Aerangis kotschyana also called as Kotschy's Aerangis, is a species of the genus Aerangis. This species was described by Rudolf Schlechter in 1918.
Synonyms:
Aerangis grantii
Aerangis kotschyi
Angraecum kotschyanum
Angraecum grantii
Angraecum kotschyi
Angraecum semipedale
Rhaphidorhynchus kotschyi
This species was described by Rudolf Schlechter in 1918. Aerangis kotschyana is located in Kenya, Burundi, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sudan, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zaire, Zimbabwe, Guinea and the Central African Republic. Its habitat is the pre-mountainous forests, where it grows on trees in forests or along rivers at an altitude of 200-1500 meters. It is a hot to warm growing, epiphytic, medium sized orchid.
Aerangis kotschyana blooms in the fall and winter on a pendant, 30 to 45 cm long, many flowered inflorescence with 8 to 20, fragrant, waxy flowers with a pinkish brown, corkscrew like spiral to the lower part of the pink spur. The flowers are 4-6 cm in diameter, with a very long spur that reaches up to 24 cm.
Light:
Aerangis kotschyana needs a light level of 20000-35000 lux. The direct sun is acceptable only early in the morning (up to 10 hours in winter, up to 9 hours in summer), then it must be shielded. The recommended photoperiod is 13 hours.
Temperature:
In growth period: the average temperature is 27-30°C during the day and 18-19°C at night. In rest period: the average temperature is 24-25°C during the day and 15-16°C at night.
Humidity:
Aerangis kotschyana needs the average humidity of 65-75%.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Aerangis kotschyana prefers to be mounted on a raft. The sphagnum is not used on the raft, because the roots must dry quickly: prolonged contact with the wet surface causes root rot. It is also possible to place it in a plastic or wooden basket, using the large pine bark (4-7cm) as a substrate. In this case the roots will go beyond the walls of the basket, which only serves to "anchor" the plant, but not to contain it.
Watering:
During the growth period this orchid should be frequently and abundantly water: 1-2 times a day if it is grown bare-root. There should never be any stagnant water when in contact with the roots, because the rot will be unavoidable.
Fertilizer:
This species is only fertilized during the growth phase. Use 1/2 of the dose indicated on the bottle of a suitable liquid fertilizer for orchids, adding it to the watering. Before fertilizing the orchid it is important to water it to avoid the harmful effect of the fertilizer on the dry roots.
Rest period:
Aerangis kotschyana blooms after the rest period in winter. When the orchid has to enter the resting phase, the watering is gradually reduced (together with the temperatures) to arrive once every 4-6 days. If the yellowing of the leaves or the wrinkling of the roots occurs, the frequency of the watering must be increased. The rest period ends in spring, when the orchid shows the first signs of growth.