Laelia rubescens occurs throughout Central America. It grows epiphytic on trees or lithophyte on rocks in dry areas and wooded regions in seasonally dry, deciduous forests at an altitude of 100 to 1700 meters above sea level...
Laelia rubescens also called as The Rosy Tinted Laelia, Amalia acuminate, Amalia peduncularis, Amalia rubescens, Bletia acuminata, Bletia peduncularis, Bletia rubescens, Bletia violacea, Cattleya acuminata, Cattleya pendicularis, Cattleya rubescens, Laelia acuminata, Laelia inconspicua, Laelia peduncularis, Laelia pubescens, Laelia rubescens f. peduncularis, Laelia violacea, is a species of the genus Laelia. This species was described by John Lindley in 1840.
IDENTIFY LAELIA RUBESCENS ORCHID PLANT
Laelia rubescens occurs throughout Central America. It grows epiphytic on trees or lithophyte on rocks in dry areas and wooded regions in seasonally dry, deciduous forests at an altitude of 100 to 1700 meters above sea level.
It is a medium sized, hot to cool growing epiphyte and occasional lithophyte with compressed, ovoid, wrinkled, dark green, 4 to 7 cm long, 1.5-4 cm wide pseudobulbs subtended by papery sheaths carrying a single (rarely 2) leathery, apical, oblong-ovate, spreading or suberect, leathery, v shaped in cross-section, obtuse, basally clasping, 6 to 20 cm long and from 1.5 to 4 cm wide leaf.
The Rosy Tinted Laelia flower in the autumn and winter on a new growth with a to 90 cm long, terete inflorescence with fragrant flowers all clustered at the apex that may close at night or not, covered in papery sheaths. The flowers are white, pink or purple with a red-brown stain inside the lip, measuring 3 to 7 cm in diameter, on sunny days very pleasantly smell. Sepals elongated-lanceolate, with pointed tips, slightly arched back, 2-4.5 cm long and 0.5-1 cm wide. Petals are rhomboid, wide, rounded at the tips, wavy at the edge, slightly curved back, measuring 2.5-4 cm long and 1-2 cm wide. The lip is triple, 2-4 cm long and 1.5-2.5 cm wide, its lateral parts cover the column, and the front part is round to square in shape, slightly wavy along the edge.
LAELIA RUBESCENS 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:
Laelia rubescens loves bright sunlight and is able to tolerate the direct morning and evening sun, however, in the hot summer noon (especially in the windows of the southern orientation), the orchid should be protected from direct sunlight: put behind a curtain (for example, on a table near the window) or in the shadow of other plants, otherwise the plant can get sunburn. Bright sunlight is one of the main prerequisites for the flowering of this type of orchids, and if it is insufficient, the plant will simply not bloom, as new pseudobulbs grow underdeveloped, i.e. incapable of flowering. During the whole year, the duration of the light day should be at least 10 hours, so in winter it is strongly recommended to use artificial light lamps along with ordinary daylight.
Temperature:
The most recommended temperature is: Day temperature at 21-24 ° C (maximum 32 ° C); Night temperature at 10-15 ° C; To successfully grow at home, it is necessary that the night temperature of the content is always 6 ° C lower than the daytime temperature.
Humidity:
The Rosy Tinted Laelia needs relatively high humidity, not less than 60-80%. Too dry air negatively affects the growth and development of the plant: its growth is inhibited and the orchid begins to stagnate and turn yellow.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Laelia rubescens can be grow in pot or placed on blocks. The substrate must be very well breathable, therefore, the mixture of large pieces of bark of coniferous trees with charcoal and sphagnum moss (10-15%) is best in its quality. 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. The best time to transplant is the time when new shoots reach a size of 5 cm and begin to build their own roots.
Watering:
During the period of new growth, the plant needs frequent and abundant watering. Excess water during watering should flow freely out of the pot, as the stagnation of water both inside the pot and in its pan can very quickly lead to decay of the roots and the lower part of the plant. The substrate between waterings must necessarily dry well, as the roots of the orchid are very sensitive to waterlogging. In the hot summer period, daily spraying of the outer part of the plant is recommended, this will increase the humidity around the orchid and help it to survive the heat better.
Fertilizer:
During the new growth period, this type of orchid is fertilized every 2 weeks in 1/2 the concentration of fertilizer 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 plant, alternating both these methods. Closer to bloom, it is strongly recommended to use a fertilizer with a higher content of phosphorus.
Rest period:
Immediately after flowering, Laelia rubescens undergoes a short period of rest, which is expressed by the fact that the orchid contains somewhat colder than usual, does not fertilize and rarely is watered. The ideal temperature for this period is 10-13 ° C. From watering should be discarded completely and produce it only if the pseudobulbs of the plant begin to wrinkle strongly. Growing on the blocks of orchids is recommended to spray no more than once in 10 days. With the advent of new shoots, the rest period ends: the watering of the orchid resumes in the usual volume, and the overall temperature of the contents rises.
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