This plant is the only member of the Orchid family that produces unique edible fruits. A branching liana that grows from 10 to 30 meters in length, grows naturally in the tropics, braiding trees with its long and flexible branches.
The plant referred to in the article has a name - vanilla orchid. At home, it is grown and bred by many flower growers. About the features of maintenance, reproduction and will be discussed in this material.
Brief summary
Vanilla - creeper orchid. The homeland of the flower is the Antilles, Panama and Mexico. Currently, this plant is grown all over the world, not only for its popular spice, but also as an ornamental plant, the flowers of which exude a rather delicate vanilla aroma. This is a plant from the seeds of which the well-known spice, vanilla, is produced. The genus Vanilla includes more than 100 representatives, most of them called epiphytic or terrestrial.
For the production of extracts and spices,which are used in the perfume industry, only some varieties of vanilla that exist in nature are used. Vanilla flat leaf (Vanilla planifolia) is widely used in cosmetology. It should be noted that only an ornamental plant with flowers with a pleasant aroma can be grown at home, but even for this it is necessary to recreate conditions close to natural.
Description
Vanilla orchid has large greenish-white or yellow-green flowers that open only during the day for pollination by hummingbirds or bees. It should be noted that in some countries the pollination process is done by hand.
The leathery elongated orchid leaves have a dark green hue. The peculiarity of vanilla is that on the plant, there are aerial roots along the entire shoot, with which it is attached to the trees in the process of growth.
Landing
Which land to plant a vanilla orchid? The composition of the substrate should include pine bark. For this representative of Orchids, the composition of the soil is slightly different from the usual, intended for all plants of the epiphytic family. For its preparation, the following components are needed: sphagnum moss, tree bark and charcoal, perlite or fern roots, and a small amount of peat. In general, the substrate should be rich, breathable and light.
Vanilla should be planted in a clay or plastic container (pot), and you can also use an orchid basket. The latter is most often used, since the holes prevent stagnation in the soil.moisture and allow the roots to breathe better. It is important that the size of the container is slightly larger than the volume of the root system (the distance to the walls of the container should be approximately 2-3 cm).
Conditions for growth
Vanilla orchid (photo presented in the article) is a photophilous plant, but direct sunlight is contraindicated for it. He needs bright, but slightly diffused lighting throughout the day. In the winter season, it is desirable for the plant to provide artificial lighting.
This variety of the family is very thermophilic. Throughout the year, the temperature should not change much (during the day - + 28-29 degrees, at night - not lower than + 20-23 degrees). Older plants can tolerate a drop in temperature of about 3-4 degrees.
Due to the tropical origin of the plant, air humidity should be constantly maintained (80-90%). To do this, the orchid must be sprayed regularly or a container with wet expanded clay should be placed on a pallet.
Care
Vanilla orchid is a climbing plant, so it needs strong support to grow. Suitable for this tube, covered with coconut fiber, or a standard stand for climbing plants. You can also use a hanging planter.
Watering is carried out in case of complete drying of the top layer of soil, but it is impossible to allow the entire volume of the substrate to dry out. It is best to use warm, purified water that does not contain calcium. In addition to watering, a warm shower is important for an orchid (about once a week). You can make watering and methoddiving. It should be significantly reduced during the period of reduced growth activity and during the dormant period of the plant, but in no case should the substrate dry out.
Perfectly accepts vanilla fertilizer. Throughout the year (2-3 times) it is useful to feed the flower with special fertilizers intended for orchids. It should only be remembered that the concentration of the mixture should be reduced by 2-3 times in comparison with the dosage indicated on the package. Top dressing can also be carried out by spraying.
Transfer
Usually a vanilla orchid is transplanted in order to replace the soil or in cases where the roots in the pot no longer fit (once in 2-3 years). The best time is spring.
The plant must be carefully removed from the old container without damaging the root system. To avoid the formation of rot on some broken roots, it is necessary to sprinkle them with grated charcoal. It should also be noted that the new capacity should be larger than the previous one, though not by much.
The first time the transplanted plant in watering should be slightly limited, the dose of sunlight should be increased gradually.
Methods of plant propagation
Are vanilla orchid seeds good for planting? It is important to note that the fruits in store-bought vanilla pods are completely unviable. They were subjected to heat treatment, and therefore they are suitable only for use in cooking. Germinating seeds can be found commercially, but a florarium is needed to obtain viable seedlings.(plant terrarium).
A simpler and more acceptable way to propagate a vanilla orchid is cuttings. To do this, you need to pick up that part of the shoot where there are at least three nodules with aerial roots.
The stalk must be treated with a growth stimulator (for example, heteroauxin). Next, the process must be placed in a container with moistened soil (preferably with sand), covered with polyethylene, creating greenhouse conditions. Periodically, you need to ventilate the sprouts by opening the greenhouse. When the seedling begins to noticeably grow, the film should be completely removed. After the appearance of the first 3 leaves, the plant must be transplanted into the prepared substrate. The container should be plastic and transparent, always with drainage holes. As noted above, the vanilla orchid is a vine that needs support. It is also necessary for a small sprout to provide it.
Pruning the plant
This procedure is essential for an orchid. It should be carried out regularly, since at home it is impossible to grow this plant to its full possible length. In addition, the orchid is rejuvenated by pruning, and new lateral shoots appear, which makes it lush and forms a compact shape.
For such a procedure, the instrument used must be disinfected. Activated charcoal or some other drug should be sprinkled with shoot sections. The tops of the cut vines can be used for propagation.
Diseases andorchid pests
Vanilla orchid is almost not damaged by pests, and diseases can occur either due to an excess of moisture, or, conversely, due to overdrying.
- With excess moisture, root or stem rot may develop. It is necessary to immediately transplant the flower, replacing the entire substrate in the container, and reduce watering.
- Insufficient watering can result in dry leaves. In this case, it is necessary to moisten the soil more often and spray.
- Light spots may appear on the leaves (which means the plant is exposed to direct sunlight). In this case, light shade should be provided at midday.
- If over-fertilized, orchid aerial roots may turn black.
In conclusion about flowering and fruiting
In the third year of growth under natural conditions on the vanilla orchid liana, inflorescences are formed, consisting of 7-10 wax flowers of a greenish-yellow hue. As noted above, in the homeland this orchid is pollinated by hummingbirds or Mexican bees (a special genus). In other countries where vanilla is cultivated (in the Seychelles and Madagascar, Indonesia, Zanzibar and Oceania), pollination is done by hand. After that (after 7 months), oblong boxes (pods) of green color ripen on the plant.
In order for vanilla pods to acquire that very unique aroma, they undergo a certain heat treatment: they are kept in hot water, then in a cloth, and then dried in the sun for two weeks andin the shadow. A light coating forms on the finished product.
