Coelogyne flaccida

Also known as: The Loose Coelogyne or Coelogyne huettneriana var. lactea Pleione lactea Coelogyne flaccida var. longiracemosa Coelogyne esquirolii Coelogyne lactea in the subfamily: Epidendroideae

Native to: Bhutan China Nepal West Bengal - India

General Information

The Loose Coelogyne is a medium sized cool to warm growing epiphytic orchid belonging to the sub family Epidendroideae native to Bhutan, China, Nepal, and India.

Plant Description

Grows to 42cm. Each new growth has numerous leathery lance shaped leaves that grow to 2-30cm long. Pseudobulbs grow to 2.5-12cm

Flowers

Numerous long lasting, fragrant blossoms appear during Summer, Autumn and Spring

Fragrance

The orchid is fragrant. The fragrance can be described as strong

Blooming Season

• Autumn
• Spring
• Summer

Substrate(s)

• Coarse
• Bark
• Charcoal
• Spaghnum Moss
• 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

These orchids thrive in humid, cool, shady conditions with good airflow, they will be found under dense forest canopies where they will receive moderate sun exposure throughout the year.

When cultivated they will thrive in a cool, sheltered environment such as a shaded greenhouse, or if grown in cooler climates they can be grown in the garden in areas where they are protected from frost and receive shade throughout the year, though they may be able to tolerate some morning sun during winter.

Grows at high elevations. Rainfall ranges from 8mm to 798mm per day, heaviest in July and lightest in December. Humidity ranges from 73% to 95%, highest in July and lowest in March. Temperature ranges from 8C to 25C, highest in July (21C to 25C) and lowest in January (8C to 14C).

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 year round. Be sure to flush out excess fertiliser by running water through the media regularly year round. Apply fertiliser regularly at half strength year round. Use a high Nitrogen fertiliser during Spring and Summer. Use a high Phosphorous fertiliser during Summer. Reduce fertiliser when plant is dormant during Spring.

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 Cork slabs. Repotting is best done annually.