Pleurothallis perijaensis

Also known as: The Sierra de Perija Pleurothallis in the subfamily: Epidendroideae

General Information

The Sierra de Perija Pleurothallis is a small warm to hot growing epiphytic orchid belonging to the sub family Epidendroideae. It is named after the mountain range in Venezuela.

Plant Description

Grows to 25cm. Each new growth has a single oblong shaped leaf that grows to 5-22cm long. Pseudobulbs grow to 25cm. The plant forms pendant or arching growths

Flowers

Numerous blossoms appear during Winter and Spring

Blooming Season

• Spring
• Winter

Substrate(s)

• Coarse
• Medium
• Small
• Bark
• Charcoal
• Spaghnum Moss
• 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 46mm to 274mm per day, heaviest in October and lightest in February. 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.

Keep moisture levels up during hot weather as the plant is prone to dehydration

Fertiliser

Apply liquid based fertiliser per recommended directions. They can benefit from a high phosphate fertiliser leading up to flowering season, followed by a high nitrogen fertiliser when new growth appears, and a balanced fertiliser in other times. These orchids can also tolerate slow release fertiliser applied 1-2 pellets per cup (250ml) of media.

Use balanced fertiliser during Spring and Summer. 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

Due to the growth nature of these plants they are best mounted onto cork, tree fern slabs, or even trees if the climate suits. Water regularly especially in hot weather.

Use water retentive media such as moss to prevent roots from drying out quickly This plant does very well in baskets or suspended pots This plant does well mounted to Tree trunks or Fern slabs. Repotting is best done annually and in a pot the same size or only slightly larger than the previous one.