Esmeralda clarkei occurs in the Himalayas, Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, Myanmar, Thailand and southern China. It grows on rocks along valleys or on tree trunks in open forests at an altitude of 1500 to 2000 meters above sea level...
Esmeralda clarkei also called as Clark's Esmeralda, Arachnanthe bella, Arachnis clarkei, Arachnanthe clarkei, Vanda clarkei, is a species of the genus Esmeralda. This species was described by Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach in 1886.
IDENTIFY ESMERALDA CLARKEI ORCHID PLANT
Esmeralda clarkei occurs in the Himalayas, Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, Myanmar, Thailand and southern China. It grows on rocks along valleys or on tree trunks in open forests at an altitude of 1500 to 2000 meters above sea level.
It is a large to giant sized, cool growing, monopodial epiphyte or lithophyte with an elongate pendant stem carrying oblong-lorate, coriaceous, 18-22 cm long and 3-3.5 cm wide leaves.
Clark's Esmeralda blooms in the fall to late winter on a 20 cm long, 3 to 4 flowered inflorescence with slightly fragrant flowers. The flowers of yellow-brown color, which is manifested by transverse bands, have no smell, about 8-10 cm in diameter, a full disclosure directly depends on the intensity of the illumination (with half-opened illumination remaining). Upper sepals straight, rounded at tip, about 4-5 cm long and 1.5 cm wide, and lateral - crescent, slightly less in length. The sepals are also crescent-shaped, measuring 4 cm in length and 0.8 cm in width. The lip is triple, in the form of a violin, 2-2,5 cm in total length; the lateral parts are slightly corrugated at the ends, and the front is covered with different heights (about 9 pieces). The column is separate, fairly thick, with a white color with a yellowish-brown tip, about 1.5 cm in length.
ESMERALDA CLARKEI 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:
Esmeralda clarkei copes with the bright direct sun to 70000 lux, acquiring a yellowish shade of leaves, which later (with decreasing intensity of illumination) disappears. In addition, it is noted that most plants in this yellowish state produce flower stalks, sometimes somewhat together.
Temperature:
This species has a fairly wide range of growth and can tolerate temperatures in the range from 10-12 ° C and up to 42 ° C. The most recommended temperature for cultivation at home is day temperature at 25-35 ° C and night temperature at 18-20 ° C.
Humidity:
In natural habitat, when it rains abundantly, it is 85-100%, and when solar dry weather is established, the daily humidity is about 50-60%, and the nighttime humidity reaches 70-80%. In conditions of high humidity, it is necessary to regularly ventilate the room where the plants are kept, since wet, stale air is an ideal medium for the mass reproduction of various fungal and bacterial diseases.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
The roots of Esmeralda clarkei will always grow big and long, this property is inherent in them by nature, so do not try to artificially push them into pots or baskets, catch their light direct function. So this plant is usually grow in a small plastic basket or on a block.
Watering:
The frequency and abundance of watering the orchids of this species directly depends on the intensity of illumination and the overall temperature of the content, the higher they are, the more often and abundant it is necessary to water. When growing orchids with a bare root system, problems with this usually do not occur, as excess water evaporates calmly, but in pots due to reduced ventilation it is much more difficult with this. Plants growing on blocks, it is desirable to water daily in the morning, so that by evening their roots could dry out relatively well. When watering orchids in pots and baskets, it is necessary to remember that excess water during watering should flow freely out of the pot (basket), since the stagnation of water both inside the pot (basket) and in its pan can very quickly lead to decay of roots and lower parts of the stem. Between waterings, the orchid should drink all the moisture in the substrate, i.e. it must be absolutely dry.
Fertilizer:
During the period of active growth, this type of orchids is fertilized once every 2-3 weeks in 1/4 or 1/6 of the fertilizer concentration indicated on the package. In addition to the usual root dressing, it is also possible to produce a foliar dressing, when the outermost part of the plant is sprayed with a very diluted fertilizer. It is best to feed the orchid, alternating both these methods. The best fertilizer is fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in equal parts, for example, NPK = 3-3-3 or 8-8-8. If you do not have such a fertilizer, alternate - once fertilizer with a large content of nitrogen, and another time - with a high content of phosphorus.
Rest period:
Watering and fertilizing should be slightly reduced in winter, especially for Esmeralda clarkei grown in dark and short days at moderate latitudes. The plants should dry out slightly between waterings, but they can never completely dry out. When the spring starts, watering and fertilization should gradually increase.
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