Renanthera coccinea is native to Myanmar, China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. In China, they were found in the Kwangtung Province (Guangdong) and on the island of Hainan and Taiwan...
Renanthera coccinea also called as The Scarlet Renanthera, Epidendrum renanthera, Gongora philippica, is a species of the genus Renanthera. This species was described by João de Loureiro in 1790.
IDENTIFY RENANTHERA COCCINEA
Renanthera coccinea is native to Myanmar, China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. In China, they were found in the Kwangtung Province (Guangdong) and on the island of Hainan and Taiwan. On the island of Hainan they grew on the branches of trees or on rocks in rare forests or on their edges, along the ravines, at an altitude of about 1,400 m. In Thailand, they were found in several places in the east and south-east inland and near Ranong on the peninsula Thai. In Vietnam, this species was encountered in the north, along the border with China, near Ha Giang at an altitude of 650-1200 m.
It is a giant sized, hot to cool growing monopodial lithophyte in full sun or epiphyte in primary forests, which reaching over 100 cm in size, with a simple to branched, elongate, stout, 100 cm long stem carrying many 2 ranked, thick, fleshy, oblong to shortly lorate, 7-8 cm long and 1.5-3.3 cm wide leaves.
The Scarlet Renanthera blooms in the spring on an axillary, lateral, paniculate, 60 to 90 cm long, divaricate, laxly several to many flowered inflorescence. The flowers are deep red in color with yellowish spots on the dorsal leaf, inner whorl petals and lip. Upper sepals straight, oblong, with blunt tip and slightly wavy margins. The lateral sepals at the base are narrow, then expand, forming an almost oval surface with a blunt apex and wavy margins. The oblong petals are arranged horizontally or pointing upward at a slight angle. Their edges are straight, the apex may slightly curl upward. Three-lobed lip with spur is much less than the rest of the flower. The lateral parts of the lip are triangular, the middle part is ovate, its apex is bent back and almost touches the spur.
RENANTHERA COCCINEA 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:
Renanthera coccinea needs a light level of 40000-50000 lux. The level of light should be as high as possible, so as not to burn the leaves, but the plants will probably grow better if they are not exposed to the direct effects of the midday sun. Strong air movement should be ensured all the time.
Temperature:
The average temperature of the summer day is 28 ° C, the night 19-20 ° C, and the daily difference is 8-9 ° C. The average temperature of the winter day is 15-17 ° C, the night 6-8 ° C, and the daily difference 7-9 ° C.
Humidity:
For most of the year, The Scarlet Renanthera need the humidity of 80-85%, but for a period of about one month in winter and again at the end of spring it drops to almost 75%.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Due to the length of the shoot and climbing the habit, Renanthera coccinea are best grown in flat containers with good drainage, to which long stakes or moss-covered branches or sticks of tree fern are attached. This cultivation require high humidity and may require several waterings during the day in hot, dry weather. The container should be a flat flowerpot or a basket filled with a very loose, fast-flowing substrate, with good aeration and fast drying after watering. Usually, medium or coarse bark, or chopped woody tree fiber, or cork pieces are used, and various pieces of pearlite and / or chopped sphagnum are added so that the substrate remains loose but retains some of the moisture. The addition of charcoal also increases the permeability of the substrate and prevents its souring in the pot.
If the substrate begins to decompose, the plants should be repotted immediately. It is best to do it when new roots begin to grow, because then they will stabilize as soon as possible.
Watering:
From late spring until autumn, the precipitation is abundant, but the period of 3-4 winter months is more dry. During active growth, the plants should be constantly moist, but not soaked, and the space around the roots must be perfectly aerated. At the end of autumn, the amount of water should be gradually reduced.
Fertilizer:
It is recommended to use 1/4-1/2 dose of fertilizer for orchids during the growing season. You can use high-nitrogen fertilizer from spring to mid-summer, and then high-phosphoric fertilizer until the end of autumn.
Rest period:
In winter, Renanthera coccinea should dry a little between waterings, but they can not stay dry for too long. In general, enough regular morning fogging between occasional, light watering is sufficient, which will give the plants a drier rest, but will not dehydrate the plant. Fertilization should be reduced or eliminated until late spring, when new growths appear and we take more watering.
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