The Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society congratulates Broward County on its 100th anniversary. We celebrated Broward 100 by giving away 100 Encyclia tampensis, a native orchid found throughout South Florida. Orchids are part of the natural beauty of our region and we want to help reintroduce them to our landscapes.
This orchid is easy to grow! We recommend putting it into a tree on your property, where it will thrive once it is established.
Care of your Encyclia tampensis
Now that you have your plant home, here’s how to take care of it. (hat tip to Tony Millet for care instructions 🙂 )
- This plant is a South and Central Florida native. It survives temperatures as low as 35 degrees for a short period of time – overnight, or over a few days.
- To mount it outside, tie it on a tree with a piece of hose wear, or mesh onion bag. Put it where the sprinkler system can reach it or where you will see it everyday and give it a daily drink. Note: a coffee cup size drink is fine. Light shade/dappled light is best.
- In a pot use a coarse orchid mix, not potting soil. Place the pot in an area where it will receive about 2-3 hrs of direct light daily. Water 2x a week.
- Feed weekly with half strength balanced fertilizer 20-20-20
- Keep an eye on the plant for any unusual foliage damage or yellowing and apply a regular garden pesticide following the manufacturer’s recommendation.
- If you are adventurous, divide your plant into two pieces. Remove it from the pot and gently split it in two by hand. Sprinkle some cinnamon on the exposed parts. Put half in a pot and put half on a mount or tree outside.
Questions? Ask for help! Email us at richackerman@gmail.com
Got it mounted? Flowered? Send us a picture!
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