Polystachya pubescens
The Fine-Haired
Polystachya
amabelejongosi (Zulu)
Distribution
Polystachya pubescens is a small compact orchid species which is
common in South Africa, from the Eastern Cape in the south to Zululand, it is
also found in eSwatini (Swaziland) and Eastern Zimbabwe where it is rare. This
is a summer rainfall region where the plants may in some areas experience a
prolonged dry season during the cooler winter months.
Habitat
Polystachya pubescens is found growing in coastal forests as
well as a lithophyte out in the full sun or partial shade on sandstone outcrops.
In the Pondoland region it can be found growing in large mats on sandstone
rocks in the full sun, these plants are generally very small and have leaves
that are a pronounced purple colour because of the intense light. In the lower
light conditions of forest the plants grow much larger and are a dark green. This
delightful fragrant epiphytic orchid produces bright yellow flowers in early
summer. Polystachya pubescens grows in a region that has neither very high or
low temperatures and is recorded as having a low tolerance for extreme cold.
Uses
Because of its showy flowers and relative ease of culture, Polystachya
pubescens is a popular orchid plant amongst specialist orchid growers .
Polystachya pubescens is used extensively by the amaZulu people
as a protective charm and as a love potion.
Growing Polystachya pubescens
Polystachya pubescens plant grows easily in the milder
regions of the country if it is attached to a branch of a tree.
Polystachya pubescens is very easy to grow and is ideal for
beginners to start with. It grows well in a small plastic or ceramic pot filled
with fairly large pebbles, placing larger pebbles at the bottom of the pot and
smaller ones at the top. Over a period of at least 50 years I have successfully
grown them on river pebbles or crushed stone in particular sandstone as well as
decaying granite. Bark may be used but it breaks down far to quickly and causes
the roots at the bottom of the pot to rot.
As with all orchids never be tempted to over pot them, the
rule of thumb is to put orchids and most other plants into as small a pot as possible.
They can also be mounted of a slab of wood, bark, fern fiber etc. however they
grow best in pots.
Light requirement
In cultivation if grown outdoors they do best in light to
medium shade, under lights indoors I have found that they do well at 3500 to
5500 lux with a photo period of 16 hours in summer and 12 hours in Winter.
Ventilation
They require good ventilation, when grown indoors I have the
windows open and fans running 24 hours a
day during the growing season when it is hot and humid and for a few hours a
day during the middle of the day in winter.
Watering and Feeding
Like most living organisms orchids tend to like to be fed
daily during the growing season to remain healthy and to grow well. For those
plants that need a rest period in the winter months l reduce both the amount of
feed and the frequency of watering watching carefully that the plants do not desiccate.
I am a firm believer in giving a very varied diet to my
plants, which I feed at very low concentrations with every watering, which is
usually daily on my epiphytes and lithophytes. Once a week I give my plants a
drenching with pure water to remove any buildup of harmful salts on the plants
and in the potting medium.
Here is a list of what my plants get as feed and growth
promoters, every day a different feed, on occasion I mix a feed and a growth
promoter.
1.
Water soluble mineral fertilizer used for growing
plants in hydroponics, here I used formulations for flowers and fruits.
2.
Nitrosol
3.
Seagro
4.
Fulvic acid
5.
Rooibos tea
6.
Black tea
7.
Green tea
8.
Cinnamon tea
9.
Banana skin tea
10.
Leaf mould tea
This is certainly not the only way to grow Polystachya
pubescens but has worked well for me over many years to grow hundreds of strong
healthy plants.
General information
The name Fine-Haired Polystachya refers to the fine hair on
the lip of the flower.
About one third of orchid species possesses deceptive
pollination mechanisms where no rewards are provided to the pollinators
However, many species of Polystachya
appear to give rewards in the form of pseudo-pollen in the form of food
hair on the lip. Inside of pseudo-pollen
food hair, Polystachya species provide protein, starch, and or lipids.
Different species provide different combinations of these nutritional
rewards. The hair on the lip of Polystachya
pubescens could be a reward, the main nutrients in the hairs are proteins. Although
it is known that the hairs are rich in proteins, we do not know if the
pollinators are in fact attracted to them because the pollination system of
this species is not well studied.
