Encyclia ambigua - Ambiguous Encyclia flowers are showy, resupinate, long lasting, sweetly fragrant with pale green to straw-white petals and sepals.
Encyclia ambigua, also called as Ambiguous Encyclia, Encyclia alborubra, Epidendrum alatum, Epidendrum ambiguum, is a species in the genus Encyclia. This species was described by Rudolf Schlechter in 1914.
DESCRIPTION OF ENCYCLIA AMBIGUA - AMBIGUOUS ENCYCLIA
Encyclia ambigua is native to Mexico (Chiapas) to Western Guatemala. It is found growing in oak forests at elevations of 950-1850 meters above sea level. The species is restricted to the so-called “Meseta de Comitán” (the SE section of the Chiapas Highlands, which extends about 250 kilometers through the central part of Chiapas to Guatemala).
It is a medium sized, warm to cool growing epiphyte which reaching to 180 cm in height with clustered, ovoid-conical, 35-65 cm long pseudobulbs. The leaves are 2-3, 18-29.5 × 1.8-3.1 cm, apical, linear-ligulate, acute, gradually narrowing below into the clasping base, shiny green above, dull pale green below.
Ambiguous Encyclia blooms in late spring and summer from the terminal, 45-105 cm long, racemose or branched, 15-25 flowered inflorescence that arise on a mature pseudobulb. Peduncle are entirely dull green, smooth in the lower half, verruculose above, rachis verruculose, green or purplish. The flowers are to 5 cm in diameter, showy, resupinate, long lasting, sweetly fragrant. This species can be easily distinguished by the large flowers with pale green to straw-white petals and sepals. The lip is white or very pale yellow with 7–11 purple nerves arising from the isthmus that reach only the proximal half of the midlobe. The distal half has short purple stripes or dots over the nerves. The nerves on the midlobe are somewhat raised but not provided with warts or verrucae or these are inconspicuous. In contrast, the nerves on the midlobe in E. trachychila and E. dressleri are conspicuosly raised and warty, some are keel-like whereas other are dactyliform. The lateral lobes of the lip in E. ambigua are pale green on the proximal half (only noticeable upon forceful spreading) and in most of the cases distally feature the same color pattern of the midlobe with 7–9 purple nerves below and broken lines and spots above. The anther is yellow. The lateral lobes of the lip are porrect on the proximal half, then spreading, thus exposing the dorsal face of the column that is green with many lines of very fine longitudinal purple dots. The callus is white suffused with purple, mainly on the nerves.
ENCYCLIA AMBIGUA - AMBIGUOUS ENCYCLIA 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:
Encyclia ambigua needs a light level of 25000-35000 lux. The light should be filtered or diffused and the plants should not be exposed to direct midday sun. Strong air movement should be provided all the time.
Temperature:
In summer, the average day temperature is 24-27 °C, and the night 14-16 °C, with a daily amplitude of 8-10 °C. In winter the average daytime temperatures are 23-25 °C, and 13-15 °C during the night, while the daily amplitude is 8-11 °C.
Humidity:
Ambiguous Encyclia needs the humidity of 80% in the period of growth, in winter and spring it falls to 60-70%. 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. Good air movement is essential while the plants are in leaf and growing.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Encyclia ambigua are most often grown in pots or baskets with a very thick, loose and well-drained substrate. There should be plenty of space in the pots to allow the roots to dry quickly after watering. It is recommended to use smaller pots sufficient for only one or two years of growth, because the substrate in larger pots remains wet after watering for too long. Roots that do not dry out quickly enough after watering rot. Most growers recommend medium grain bark, though others prefer medium cork pieces mixed with large lumps of charcoal.
The plants also grow well mounted on tree-fern or cork rootstocks, provided that high humidity is ensured. Fixed plants require high humidity and at least daily watering in summer, and in the case of dry and hot weather, it may be necessary to water several times a day.
Transplanting or splitting is best done when new roots begin to emerge, or immediately after blooming. This allows the plants to acclimate in a relatively short time and provides them with the least stress.
Watering:
The plants should be watered abundantly during active growth, but their roots must dry out quickly after watering. At the end of autumn, the amount of water should be gradually reduced.
Fertilizer:
Ambiguous Encyclia should be fertilized every week 1/4-1/2 of the recommended dose of fertilizer for orchids. A fertilizer with a high nitrogen content is beneficial from spring to mid-summer, and a phosphorus-rich fertilizer can be used in late summer and autumn. Higher phosphorus content stimulates better flowering in the next season and promotes hardening of new growth before winter.
To avoid the accumulation of mineral deposits during periods of strong fertilization, it is recommended to rinse the containers approximately every month.
Rest period:
Encyclia ambigua needs a dry rest period in winter. Allow the plants to dry a bit before the next watering, but do not let the remaining ones dry for long periods of time. In most cases, light watering every 2-3 weeks and occasional morning misting between waterings are sufficient. Fertilization should be limited or should be abandoned altogether until spring, when stronger watering resumes.
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