Read more of Cultivation of Angraecum praestans Schltr.
Culture:
Light:
2000-3000 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.
Temperatures:
Summer days average 87-89F (31-32C), and nights average 75F (24C), with a diurnal range of 12-14F (7-8C). Hillerman & Holst (1986) reported that these plant prospers and flowers under intermediate conditions, but it should be placed in the warmest, brightest spot in the greenhouse. In addition, the state that plants would probably do even better in a warm house.
Humidity:
80-85% in summer and early autumn, dropping fairly rapidly in to the winter dry season when averages are 60-65% in winter and early spring.
Water:
Rainfall is moderate to heavy from late spring into early autumn. Averages then fall quickly into a dry season that extends from late autumn into the following spring. Plants should be watered heavily while actively growing, but drainage must be excellent, and conditions around the roots should never become stale or soggy. Water should be reduced in autumn.
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 86-88F (30-31C), and nights average 68-69F (20-21C), with a diurnal range of 18-20F (10-11C). Rainfall is low in winter, and humidity is low enough so that moisture from dew may not always be available. Water should be reduced for cultivated plants in winter. In most growing areas occasional early-morning mistings between infrequent light waterings should provide the needed dry rest while keeping the plant from becoming too dry. Fertilizer should be reduced or eliminated until heavier watering is resumed in spring.
Growing media:
Because of the dry environment, these plants may be mounted, but because of its size, it is probably more easily managed if grown in a shallow, well-drained container filled with a very coarse, open, fast-draining fir bark mix that is well aerated and allows the medium to dry fairly rapidly after watering. Growers in drier areas may add varying amounts of chunky perlite and/or chopped sphagnum moss to keep the medium open and retain some moisture. 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:
In the southern hemisphere habitat, these plants bloom in October and November (spring).
References:
This information is quoted from a Charles and Margaret Baker culture sheet, with permission from Troy Meyers
