Dendrobium maccarthiae is found in southern Sri Lanka. It grows in very hot and wet tropical evergreen forests. This species is difficult to obtain cause of its exportation from Sri Lanka being prohibited.
Dendrobium maccarthiae also called as Mrs. Maccarthy's Dendrobium, Callista macarthiae, is a species of the genus Dendrobium. This species was described by George Henry Kendrick Thwaites in 1855.
IDENTIFY DENDROBIUM MACCARTHIAE ORCHID PLANT
Dendrobium maccarthiae is found in southern Sri Lanka. It grows in very hot and wet tropical evergreen forests. This species is difficult to obtain cause of its exportation from Sri Lanka being prohibited.
It is a small to medium sized, hot to warm pendant growing epiphyte with basally swollen, green to grayish white, 16-60 cm long stems have crimson spots and blackish joints with a few apical, linear-lanceolate, 4-8 x 0.9-1.3 cm leaves.
Mrs. Maccarthy's Dendrobium blooms in the late spring and summer on a 9 to 11 cm long, racemose, pendant, 2 to 5 flowered inflorescence carrying fragrant, long-lasting flowers that do not open well. Sepals and petals are rosy-mauve, the petals being nearly twice as wide as the sepals. The flowers, being flattened, give the appearance of being only partly opened. The labellum is tongue-shaped, pale lavender (sometimes almost white) striped and spotted with intense purple with a blotch of deep maroon in the center.
DENDROBIUM MACCARTHIAE 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:
Dendrobium maccarthiae do best in full sunshine (25000-50000 lux), close to the glass where glasshouse treatment is required. In addition to the natural light, you will have to use artificial light lamps.
Temperature:
The average temperature of the summer day is 25-26 ° C, night 21 ° C, giving a daily difference of 4-6 ° C. In winter, the average day temperature is 27-30 ° C, night 16-17 ° C, giving a daily difference of 13 ° C.
Humidity:
For most of the year, Mrs. Maccarthy's Dendrobium need the humidity of almost 80%, but at the end of winter and at the beginning of spring it drops to around 60%. 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:
Dendrobium maccarthiae grows best in wooden baskets with mixed compost of two parts of osmunda, two parts of peat or todea, and one part of good fresh sphagnum moss as substrate (line the bottom with a few large pieces of wood-charcoal, which helps to provide aeration, and counteracts any tendency of the compost to ferment). The pseudobulbs can be tied, where necessary, to the hanging wires, thus ensuring stability.
It does not need frequent repot, therefore, it is desirable to transplant only when it is really necessary, for example, in cases of strong salinization or compaction of the substrate, at its critically high or low pH (the norm is from 5.5 to 6.5) or when the plant grows very strongly and the pot becomes cramped to it (pseudobulbs begin to hang from the edges of the pot). Repotting is best done immediately after flowering when new roots and new growth begin to grow.
Watering:
Mrs. Maccarthy's Dendrobium will need heavy watering from the commencement of Summer until the first chill spell of Autumn, when watering should practically cease until the new shoots appear in Spring. Watering is directly dependent on the temperature of the content, the higher it is, the more often it needs to be watered. 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.
Fertilizer:
It is recommended to use a 1/4-1/2 dose of orchid fertilizer weekly. You can use the balanced fertilizer throughout the year or from spring to mid-summer use high-nitrogen fertilizer, and then until the end of autumn high-phosphoric fertilizer to stimulate flowering.
Rest period:
Dendrobium maccarthiae 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. Frequent morning fogging and rare, economical watering should allow the plant to go through a dry period of rest, while providing it with sufficient humidity. Fertilization should be reduced or eliminated until new growths appear and a more abundant spring watering begins.
Sri Lanka is a land of eternal summer. Therefore high nitrogen fertilizer could be started at any time? Could you kindly suggest alternatives for Osmunda and Todea?
ReplyDeleteHigh-nitrogen fertilizer for more vigorous; High-phosphoric fertilizer to stimulate flowering.
DeleteOsmunda and Todea retains moisture. It ensures that the plants' roots get good air circulation. Decomposes slowly and as it decomposes, it becomes a good source of nutrients. Therefore, orchids require less fertilizing...
As Osmunda and Todea are not available in Sri Lanka please suggest alternatives.
ReplyDeleteYou can use small sized bark with cocopeat and cocofibre or cocochips with fresh sphagnum moss and charcoal!
DeleteThank you very much, for the prompt reply
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome!
Delete