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Dear Jim
Gavin McDonald is indeed the person with the most information
regarding this genus in South Africa and it will be worth your while to get hold
of his article at your local orchid society library.
I must compliment you on your choice of orchid, you have
just acquired one of our most beautiful and horticultural worthy indigenous
orchids. Stenoglottis species usually grow fairly shady
and lithophytically close to streams and waterfalls in South Africa.
The roots spread over and cling to rocks and are always covered by a
layer of moss, which does dry out for short periods during our winter (even dry
summers), but most of the time there is enough humidity in these areas to
temporarily re-hydrate the moss covering, keeping the dormant crown and roots
sufficiently turgid. The habitat during summer is always
cool/intermediate, wet and damp. Winter can be classified as cool to cold
and significantly drier than summer. These areas NEVER experience
stale air and there is always good, cool and humid air movement. I
have always found these plants in nature together with various species of
Streptocarpus (Cape Primrose), so if you can grow Streptocarpus successfully
you should succeed with Stenoglottis. I grow my plants quite damp and
shady during the summer (max 26 degrees Celsius) growing season and water
twice per week. In winter I keep it cool (10 to 20 degrees Celsius
days and night time minimum of 2 -5 degrees) and only water once a week together
with a general fungicide just to make sure it does not rot. The cooler the
plants are kept the less water is needed. Fertiliser is given at half
strength weekly during the growing season. The trick is to plant the crown
just beneath, or at the same level as the medium in a shallow dish or pot in a
very well-drained and aerated medium.
You must really try to get hold of S. longifolia and S.
fimbriata. I find these even easier to grow and they flower over a period
of nearly two to three months. They also make nice specimen plants in
almost no time at all.
Regards
Frikkie Marais
South Africa
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