Warrea warreana

Also known as: Warre's Warrea or Warrea unijugata Warrea lindeniana Warrea speciosa Warrea tricolor var. unijugata Warrea bidentata Warrea tricolor in the subfamily: Epidendroideae

Native to: Departamento del Huila - Colombia Entre Rios - Argentina Loreto - Peru Region de San Martin - Peru Sao Paulo - Brazil

General Information

Warre's Warrea is a large cool to warm growing epiphytic or terrestrial orchid belonging to the sub family Epidendroideae native to Colombia, Argentina, Peru, and Brazil. It is named after the English Orchid Collector in the 19th century.

Plant Description

Grows to 50cm. Each new growth has numerous elliptic lance shaped leaves that grow to 10-60cm long. Pseudobulbs grow to 4-12cm

Substrate(s)

• Coarse
• Fine
• Bark
• Spaghnum Moss
• Perlite
• Sand

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 low to high elevations. Rainfall ranges from 33mm to 109mm per day, heaviest in September and lightest in November. Temperature ranges from 17C to 29C, highest in March (19C to 29C) and lowest in January (17C to 27C).

Watering

These orchids prefer a constant supply of moisture, with a slight drying out between waterings. Saucers can be placed under pots to retain moisture during hot weather, however the saucers should be removed or let to dry every 1-2 weeks to prevent rot. Keep an eye on the plant especially in hot weather and look for cues of under/overwatering and adjust accordingly.

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. 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.