Angraecum sesquipedale
The Latin interpretation of Angcm. sesquipedale is "measuring a foot and a half" (referring to the length of the flower from the tip of the dorsal sepal to the bottom of the nectary or spur as it is often referred to). It is also referred to as the King of Angraecums.
It is from the east coast of Madagascar and grows on the trunk of trees (epiphyte) in slight shade or diffused light. The plant can exceed 4 - 5 feet in the wild and will often grow in clumps. Very seldom though will it grow that high in culture.
One VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: this angraecum, along with so many others in the genera do not take kindly to having their roots messed with. It is not uncommon for the plant NOT TO BLOOM for several years if the roots are disturbed (especially during re potting). I highly recommend that when potting or placing in a basket that you use something at least 8 - 10 inches wide to start (even a seedling that may be only 4 - 6 inches high). The sesquipedale has no dormant time, it grows year round. The plant will eventually grow into whatever you may have place it in. The media that I use is a combination of coconut husk, perlite or alifore, charcoal and pieces of tree fir. Bark breaks down to rapidly here in So. Fla. and can cause problems within a year or two. I also put some weight in the bottom of the container to try and prevent the wind from blowing the plant over and possibly snapping the stem.
From mid May until mid November, I water the plants that are in pots or baskets at least twice a week. Three times when the temps start hovering and exceeding the 90s. In cooler months, I water no less than once a week. I fertilize every 7 - 10 days and keep about a tablespoon of dynamite in the pots and baskets so that the plant is fed a minimal amount through each watering. About once every 4 -6 weeks I will spray the plants with a systemic fungicide (particularly the bottom of the leaves). I do keep a topical fungicide on hand always.
The sesquipedale will bloom at any time from late November into early February.
Thanks for the great article on growing the Chistmas Orchid. If I buy a 4 leaved seedling, how long would I need to wait before it reached flowering size?
ReplyDeleteMine had 10 when it started blooming. Just one flower and I think it qas its first.
ReplyDeleteI think repotting it like a Cattleya is the key to repotting this species- and not letting it become root bound. I got a blooming Lemforde White Beauty last fall (2015). It was potted in pinus radiata, charcoal and perlite. In the spring, the roots had begun to deform the pot and water drained really slowly, so I waited until new root growth was JUST beginning to repot. I cut the pot off and carefully dug pieces of mix out, but I could not remove all of it without doing serious damage, so I left the tightly clinging bits. I repotted into a slightly larger pot with coir, perlite, and charcoal and styrofoam peanuts at the very bottom and in the center. Coconut coir breaks down fairly rapidly, but because it is so fibrous, it easily pulls away from roots without doing any damage, so even if I repot once a year, I think it will be fine. The roots are big, but grow pretty slowly, and not year-round which is why, I believe, it sulks and so many people have problems with it. It bloomed two months after repotting, a few months earlier than it did the first time, and is now again in bud (January 2017) with 2 buds which are just a week or two from opening. I also have a var. bosseri that I repotted (again, when root growth began), but into growstones and chunky perlite since that was the original media and it's less of a shock to the root system if potting in a similar medium and it too has bloomed without any setback. Also- this may be very important but I believe that keeping the surface of the mix at the same level may be very important. Often there are just a few roots that grow down from the air into the mix and burying the aerial portions may rot them, thus destroying the majority or entire root system.
ReplyDeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteI have an angraecum which is in a clay pot now. I'd like to repot it. Any advice on how to repot it from its old clay pot?
Thanks!
I need to repot mine and was thinking of going LECA, any ideas on that? Thanks
ReplyDelete