Nageliella angustifolia

Also known as: Narrow in the subfamily: Epidendroideae

Native to: Guatemala

General Information

Narrow is a sympodial cool to warm growing epiphytic or terrestrial orchid belonging to the sub family Epidendroideae native to Guatemala.

Plant Description

Sympodial. Grows to 8-32cm. Each new growth has a single thick erect, rigid, lance shaped, oblong shaped leaf that grows to 0.7-10cm long. Pseudobulbs grow to 1.5-7cm

Substrate(s)

• Coarse
• Medium
• Fine
• Bark
• Charcoal
• Perlite

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.

Climate

Grows at high elevations. Rainfall ranges from 0mm to 279mm per day, heaviest in July and lightest in February. Humidity ranges from 72% to 84%, highest in September and lowest in February. Temperature ranges from 8C to 24C, highest in April (13C to 24C) and lowest in January (8C to 19C).

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. 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.  

This plant does very well in baskets or suspended pots This plant does well mounted. Repotting is best done annually and in a pot the same size or only slightly larger than the previous one.