Schoenorchis fragrans is found in northeastern India (the state of Assam), Thailand, Myanmar, China (the state of Yunnan) and Vietnam, where it grows in semi-deciduous forests at an altitude of 600-1200 meters...
Schoenorchis fragrans also called as The Fragrant Schoenorchis, Gastrochilus fragrans, Saccolabium fragrans, Schoenorchis fragrans var. seidenfadenii, Schoenorchis manipurensis, is a species of the genus Schoenorchis. This species was described by Gunnar Seidenfaden & Tem Smitinand in 1963.
IDENTIFY SCHOENORCHIS FRAGRANS
Schoenorchis fragrans is found in northeastern India (the state of Assam), Thailand, Myanmar, China (the state of Yunnan) and Vietnam, where it grows in semi-deciduous forests at an altitude of 600-1200 meters.
It is a miniature sized, monopodial, warm to cool growing epiphyte with a short, branching stem carrying, fleshy, narrowly elliptic leaves.
The Fragrant Schoenorchis blooms on an axillary, 1.25 cm long, arcuate to pendant, racemose, several to more than 20 flowered inflorescence with flowers that open in succession occurring in the summer. The brilliant pink flowers are 1 cm in diameter and are durable, very fragrant.
SCHOENORCHIS FRAGRANS 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:
Schoenorchis fragrans needs a light level of 13000-17000 lux. The recommended photoperiod is 10 hours at least; the ideal is 12.
Temperature:
It is a warm to intermediate thermal requirements, the ideal temperatures throughout the year are: day with 24-26 ° C; night with 19-20 ° C.
Humidity:
Being cultivated with bare roots, The Fragrant Schoenorchis requires at least 60-65% of the humidity, possibly even 70-75%. A perfect solution would be to keep it in a humid greenhouse or in an orchid, but if you do not have the opportunity, you should spray it generously 2-3 times a day, especially during the warmer months. Keep in mind that between the sprays its roots must dry out, the plant never sprays if it is still wet after the previous wetting: otherwise there is a danger of rot.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Usually, Schoenorchis fragrans is sold bare-root, placed on a piece of cork. Indeed, for this species the bare root placement is the best, because its fleshy roots are very sensitive to water stagnations, which are inevitable in pots. As soon as you have received it from the seller, you have to verify that the plant is truly rooted in cork, not just resting, and that the roots are in place. If everything seems ok and the plant is still, free it from the wire that binds it to cork: since it is already rooted, there is no need anymore. If the plant has not taken root, take the opportunity to replace the old cork with a fresh piece (procured in advance): usually the bare root plants come with old and too dry corks to absorb the water necessary for nourishment. By placing your Schoenorchis on the cork, put a layer of sphagnum between its roots and the cork. The sphagnum will help keep the roots moist, as this species immediately suffers from the lack of moisture.
Watering:
Usually the plant gets wet with a spray 2-3 times a day. Only non-calcareous water is used; for this reason I usually do not use tap water but that of bottles. Orchids prefer warm water (35-40 ° C), because it looks like tropical rains which, as we can imagine, are not cold at all. In the summer months I would also recommend to immerse the Schoenorchis in the water and leave it there for 10-15 minutes every 2 days. But do not do it if it is in bloom: the excess of water on the flowers will ruin the flowering.
Fertilizer:
The Schoenorchis fragrans is fertilized every 3-4 weeks, using a special fertilizer for orchids, preferably with equally balanced NPK levels (I use that from 5-5-5). First the plant gets wet and then it is immersed in a container full of water and the fertilizer diluted (1/3 of the dose indicated on the bottle), where it is left for 10-15 min.
Rest period:
This species does not need the rest period to flourish; it is usually stimulated by sudden changes between day and night temperatures (which should be 3-4 ° C). Summer is the most common period for blooms; however, if the conditions of cultivation are the same throughout the year, it can flourish at any time.
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