White orchids are one of the most exquisite and beautiful plants. They are often bought for both home and office. In addition, white orchids are often used to create original wedding bouquets for the bride. This plant is able to delight the eye with its flowering throughout almost the entire year. But, it is worth noting that it requires special care for itself, it prefers the constant attention of its mistress.
White orchids: photo, description
This plant has several names. Florists call it this way: butterfly orchid, phalaenopsis, or simply white orchid. These flowers are in great demand among buyers. Still would! After all, the plant is so charming that it will win the heart of even a very harsh grower.
In 1750, for the first time, the Dutch botanist Professor K. Blume discovered phalaenopsis. It happened on the islands of the Malay Archipelago. This flower was simply striking in its resemblance to a swarm of butterflies. Therefore, the botanist gave it the name phalenopsis. Translated, this word means "butterfly".
White orchids are epiphytes. This means that they use other plants for their support.
There are two types of Phalaenopsis:
- miniature (up to a maximum height of 30cm);
- standard (height approx.1 m).
White Phalaenopsis Orchid Key Features
The above plant has the following features:
- has flowers that resemble moths;
- blooms up to 3 times a year;
- flowers are yellow, red, white, green or pink (depending on the type of phalaenopsis);
- plant height is up to 1 m;
- has a large root system;
- pseudobulbs are missing;
- leaves are lingual, wide, dark green in color;
- a flower arrow appears at the base of the last formed leaf.
It should be noted that white orchids are evergreen and constantly growing. Photos of the plant are presented in the article. Phalaenopsis blooms almost all year round and lives well in a house up to 7 years.
A characteristic phenomenon for white orchids is the fall of the lower leaves. This keeps the plant from overgrowing.
Care
White orchids always require good care. The first step is to choose the right place where the plant will stand. It should be well protected from the midday sun. Therefore, the ideal window sills for white orchids are those located in the southeast or east part of the room.
Acceptable daily temperature for phalaenopsis is a maximum of 27 degrees Celsius. At night, up to 16 degrees are allowed, but in no case below.
In the storeBefore buying, it is important to inspect the plant well. A he althy white orchid has light gray roots. Usually the plant is sold in plastic pots, so it is advisable to transplant it immediately. Florists also recommend watering the orchid with a solution of fungicides for prevention.
It should be noted that improper care of the above plant can provoke the development of various diseases. This is especially true for irrigation. If you water a white orchid incorrectly, then its roots can be affected by a fungus. In this case, the growth of the root system stops, it turns yellow and rots.
It is worth noting that Phalaenopsis prefers high humidity indoors. Therefore, flower growers recommend regularly spraying the plant and the air near it. But in this case, you need to be careful: water should not get into the core of the rosette of leaves, because this leads to decay.
Phalaenopsis reproduces by "kids" that appear on the stems of flowers. When they reach about 5 cm, they can be planted in other pots.
Transfer
White orchids prefer a moisture-intensive and loose substrate. In its quality, flower growers use in most cases the bark from old trees. It must be remembered that after all, the best substrate for a plant is pine bark. In addition, flower growers warn that it should not contain resin, as this is detrimental to the white orchid.
It is desirable to clean the bark of resinous substances: it is boiled over low heat for several minutes. After that, strainwater and allow the future substrate to cool. Then it is crushed.
It should be noted that it is convenient to cut the bark when it is still wet. The size of the pieces should be within 1-2 cm.
Then it is recommended to clean the roots of the orchid well from dry and rotten tips. Place the plant in the prepared pot and cover with the substrate. Watering immediately after transplanting is not recommended. They do it the next day.
How to properly water a plant?
Orchid with white flowers is very whimsical. Therefore, watering must be given special attention and do everything right. For this, water is used, which contains a minimum amount of calcium s alts. Watering the plants is carried out by soldering, or, in other words, by immersion.
For this, it is important to take, for example, a plastic container or any other container, and place a pot with an orchid in it. Then add some water (so that only a third of the pot is covered). It is recommended to leave the plant for about half an hour. During this time, the orchid will get wet quite well and gain the right amount of moisture.
After such a soldering procedure, the plant is set aside in order to drain excess water well. Then they just return the orchid to its place.
An important recommendation from flower growers: watering the plant is carried out only when its roots turn light gray. After water procedures, orchid roots usually turn green.
Feeding white orchids
Nutrients soare necessary for the plant, as well as water. Therefore, flower growers recommend feeding orchids in time with useful and necessary micro and macro elements.
For this, it is advisable to buy special fertilizers for white orchids, such as Pokon or Forte. They are also recommended to be applied by immersion from March to September. Top dressing is carried out twice a month and alternates with watering.
Pruning the peduncle
It should be noted that the white orchid blooms for quite a long time. Its flower, under favorable conditions, can stay on the peduncle, sometimes even more than a month. But still, there comes a time when the plant ceases to please with its beauty. Flower growers recommend taking your time with pruning flower stalks.
When the white orchid flourishes along the main axis, cut the peduncle as follows: it is important to leave 3-4 buds from the rosette of leaves. What does it give? Experts say that such pruning allows new flower stalks to develop precisely from those buds that remain below the cut.
White Phalaenopsis Orchid is an exquisite plant with magnificent flowers. She is considered a real aristocrat among her own kind. Therefore, her care should be appropriate.
