Aerangis thomsonii is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in upland forests low down on trunks and branches at elevations of 1600 to 3000 meters.
Aerangis thomsonii also called as Thomson's Aerangis, Aerangis friesiorum, is a species of the genus Aerangis. This species was described by Friedrich Richard Rudolf Schlechter in 1918.
IDENTIFY AERANGIS THOMSONII ORCHID PLANT
Aerangis thomsonii is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in upland forests low down on trunks and branches at elevations of 1600 to 3000 meters.
It is a small to large sized, cool to cold growing epiphyte in deep shade and high humidity with a short to long, woody stem carrying several to 20, dark green, distichous, ligulate, unequally bilobed apically, obtuse leaves.
Thomson's Aerangis blooms in the fall on an arching, to 30 cm long, 4 to 10 flowered inflorescence carrying white colored, fragrant flowers.
AERANGIS THOMSONII 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 thomsonii needs a light level of 10000-18000 lux. Conditions should be shaded with filtered, diffused light, and plants should not be exposed to direct midday sun. Strong air movement should be provided at all times.
Temperature:
Summer days temperature average 19-22°C, and nights average 8-9°C, with a diurnal range of 11-13°C. Plants should thrive if grown in the cool, moist airflow from an evaporative cooler. The plants will grow in intermediate conditions if given a shaded but airy place, but cool temperatures are preferable. If grown under intermediate conditions, however, it is important that plants be able to cool down at night.
Humidity:
Thomson's Aerangis need the humidity of 55-65% for about 2 months in late winter and early spring and again for 2-3 months in summer. Averages increase to 70-75% for the remainder of the year.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Aerangis thomsonii probably grow better and the pendent flower spikes are more easily displayed when plants are mounted on slabs of tree-fern or rough bark. Mounted plants need high humidity, however, and during hot, dry weather they may require several waterings a day. If leaves start to shrivel or wrinkle or show other signs of stress, a plant usually will recover and grow well if soaked in water for about 20 minutes at least 3 times a week.
The plant can also be grown in small, 8-13 cm hanging pots or baskets using a very coarse, open, fast draining medium to anchor the plant but allow roots to wander outside the container. Plants should be repotted if the medium starts to break down. Repotting done just as new roots start to grow enables the plant to become reestablished in the shortest possible time.
Watering:
There are two wet/dry cycles during the year, with a dry season in winter and early spring followed by a fairly short, 2- to 3-month wet season in late spring and early summer. This is followed by a rather short somewhat drier season in summer and then by a 3-month wet season in autumn. Cultivated plant should be watered heavily while actively growing, but they must be able to dry rather quickly after watering.
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:
In winter, days temperatures at average 17°C, and nights average 7-8°C, with a diurnal range of 9-10°C. Water should be reduced for cultivated plants during the winter dry season, but plants should not be allowed to remain completely without water for long periods. Occasional early morning misting between infrequent light waterings should provide sufficient moisture in most growing areas. Water should be reduced for plants during the secondary dry season in summer, but plants should not be allowed to become as dry as during the more severe winter dry period. Fertilizer should be reduced or eliminated when water is reduced.
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