Acampe

Family. Orchidaceae.

Origin. The genus is distributed from tropical Africa to India, east to China and south to Indonesia, the Philippines and New Guinea. Grows in moist deciduous forests and plains.

Description. A slow growing epiphytic monopodial orchid that forms very large vegetative masses in nature. The stems are erect, often woody, mostly unbranched, up to 50 cm long. The leaves are pale green, thick, leathery, arranged in two rows, up to 20 cm long. Inflorescences are dense, axillary, racemose, not numerous. The flowers are about 2 cm in diameter, have a sweetish aroma, are small, yellow with brown stripes. The fragile fleshy sepals and petals are similar to each other. The lip is ear-shaped, white, and has red markings.

Height. About 50 cm.

Acampe - home care

Temperature conditions

This orchid loves heat and its root system especially does not like hypothermia. 

Lighting

Bright lighting, but without direct sunlight, additional lighting is possible in winter.

Care

Remove fading buds to maintain a neat appearance of the orchid.

Substrate for orchids

Well-drained, consisting of fern fibers (for small plants), pieces of coarse fir bark or sphagnum. The soil must allow moisture and air to pass to the roots of the plant.

Feeding

During the growing season every 2 weeks.

Purpose

Plants are best grown as hanging baskets. 

Flowering time

Depending on the species, spring – autumn within a month. 

Air humidity

Spray the orchid regularly, but make sure that water does not get on the flowers.

Water orchids at home

Water generously with soft water until the earthen ball is completely wet. Maintain constant soil moisture. During the dormant period, watering is reduced.  

Transfer

In spring or early summer, it is better to transship, since the orchid has a very delicate root system. Choose a pot with large drainage holes for this plant. 

Reproduction

With apical cuttings, make sure that each cutting has aerial roots.

Pests and diseases

Burns on the leaves may occur from exposure to direct sunlight. Over-watering the plant leads to various putrefactive manifestations, especially when kept in a cool room. Acampе leaves may turn yellow if there is insufficient light.

Note

Due to their large size and small flowers, they are rarely cultivated.