Darwinara Charm 'Blue Star' x Neofinetia falcata 'Tamakongo'

Base Price: $35.00

Intro:
A neofinetia back cross making this plant 75% neofinetia falcata and 25% miscellanious vanda. These are easy to grow and can flower two to three times per year. The flowers are slightly fragrant, but not as strong as a neofinetia species.

Light:
This plant prefers medium/high light conditions. When growing on a windowsill, a bright east or south exposure is necessary. Grow at 4 feet under bulbs when growing under High Pressure sodium lights. When growing under fluorescent bulbs, this plant can be placed about a foot or two below the bulbs. Fuuran love to be grown outside, and can take fairly strong light as long as it is not direct for long periods of time. Filtered sunlight is always best.

Temperature:
This plant prefers intermediate temperatures. A daytime temp of 68 to 80 is ideal while night temperatures can be down to the mid 50's. Neofinetia falcata in Japan take conditions from the low 30's and upper 20's in the winter (as long as they are kept dry) to hot and sticky 100 degree days in the summer! Such versatility makes this plant a very strong grower which can tolerate cool, intermediate and warm conditions. As a general rule, these plants prefer to be warm and wet in the summer, and cool and dry in the winter.

Humidity:
50% or higher is ideal. As long as the plant is properly watered, humidity is not a large factor.

Water:
Like all orchids, use rain, distilled or reverse osmosis water for best results. Municipal water with a pH of 7.5 or lower can also be used. If you are growing using the traditional Japanese sphagnum moss mound, let the moss dry out completley between watering in the winter months when new growth and roots have stopped emerging. From spring through fall keep the plants on the moist side for good root, leaf and flower production.

Fertilizer:
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 in the summer (make sure to flush once a month with plain water), and every other in the winter. GrowMore 20-10-20 Urea free can also be used. Use at the rate of ½ teaspoon per gallon. If using 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.

Flowering:
This plant will generally bloom between April and August with June being the most common month. Each spike can produce an average of 4 to 10 flowers. Because of the hybrid mix, this plant can flower anytime of the year.

Repotting:
Repot once a year in a well drained mix such as orchid bark mix. The traditional Japanese mound method utilizing long fiber New Zealand sphagnum moss works well too. This plant will require more water during the growing season which is late spring through early fall.