Spathoglottis orchids are found from Asia and Southeast Asia to Australia and some Pacific Islands. They are typically found growing on hill sides in between other grasses and low lying bushes. They are exposed to bright sun but some cloud cover may form during the hotter parts of the day providing partial shade. These orchids add considerable quality to the garden when grown in a small cluster and are often planted in beds in tropical Asia or in botanical gardens located in tropical zone.
Spathoglottis orchid also called as Purple orchids, Ground orchids, Paxtonia, is a genus of the Orchidaceae family. This genus was described by Carl Ludwig Blume in 1825.
IDENTIFY SPATHOGLOTTIS ORCHID PLANT
Spathoglottis orchids are found from Asia and Southeast Asia to Australia and some Pacific Islands. They are typically found growing on hill sides in between other grasses and low lying bushes. They are exposed to bright sun but some cloud cover may form during the hotter parts of the day providing partial shade. These orchids add considerable quality to the garden when grown in a small cluster and are often planted in beds in tropical Asia or in botanical gardens located in tropical zone.
Ground orchids are evergreen, terrestrial herbs with ovoid, depressed pseudobulbs that carry a few folded, plicate, narrow leaves. They have a tall, thin inflorescence that arises from the basal leaf axil and have many successive flowers that open over many months. The sepals and petals are almost equal and are wide spreading. The flowers are large and very attractive. Floral colour ranges from brilliant yellow and pure white to crimson and several shades of magenta, purple and mauve.
Some commercially important species of this genus are: Spathoglottis affinis, Spathoglottis aurea, Spathoglottis ixioides, Spathoglottis plicta, Spathoglottis grandifolia, Spathoglottis hardingiana, Spathoglottis kimballiana, Spathoglottis vieillardii, etc. Many beautiful commercial hybrids were developed through interspecific and intergeneric crosses. The popular interspecific hybrids are: Spathoglottis aureo Vieillardii (S. aurea x S. vieillardii) and Spathoglottis wiganae (S. kimballiana x S. vieillardii).The genus has also been bred with Phaius resulting in the hybrid known as Spathophaius.
SPATHOGLOTTIS 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:
Spathoglottis orchids like indirect sunlight. Direct sunlight scorches the orchid’s delicate leaves. If grown in greenhouses, 7500 lux for the youngest plants coming out of flask or grown in plug trays; 20000 - 50000 lux or speckled sunlight protected from the hottest direct sunlight of the day is good for landscape or outdoor container growing. Slowly acclimatize the plants to higher light levels when young plants are transitioned to outdoors. Flowering should occur throughout the year on the most modern hybrids / clones since they were bred for more compact foliage and larger more colorful flowers. If the plants don’t bloom, the amount of direct sunlight the plants are receiving has to increase.
Temperature:
Ground orchids are generally warm growing plants liking temperatures up to the high 30˚ C and they can tolerate temperatures down into the upper 15˚ C. If the temperature in growing areas fall below 15° C for extended period, the plant may revert back to growth stage and flowering may be delayed. Keep in mind – the more air movement, the warmer the plants can be and the higher light levels they will accept without turning yellow; and if it is too cold, the pot stays too wet and the growth will suffer. Foliage may burn below 14° C - containers can be protected by moving or covering; landscape plants can be covered with light weight frost blankets. New growth will replace the old burned foliage if frost damages the plants, but protect from freezing.
Humidity:
Purple orchids prefer high level of humidity for better growth. Humidify the air around the plant is necessary for flowering. Misting plants daily is also effective .Grower can place a humidifier near the orchids to maintain the humidity. A pebble tray filled with water and placed underneath orchid pots also keeps air moist.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Spathoglottis orchids are very forgiving as to the potting media. You can use a media based on 75% high quality soilless mix used for hanging baskets and larger containers mixed with 25% our orchid potting media which incorporates expanded slate. Outdoor landscaping media can incorporate more orchid media for drainage - bark, perlite, sphagnum moss, and various other components. The mix is very free draining but holds more moisture than regular media for epiphytic orchids.
Repotting isn’t necessary, but potted plants should be repotted in a rich organic potting mixture once the soil has become depleted. Their root systems are fairly extensive for their size. Make sure not to damage them.
After transplanting, the roots tend to move to the bottom of the pot and foliage grows. Most of the new growth develops from the original center shoot and the side shoots will grow and usually tend to catch the original shoot.
Watering:
Purple orchids require good drainage in the media, so after a thorough watering allow the media to dry on top but you do not want the container to dry out altogether. Do not allow to sit in water. Water thoroughly in the morning once to twice weekly depending on your cultural conditions (light, temperature, humidity, air movement, etc.) allowing the top of the media to dry slightly between waterings. If the potting media is top-dressed with expanded slate, the area next to the pseudobulbs will dry out nice and quickly.
Fertilizer:
Spathoglottis orchids like fairly high feedings of fertilizer with every watering. In outdoors, use of any slow release fertilizer containing equal parts nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and micronutrients in the 4 - 6 months release formulations gives better growth. Fertilization with diluted fertilizer (1/4 strength) every two to three weeks interval is also effective. Fertilizers with trace elements of iron and magnesium should not be used as a chemical imbalance may occur that can be harmful to the plants.
BUY SPATHOGLOTTIS ORCHID PLANT AND RELATED PRODUCTS
SOME SPECIES AND VARIETIES OF SPATHOGLOTTIS WITH CULTURE SHEET AND CARE TIPS:
- Spathoglottis affinis - The Similar Spathoglottis
- Spathoglottis aurea - The Small-Lipped Spathoglottis
- Spathoglottis bulbosa - The Bulbed Spathoglottis
- Spathoglottis hardingiana - Harding's Spathoglottis
- Spathoglottis ixioides - The Ixia-Like Spathoglottis
- Spathoglottis kimballiana - Kimball's Spathoglottis
- Spathoglottis paulinae - The Small Purple Orchid - Pauline Richmond's Spathoglottis
- Spathoglottis plicata - The Large Purple Orchid - Philippine Ground Orchid
- Spathoglottis pubescens - The Hairy Spathoglottis
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