Odontoglossum cristatellum is native to Colombia and Ecuador. In Colombia, these plants were encountered in the Central Cordilleras of the Andes near Frontino, in the Antioquia Department and near Almaguer in the Cauca Department...
Odontoglossum cristatellum also called as The Golden Oncidium, Odontoglossum cristatellum f. argus, Odontoglossum cristatellum f. canaria, Odontoglossum cristatellum f. dayanum, Odontoglossum cristatellum subsp. lehmannii, Odontoglossum cristatellum var. argus, Odontoglossum cristatellum var. canaria, Odontoglossum cristatellum var. dayanum, Odontoglossum cristatellum var. lehmannii, Odontoglossum cristatum var. argus, Odontoglossum cristatum var. canaria, Odontoglossum cristatum var. cristatellum, Odontoglossum lehmannii, Oncidium lehmanni, is a species of the genus Odontoglossum. This species was described by Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach in 1878.
IDENTIFY ODONTOGLOSSUM CRISTATELLUM
Odontoglossum cristatellum is native to Colombia and Ecuador. In Colombia, these plants were encountered in the Central Cordilleras of the Andes near Frontino, in the Antioquia Department and near Almaguer in the Cauca Department. In addition, they were encountered in numerous places near the border with Ecuador in the departments of Putumayo and Nariño. Their occurrence stretches further beyond the border of Ecuador, where the plants have been met in the area from Tulcán on the northern border to Loja in the south. They are also encountered in the Carchi province between Tulcán and Maldonado, and in the provinces of Napo, Azuay, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe and Loja. It grows in damp mountain forests of the middle and upper floors, at altitudes of 2500-2950 m, as an orchard in loose humus near the road edges, and epiphytically on the branches of large trees.
It is a small sized, cold growing epiphyte or terrestrial, which reaching a height of 33 cm, with ovate, laterally compressed, ancipitous, 7 cm long and 5 cm wide pseudobulbs basally partially enveloped by several variable sized, distichous, imbricating, lower leafless and upper leaf-bearing sheaths and carrying 2, apical, broadly lanceolate, acute, tapering below into an elongate conduplicate, narrow, petiole-like base, up to 26 cm long and 4 cm wide leaves.
The Golden Oncidium blooms on a basal, to 20 cm long, erect, arching, many flowered racemose inflorescence that may have a 1 to 2, short basal branches and arises from the axil of an upper leaf bearing sheath and carry 25 showy, star-shaped, fragrant flowers that can arise in situ at any time of the year. The flowers are up to 7 cm in diameter. All flower elements have a matte yellow background color, which is more or less covered with irregular cinnamon-brown spots. The cinnamon-colored areas on the outer whorl flakes and on the top parts of the inner whorl flakes are large and irregular, while those on the parts at the base of the inner whorl flakes are rather longitudinal stripes. The lip has a fairly large indentation at the apex and has small dots along the edges closer to the base. The bulge has numerous, narrow, red-and-red oblong spots. The spine is greenish-white with wine-red lines between the sides. The rod has a brownish cap of the anther chamber and wings with brown spots on the edges.
ODONTOGLOSSUM CRISTATELLUM 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:
Odontoglossum cristatellum needs a light level of 15000-23000 lux. Shady positions are required and it is recommend low or moderate light levels. The light should be filtered or scattered, and the plants should never be exposed to the direct sunlight of the midday sun. If the leaves on the new growth are light brown or purple, it means that they probably reach the maximum amount of light they can tolerate. Constant, strong air movement is required.
Temperature:
It is a cold-loving plant. The average day temperature during the whole year is 14-16 ° C, night 5-6 ° C, giving a daily difference of 9-11 ° C.
Humidity:
The Golden Oncidium needs the humidity of 85-90% throughout the year.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
These plants are generally grown in pots. A loose, fast-drying substrate is required.
Watering:
Odontoglossum cristatellum should often be watered during the growing season, but excellent drainage must be ensured, and the substrate around the roots must dry a little between waterings. In late autumn, when new growths reach maturity, the amount of water should be slightly reduced.
Fertilizer:
During the active growth of the plants should be fertilized every week 1/4-1/2 of the recommended dose of fertilizer for orchids.
Rest period:
In winter, you can slightly reduce the amount of water for Odontoglossum cristatellum grown in the conditions of a short, dark days. However, they can never dry up completely. Fertilization should be reduced or eliminated until spring, when it should return to the abundant watering.
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