Catasetum planiceps is found in Venezuela, Guianas, Surinam, Peru, and northern Brazil (Rio Branco region). It grows in lowland coastal forest and on the lower slopes of coastal mountain ranges at elevations of 100 to 700 meters.
Catasetum planiceps also called as The Smooth Head Catasetum, Catasetum chloranthum, Catasetum hymenophorum, is a species of the genus Catasetum. This species was described by John Lindley in 1843.
IDENTIFY CATASETUM PLANICEPS ORCHID PLANT
Catasetum planiceps is found in Venezuela, Guianas, Surinam, Peru, and northern Brazil (Rio Branco region). It grows in lowland coastal forest and on the lower slopes of coastal mountain ranges at elevations of 100 to 700 meters.
It is a large sized, hot to warm growing lithophyte on rocks or terrestrial on the ground with fusiform, some slightly curved, to 15 cm long and 2.6 cm wide pseudobulbs enveloped basally by whitish, papery sheaths and carrying 7 to 8, elliptic-lanceolate, medium green, plicate with 3 prominent veins, obtuse, to 37 cm long and 8 cm wide leaves.
The Smooth Head Catasetum blooms in the spring and summer on an erect, 25.5 to 75 cm long few flowered inflorescence arising on a newly arising pseudobulb with a pedicel that is bent downward at the rachis. The male flowers are 35 x 24 mm with coloration of sepals and petals yellow-green with indistinct dark green longitudinal stripes; lip green outside, glossy, darker yellow-green inside with dark green striping inside the sac; column light green; antennae whitish. The female flowers are not seen.
The key to identify this species is its erect, sometimes very tall inflorescence. Flowers medium-sized with relatively large, tubular, smooth, green lip held uppermost; fragrance resembles a faint licorice aroma.
CATASETUM PLANICEPS 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 planiceps are sun-loving plant and needs a light level of 30000-60000 lux. It should be grown in nearly full sunlight when actively growing (20% 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 Smooth Head 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 planiceps can be grown in pot, container or wooden basket 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. Basket-grown, and unconventionally potted plant may be watered every sunny day during the growing season, provided conditions are such that they dry off relatively quickly. 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 planiceps 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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