Among domestic plants, one of the leading positions is occupied by an orchid. It is distinguished by large decorative inflorescences and pleases their owners for a long time. In stores, you can find different names for outwardly similar plants: phalaenopsis and orchid. What is the difference between them?
What is an orchid plant?
Orchid plants are considered to be one of the oldest representatives of the flora. It was widely known in ancient China, it is mentioned in texts written 300 years before the birth of Christ.
Orchid is the common name for all plant species that belong to the orchid family. This family is numerous and contains about 75,000 species. This variety of plants is divided into three groups according to the principle of growth:
- Epiphytic. Such plants do not need soil to grow, they grow quite comfortably without soil.
- Underground. These representatives of the flora grow exclusively under a layer of earth.
- Ground. For growth, plants need soil, the development of inflorescencestakes place outside the earth's surface.
The orchid family is unpretentious in relation to the growing environment. Plants are found both in the northern mountains and in the hot desert.
What is the difference between an orchid and a phalaenopsis?
Orchids are perennial plants that love moisture and diffused sunlight. Phalaenopsis also belongs to this family, which means that it is not much different from its relatives.
The main difference between an orchid and a phalaenopsis is that an orchid is the collective name of the entire plant family, and phalaenopsis is just one of its representatives. This species belongs to the epiphidous type of growth. For its development and growth, there is no need for soil. In its natural environment, phalaenopsis grows on tree bark and stones. In order to receive proper nutrition, the plant needs its roots to have direct access to air, from where the flower receives moisture and the necessary nutrition through the roots.
Features of Phalaenopsis
Phalaenopsis inflorescences resemble a butterfly in shape, which is why in Europe the plant was given the name butterfly orchid. In nature, its flowers are white. Artificially bred plants can come in a variety of shades, from burgundy to pale pink. Artificially bred varieties can be not only monophonic, but have several shades of color, with circles or stripes along the petals. On one bush, from 5 to 60 flowers ranging in size from 2up to 15 centimeters.
It is difficult to answer the question of how the orchid and phalaenopsis differ, since it is difficult to compare the whole family of plants and its individual representative. There are far more common features than differences. All orchids require insects for pollination, as their pollen is heavy enough to be airborne. The flowers of this family have a fused structure of stamens. Orchids, including phalaenopsis, are perennials.
Orchid comparison
When comparing the flowers of the orchid family, isolate to find a number of factors that distinguish phalaenopsis into a separate group. What is the difference between phalaenopsis and orchids?
- This species thrives at home. Many other varieties of orchids can only be grown in a greenhouse, observing a special regime of temperature and humidity.
- Phalaenopsis always has large inflorescences. But in the orchid family, there are species whose petals can be small.
- Phalaenopsis bloom can be several times a year, it lasts from 2 to 5 months. Most other types of orchids lose their decorative appearance much earlier.
- Phalaenopsis feels good in an atmosphere of high humidity. But some orchids don't like too much water.
Considering the difference between an orchid and a phalaenopsis, you can pay attention to the leaves. In phalaenopsis, they have an elongated shape with a rounded end. Orchids have rounded leaves without a sharp edge. This shape of the leaves of the plant is due to the fact that in themmoisture is collected, in the future it goes to feed the plant. Phalaenopsis do not have an above-ground tuber, which stores nutrients from the rest of the members of this family. This plant prefers to grow on trees, clinging to the bark with its roots. A tuber simply cannot form under such conditions.
An important point in the question of how an orchid differs from a phalaenopsis will be the area where flowers grow. For the orchid family, the only "forbidden" place will be the territory of Antarctica, on other continents and islands, plants feel good. But specifically phalaenopsis prefer southeast Asia and Australia.
Conclusion
Phalaenopsis at home requires special care. These plants differ from the usual colors for Russian reality and do not require planting in the ground. But if you learn how to care for this orchid, then its flowering will delight the owner for most of the year.
