Catasetum napoense is found in Ecuador (Napo province) and the Pucallpa/Tingo Maria region of central-western Peru. It grows at an altitude of around 500 meters, in hilly or gently sloping terrain.
Catasetum napoense also called as The Napo Catasetum, is a species of the genus Catasetum. This species was described by Calaway H. Dodson in 1978.
IDENTIFY CATASETUM NAPOENSE ORCHID PLANT
Catasetum napoense is found in Ecuador (Napo province) and the Pucallpa/Tingo Maria region of central-western Peru. It grows at an altitude of around 500 meters, in hilly or gently sloping terrain.
It is a small sized, warm growing epiphyte with fusiform, several noded, to 6 cm long and 2.5 cm wide pseudobulb enveloped by soon evanescent sheaths and carrying thin, heavily veined beneath, plicate, distichous, elliptic-lanceolate, to 30 cm long and 4 cm wide leaves.
The Napo Catasetum blooms in the mid winter through earlier spring on an erect, basal, female 3 to 4 flowered or male to 30 cm long, 11 to 21 flowered inflorescence. The male flowers are about 45 x50 mm in their natural position with coloration of sepals and petals red at the base, dull yellow-green at the apex; lip red at the base and along the margin; lip sac yellow-green; basal and apical calli yellow with dark spotting.
This orchid is similar to Catasetum callosum, but the inflorescence is much longer, the base of the lip is deeply concave with toothed margins, and the apex of the lip is triangular and irregularly lacerate.
CATASETUM NAPOENSE 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:
Catasetum napoense are sun-loving plant and needs a light level of 30000-60000 lux. Unless the strong air movement found in the natural habitat can be duplicated, however, the grower should provide some shade (40-60 % shade). This species can be grown under lights if sufficient light intensity can be provided, and the plant certainly can be summered outdoors if their moisture requirements can be met.
Temperature:
In their natural habitat, the climate is evenly hot, moist, and tropical. This climate is almost the same year-round, with high humidity at night, even in the dry season, which is relatively short. The nighttime temperatures rarely fall below 18°C, with daytime highs generally from 29 to 35°C. The important thing is to maintain evenly warm conditions, and for this orchid the closer the night minimum is to 21°C, the better the plants will respond.
Humidity:
The Napo Catasetum tolerate an environment with 40 - 60 % relative humidity during their growing season, but for optimal development of new growth and flowering, 70 % is recommended.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Catasetum napoense can be grown in pot with fir bark, osmunda, tree fern fiber, charcoal, and sphagnum, in various proportions or combined with still other ingredients such as sponge rock, perlite, leaf mold, peat, and bark screenings as substrate.
It is recommended to repot every year and never wait more than two years. The optimal time for potting or repotting is when new growth on a plant emerging from dormancy is about 5 cm tall and the nubs have developed into new roots that are reaching for support.
Watering:
In its natural habitat it receives rainfall frequently even while dormant. In the case of conventionally potted adult plants, it should not be necessary to water more than once or, at most, twice a week. This species like to dry out at least slightly between waterings.
Fertilizer:
Fertilize with an appropriate formulation at least every week during the growing season, or fertilize with a weak formula every time the plants are watered. It is important to begin regular applications of high-nitrogen fertilizer (such as 10-5-5) with a full range of trace elements. As the leaves begin to unfurl, and well before flowering, add a high-phosphorus formula to develop big, strong pseudobulbs capable of producing robust inflorescences. Any of the soluble products with a large second-digit number (for example, 3-12-6) constitute a good source of phosphorus.
Rest period:
Catasetum napoense have a relatively short dormant period between leaf fall and new growth, and sometimes no dormancy at all, so the likelihood that at least some of their basic root system will survive from one growing season to the next increases. For this reason it is desirable to maintain a watering schedule, albeit reduced, during dormancy.
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