When you adore plants and loves to cultivate your garden yourself, it is highly possible that you have your own set of favorite flowers to grow. But, if what you are looking for is a flower that smells sweet and buds quite often, then you might want to consider growing the Epidendrum orchids. You might be surprised to know but the Epidendrum orchids actually have more than 1,000 species. This orchid genus is originally found mainly in the areas of the Caribbean, Central Mexico, Florida, Mexico and South America. They have the capacity to grow and survive under many different environments. For example, it is possible for Epidendrum orchids to thrive at sea level and high elevations like the Andes Mountain. Like any other orchids, it is common to find these Epidendrum species growing in areas that are highly humid in all tropical areas around the world. Epidendrum is a sympodial orchid which means that it has a specialized lateral growth pattern from where the apical meristem is terminated. When the plant is mounted, it will grow in any direction.

Basic Needs of Potting Epidendrum Orchids

Epidendrum requires plenty of water especially during the months of summer when it is most hot. See to it that the medium you will choose from where you will grow your Epidendrum allows a proper drainage. An example of a perfect medium to use is a fir bark with Pearlite. It is highly possible for Epidendrum to grow in just about any medium provided that the potting mix you will use allows the water to drain well and the air to circulate freely.

Best Pot to use - plastic pots vs. clay pots

You can have your own prerogative either to use a plastic or clay pot to grow your Epidendrum. But, plastic containers have tendency to retain water so you have to make sure that you check the medium before you should water the plant to avoid over watering the orchids. So to prevent over watering your plant, you should consider placing holes in the pot to allow the water to drain freely. Having a mesh bottom under can help you out with this.

On the other hand, using clay pots will allow the water to drain efficiently. However, the bad side of using a clay pot is that mineral salts may build up that can bring serious root damage. Another thing to bear in mind is that orchids way need to be repotted. But in orchid repotting, you should not use an extremely large pot because orchid prefers its roots to be compact.

Best Temperature for Epidendrum Orchids

This orchid will grow best in temperatures of about 60 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit and significantly drops during night time. Sufficient sunlight also some shades during the midday will allow the growth of a healthier orchid.

Watering

During the growing season of Epidendrum orchids, it will need to be watered regularly every other week. However, during hot seasons, this type of orchids may need to be watered more frequently. Ideally, it will be much better if you use rainwater in watering this orchid type. However, during rain free seasons, you may use tap water at room temperature as an alternative.