There are only four species of orchids of this genus and they are native to Mexico, South America, Central America and the West Indies. Cochleanthes orchids grow quite large, with leaves reaching up to 50 cm and flowers up to about 5 cm in diameter.

Even if this genus comes from warm regions, the plants like a temperature between 18 °C and 21 °C during the day. The temperature during the night can drop to 10 °C - 13 °C. In addition, they are able to withstand significant temperature fluctuations, but they do not tolerate temperatures above 29 °C and below 0 °C very well.

The Cochleanthes orchid prefers low light compared to many other species. They can be placed at east-facing windows to be exposed to the morning sun and the shade during the rest of the day.

Cochleanthes loves water and abundant watering is recommended. It is not good for the roots to be allowed to dry out. Watering can be done every 2-3 days or earlier, if drying of the substrate is observed. The optimal level of humidity is between 50% and 70%.

During the summer months, fertilization is done once a week , with showers between fertilizations. During the winter months, it is done once every two weeks with a shower once a month. This fertilization scheme gives the plant the necessary support to grow rapidly during the spring and summer months.

The planting medium must be one that retains water to ensure the plant the moisture it needs between waterings. The substrate must have a good combination of Sphagnum moss, fine bark and coconut shell fibers. Every two years it is replanted to refresh the growth environment and to prevent the accumulation of excess fertilizer. Replanting is done at the beginning of spring when the signs of new growth appear.

Discover the entire range of orchids from Secret Garden 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