A botanical species of Philippine origin, described by Oakes Ames in 1915, Renanthera derives its genus name from the Latin word renis, which means kidney, and from the Greek word Anthos, which means flower, from which we deduce that the shape of the petals is reniform.

In its natural range, in the Philippines, the species inhabits the provinces of Quezon, Rizal and Zambales on the island of Luzon, and the province of Surigao on the island of Mindanao. It generally grows in epiphytic stands, on trees in open, grassy areas, from altitudes of over 500 m above sea level. It has a medium waist, 30-60 cm high, and leathery leaves are inserted on the stem, 15-19 cm long and 1-2 cm wide, distichous, ligulate, unequal and obtusely bilobed apically, a typical aspect of the Vanda genus and related genera.

Sometimes called the Spanish dancer, due to the appearance of the flowers, the Renanthera monachica orchid stands out for its spectacular blooms, on axillary, suberect, simple, loosely racemose stems, provided with tubular bracts, which occur from late winter to spring, bearing 6-30 flowers of approx. . 4 cm in diameter, devoid of fragrance, which, however, persists for a long time. Their color is orange - pale, covered with abundant blood spots, with an irregular arrangement.

The Renanthera monachica orchid requires abundant lighting , the light radiation values ​​being in the range of 40,000 - 50,000 lux, preferring exposure to intense light, but filtered at least during the afternoon. Ensuring effective ventilation is absolutely necessary.

Renanthera monachica is a thermophilic species, preferring an average daytime temperature of 29-31°C in summer and a minimum of 22°C at night, with a difference of 7-9°C from day to night. In spring, the average daytime temperature will be 31-32°C and 20-22°C at night, with an amplitude of 10-11°C, so that in winter the thermal values ​​will be in the range of 28-29°C during the day and minimum 19 °C at night, with a difference of 9 - 11 °C.

The species is not as demanding as the representatives of the Vanda genus and their hybrids regarding the relative humidity of the environment, preferring values ​​of 80-85% during summer and autumn, which will be reduced to 70% during winter, until the beginning of spring .

Renanthera monachica prefers growing in suspended pots or wooden boxes provided with an aerated substrate, with strong drainage, with large pieces of coal, bark, cork and coconut fiber. Some of the plants are only given as much substrate as they need for rooting, allowing the roots developed later to grow outside the containers. It is not recommended to cut the roots, as this type of intervention induces the slowing down of plant growth by several years.

Watering will be abundant during summer and autumn, but in winter, for a period of 3-4 months, it will be reduced. The culture substrate will be permanently moist during the period of active growth.

Fertilization is recommended weekly, at 25-50% dilution compared to the concentration indicated by the manufacturer. One will opt for fertilizers with a higher nitrogen content during spring and summer, and for a fertilizer rich in phosphorus from the end of summer until autumn.

This species requires a period of rest, consisting in the cessation of fertilization and the reduction of irrigation, but it is not necessarily necessary, since a dry season cannot be discerned with certainty in the natural environment. Ideally, for those who prefer offering a period of rest, this will take place in the winter months.

Renanthera monachica can be purchased here (link).

Do you want to see more articles and accumulate more knowledge? This article is offered for free, but you can support secretgarden.ro with a review here:

Google: Review on Google

Facebook: Facebook review