Occasional morning fogging between occasional watering should be enough in most areas. However, the amount of water supplied should be increased if the leaves wrinkle or show signs of weakness. Fertilization should be eliminated until new growths appear and more watering begins in the spring.
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