Mystacidium flanaganii is from South Africa (Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, eastern part of Limpopo) and Eswatini (=Swaziland) (la Croix and la Croix 1998). They grow on twigs of yellow-wood trees in coastal scrub forests (Wodrich 1997). The flowers are small (the spur is 2-3cm), but the bright green color is beautiful.
It is similar to M. pusillum, but the flowering time is different; M. flanaganii flowers in the summer while M. pusillum flowers in the winter (Stewart et al. 2006). M. pusillum is generall smaller than M. flanaganii (Stewart et al. 2006). It is also similar to M. aliceae, but the inflorescences of M. aliceae are much shorter than the leaves (Wodrich 1997). The inflorescences of M. flagananii are quite a bit longer than leaves.
My plant is from Afri Orchids. Wodrich (1997) recommends to grow it under 60-80% shade with cool to intermediate temperature and to give 2 months of dry winter rest (watering once every two weeks). I'm growing it in at the cool-end of intermediate temperature; the max/min daily temperature is 29/18C (84/65F) in the summer and 21/13C (70/55F) in the winter. I have been giving much milder winter conditions (water twice a week), but I should probably try more severe winter rest. It is growing at a moderate light (PPFD of 90 µmol m-2 s-1).
Photos are from May 30, 2020.
Literature Cited:
- la Croix, I. and E. la Croix. 1997. African Orchids in the Wild and in Cultivation. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon (p. 256).
- Stewart, J., J. Hermans, B. Campbell. 2006. Angraecoid Orchids - Species from the African Region. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon (p. 342)
- Wodrich, K. H. K. 1997. Growing South African Indigenous Orchids. CRC Press. (p. 121-122).
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