Neofinetia falcata is native to Northeast Asia. The first plants discovered by Thunberg in southern Japan grew on the hills near the Nagasaki port on Kyushu. Currently, it is known that they occur in a larger area - it is also found on the islands of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu...
Neofinetia falcata also called as The Wind Orchid, Aerides thunbergii, Angorchis falcata, Angraecopsis falcata, Angraecum falcatum, Finetia falcata, Holcoglossum falcatum, Limodorum falcatum, Nipponorchis falcata, Oeceoclades falcata, Oeceoclades lindleyi, Orchis falcata, Orchis fuciflora, Vanda falcata, Vanda pygmaea, is a species of the genus Neofinetia. This species was described by H.H. Hu in 1925.
IDENTIFY NEOFINETIA FALCATA
Neofinetia falcata is native to Northeast Asia. The first plants discovered by Thunberg in southern Japan grew on the hills near the Nagasaki port on Kyushu. Currently, it is known that they occur in a larger area - it is also found on the islands of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. In addition, their presence was found on the small islands of Yakusima and Tanegasima, lying south of the island of Kyushu, Okinawa in the Ryukyu archipelago, as well as in China and Korea. They can grow on rocks, but usually grows epiphytically on small branches of trees that lose leaves, which results in strong exposure in winter and early spring. These plants usually grow on branches at a certain angle, thus preventing rainwater from gathering at the base of the leaves.
It is a cool to cold growing epiphyte, usually not exceeding 6 cm, but sometimes growing up to 15 cm, with a short, monopodial, complanate stem enveloped basally by conduplicate leaf bases carrying coriaceous, distichous, fleshy, conduplicate, linear-falcate, 5-10 cm long leaves.
The Wind Orchid blooms on a racemose, axillary, to 7 cm long, laxly several flowered inflorescence that appears in early summer through fall with nocturnal, fragrant flowers. The pure white flowers are about 3 cm in diameter. Each flower has a curved spur, similar to crochet, about 3.7 cm long. The dorsal petal and inner whorl flakes bend upward, the outer petals bend downwards and outwards, and the short three-lobed lip grows down from under the spine.
NEOFINETIA FALCATA 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:
Neofinetia falcata needs a light level of 20000-36000 lux.
Temperature:
It is a thermophilic plant. In summer, the average day temperature is 26-31 ° C, at 19-23 ° C at night, with a daily amplitude of 7-8 ° C. The average temperature of the winter day is 12-13 ° C, the night 3-4 ° C, with a daily amplitude of 9 ° C.
Humidity:
The Wind Orchid needs the humidity of 80-85% in summer, falling to 75% in other seasons.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Neofinetia falcata can be mounted on pieces of cork or tree fern, on a small cushion of sphagnum moss or osmunda fern roots. In the case of plants mounted on washers, high humidity should be ensured, and during the summer the water must be delivered at least once a day.
If pots are used, the pot must be small and the substrate used must dry quickly. It is recommended the roots of osmund ferns or chopped wood fern fibers quite tightly packed in a small pot.
As a season for repotting, it is recommended late winter or early spring; as a substrate, it recommends fresh sphagnum moss. The roots should be wrapped with sphagnum and gently placed in a pot. The base of the plant should protrude above the edge of the pot. During repotting the roots are easily broken. Never break or break off broken or damaged roots, because they are still alive. However, before planting again, remove all dead or infected roots.
Watering:
Throughout the year, rainfall is moderate to high, the most rainy weather occurs from spring to autumn. The cultivated plant should be provided with a large amount of water during active growth and never allow complete drying.
Fertilizer:
During the period of strong growth, the plants should be fertilized every week with 1/4-1/2 of the recommended dose of fertilizer for orchids. You can use a fertilizer with lower nitrogen content and higher phosphorus in the autumn. It improves flowering in the next season and strengthens new growth before winter.
Every few weeks, the substrate should be rinsed to avoid the formation of mineral deposits, especially when using high doses of fertilizers. Firstly, the plants should be watered normally to dissolve the accumulated salts. After about an hour, the substrate should be rinsed with water equal to twice the volume of the container. Flushing throughout the whole year is important especially where the water is highly mineralized.
Rest period:
In winter, the amount of water supplied to Neofinetia falcata should be reduced. For the plants grown in very cold conditions, this amount of water should be further reduced. Nevertheless, one should never allow them to be completely dried out. Such conditions can be provided by occasional morning fogging and light watering every 2 weeks. Watering is most beneficial during bright, sunny weather. All shades should be removed and the plant should be lighted as much as possible to prevent the leaves from being burned. During this period, fertilization should be reduced or even eliminated until the spring is warmer, when the amount of water supplied increases.
COMMENTS