Arpophyllum giganteum is native to Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Colombia and Venezuela. In Mexico, the plants meet on the slopes of the Sierra Madre Oriental, the Central Highlands and the Sierra Madre de Chiapas in the states of Veracruz, Oaxaca and Chiapas...
Arpophyllum giganteum also called as The Giant Arpophyllum, Arpophylluum cardinale, Arpophyllum giganteum subsp. medium, Arpophyllum jamaicense, Arpophyllum medium, Arpophyllum squarrosum, Arpophyllum stenostachyum, is a species of the genus Arpophyllum. This species was described by Karl Theodor Hartweg ex John Lindley in 1840.
IDENTIFY ARPOPHYLLUM GIGANTEUM
Arpophyllum giganteum is native to Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Colombia and Venezuela. In Mexico, the plants meet on the slopes of the Sierra Madre Oriental, the Central Highlands and the Sierra Madre de Chiapas in the states of Veracruz, Oaxaca and Chiapas. It is one of the most popular orchids of the upper and lower parts of the mountain rainforest of Mexico, occurring at heights from 350 to 2100 m. In Venezuela, it is found near the border with Colombia, in the state of Táchira, at heights of 900-1100 m.
It is a medium to large sized, warm to cool growing epiphyte, which reaching up to 75 cm in height, with cylindric, unifoliate, laterally compressed, 17-35 cm long pseudobulbs enveloped by tubular, scarious bracts, with lanceolate to strap-shaped, lightly falcate, 28-65 cm long and 2.5-3.5 cm wide leaves.
The Giant Arpophyllum blooms in the late winter through spring on a terminal, 40 cm long, racemose inflorescence arising on a newly maturing pseudobulb subtended by a spathaceously bract and carrying many spiraling flowers. The slightly cup-shaped, pinkish-purple flowers have quite fleshy petals of outer shrub. The lateral outer petals are slightly wider than the dorsal petal. These side flakes are completely separated up to the base. The inner whorls are less fleshy. The lip is deeply concave at the base. Her perils in the apical part are irregular. The spine has no base, it is slightly cylindrical to clavate.
ARPOPHYLLUM GIGANTEUM 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:
Arpophyllum giganteum needs a light level of 20000-30000 lux. The light should be filtered or dispersed, and the plants should not be exposed to direct sunlight in the afternoon hours. Strong air movement should be ensured all the time.
Temperature:
It is a plant with moderate or warm temperature requirements. In summer, the average day temperature is 28-29 ° C, night 16 ° C, with a daily amplitude of 12-13 ° C. In winter the average day temperature is 26-28 ° C, night 9-11 ° C, which gives a daily difference of 16-17 ° C.
Humidity:
The Giant Arpophyllum needs the humidity of 70-75% in summer and early autumn, decreasing in winter and spring to 55-60%.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Arpophyllum giganteum grows best in pots filled with a substrate consisting of equal parts of chopped sphagnum moss and chopped tree fern fibers.
The plants should be repotted immediately when the substrate begins to decompose or grow out of the pots. It's best to do it when new roots start growing. This will allow the plant to adapt to the new substrate in the shortest possible time.
Watering:
In the period from late spring to early autumn rainfall is moderate to heavy. Their quantity then drops quite rapidly and from autumn until the next spring comes dry season. Cultivated plants should be abundantly watered during active growth, but the roots must always dry quickly after watering. When new growths reach maturity in the autumn, the amount of water should be reduced.
Fertilizer:
During the active growth, the plant should be fertilized every week 1/4-1/2 of the recommended dose of fertilizer for orchids. You can use sustainable fertilizer throughout the year or use high-nitrogen fertilizer from spring to mid-summer, switching to high-phosphorus in late summer and autumn.
Rest period:
In winter, the amount of water should be significantly reduced, but the Arpophyllum giganteum should not remain dry for too long, so that the pseudobulbs do not wrinkle. The substrate should be constantly moist. In general, occasional fogging in the early morning between rare watering is sufficient. Fertilization should be eliminated until new growths appear and more watering begins in the spring.
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