Secondary hybrid, obtained by R.H. Palmer and registered with the Royal Horticultural Society in 2009, by crossing two primary hybrids, namely Trichocentrum Maureen and Trichocentrum x haematochilum, both including the botanical species Trichocentrum lanceanum, along with Trichocentrum carthaginense and Trichocentrum luridum. The parental formula is as follows: Trichocentrum lanceanum 50%, Trichocentrum carthaginense 25%, and Trichocentrum luridum 25%.
Trichocentrum Ollie Palmer is a medium-sized plant, heat-loving but tolerant of low temperatures, which can reach up to 50 cm, lacking pseudobulbs or having extremely small pseudobulbs, bearing single, leathery, oblong-lanceolate green leaves, up to 50 cm long and up to 12.5 cm wide, inserted apically.
It can bloom several times a year, with 10 – 12 fragrant, waxy, very durable flowers, with complex coloration, emerging on flower stalks covered by grayish-brown basal sheaths, up to 45 cm long. The large flowers (5 – 6 cm) feature a marbled violet coloration on all petals and sepals, on a white background, with an irregular border in the marginal area; the labellum is uniformly violet, and its white marginal band is much wider than that of the petals and sepals. The column is colored white.
The light preferences for this hybrid are of intensity from medium to high brightness, 20000 – 35000 lux, under good ventilation and high humidity conditions. Reducing exposure to intense light will be chosen in cases where reddish coloration of the leaves is noticed.
Being a thermophilic plant, Trichocentrum Ollie Palmer prefers daytime temperatures of 29 – 33 ℃ and nighttime temperatures of 20 – 22 ℃ throughout the year.
Relative humidity will also remain constant throughout the year, around 65 – 85%.
Trichocentrum Ollie Palmer can be fixed on bark plaques, but this type of culture requires maintaining high humidity, up to daily irrigations during summer days.
Another option for cultivating this orchid is placing the plants in large pots with a very coarse substrate that can still retain moisture. Most often, for this purpose, large-caliber pine bark is used, also adding compact pieces of sphagnum moss. Because the roots do not tolerate decomposing substrates, frequent substrate changes are recommended.
Irrigations will be abundant during the intensive growth period, while ensuring very good drainage.
During the active growth period, plants will be fertilized weekly with concentrations of 25 – 50% of the manufacturer’s recommended dosage. A fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 10 – 10 – 10 will be preferred throughout the year.
During winter, irrigation and fertilization can be reduced, especially under insufficient light conditions. Do you want to see more articles and gain more knowledge? This article is offered for free, but you can support secretgarden.ro with a review here:
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