Read more of cultivation of Aerangis somalensis (Schltr.) Schltr.
Culture:
Light:
2000-3500 fc. Light should be filtered or diffused, and plants should not be exposed to direct midday sun. Strong air movement should be provided at all times. Growers report that good light is important in the cultivation of these plants, so strong light may be necessary for blooming.
Temperatures:
Summer days average 77F (25C), and nights average 60-61F (16C), with a diurnal range of 16-17F (9C). Growers report that plants grow well with intermediate to warm temperatures.
Humidity:
80-85% in summer, dropping to 60-65% most of the remainder of the year, with only about a one-month transition period between the wet and dry seasons.
Water:
Rainfall in the region is heavy from late spring into early autumn. Averages then drop rather quickly into a dry season that lasts from midautumn to late spring. Some portions of the habitat experience a double wet/dry climate, with heavy rainfall in spring and autumn and a dry period in winter, with a somewhat drier period in summer. This double season probably is not important in the cultivation of these plants, but it may explain the double bloom season reported. Growers report that plants may be reluctant to flower and that a prolonged dry rest in winter is important.
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, and then switch to one high in phosphates in late summer and autumn.
Rest period:
Winter days average 67-70F (20-21C), and nights average 48-50F (9-10C), with a diurnal range of 18-20F (10-11C). Rainfall in the habitat is low in winter, but some additional moisture is available from dew. Water for cultivated plants should be reduced in winter. In most growing areas, occasional early-morning mistings between infrequent light waterings should provide the necessary dry rest while preventing the plants from becoming too dry. Fertilizer should be eliminated until new growth starts and heavier watering is resumed in spring.
Growing media:
Growers report that these plants grow better when mounted, as the thick roots tend to rot if grown in a pot. Mounted plants need high humidity, however, and during hot, dry weather they may need several waterings a day. If it is difficult to keep mounted plants moist enough, they may be grown in a shallow basket filled with a very open, fast-draining medium that has excellent drainage, is well aerated, and allows the medium to dry fairly rapidly after watering. Growers generally use coarse fir bark or shredded tree-fern fiber and add varying amounts of chunky perlite and/or chopped sphagnum moss to keep the medium open and retain some moisture in exceptionally dry areas. Including charcoal in the mix also holds the medium open and prevents souring in the pot. Plants should be repotted immediately if the medium starts to break down or whenever the plant outgrows its container. Repotting should be done just as new roots start to grow. This enables the plant to become reestablished in the shortest possible time.
Miscellaneous notes:
Long blooming and frequent blooming orchid species.
References:
This information is quoted from a Charles and Margaret Baker culture sheet, with permission from Troy Meyers
