Aeranthes orthopoda is found in the central region near Mandraka where it grows in shady forest. The plants grow in humid, evergreen forest on the plateau near Antananarivo, and that they usually are found on moss- and lichen-covered trees.
Aeranthes orthopoda also called as The Straight-Footed Aeranthes, is a species of the genus Aeranthes. This species was described by Toill.-Gen., Ursch & Bosser in 1960.
IDENTIFY AERANTHES ORTHOPODA ORCHID PLANT
Aeranthes orthopoda is found in the central region near Mandraka where it grows in shady forest. The plants grow in humid, evergreen forest on the plateau near Antananarivo, and that they usually are found on moss- and lichen-covered trees.
It is a small sized, warm to cool growing, epiphytic species with almost no stem carrying several, unequally obtusely, bilobed, 18-22 cm long, 2.2-2.9 cm wide leaves.
The Straight-Footed Aeranthes blooms in the fall and sometimes winter on a pendant, wiry, one to few flowered, 30 to 75 cm long inflorescence. The green flowers are 4 cm in diameter.
AERANTHES ORTHOPODA 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:
Aeranthes orthopoda needs a light level of 5000-14000 lux. Light should be filtered or diffused, and the plants should not be exposed to direct midday sun. Strong air movement should be provided at all times.
Temperature:
Summer days temperature at average 26-27°C, and nights temperature at average 16°C, with a diurnal range of 10-11°C.
Humidity:
The Straight-Footed Aeranthes need the humidity of 75-80% most of the year, dropping to near 65% for a short time in spring.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Aeranthes orthopoda 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.
Plants should be repotted immediately if the medium starts to break down as Aeranthes species are prone to rot if conditions around the roots become stale. Repotting should be done just as new roots start to grow. This enables the plant to become reestablished in the shortest possible time.
Watering:
Rainfall is very heavy from late spring to early autumn. Amounts then decrease fairly rapidly at the beginning of the 5-month dry season, which lasts from late autumn to early spring. Cultivated plants should be watered heavily while actively growing. Water should be reduced after new growth is completed in autumn.
Fertilizer:
1/4-1/2 recommended strength, applied weekly when plants are actively growing. You can use a balanced fertilizer all year. You can also use a high-nitrogen fertilizer from spring to midsummer and then switch to a high-phosphate formula in late summer and autumn.
Rest period:
Winter days temperature at average 20-21°C, and nights average 9-10°C, with a diurnal range of 11- 12°C. Aeranthes orthopoda plants need less water in winter, but they should not dry out completely or stay dry for long periods. Fairly regular early-morning misting between infrequently light waterings should provide sufficient moisture in most growing areas. Fertilizer should be reduced or eliminated until new growth starts and heavier watering is resumed in spring.
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