Intro:
Aerides houlletiana is a species native to Southeast Asia. It is vandaceous in plant habit with short thick leaves that are 2 inches wide and 6 to 8 inches in length. The arching racemes are densely covered in flowers that are colored in white, yellow and magenta. The flowers are very fragrant and have a spicy-sweet citrus odor. The blooms are long lasting.
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Light:
Medium to high with South windows being ideal in winter months (Northern hemisphere) and East windows during summer months. 2,500 to 3,500 foot candles.This plant will also do well out of doors given diffused sunlight as through a birch or pine tree. This plant will also do well under high pressure sodium fixtures.
P.L. Lights systems are a great way to provide artificial light to your orchids. See our P.L. Lights page for more information on this great product we offer.
Temperature:
Intermediate to warm with winter night time lows in the low to mid 60’s and daytime highs in the low 70’s or higher summer temps can be several degrees warmer.
Humidity:
50% or higher is ideal. The use of humidity trays or room humidifiers is beneficial.
We offer two products that can help increase humidity levels. The humidity tray offered in black or white, and the Mist Maker. Please click on the underlined text for more information on these products.
Water:
It is best to use rainwater, distilled or reverse osmosis water. Municipal water with a pH of 7.5 or lower can also be used. Water as the mix just dries out. When in spike or bloom water as the mix approaches dryness but do not allow the mix to become completely dry between watering.
Overwatering can cause several problems such as root rot and infectious bacteria/fungus in the potting medium. One product we offer that can help these problems if caught at an early stage is Phyton 27 bactericide and fungicide.
Fertilizer:
Use
GrowMore 20-10-20 Ureafree for municipal or well water. Use at the rate of ½ teaspoon per gallon. If using GrowMore with rain, distilled, or reverse osmosis water, add back in 5 - 10% municipal or well water to supply the necessary calcium and magnesium. Fertilize every other watering in the summer and every third watering in the winter.
We highly recommend
Green Jungle Orchid Food, especially formulated to work with rain, distilled, reverse osmosis water or water low in alkalinity. Fertilize with Green Jungle every time you water.
Other fertilizers offered are as follows: GrowMore 6-30-30 (Cymbidium and bloom boosting formula) and GrowMore 20-6-16 (Tropical plant food with calcium and magnesium
Flowering:
This plant typically blooms in the May to June months with inch and a half to two inch flowers that are thick and waxy in substance. The flowers are borne on dense many-flowered racemes and colored in creamy white, yellow and magenta. There is a wonderful fragrance of Citrus and spice. The flowers last one and a half to two months.
Repotting:
We recommend repotting every year to two years in a clay pot with a medium grade bark mix just after flowering. Keep dry for the first week or so after repotting to allow any damaged roots to heal.
We offer several different types of potting medium. Here are direct links to what we believe to be some of the best potting mediums available for orchids: Orchids Limited bark mix, New Zealand sphagnum moss, coco husk, coco peat, sponge rock,charcoal, tree fern fiber, osmunda fiber and cork slabs for epiphytic plants.
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