Read more of cultivation of Aerangis brachycarpa (A.Rich.) Durand & Schinz
Culture:
Light:
1000-1800 fc. Light should be very shaded and filtered or diffused. Plants should never be exposed to direct midday sun. Strong air movement should be provided at all times.
Temperatures:
Summer days average 71-76F (22-24C), and nights average 51-52F (11C), with a diurnal range of 19-24F (11-13C). These plants should thrive if grown in the cool, moist air from an evaporative cooler.
Humidity:
55-65% for about 2 months in late winter and early spring and again for 2-3 months in summer. Averages increase to 70-75% for the remainder of the year. Averages in the habitat may be somewhat greater than indicated in the preceding climate table, however.
Water:
There are two wet/dry cycles during the year, with a dry season in winter and early spring followed by a fairly short, 2- to 3-month wet season in late spring and early summer. This is followed by a rather short somewhat drier season in summer and then by a 3-month wet season in autumn. Cultivated plant should be watered heavily while actively growing, but they must be able to dry rather quickly after watering.
Fertilizer:
1/4-1/2 recommended strength, applied weekly when plants are actively growing. Many growers prefer to use a balanced fertilizer throughout the year; but others use a high-nitrogen fertilizer from spring to midsummer, then switch to one high in phosphates in late summer and autumn.
Rest period:
Winter days average 66-67F (19C), and nights average 48-50F (9-10C), with a diurnal range of 17-18F (9-10C). Water should be reduced for cultivated plants during the winter dry season, but plants should not be allowed to remain completely without water for long periods. Occasional early morning mistings between infrequent light waterings should provide sufficient moisture in most growing areas. Water should be reduced for plants during the secondary dry season in summer, but plants should not be allowed to become as dry as during the more severe winter dry period. Fertilizer should be reduced or eliminated when water is reduced.
Growing media:
As with most Aerangis species, these plants usually grow better and the arching to pendent flower spikes are more easily displayed when plants are mounted on slabs of rough bark. Mounted plants need high humidity and must be watered or misted at least once a day, however, and during hot, dry weather they may require several waterings a day. For those growers that find it difficult to keep mounted plants moist enough, they may also be grown in small hanging pots or baskets using a very coarse, open, fast-draining medium to anchor the plant but allowing the roots to wander outside the container. Plants should be repotted if the medium starts to break down. Repotting done just as new roots start to grow enables the plant to become reestablished in the shortest possible time. Hillerman and Holst (1986) reported that some Aerangis species seem to slowly dehydrate under normal misting or watering practices when grown on slabs. They indicated that if the leaves start to shrivel or wrinkle or show other signs of stress, the plant usually will recover and grow well if soaked in water for about 20 minutes at least 3 times a week.
References:
This information is quoted from a Charles and Margaret Baker culture sheet, with permission from Troy Meyers
