Cycnoches Jean E. Monnier

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Light:
Medium light, from 1500 - 3000 foot candles being ideal. If you are growing in windowsills, remember that morning light works best, so an eastern or southern exposure works well. This plant also does well under artificial light culture.

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 temperatures from 58 degrees to 64 degrees Fahrenheit and winter day temps from 70 to 80 degrees F. Summer temps can be a few 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 approaches dryness but do not allow the mix to become completely dry between watering. In nature, this species goes through a dry season which usually begins in December and lasts through April or May. At the onset of the dry season, after the new growths have matured and flowered, the leaf tips will begin to turn brown and die back. After they have completely fallen off, water less frequently - just enough to keep the pseudobulbs from shriveling. This may be every two or three weeks. Once new growth begins in the spring, resume more frequent 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:
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 flowers in the early fall months (September) when summers new growth has matured. The large flowers can be 3 inches in size or larger colored in a beautiful green with chocolate spots all over the flower. As plants get older and the growths get taller more and more flowers will present themselves on the spikes. It is not unusual to have 2 or three spikes over a period of a couple months. Individual flowers last a month or so. High light can produce female flowers which are not as interesting. When spikes begin to emerge keep shadier to produce male flowers. The flowers have a very pleasing fragrance.

Repotting:
This plant can be grown in a New Zealand sphagnum moss or a orchid bark mixture. Repot every 12 to 18 months. It is best to repot this plant in the spring when new growth is just emerging.

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.