Cochleantes

Cochleantes: description and characteristics

Orchid Kohleantes: photo

Cochleanthes is a representative of the Orchid family, which grows in the wild in Central America. As a rule, these are compact flowers that grow to a maximum of 30 cm in height.

The Cochleantes orchid is characterized by the absence of pseudobulbs. Not only the flowers of the cochleantes have decorative qualities, but also its foliage. Long narrow leaves can be up to 25 cm long and form picturesque fans of green color. Against their background, delicate flowers of white, pink and lilac shades look spectacular, located on the tops of the peduncles one by one. The average diameter of the flower calyx is 7-8 cm. Often the petals are covered with stripes of a contrasting color; also, many varieties of cochleantes are characterized by a pleasant aroma with spicy notes. During the flowering period, the flowers open in turn: each retains its spectacular shape for 10 days, then a new flower replaces it. Cochleantes usually bloom in spring, but some species can bloom at any time of the year. Compliance with the rules for caring for a cochleantes will allow the orchid to bloom again.

Cochleantes: home care

Proper care of the Cochleantes orchid will allow it to fully manifest its decorative qualities.

Air temperature

During the spring-summer period, cochleantes will feel best at an air temperature of 22 degrees. During the cold half of the year, it will be optimal to lower the temperature while the plant is dormant. In this case, the column of the room thermometer should not fall below 12 degrees.

Cochleantis Orchid Lighting Mode

Since the Cochleantes Orchid grows in the wild in shaded rainforests, exposure to direct sunlight during the daytime during the spring and summer should be avoided. Kohleantes feels good in partial shade. The main indicator of whether a plant has enough sunlight is the color of its foliage. Healthy orchids that receive the optimal amount of light have bright green leaves. With the constant stay of the cochleantes in partial shade, its leaves become darker, with too bright light they brighten.

Requirements for the composition of the soil

You can prepare the substrate for growing Cochleantes orchids yourself. An equal amount of sphagnum moss, fern fibers and pine bark must be added to its composition. You should also add charcoal, as well as perlite, vermiculite or coarse river sand for soil drainage.

Fertilizers for cochleantes

During the growing season, cochleantes needs additional fertilizing to fertilize orchids. The interval between treatments should be about 14 days. Fertilizers must be highly diluted: their concentration should be no more than half of the recommended dose in the instructions. Concentrated feeding can burn the root system of the orchid.

Air humidification

Since tropical forests, where cochleantes originally grew, are characterized by high air humidity, in indoor growing conditions, additional humidification of the environment is indispensable. For this purpose, you can use a room humidifier, or place the orchid pot on a pallet with wet pebbles. In this case, it is important that water does not accumulate in the pan and does not come into contact with the bottom of the pot.Otherwise, the root system of the plant will start to rot. If the air in the room remains dry, you can spray the Cochleantes daily with well-settled warm water. During spraying, it is important to avoid getting moisture on flower petals and buds. To avoid stagnant moisture, the room in which the cochleantes is located must be regularly ventilated. However, it is worth remembering about drafts, which are detrimental to the southern plant.

How to water a cochleantes

For watering the Cochleantes orchid, stand water at room temperature, as well as distilled water and bottled water purchased from the store, are suitable. In the spring and summer period, orchids need to be watered quite often and abundantly, but in the intervals between waterings, the top layers of the soil in the pot should have time to dry. With the arrival of autumn, the frequency of watering decreases, however, the drying out of the earthen coma is not permissible.

Cochleantes transplant recommendations

Tropical orchids do not like transplanting, so you should resort to it only in cases where there is no other way out. So, if the pot becomes cramped for the cochleantes, it will have to be transplanted into a new, more spacious container. You cannot do without a transplant even in cases when it is necessary to replace the old soil with a new one. The best time to transplant is spring. Transplanting during the flowering period of the cochleantes is categorically undesirable. On average, adult bushes have to be transplanted once every 2-3 years.

Cochleantes orchid: reproduction

Orchid Kohleantes: photo

A painless reproduction procedure for cochleantes is possible at the time of transplanting a bush - by dividing it into new bushes.

Common diseases

Cochleantes orchids: photos

The main danger to the health of the Cochleantes orchid is non-compliance with the rules for care, especially the ventilation regime. Good air circulation in the room where the orchid is located allows moisture to not stagnate in the soil. It is especially important to ventilate the room after spraying if water gets on flower petals and buds. Otherwise, the leaves of the cochleantes orchid are affected by spotting, and the root system begins to rot.