Orchid

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 15:51

© Leonid Pilnik / Rusmediabank.ru

Latin name: Orchid Family: Orchid Category: Houseplants

Orchid (Latin Orchid) - indoor plant; a genus of epiphytic herbaceous plants of the Orchid family. Under natural conditions, it grows in the humid lowland and mountain forests of Southeast Asia, Northeastern Australia and the Philippines.

Characteristics of culture

Orchid is a monopodial plant with a strongly shortened stem. The leaves are wide, leathery, evergreen, simple, elliptical, 5-30 cm long, arranged alternately. In some orchid species, the leaves have an unusual marble pattern. The roots are airy, sometimes flattened, covered with a thick layer of velamen.

Peduncles are long, rarely branching, axillary, ending in a large number of rather large flowers. Flowers are collected in spike-shaped or racemose inflorescences, some species have single flowers. The flowers are three-membered, equipped with a double perianth, resembling a butterfly in appearance. The sepals are of equal size, with the top three petals forming a lip. The ovary is unilocular, rarely three-celled, consists of three carpels, contains small ovules.

Orchids can grow up to two meters in height. They lead a very interesting lifestyle. For example, tropical species grow on trees, use them as support, and climb trunks in the fight for sunlight. Some species settle in mountains and on steep cliffs, plants penetrate with roots between stones, feeding on moisture and decaying plant debris.

In Australia, there are underground orchid species that never grow above the ground and are pollinated by underground insects. In the tropics, a number of orchids grow, which feed on small spiders and midges that fall into their flowers.

Growing conditions

Orchid is a plant that prefers shaded rooms, western, eastern and northeastern windows are great. Direct sunlight can cause damage to plants in the form of burns. The optimum temperature for keeping orchids is 18-25C, a short-term increase up to 30-35C is allowed. At elevated temperatures, plants shed flowers for a longer period, and the leaves lose their turgor. The minimum temperature is 12C.

The humidity of the room is welcomed at 30-40C, with excessive humidity, spots appear on the leaves of orchids, and the roots rot. Moisture content of 20-25% leads to loss of leaf turgor and loss of flowers. The substrate for orchids is the bark of small and medium fractions. In rooms with low humidity, sphagnum moss is added to the substrate.

The bark of the middle fraction is placed at the bottom of the planting containers, and the rest is filled with bark of the fine fraction. As you know, dry bark passes water rather quickly, therefore, before laying it in pots, it is washed and soaked for a couple of days for impregnation.

It is advisable to use transparent pots for growing orchids, although opaque plastic and ceramic are not prohibited. Some amateur flower growers grow orchids in blocks, but this approach requires increased attention and care. Orchid containers can be placed on trays filled with pebbles.

Care

Watering orchids is carried out after the substrate has completely dried, in no case should the plants be allowed to be in a dry state for a long time. It is in transparent pots that you can easily determine the condition of the roots. Moisture-saturated orchid roots are bright green. You do not need to rely on the drying of the substrate from above. Water the plants directly on the substrate or by immersing the pot in a container of water. It is recommended to wipe the leaves dry after watering, especially at low temperatures, otherwise dark brown spots may appear on them.

Orchids are fertilized through watering during the period of active growth and flowering. Fertilizer "Kemira Lux" is perfect for this purpose. It is impossible to allow an excess of fertilizer, this can lead to cracking of the leaves.

During flowering, plants should be moved to a cooler place and watering should be reduced. Under optimal conditions, flowering can last up to six months. At the end of flowering, orchid stalks should not be cut off. Aerial roots that are not immersed in the substrate do not need to be touched. If they die off, they are removed to a healthy green part. Leaves must be promptly wiped and kept completely clean.

Transfer

Healthy flowering plants should not be transplanted. Orchids are transplanted if the substrate has become unusable and needs to be replaced. As a rule, this happens after 2-3 years, the substrate becomes brittle, brittle and has a rather unpleasant odor. It is advisable to transplant immediately after flowering.