Clowesia rosea is found in southwestern Mexico, also in Central and South America and further south to Brazil. These plants were found on the slopes of the mountains directed towards the Pacific in the states of Michoacan and Oaxaca...
Clowesia rosea also called as The Rose-colored Clowesia, Catasetum roseum, is a species of the genus Clowesia. This species was described by John Lindley in 1843.
IDENTIFY CLOWESIA ROSEA
Clowesia rosea is found in southwestern Mexico, also in Central and South America and further south to Brazil. These plants were found on the slopes of the mountains directed towards the Pacific in the states of Michoacan and Oaxaca. They grow on trees in seasonally dry oak forests or tropical forests with trees shedding leaves, at heights of 500-1300 m.
It is a small to medium sized, warm to cool growing, deciduous leafed epiphyte, which reaching 18-46 cm high, with 4-6 cm long, and sometimes even 10 cm pseudobulbs enveloped basally by gray overlapping sheaths and carrying 4 to 5, 15-40 cm long, apical, elliptic-lanceolate, acuminate, flexible, long-attenuate to the articulate base leaves.
The Rose-colored Clowesia blooms in the early winter on a short to 12 cm, racemose inflorescence carrying several, campanulate, fragrant flowers and arises from the base of mature leafless or leafed pseudobulbs. The bell-shaped flowers are 2.5 cm in diameter and have a color from dark pink to pale pink. Parts of the flower are usually slightly colored at the base, and at the tops these colors are darker. The petals of both whorls spread out quite broadly at the base, but then curved forward with sharp tips to form cupped flowers.
CLOWESIA ROSEA 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:
Clowesia rosea needs a light level of 25000-40000 lux. They requires a relatively clear position. The light should, however, be slightly filtered or dispersed. Strong air movement should be provided all the time to reduce the risk of scalding of leaves and pseudobulbs.
Temperature:
It is a thermophilic plant. In summer the average day temperature is 31-32 ° C, night 19 ° C, which gives a daily difference of 12-13 ° C. In winter, the average day temperature is 29-31 ° C, at night 12-14 ° C, with a daily amplitude of 16-17 ° C.
Humidity:
The Rose-colored Clowesia needs the humidity of 70-75% in summer and early autumn, decreasing in winter and spring to 55-60%.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Clowesia rosea grow well attached to pieces of tree ferns, if only they provide high humidity, and during the summer they will be irrigated at least once a day. In the case of such suspended plants, during the dry and hot periods it may be necessary to water several times a day.
They can also be grow in pots or baskets, using a loose substrate that rapidly drains excess water that contains substances that retain a certain amount, such as sphagnum peat moss and perlite. Wood charcoal is also often added to ensure the air permeability of the substrate and protection against acidification. In addition to the standard fir bark substrate, sphagnum moss, pumice, cork pieces and even a mixture of equal parts of fermented and fresh horse manure and charcoal.
If only sphagnum moss is used as the substrate, then annual replanting will be necessary, because such a substrate decomposes quite quickly. Repotting is carried out when a new growth appears at the base of the pseudobulb. All pseudobulbs should be separated, you leave only 1-2 pseudobulbs in the pot. Because the old roots are dying, most of them can be cut off. A few can be left to facilitate plant fixing in new substrate until new roots develop. After repotting, no plants are watered until the new growth will release the roots into a new substrate and its height will reach 10-12 cm.
Watering:
From the end of spring to early autumn, rainfall is moderate and even abundant, but decreases sharply in autumn, giving 4-6 months of winter drought. In the period of strong growth, the plants should be watered frequently and the growing medium should be kept moist. When new growths reach maturity in the autumn, the amount of water should be gradually reduced.
Fertilizer:
These plants require strong fertilization, so during active growth, they should be fertilized with a fertilizer dose of 1/2 each week. If you use mineral wool as a substrate, it is recommend daily watering and fertilization during active growth during the summer. It is very beneficial to add a small amount of dolomite to the substrate. Probably the addition of dolomite for these plants is beneficial regardless of the substrate used.
At the beginning of the year, when the period of intensive growth, you can use nitrogen enriched fertilizer then in late summer and autumn, use fertilizers with a high content of phosphorus to improve flowering in the next season. Some people, in addition to normal fertilization, also recommend adding fertilizer sticks or other slow-release fertilizer to each pot. However, it should be remembered that such fertilizers are intended for use only when the substrate does not dry out completely. If the substrate is completely dry, the next application may release a large dose of fertilizer instead of the expected slow release in the long term.
Rest period:
In autumn, when the leaves fall down, the Clowesia rosea should remain dry. The amount of water supplied should only be such as to prevent the pseudobulbs from wrinkling. More of these plants die of excess water in winter than for any other reason. During the rest period, fertilization should be eliminated. Normal watering and fertilization should be resumed when new increments begin to appear and new roots are 2-4 cm long.
COMMENTS