Epidendrum medusae is native to Ecuador. It grows epiphytic in trees on mossy branches in wet montane cloud forests at an altitude of 1800 to 2200 meters above sea level...
Epidendrum medusae also called as The Medusa Epidendrum, Epidendrum medusae, Epidendrum medusae, Nanodes medusae, Neolehmannia medusae, is a species of the genus Epidendrum. This species was described by Ernst Hugo Heinrich Pfitzer in 1889.
IDENTIFY EPIDENDRUM MEDUSAE ORCHID PLANT
Epidendrum medusae is native to Ecuador. It grows epiphytic in trees on mossy branches in wet montane cloud forests at an altitude of 1800 to 2200 meters above sea level.
It is a medium sized, epiphytic, cool growing orchid with a short rhizome giving rise to clustered, cane-like, laterally compressed, pendant, up to 25 cm in length, and only 1 cm in width stems that are basally branching, and completely enveloped by compressed, conduplicate, fleshy, gray-green, foliaceous sheaths carrying coriaceous, narrowly oblong-ovate, apically unequally bilobed, basally clasping, 7-9 cm in length and 2 cm in width leaves that are somewhat twisted at the base.
The Medusa Epidendrum blooms most often in the summer on an axillary, short, single (sometimes up to 3) flowered inflorescence with fantastic, large, heavy-textured flowers. The flowers are dark red, odorless, about 5-6 cm in diameter. Upper sepals wide, lanceolate, with pointed tip, slightly arched back, 3 cm in length and 1 cm in width. Lateral sepals are not as sharp. Petals are straight, 2.2 cm long and 0.3 cm wide. The general color of the tepals is yellowish at the base, turning into dark or light red. The lip and column are fused, inseparable. The front part of the lip is in the form of a heart, very ruggedly cut at the edge by a long (about 1 cm) fringe, inside a yellow or cream, measuring 2.5 cm in length and 4 cm in width. The column is very thick, light green with a small fraction of red, reaching up to 1-1.2 cm in length.
EPIDENDRUM MEDUSAE ORCHID PLANT 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:
Epidendrum medusae can be grow in bright scattered light. Oriental orientation windows are considered to be the ideal location, however, if there are none in the apartment, you can use western or very bright northern windows. If the western or southern windows were chosen for the location of the plant, then during the period from May to early September, the orchid should be protected from the influence of too bright day and evening sun - put behind a curtain (for example, on a table near a window) or into the shade of other plants.
Temperature:
This kind of orchid refers to a moderately cold temperature regime, and throughout the year orchids are grown under the following conditions: Day temperature is not higher than 20 ° C; Night temperature at 12-15 ° C. For the successful cultivation at home, it is necessary that the night temperature of the content is always 5 ° C lower than the daytime temperature.
Humidity:
The Medusa Epidendrum needs relatively high humidity, not less than 60%, ideally 75-90%. Too dry air adversely affects the development of the plant and its growth is inhibited, and the leaves turn black and dry up.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Epidendrum medusae is usually grow in a suspended state (in wooden baskets or on blocks). As a substrate, a mixture of moss with sphagnum with a wood fern or pure moss is best. When growing orchids on blocks to prevent rapid drying of the root system of the plant, it is recommended to make a small interlayer of moss between it and the block. Above the roots, you can also put live or dry sphagnum.
At the transplant, this species reacts quite negatively, so transplanting is recommended only when it is really necessary. For example, in cases of strong salinity or condensation of the substrate, too high or low pH, or when the orchid grows very large and the pot becomes too small. The best time for transplant is the period immediately after flowering and until the moment when new sprouts begin to build up their own roots.
Watering:
Watering this kind of orchids directly depends on the total temperature of the content, the higher it is, the more often and abundant it will be necessary to water. Plants growing on blocks should be watered daily in the morning, so that by evening the roots of the orchids could dry out relatively well. The substrate between the irrigations should dry relatively well, but in no case should it dry out completely, i.e. always in a slightly moistened state.
Fertilizer:
During the new growth period, this type of orchid is fertilized every 2 weeks in 1/2 or 1/4 of the fertilizer concentration indicated on the package. In addition to the usual root top dressing, it is also recommended to produce a foliar dressing, when a very much diluted fertilizer is sprayed on the outer part of the plant. It is best to feed the orchid, alternating both these methods. At the beginning of the growing season (the appearance of new shoots) it is recommended to use fertilizer with a higher nitrogen content, and when the new sprout reaches 1/2 of its normal size - a fertilizer with a high content of phosphorus.
To prevent salinization of the substrate in the intervals between top dressings, a good washing is necessary. To do this, the orchid should be placed under a stream of warm water and several times well shed.
Rest period:
To stimulate flowering, Epidendrum medusae needs a clearly defined period of rest. As a rule, new orchid sprouts appear in the middle of summer, closer to August, and their growth continues until about January - during this period the stems reach their maximum size, and the orchid begins a rest period. The total temperature of the content in this period should not exceed the level of 18 ° C, and the night temperature should not fall below 12 ° C. Watering the orchids should be arranged in such a way that the substrate between waterings dries well, but in no case was more than a day completely dry. As soon as the tip of the stem begins to thicken, watering the orchids can be resumed as usual. As a rule, the average rest period lasts about 40-50 days. The refusal of the flowering of the orchid can be caused by the stress state of the plant, for example, because of a poor root system, too hot content or lack of sufficient vibrations between night and day temperatures.
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