Neobenthamia gracilis is found in Tanzania. Its grow on rocks or the surface of the ground and have been found in grassland in the Korogwe-Handeni region. They are also reported from the Usagara Mountains at 460 m, usually about 100 m inland.
Neobenthamia gracilis also called as The Graceful Neobenthamia, Polystachya holtzeana, Polystachya neobenthamia, is a species of the genus Neobenthamia. This species was described by Robert Allen Rolfe in 1891.
IDENTIFY NEOBENTHAMIA GRACILIS ORCHID PLANT
Neobenthamia gracilis is found in Tanzania. Its grow on rocks or the surface of the ground and have been found in grassland in the Korogwe-Handeni region. They are also reported from the Usagara Mountains at 460 m, usually about 100 m inland.
It is a giant sized, up to 130 cm tall, hot to warm growing terrestrial or lithophyte with branched, erect or straggling, up to 125 cm long stems often forming keikis at the nodes and carrying many linear, distichous, unequally bilobed apically, 14-24 cm long, 1-2 cm wide leaves.
The Graceful Neobenthamia blooms on a terminal, branched or racemose, densly many flowered, to about 12.5 cm long inflorescence with fragrant flowers held in a spherical head occuring from the winter till the spring. The flowers nodding with the lowermost lip, long lasting with faint, minty fragrance, sepals and petals milky-white, a lip lightly white and spotted and decorated as well with a bright yellow nectar guide, a column white with a rose purple blotch near its tip, pollinia purple.
NEOBENTHAMIA GRACILIS 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:
Neobenthamia gracilis needs a light level of 40000-50000 lux. Light should be as bright as the plants will tolerate, short of burning the leaves. They may be rather difficult to bloom unless they are brought into strong light during the warmest season. Strong air movement should be provided at all times.
Temperature:
Summer days temperature at average 35-36°C, and nights temperature at average 20°C, with a diurnal range of 15-16°C.
Humidity:
The Graceful Neobenthamia need the humidity of 65-70% most of the year, but averages increase to near 75% for a couple of months in autumn and drop to 55-60% for 3 months in late spring and early summer.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Neobenthamia gracilis should be grown in exceptionally well-drained containers filled with an open, fast draining medium. Materials such as perlite or chopped sphagnum moss may be added to help hold the medium open and also retain some moisture. In addition, charcoal may be added to help hold the medium open and keep it from becoming sour. Any potting mix that works well with other terrestrial orchids should also work well with Neobenthamia gracilis. Many terrestrial orchids are particularly intolerant of stale conditions around the roots, so it is probably advisable to repot plants every year just as new growth starts.
Watering:
Rainfall in the region has a double wet/dry cycle with the primary wet season lasting for about 3 months in autumn and a secondary, much shorter, moderately wet season in spring and early summer. The primary dry season occurs in winter and early spring, with a shorter, moderately dry season in summer. For cultivated plants, water should be gradually increased when growth starts in spring. Plants should be watered heavily as growth becomes more active, but the medium should be allowed to become almost dry between waterings. Conditions around the roots should never be allowed to become stale or soggy. Plants should not remain dry for long periods, even during the dry seasons, because a little rain does fall each month, and additional moisture usually is available from deposits of heavy dew.
Fertilizer:
1/2–3/4 recommended strength, applied weekly when plants are actively growing. You can use a balanced fertilizer throughout the year. You can also use a high-nitrogen fertilizer from spring to midsummer, then switch to a high phosphate formula in late summer and autumn.
Rest period:
Winter days temperature at average 28-29°C, and nights average 18-19°C, with a diurnal range of 9-11°C. Water should be reduced for Neobenthamia gracilis in winter, but they should not be allowed to dry out completely. Fertilizer should be reduced or eliminated until new growth starts and heavier watering is resumed in spring.
as always , interesting , thanks . now with better treatment is 20 canes and growing . One cane flowered a month ago , , now have 3 opening and a possible 5 more :-) 2 years ago I took off a lot of keikies , not a good plan , though I have several nice little plants Mine is in a 12" pot with slots , outside , plenty light and good sun in the afternoon . I used big bark at the bottom and filled up with coco husk . When it out grows this pot , maybe a year or 2 , will pot on , this time not disturbing the roots too much . Do not have a dead centre as with some other larger plants , Sobs, Cym and Brassia .
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work.
Thank you - the detail and range of information you provide on each orchid is the most accurate and concise on the internet. Greatly appreciated...
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