Aerides falcata

Also known as: The Sickle or Aerides falcatum h.v. expansum Aerides falcata h.f. alba Aerides larpentae Aerides siamensis Aerides falcata var. leoniae Aerides falcata var. maurandii Aerides mendelii Aerides leoniae Aerides expansa var. leoniae Aerides falcatum h.v. houlletianum Aerides falcatum In Thailand - Kulap krapao poet in the subfamily: Epidendroideae

Native to: Cambodia Loei - Thailand

General Information

The Sickle is a medium to large sized monopodial cool to hot growing epiphytic orchid belonging to the sub family Epidendroideae native to Cambodia and Thailand.

Plant Description

Monopodial. Grows to 183cm. Each new growth has numerous arching tongue shaped leaves that grow to 3.8-36cm long

Flowers

Numerous fragrant blossoms appear

Fragrance

The orchid is fragrant.

Substrate(s)

• Coarse
• Medium
• Bark
• Charcoal
• Perlite

Care Notes

This orchid goes into a dormancy phase during winter, during this phase it is best not to provide water unless the plant is starting to look thirsty. The lack of water increases the chance of flowering in spring, and also reduces the likelihood of any rot forming. Do not resume watering until new growth has appeared and is growing strongly.

Often a period of intense growth occurs after dormancy. During this time the amount of light, water and fertiliser the plant receives will directly impact the amount of growth that occurs during this time, and in the case of seedlings, will reduce the time required to reach maturity.

It's recommended to heavily reduce the water amount at the middle to end of autumn to trigger dormancy. Leaves on older bulbs will begin to drop during this time while the newer bulbs continue to mature until terminal leaves appear at the tip of the pseudobulbs.

Repotting can be done any time of the year though it's best to do it in early spring when new growth is appearing as this also means new roots will appear to help the plant anchor into the new media and offset any damage to established roots during the repotting process.

 

Fragrant:

• IsFragrant

Climate

The orchids are well adapted for hot weather, accompanied by sporadic, unpredictable rainfall and a generally dry climate. They can tolerate a lot of neglect as they are quite used to it, however they can be prone to underwatering and may collapse in cold, wet weather.

For this reason it's best to dedicate a sheltered, protected area for them where the watering can be controlled, such as a corner of a greenhouse or in a sheltered balcony. They can also do well hung near the roof of a shadehouse or sheltered greenhouse where they receive the extra heat but not as much water as other plants. 

Grows at low elevations. Rainfall ranges from 3mm to 325mm per day, heaviest in August and lightest in December. Humidity ranges from 67% to 85%, highest in August and lowest in March. Temperature ranges from 14C to 34C, highest in April (24C to 34C) and lowest in January (14C to 28C).

Watering

These orchids are sensitive to excessive watering and should only be watered when they look thirsty. Water infrequently and ensure that the roots are dry before watering. Keep an eye on them especially during hot weather as overwatering can lead to rot, whereas underwatering may result in wilting or shriveling, which while unattractive, will not kill the plant.

Fertiliser

dormant-medium-demand-orchid Use balanced fertiliser during Spring and Summer. Apply fertiliser regularly at half strength year round. Use a high Nitrogen fertiliser during Spring and Summer. Use a high Phosphorous fertiliser during Summer.

Potting

These plants are quite forgiving and will do well repotted ever 2-3 years. The mix should be coarse, well draining, and allow space for air to move and for roots to grow. 

Alternatively, these plants will also do well mounted to tree fern or cork slabs, or mounted to trees.

Best time for repotting or mounting the orchids is the end of winter when new growths start to appear. Avoid repotting during hot weather,

This plant does very well in baskets or suspended pots This plant does well mounted to Tree trunks, Fern slabs or Cork slabs. Repotting is best done annually.