Cyrtopodium paniculatum

Also known as: The Paniculate Cyrtopodium or Cyrtopodium punctatum var. bracteatum Dendrobium plicatum Maxillaria paniculata Cyrtopodium bracteatum Cyrtopodium engelii in the subfamily: Epidendroideae

Native to: Amazonas - Colombia Departamento del Huila - Colombia Ecuador

General Information

The Paniculate Cyrtopodium is a large sympodial warm to hot growing epiphytic or terrestrial orchid belonging to the sub family Epidendroideae native to Colombia and Ecuador.

Plant Description

Sympodial. Grows to 85-125cm. Each new growth has numerous erect leaves that grow to 1.5-65cm long. Pseudobulbs grow to 60cm

Substrate(s)

• Medium
• Small
• Fine
• Bark
• Charcoal
• Treefern
• Spaghnum Moss
• Perlite
• Sand

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.

 

Climate

Grows at low to high elevations. Rainfall ranges from 21mm to 189mm per day, heaviest in May and lightest in March. Humidity ranges from 77% to 84%, highest in November and lowest in August. Temperature ranges from 13C to 26C, highest in August (15C to 26C) and lowest in January (13C to 23C).

Watering

These orchids prefer a wet-dry cycle between waterings, they should be watered frequently but only when the moisture is approaching dryness, where the pot feels light and/or the media looks dry. Keep an eye on mounted orchids in warm weather as they may dehydrate quickly.

Fertiliser

dormant-medium-demand-orchid Use balanced fertiliser during Spring and Summer. Fertiliser can be applied heavily 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.

Potting

This orchid prefers a fine, well draining media. Avoid commercial potting mixes as they may have 'wetting agents' that retain water for too long. A simple mix made up of 20% sand, 50% peat or moss, with the remaining 30% made up of decomposed bark and leaf litter would be adequate. Adding some charcoal to the mix will also help it last longer.

Repotting depends on how wet the media is usually. Every 2-3 years would suffice, or whenever the media shows signs of clumping, staying wet for too long, or smells foul.  

Repotting is best done annually.