Sophronitis coccinea is native to Brazil. These plants grow in coastal mountains, on cliffs parallel to the coast, starting from the state of Santa Catarina in the north and reaching for the states of Parana, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro...
Sophronitis coccinea also called as The Scarlet Sophronitis, Cattleya coccinea, Cattleya coccinea var. rossiteriana, Cattleya grandiflora, Eunannos coccinea, Hadrolaelia coccinea, Sophronia coccinea, Sophronia militaris, Sophronitis coccinea f. rossiteriana, Sophronitis coccinea var barboleta, Sophronitis coccinea var grandiflora, Sophronitis coccinea var insolaris, Sophronitis coccinea var militaris, Sophronitis coccinea var rossiteriana, Sophronitis grandiflora, Sophronitis lowii, Sophronitis militaris, Sophronitis rossiteriana, is a species of the genus Sophronitis. This species was described by Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach in 1862.
IDENTIFY SOPHRONITIS COCCINEA
Sophronitis coccinea is native to Brazil. These plants grow in coastal mountains, on cliffs parallel to the coast, starting from the state of Santa Catarina in the north and reaching for the states of Parana, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Then there is an area where they do not exist, and appear again in the east in the Organ and in the north in the coastal mountains of Espirito Santo. Within this area, the habitat may not be for miles, after which the plants reappear and almost always grow on the slopes facing the sea. Habitats form a ribbon 3-5 km wide at an altitude of 610-910 m. The damp passages blowing in this area from the south-east rise along the coastal mountains and there condense, forming clouds and mists combined with very fine rain. These conditions occur almost every day after 4 pm and last for a night, even during the dry season. This is the reason for the permanent occurrence of moisture in this habitat, where everything is covered with moss. The average tree height in this moist environment is 5-15 m, and the diameter is 10-30 cm. They grows on these moss-covered young and small trees, from ground level to tops.
It is a miniature sized, cool to warm growing epiphyte or sometimes lithophyte, which reaching 8.9-11.4 cm in height, with fusiform, closely packed, 2.5-3.8 cm long pseudobulbs with a single elliptic, erect, coriaceous, 6.4-7.5 cm long leaf with the midrib being a red line.
The Scarlet Sophronitis blooms in spring and again sometimes in the fall on an apical, erect to arching, 3 to 7.5 cm long inflorescence with a single non-fragrant, long-lasting flower. It is very rare that the plant produces a second flower. The flowers lasting a few weeks are very variable in size and colors, but usually their diameter is 3.8-7.5 cm, and the color is vivid, shiny crimson. The base and side lobes of the lip are usually orange-yellow with scarlet wisps. Color variations from yellow to orange are known, but such variations are very rare. In most cases of other color varieties, the ribbed parts of the flower are usually crimson, and at the base of the lip, they have a slightly yellow or orange color. The flakes of both whorls are broad and flat, and the petals of the inner whorl are twice as wide as the petals of the outer whorl. The three-flap lip has wrapped side plots surrounding the white bar.
SOPHRONITIS 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:
Sophronitis coccinea needs a light level of 18000-25000 lux. A fairly bright light is required, and its higher level results in better-colored flowers. If the plants receive the maximum dose of light that does not cause the leaves to burn, their leaves will have purple edges. The light should be filtered or dispersed, and the plants should never be exposed to direct sunlight. Strong air movement should be ensured all the time.
Temperature:
It is a plant with moderate thermal requirements. The average temperature of the summer day is 29 ° C, night 14-18 ° C, with a daily amplitude of 10-15 ° C. The average temperature of the winter day is 20-22 ° C, the night 9-10 ° C, with a daily amplitude of 11-12 ° C.
Humidity:
The Scarlet Sophronitis needs the humidity of 80-85% throughout the year.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Sophronitis coccinea grow well attached to pieces of tree ferns or cork, as long as they can provide high humidity, which requires daily watering during the summer. In the case of such suspended plants, during the dry and hot periods it may be necessary to water several times a day.
These plans can also be grow in pots. In this case, you can use a loose, coarse substrate, quickly draining excess water, which, however, contains substances that retain a certain amount, such as cut sphagnum moss or perlite. Wood charcoal is also often added to ensure the air permeability of the substrate and protection against acidification. Some recommend a substrate consisting of equal parts of chopped sphagnum moss and finely chopped tree fern fibers, and on top of the pot they put a little bit of sphagnum moss.
The plants should be repotted before they grow out of the pot, or before the substrate begins to decompose, because plants deteriorate quickly with the least amount of distributed soil around the roots. It is the requirement of an ever fresh and loose substrate that requires annual repotting. They are carried out when new roots begin to grow, but soon enough for the plant to root and stabilize before the onset of hot summer.
Watering:
Rainfall is moderate to heavy throughout the year with a slightly drier period in winter. The substrate of cultivated plants should be constantly moist and should never be completely dried out.
Fertilizer:
If the plants grow in the ground from sphagnum moss, tree fern fibers or osmunda fern roots, they should be fertilized every 2-3 weeks with 1/4-1/2 of the recommended dose of orchid fertilizer. If they grown in fir bark substrate, fertilization can be applied every 1-2 weeks. At the beginning of the year, when the period of intensive growth, you can use nitrogen enriched fertilizer. In late summer and autumn, fertilizers with higher phosphorus content are used to stimulate plants to flower.
Rest period:
Watering in winter can be somewhat reduced, especially in the case of Sophronitis coccinea cultivated in darker conditions of a short day typical of higher latitudes. However, never let it completely dry up. Fertilization should be limited until spring, when stronger watering resumes.
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