Gastrochilus bellinus is found in Thailand, Myanmar, southern China and Laos. This species is found in the mountain forests, grows on trees at an altitude of 600-1700 meters...
Gastrochilus bellinus also called as The Cute Gastrochilus, Saccolabium bellinum, is a species of the genus Gastrochilus. This species was described by Carl Ernst Otto Kuntze in 1891.
IDENTIFY GASTROCHILUS BELLINUS
Gastrochilus bellinus is found in Thailand, Myanmar, southern China and Laos. This species is found in the mountain forests, grows on trees at an altitude of 600-1700 meters.
It is a small to medium sized, warm to cool growing, monopodial epiphyte with a short to long stem carrying to 6 or 8, falcate, narrowly oblanceolate, deeply unequal, sub-acutely bifid apically leaves.
The Cute Gastrochilus blooms from a very short, erect, suborbicular inflorescence with 2 to 7, fragrant, waxy flowers occuring in the late winter and spring. The flowers are brightly colored and held close to the base of the plant in clusters. The flowers are about 3 cm in diameter and are very waxy, long lasting and fragrant.
GASTROCHILUS BELLINUS 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:
Gastrochilus bellinus grows well under average lighting levels: 14000-17000 lux. The recommended photoperiod is 12 hours.
Temperature:
In nature, this orchid comes from the intermediate-cold climate, but in cultivation the intermediate conditions are strictly recommended, to avoid that the fungal stains are formed on the leaves due to the too low temperatures. The ideal temperatures are 22-25 ° C during the day and 17-18 ° C at night in summer, and 18-19 ° C during the day and 14-15 ° C at night in winter.
Humidity:
If it is mounted on a raft, 70-75% is indispensable, otherwise its growth will be very slow and unpacked. The cultivation in pots allows you to succeed in holding it successfully with 55-60%.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
The Gastrochilus bellinus is definitely well mounted on a raft, with a thin layer of sphagnum between its roots and the base. However, it is also possible to successfully cultivate it in a basket or in a transparent vase. I recommend using only the medium-large bark as a substrate, and the size of the vase must be a little larger than the ball of the roots: otherwise, the plant will not be able to dispose of all the moisture that is present in the vase and the roots will always remain wet and begin to rot. Placing the orchid in the pot must make sure that the base of the stem remains on the substrate: if you touch it, it is very likely that the plant will end up badly due to the rot of the stem.
Watering:
The cultivated plant absolutely does not like too much damp on the roots, and between waterings they must dry well. So we water it as soon as the substratum has become completely dry and the roots have taken on a light green color. During the period of growth (from February to December) you must never allow the orchid to remain dry for more than a day, while in winter (December-January) it must remain completely dry for 2-3 days.
Fertilizer:
During its growth period this orchid is fertilized every 4 watering. We only use a special fertilizer for orchids, taking 1/3 of the dose indicated on the bottle. In winter, however, fertilizations are suspended.
Rest period:
The Gastrochilus bellinus does not need a rest to flower. But in winter, watering should be reduced and fertilization should completely eliminated until strong waterings resumes.
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