Aerangis spiculata is found in Madagascar and the Comoros. Its grow in moist evergreen forests at elevations of sea level to 1000 meters.
Aerangis spiculata also called as The Spiked Aerangis, Leptocentrum spiculatum, Plectrelminthus spiculatus, Rhaphidorhynchus spiculatus, is a species of the genus Aerangis. This species was described by Karlheinz Senghas in 1972.
IDENTIFY AERANGIS SPICULATA ORCHID PLANT
Aerangis spiculata is found in Madagascar and the Comoros. Its grow in moist evergreen forests at elevations of sea level to 1000 meters.
It is a miniature sized, hot to warm growing epiphyte with a short, woody stem carrying 2 to 7, elliptic-oblong, cuneate, unequally bilobed apically, grayish to dull green, sometimes marginally undulate, sometimes reddish leaves.
The Spiked Aerangis blooms in the spring on a 30 to 75 cm long, 12 to 20 flowered, arching to pendant, inflorescence with long-lasting, pure white flowers.
AERANGIS SPICULATA 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:
Aerangis spiculata needs a light level of 15000-25000 lux. Light should be filtered or diffused, and plants should not be exposed to direct midday sun. Strong air movement should be provided at all times.
Temperature:
Summer days temperature at average 29°C, and nights average 23-24°C, with a diurnal range of 6-7°C.
Humidity:
The Spiked Aerangis needs the humidity of 80-85% most of the year, dropping to near 75% for a month or so in late winter.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Aerangis spiculata may be grown in shallow, well-drained containers or mounted on tree-fern slabs. Mounted plants need high humidity, however, and during hot, dry weather they may need several waterings a day.
If it is difficult to keep mounted plants moist enough, they may be grown in a shallow pot or basket filled with a very open, fast-draining medium that has excellent drainage, is well aerated, and allows the medium to dry fairly rapidly after watering.
You can use medium-sized fir bark or shredded tree-fern fiber and add varying amounts of chunky perlite and/or chopped sphagnum moss to keep the medium open and retain some moisture. Including charcoal in the mix also holds the medium open and prevents souring in the pot.
Plants should be repotted immediately if the medium starts to break down or whenever the plant outgrows its container. Repotting should be done just as new roots start to grow. This enables the plant to become reestablished in the shortest possible time.
Watering:
The cultivated plants should be watered often while actively growing, but drainage should be excellent and the roots able to dry rapidly after watering. Conditions around the roots should never be allowed to become stale or soggy. Water should be reduced somewhat in late autumn when plants are no longer actively growing.
Fertilizer:
1/4–1/2 recommended strength, applied weekly when plants are actively growing. You can use a balanced fertilizer throughout the year; but also can use a high-nitrogen fertilizer from spring to midsummer, then switch to one high in phosphates in late summer and autumn.
Rest period:
Winter days temperature at average 26-27°C, and nights average 19-21°C, with a diurnal range of 7-8°C. Water should be reduced for Aerangis spiculata in winter, allowing them to become somewhat dry between waterings. They should never be allowed to dry out completely, however. Fertilizer should be reduced or eliminated until new growth starts and heavier watering is resumed in spring.
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