Encyclia cochleata

Base Price: $25.00

Intro:
This delightful Florida - Mexican species often called the cockleshell orchid grows and blooms easily in low to medium light in intermediate to warm temperatures. The flowers are sometimes fragrant usually in the morning. There is also an albino form that is colored in white and yellow. The flower spikes can bloom for several months especially on mature plants. This species has now been renamed Anacheilium cochleatum.

Light:
This plant prefers low to medium light from 1000 to 2000 foot candles. East windows are also ideal. Under artificial light culture grow at 12 o 16 inches from fluorescent tubes. Under HPS fixtures grow at 4 to 6 feet from the bulbs.

Temperature:
This plant prefers intermediate to warm temperatures with winter nighttime lows of 58 degrees Fahrenheit. Winter daytime highs can be from 70 to 80 degrees. Summer temps can be a few degrees warmer.

Humidity:
50% or higher is ideal. The use of humidity trays or room humidifiers is will aid greatly to the cause

Water:
This plant prefers rainwater or municipal or well water with a ph of 7.5 or lower. This encyclia is different from many of the others in that it prefers more constant moisture at the roots. Water as the mix approaches dryness. When the plant is in flower sheath and is showing signs of blooming keep slightly wetter.

Fertilizer:
We highly recommend using 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 if plants are planted in bark. Be sure to flush the mix with clear water only once per month to prevent fertilizer salt build up. For plants in moss or mounted on slabs feed every third or 4th watering as the moss holds a lot of nutrients.

Or 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.

Another fertilizer offered is: GrowMore 6-30-30 (Cymbidium and bloom boosting formula).

Flowering:
This plant can flower at anytime of year but is heaviest in spring or fall. The flowers are 2 1/2 to 3 inches in size. The flower spikes can bloom for 3 to 6 months or longer. The colors are light green with chocolate markings in the upside down lip. They are often fragrant in the morning hours.

Repotting:
Repot in the spring months with either a bark mix or sphagnum, tree fern mix.