Read more of cultivation of Aerangis distincta J.Stewart & la Croix,
Culture:
Light:
1000-3000 fc. Plants may grow better at 1500-2300 fc, but light should be increased slowly. Direct light should be avoided, and plants should never be exposed to direct midday sun. Brisk air movement should be provided at all times.
Temperatures:
Summer days average 77-79F (25-26C), and nights average 60-61F (16C), with a diurnal range of 17-18F (9-10C). The warmest temperatures occur in spring at the end of the long winter dry season. Spring days average 79-83F (26-28C), nights warm from 49F (9C) to 59F (15C), and the diurnal range falls from 30F (17) to 24F (13C) during the season.
Humidity:
75-85% in summer and early autumn, dropping gradually to near 50% in early spring at the end of the dry season.
Water:
Rainfall in the habitat is heavy in summer and early autumn. Averages then drop rather rapidly into a dry season that extends from midautumn to early spring. Cultivated plants should be watered heavily while actively growing, but drainage must be excellent and aeration around the roots should be excellent. Conditions around the roots should never become stale or soggy. Water should be gradually reduced in autumn after new growths have matured.
Fertilizer:
1/4–1/2 recommended strength, applied weekly when plants are actively growing. Many growers use a high-nitrogen fertilizer from spring to midsummer, then switch to one with higher phosphates in late summer and autumn.
Rest period:
Winter days average 72-75F (22-24C), and nights average 40-43F (5-6C), with a diurnal range of 30-32F (17-18C). Plants in the wild evidently survive brief exposures to temperatures below freezing, cultivated plants are probably healthier if not exposed to such extreme conditions. If plants are subjected to cold conditions, they will survive with less damage if they are dry at the time. Rainfall is low for about 6 months, but for approximately 3 of these months, moisture is available from heavy dew. For about 3 months in late winter and early spring, however, conditions are so dry that moisture from dew may be uncommon. Cultivated plants need less water in winter, and fairly regular early morning mistings between rather infrequent light waterings should be adequate in autumn and early winter. In late winter, however, water should be reduced further with only occasional mistings between infrequent waterings. Water may be increased slightly if leaves shrivel or plants show other signs of stress. Fertilizer should be eliminated until new growth starts and heavier watering is gradually resumed in spring.
Growing media:
As with most Aerangis species, Aerangis distincta usually grows better and its pendent flower spikes and blossoms with extremely long spurs are more easily displayed if it is mounted on a slab 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. In areas with low humidity or if growers find it difficult to keep mounted plants moist enough, plants may be grown in small 3–5 in. (8–13 cm) hanging pots or baskets filled with a very coarse, open, fast-draining medium to anchor the plant but still allow 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 and tend to 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.
Miscellaneous notes:
La Croix (1997) reports that plants from the northern part of Malawi flower in autumn, while those from the central and southern regions flower in spring and early summer. The differing flowering times persist even when the plants are cultivated.
References:
This information is quoted from a Charles and Margaret Baker culture sheet, with permission from Troy Meyers
