Maxillaria grandiflora occurs in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil and Venezuela. It grows epiphytic on trees or lithophyte on rocks in cloud forests at an altitude of 800 to 3000 meters above sea level...
Maxillaria grandiflora also called as The Large-Flowered Maxillaria, Broughtonia grandiflora, Callista grandiflora, Dendrobium grandiflorum, Lycaste farinosa, Lycaste grandiflora, Maxillaria amesiana, Maxillaria grandiflora var alba, Maxillaria grandiflora var amesiana, Maxillaria grandiflora var stenantha, Maxillaria lehmannii, is a species of the genus Maxillaria. This species was described by John Lindley in 1832.
IDENTIFY MAXILLARIA GRANDIFLORA
Maxillaria grandiflora occurs in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil and Venezuela. It grows epiphytic on trees or lithophyte on rocks in cloud forests at an altitude of 800 to 3000 meters above sea level.
It is a small to medium sized, cold to warm growing, epiphytic or rupicolus species with ovoid, compressed, sulcate, about 4 cm in diameter pseudobulbs enveloped basally by several, imbricate, leaf bearing sheaths carrying a single, apical, narrowly oblong-ligulate, conduplicate basally, thin-textured, 30 cm long and 5.5 cm wide leaf.
The Large-Flowered Maxillaria blooms in the late spring and early summer with a basal, 10 to 12.5 cm long, single flowered inflorescence arising on a mature, unifoliate pseudobulb and is almost completely enveloped by several, overlapping, compressed, loose, acute bracts from which arise a scented, long-lasting flower held amid the leaves. The flowers are pure white to cream, sometimes with a small proportion of pink veins in the area of the lip, about 8 cm in diameter. Upper sepals lanceolate, pointed at the tip, slightly overhanging the lip, measuring 3.5 cm in length and 2 cm in width. Lateral sepals fused at base, tips pointed and approximately 1 cm bent back, measuring 3.5-4 cm long and 1.5-2 cm wide. The petals are lanceolate, grow parallel to the column, at the tips of 0.8 cm are bent back, about 2.5 cm in length and 1-1.2 cm in width. The lip is triple, with a total length of 2.5 cm in length and 1.5 cm in width, there is a wide inside (about 0.7 cm wide) and a long (about 1.5 cm) growth; the lateral parts are basically white with red-brown stripes and a red-brown edging; front part in the form of a tongue, golden in color. Column in the form of a spout, inside a yellow with red-brown spots and stripes, about 1.8 cm in length.
MAXILLARIA GRANDIFLORA 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:
Maxillaria grandiflora needs a light level that should not be for long periods of time below 50000 lux, otherwise this orchid will not be able to absorb the moisture by the roots and process it, directing the growth of new cells (roots, leaves, peduncles, etc.).
Temperature:
It has a wide range of growth in nature. The maximum natural temperature does not exceed 26 ° C, most often range from 5 to 22-24 ° C. The ideal temperature for cultivation range between 16 and 22 C ° .
Humidity:
In the native natural climate of The Large-Flowered Maxillaria, the humidity of the air varies throughout the year, increasing or decreasing, but, in principle, almost never falls below 70%, and reaches 85-95% at nights. 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:
Maxillaria grandiflora is desirable to grow it in pots. If the peduncles grow upward, then the pot may be common, and if they tend to hang, it is more advisable to use a light pot. As a substratum, pure sphagnum has perfectly proved itself. Roots of orchids, being in permanently humid conditions, do not form velamen, and at first (even several months) they even become covered with root hairs, through which they suck the water, so the substrate needs a moisture-intensive one, and sphagnum is the most advantageous option in this regard.
Watering:
Watering should be organized in such a way that during the period of active growth the substrate is always in a slightly moistened state. The brighter the sun shines, the more often you will have to water your orchid, as water participates in all the biochemical processes taking place inside the plant, and in the sun they go much faster, so the need for it increases, and conversely, a decrease in the intensity of illumination, slows down absorption.
Fertilizer:
In 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:
Maxillaria grandiflora does not provide for any period of rest. The refusal of the flowering can be caused by too frequent transplants, and most often by frequent division (do not buy too small plots and from greediness do not divide your large shrubs at least until the first home bloom), extremely hot content, poor lighting or the same stress state of the plant (poor root system, a small number of juicy green leaves, etc.).
COMMENTS