Sobralia macrantha is native to Mexico and Central America to Costa Rica. Throughout this area, these orchids are found in diverse habitats with different microclimates...
Sobralia macrantha also called as The Large-Flowered Sobralia, Cattleya macrantha, Cyathoglottis macrantha, is a species of the genus Sobralia. This species was described by John Lindley in 1836.
IDENTIFY SOBRALIA MACRANTHA
Sobralia macrantha is native to Mexico and Central America to Costa Rica. Throughout this area, these orchids are found in diverse habitats with different microclimates. They grow in decayed leaves on limestone rocks in forests, in branches of trees, in the roots of ferns covered by falling leaves and other forest remains, in sandy soil along the banks of streams, in the moist soil of gorges and on rocky canyon walls. In Mexico, the plants are found in the states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, Puebla and Veracruz. In Guatemala, they grow in the departments of Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, El Progreso, Escuintla, Guatemala, Retalhule, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Solol, Suchitepequez and Zacapa, at altitudes up to 3300 m. In Belize, they grow in the Cayo district on well drained slopes, or on open rock edges, at heights of 50-1020 m.
It is a large sized terrestrial and rarely epiphytic, warm to cold growing species which reaching 45-210 cm in height, with terete, clustered, 45-210 cm long and 0.6 cm in diameter stems that are leafy throughout and carrying narrowly to broadly lanceolate, plicate, long acuminate spreading, rigid, 13-30 cm long and 2.0-7.5 cm wide leaves.
The Large-Flowered Sobralia blooms on a short, terminal, single flowered inflorescence subtended by a large foliaceous bract and occurs from the spring till autumn with fragrant, short-lived flowers. The flowers are highly variable in color and size, 15-25 cm in diameter, and the colors vary from pink-purple to white, with many shades of pink to lilac pink and lavender. The tubular lip is often white on the outside and the center is yellow.
SOBRALIA MACRANTHA 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:
Sobralia macrantha needs a light level of 40000-50000 lux. The light should be very bright, and if the plants bloom, it means that its level is high enough. If we grow these plants under non-clear conditions, the light level should be increased gradually and such plants may require some shading at noon. Strong air movement should be ensured all the time.
Temperature:
It is a plant with warm or moderate temperature requirements. In summer, the average day temperature is 21-22 ° C, at night 12-13 ° C, with a daily amplitude of 8-10 ° C. In winter, the average day temperatures are 19-21 ° C, and the night 9-10 ° C, with a daily amplitude of 9-11 ° C.
Humidity:
The Large-Flowered Sobralia needs the humidity of 75-80% in summer and autumn, falling to 65% in late winter and early spring.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Sobralia macrantha are usually grown in containers with good drainage, filled with various mixtures. Very large containers should be used, because most species of the Sobralia species do not tolerate root manipulations and often need even more than 2 years for the plant to return to good condition.
Some growers, however, state that plants seem to thrive if their roots tightly fill small pots. They suggested the use of a loose mixture of humus and decayed leaves, without repotting the plant from the container for several years - only adding some fresh mix every year.
Some suggest a mixture of 6 parts fir bark, 1 part perlite or pumice, 1 part thick peat and 1 part charcoal, others recommend a mixture of equal parts of fibrous clay, cut fern spruce moss, cut sphagnum moss and white sand, with possibly a small addition of bark and charcoal, should be repotted when it is necessary and only when new roots appear that allow the plant to return to normal condition in the shortest possible time.
Watering:
In the period from late spring to autumn rainfall is abundant. Then their number drops quite rapidly, going through a dry season, which lasts 3-4 months, until the beginning of spring. The plants should be watered abundantly during periods of intensive growth, but excellent drainage should be ensured so that the ground around the roots is never spread or soggy. When new growths reach maturity in late autumn, the amount of water should be reduced.
Fertilizer:
The plants should be fertilized every week 1/4-1/2 of the recommended dose of fertilizer for orchids. A fertilizer with a high nitrogen content is beneficial from spring to mid-summer, and a fertilizer richer in phosphorus should be used in late summer and autumn.
Rest period:
Sobralia macrantha need much less water in winter and should dry a little between watering. The plants grown at low temperatures must dry more between watering than those grown under warmer conditions. However, these plants should never be dried. Fertilization should be reduced if the amount of water decreases.
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