Spathoglottis affinis is found from Indochina to western Malesia (Vietnam, Laos, Burma, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia to Java and possibly Borneo). It grows in open rocky habitats, in semi-deciduous and deciduous, dry, lowland forests and savanna-like woodlands at elevations of 700 to 1000 meters above sea level.
Spathoglottis affinis also called as The Similar Spathoglottis, Spathoglottis lobbii, Spathoglottis regneri, is a species of the genus Spathoglottis. This species was described by Willem Hendrik de Vriese in 1854.
IDENTIFY SPATHOGLOTTIS AFFINIS ORCHID PLANT
Spathoglottis affinis is found from Indochina to western Malesia (Vietnam, Laos, Burma, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia to Java and possibly Borneo). It grows in open rocky habitats, in semi-deciduous and deciduous, dry, lowland forests and savanna-like woodlands at elevations of 700 to 1000 meters above sea level.
It is a miniature, deciduous, warm growing terrestrial, which reaching to 70 cm tall with small flattened pseudobulbs that hide beneath the surface of the medium and carry 4, plicate, deciduous, up to 30 cm long and 2-3 cm wide leaves.
The Similar Spathoglottis blooms on an erect, 70 cm long, 15 flowered inflorescence with up to 6 flowers open at a time occuring in the summer and fall. The bright yellow to sulphur-yellow flowers have the lateral sepals sometimes faintly streaked or veined with red. The short rounded fleshy, twin knob-like calli at the base of the lip are mottled red to purple.
SPATHOGLOTTIS AFFINIS 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 affinis like indirect sunlight. 20000 - 50000 lux or speckled sunlight protected from the hottest direct sunlight of the day, 7500 lux for the youngest plants. If the plants don’t bloom, the amount of direct sunlight the plants are receiving has to increase.
Temperature:
The Similar Spathoglottis are generally warm growing plants liking temperatures up to the high 30˚ C. They need cool to cold temperatures in winter of between 1 and 5°C. They drops the leaves in mid September when the plant should be kept dry until new growth appears in the late winter to early spring.
Humidity:
This 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 affinis 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.
The plant should be repotted when they are dormant in winter or when the soil has become depleted. Their root systems are fairly extensive for their size. Make sure not to damage them.
Watering:
This species 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. In winter, the amount of water should reduced or completely eliminated.
Fertilizer:
Spathoglottis affinis 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. Don't fertilize the plant when they are dormant.
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