Aerides falcata is found in the eastern Himalayas, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. It grows epiphytic on tree trunks in semi-deciduous and deciduous dry lowland forests at elevations of sea level to 700 meters.
Aerides falcata also called as The Sickle-Shaped Aerides, Aerides expansa var. leoniae, Aerides falcata var leoniae, Aerides falcata var. maurandii, Aerides larpentae, Aerides leoniae, Aerides mendelii, Aerides siamense, is a species of the genus Aerides. This species was described by John Lindley & Joseph Paxton in 1851.
IDENTIFY AERIDES FALCATA ORCHID PLANT
Aerides falcata is found in the eastern Himalayas, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. It grows epiphytic on tree trunks in semi-deciduous and deciduous dry lowland forests at elevations of sea level to 700 meters.
It is a medium to large sized, hot to warm growing, monopodial epiphyte that has an erect stem carrying oblong-ligulate, rigid, thick, coriaceous, somewhat glaucous on top, streaked dark green with red beneath, 20-29 cm long and 2.5-3.7 cm wide leaves.
The Sickle-Shaped Aerides blooms in the spring and summer on a 50 cm long, loosely or densly flowered, pendant inflorescence with to 30 fragrant, waxy flowers. The flowers are 2-2.5 cm in diameter, whitish, tinged or spotted with purple or purplish red. Sepals and petals white with crimson botches at eh apex. Lip has white sides with a rosy crimson center, the front lobe being ciliated.
AERIDES FALCATA 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:
Aerides falcata loves bright sunlight and is able to safely carry direct sunlight (up to 50000 Lux). The total duration of daylight hours must be at least 10 hours.
Temperature:
The temperature in summer should be in range of 15-28 ° C; Winter temperature range of 10-25 ° C. For successful cultivation at home, it is necessary that the night temperature always be at least 3-4 ° C lower than the daytime. Cool night maintenance is one of the important factors that stimulate its flowering.
Humidity:
The Sickle-Shaped Aerides need the humidity level of 70% .Too dry air has a negative effect on the development of the plant: its growth is inhibited, and the leaves begin to turn yellow and dry out. The higher temperature, the higher the humidity should be, and the higher the humidity, the more often and longer it is necessary to ventilate the room where the plants are contained, otherwise the probability of rotting and various kinds of fungal diseases.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Aerides falcata are grown in pot or basket with a mixture of large pieces of charcoal and crocks from the top of the pot or basket, with a layer of sphagnum moss on the surface. The addition of peat or fibre and also of large pieces of well dried cow-dung are satisfactory variations.
They are also be grown on blocks or rafts. This method of treatment would allow of abundant watering at the right seasons without risk of damage-in any case, the drainage of any container must be free.
It is no need for frequent repot, therefore, it is desirable to transplant only when it is really necessary, for example, in cases of severe salinization or compaction of the substrate, at its critically high or low pH (rate from 5.5 to 6.5). The best time to transplant is a period of active root growth.
Watering:
Watering is directly dependent on the temperature of the content, the higher it is, the more often it needs to be watered. Plants growing on blocks or with a bare root system, preferably watered daily in the morning, so that in the evening their roots can dry out relatively well. During the summer heat, additional spraying is possible. When watering, excess water should flow freely from the pot, since stagnation of water both inside the pot and in its pan can very quickly lead to rotting of the roots and the lower part of the plant. The substrate between waterings should dry well.
Fertilizer:
During the period of active growth fertilize this type of orchid once a month with 1/4 of the concentration of fertilizer indicated on the package. Their roots are very sensitive to various types of potash, phosphorus, etc. salts contained in the fertilizer, and can deteriorate very quickly. The most sensitive place of the root is its tip, which under the effect of too concentrated fertilizer turns black and dries. In addition to the usual root dressing, it is also recommended to produce foliar, when the outer part of the plant is sprayed with very diluted fertilizer. It is best to feed the orchid, alternating between these two methods. The best fertilizer is fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in equal shares, for example, NPK = 3-3-3 or 8-8-8. If you do not have such fertilizer, then at the beginning of the growing season, feed the orchid with fertilizer with a high nitrogen content, and when the leaves reach 1/2 of its normal size, fertilizer with a higher phosphorus content.
Rest period:
Aerides falcata don't need a rest period but need less water in the winter, especially if they grow under the conditions of a dark, short day that occurs at moderate latitudes. They should dry somewhat between waterings, but they should not be dry for a longer period. Fertilization should be reduced or eliminated until new growths appear and a more abundant spring watering begins.
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