Laelia tenebrosa

Also known as: Dark Laelia in the subfamily: Epidendroideae

Native to: Mato Grosso do Sul - Brazil

General Information

Dark Laelia is a sympodial cool to warm growing epiphytic orchid belonging to the sub family Epidendroideae native to Brazil.

Plant Description

Sympodial. Grows to 46cm. Each new growth has a single leathery erect leaf that grows to 6-38cm long. Pseudobulbs grow to 3-18cm

Flowers

Numerous fragrant blossoms appear during Summer

Fragrance

The orchid is fragrant.

Blooming Season

• Summer

Substrate(s)

• Coarse
• Bark

Care Notes

These orchids like to be watered regulary, especially during warm weather, and prefer a well draining mix or also do well mounted, provided they can be watered daily or even many times a day.

These are quite a forgiving orchid, there are no special requirements to get this orchid to flower, just good care and consistent conditions. Larger plants may be more fussy and can react poorly to change; a poorly timed repotting, a pest infection or an unusually hot day can set them back for a couple of years. However, even plants that have been treated poorly can thrive, and if they are set back they often recover much stronger then they would otherwise be.

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 53mm to 160mm per day, heaviest in June and lightest in February. Humidity ranges from 82% to 86%, highest in March and lowest in July. Temperature ranges from 16C to 28C, highest in August (20C to 28C) and lowest in January (16C to 22C).

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

These orchids do not need to be regularly fertilised and roots may be sensitive to salt build-up, dying back and therefore impairing the plants growth or even killing it.

If fertilising, use half to quarter of the recommended amount of fertiliser. If they receive fertiliser as part of a collection, be sure to flush out the pots regularly with fresh water and monitor the roots by checking how much resistance is given by the plant when nudged in its pot or mount. If the plant becomes wobbly or loose, repot in fresh mix or rinse the media/mount thoroughly and do not fertilise for at least 3 months.

Apply fertiliser regularly at half strength year round. This plant is sensitive so apply fertiliser sparingly at one quarter recommended strength or less. 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 well mounted to Cork slabs.