A 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 12.5 cm wide, inserted apically.
It can bloom multiple times a year, with 10 – 12 fragrant, waxy, very durable flowers, with complex coloration, emerging on flower spikes covered with gray-brown basal sheaths – up to 45 cm long. The large flowers (5 – 6 cm) have a marbled violet coloration on all petals and sepals, on a white background, with an irregular border on the margin; the labellum is uniformly violet, and its white marginal band is much wider than that of the petals and sepals. The column is white.
The light preferences for this hybrid are of medium to high light intensity, 20000 – 35000 lux, under good ventilation and high humidity conditions. Exposure to intense light should be reduced if reddish coloration appears on the leaves.
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 mounted on bark plaques, but this type of cultivation requires maintaining high humidity, with daily irrigation during summer days.
Another option for cultivating this orchid is placing the plants in large pots with a very coarse substrate that can retain moisture. Most often, large-caliber pine bark is used for this purpose, adding compact pieces of sphagnum moss. Since the roots do not tolerate decomposing substrates, frequent substrate changes are recommended.
Irrigation will be abundant during intensive growth, ensuring very good drainage.
During the active growth period, plants should be fertilized weekly with concentrations of 25 – 50% of the manufacturer's recommended dosage. A fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 10 – 10 – 10 is preferred throughout the year.
During winter, irrigation and fertilization can be reduced, especially in low light conditions. 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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