Benzingia hirtzii are found only in northwestern Ecuador, in the province of Imbabura, at altitudes from 725 to 1200 m. Their habitat is described as an extremely humid forest...
Benzingia hirtzii also called as Hirtz's Benzingia, is a species of the genus Benzingia. This species was described by Calaway H. Dodson in 2010.
IDENTIFY BENZINGIA HIRTZII
Benzingia hirtzii are found only in northwestern Ecuador, in the province of Imbabura, at altitudes from 725 to 1200 m. Their habitat is described as an extremely humid forest.
It is a small sized, warm to cool growing epiphyte, which reaching up to 15 cm in height, without pseudobulbs and has a fan-shape of conduplicate, 12 cm long, 1.6 cm wide, gray-green color leaves.
Hirtz's Benzingia blooms in the summer and fall on a pendant to lateral, 2 cm long, single flowered inflorescence with triangular floral bracts and carrying a non-resupinate flowers. The flowers are yellow, the petals of both whorls have red-brown spots. The lip is yellow and the orange bead (sometimes the base of the lip and thickening are covered with red spots) and are densely covered with red-brown spots. The outer whorls are loose and spread. The lip is slightly concave, has the shape of a scoop, is round and does not surround the spine. Its tip is slightly bent in the middle. The thickening is flat and lies on the centerline of the lip. The rod is arched and has small wings on the sides.
BENZINGIA HIRTZII 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:
Benzingia hirtzii needs a light level of 20000-30000 lux. These plants require significant air movement.
Temperature:
Throughout the year the average temperature of the day is 25-30 ° C, at night 20-24 ° C.
Humidity:
For most of the year, Hirtz's Benzingia needs the humidity of 80%.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Benzingia hirtzii can be mounted on tree fern washers if it is possible to maintain high humidity. They can also be grown in baskets or pots using a loose, airy substrate, but retaining a certain amount of water. The substrate can never be soggy, but also plants can never dry up completely.
Watering:
The cultivated plants should be abundantly watered during active growth, but excellent drainage is necessary, and the ground around the roots can never be soggy or spread. In winter, you need reduce the amount of water, especially during short, cloudy days at moderate latitudes.
Fertilizer:
It is recommended to use 1/4-1/2 of the recommended dose of orchid fertilizer weekly during the growing season. It is better to use nitrogen-enriched fertilizer from spring to mid-summer, and then fertilizer enriched with phosphorus until autumn.
Rest period:
In cultivation in conditions of a short, dark day at moderate latitudes, the amount of water should be reduced in winter, but Benzingia hirtzii can never dry up completely. When reducing the amount of water, fertilization should also be reduced or eliminated.
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