Laelia perrinii is found in Brazil. It is common in the coastal rain forests of Espirito Sactu and Rio de Janiero where it grows on trees and cliff faces between 700 to 900 meters above sea level. It is found growing in the Serra do Mar and in the Serra da Mantiqueira mountains.
Laelia perrinii also called as Perrin's Laelia, Amalia perrinii, Bletia perrinii, Brasilaelia perrinii, Cattleya intermedia var angustifolia, Cattleya integerrima var angustifolia, Cattleya perrinii, Chironiella perrinii, Hadrolaelia perrinii, Laelia perrinii f. alba, Laelia perrinii alba, Sophronitis perrinii, is a species of the genus Laelia. This species was described by James Bateman in 1847.
IDENTIFY LAELIA PERRINII ORCHID PLANT
Laelia perrinii is found in Brazil. It is common in the coastal rain forests of Espirito Sactu and Rio de Janiero where it grows on trees and cliff faces between 700 to 900 meters above sea level. It is found growing in the Serra do Mar and in the Serra da Mantiqueira mountains.
It is a medium sized, warm growing, epiphytic orchid with ovoid-ellipsoid to clavate, up to 30 cm long pseudobulbs that are enveloped basally by scarious sheaths and carrying a single, apical, ligulate, leathery, rounded at the apex leaf. Foliage is green, but the new growth is unusually bronze-colored.
Perrin's Laelia blooms in the late summer through the winter with 2 to 6, long-lasting flowers on a to 25 cm long, raceme subtended by a large compressed sheath. The flowers are 12.5 cm in diameter and has star-shaped flowers with a colored lip. The petals are broad towards the tips and flat. The lip is small in proportion to the other floral segments and has a distinctive white throat. Flower color is lavender-purple with a crimson-purple blotch on the midlobe.
LAELIA PERRINII 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:
Laelia perrinii like good light (30000-40000 lux) with about 30-50% shade in summer but no direct sun. They require high light intensity during their dormant period in winter. They like direct morning sun but avoid afternoon light and deep shade.
Temperature:
Perrin's Laelia come from environments that have a normal temperature range of 16°C to 24°C with winter temperatures of about 12°C and rarely experience temperatures below 8°C.
Humidity:
This orchid need good air movement year round. They require moderate to high humidity (50-70%) in summer but low humidity in winter.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Laelia perrinii are usually grown in pots. Some growers recommend placing pieces of sandstone in the potting mix if root growth is a problem. Always use the smallest pot possible as they dry faster and large pots increase the risk of root rot.
This species don’t like being disturbed, when they outgrow the pot some growers simply place the plant and its pot into a slightly larger pot (over pot) allowing the roots to fill the space between the two pots. Repotting may be necessary however when the bark becomes decomposed.
Watering:
In their native environment this orchid receive daily rain in summer and so should receive regular watering during the warmer summer and autumn months, preferably daily in hot weather. Plants on slabs should be watered daily in warm weather. This species experience a 2-3 months dry season.
Fertilizer:
Liquid fertilizers should be applied regularly during the growing season but not in winter. Some growers recommend a low nitrogen but high phosphorus fertilizer in late summer and autumn. Liquid seaweed fertilizer can also be applied.
Rest period:
Laelia perrinii have a short 2-3 months dry period. Fertilization should be limited or should be completely abandoned until spring, when stronger watering resumes. In the natural habitat, the light is strongest in the dry winter period, so the plants grown need as much winter light as possible.
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