Royal orchids are a wonderful home decoration. These flowers with a delicate delicate scent look unusual and expensive, give any interior a solemn touch and are simply pleasing to the eye.
There is an opinion that growing homemade orchids is quite troublesome. However, this task is quite feasible, the main thing is to know the rules of care. It will not be difficult for an experienced grower to maintain the necessary mode, but if you are just going to comprehend the science of growing a home greenhouse, our article will help you understand all the intricacies.
Royal species of orchids
Most often this term refers to flowers belonging to the genus Phalaenopsis. This flower owes its name, which is of Latin origin, to a certain resemblance to a butterfly. The plant is not too capricious, even a beginner can cope with its content. Of course, if he follows all the recommendations.
Rod Wanda (on the next photo) is also a royal orchid. Home care for this plant is somewhat more difficult, but the reward for the work will be beautiful large flowers with a delicate aroma.
Kids andgiants
In nature, there are a huge number of species of orchids, some of them are completely different from their counterparts. For example, the royal gigantella orchid can reach a height of 3 meters or more. This plant has powerful roots, thick stems, fleshy leaves. During the flowering period, the plant is covered with many small yellow flowers speckled with red. The birthplace of the giant royal orchid is New Guinea. This plant is successfully grown in greenhouses around the world. It's too big for home content.
Many orchids thank a caring owner with medium-sized flowers. Vanda grows up to 80 cm in height and is covered with flowers 10-15 cm in diameter. Phalaenopsis is taller (up to a meter), and its flowers are more compact. But on one stem there are quite a lot of them. Mini-orchids of the genus Phalaenopsis are popular among flower growers. They require the same care as other varieties.
What you need to know about the blue orchid
Often, flower sellers do not skimp on beautiful advertising. Blue Orchid! It's just a dream! But if you want to put such an unusual flower in your home, you should consider some facts.
There is a royal blue Vanda orchid, but its cost is usually quite high. In addition, this plant is not so easy to get. And the shade is closer to purple, not blue.
But there are a lot of blue Phalaenopsis in flower shops. But at present there is not a single selectively bred specimen of this plant with this color. And such a miraclethe work of a not entirely honest seller.
And get it like this. To an orchid with white flowers, a coloring pigment is added to the ground, or an injection is made into the pedicel, as a result of which the flower petals acquire a blue tint. You should not buy such plants, they are weak due to the effects of chemistry and can die quickly. They look very unusual, but this effect will not last long.
If such an orchid somehow got into your home greenhouse (for example, it was given to you), you should take care of the plant. He has a chance to survive. Take care of him, irrigate and feed him in time. Owner reviews indicate that such a plant can be reanimated. For a while, its flowers will have a blue tint, which will begin to lighten over time.
Another thing is the royal Vanda orchids. However, here it is also worth mentioning that the plant blooms not blue, but lilac or purple. This species is quite rare, but it does not require special conditions. Caring for her at home is no different from caring for a pink or white flower.
How to choose a plant for your home?
When shopping for an unusual pet, remember a few rules.
- Look at the roots. They should not have mold or any other plaque. Natural color is grey.
- Orchid leaves are fleshy, juicy, rich in color.
- He althy home grown plant sold in a transparent plastic container. If the orchid has already lived in someonethen the house and for some reason went on sale, the pot will definitely have perforation. Very rarely there are plants for sale that live on a piece of bark or a chipped coconut. This is also acceptable.
- The substrate is also important. It should not contain peat fragments.
The right growing container and the right soil
Orchid in the wild settles on the branches and trunks of trees, and some subspecies even prefer stones. The roots of this unusual plant feed aerotrophically. Simply put, the orchid does not need soil, it is able to accumulate moisture from the air.
The royal orchid, the photo of which you see in the following illustration, lives in the right pot.
This plant should be planted in a transparent plastic container or in a pot with holes. Orchid will quickly die in a regular pot for indoor plants.
Some experienced flower growers grow this exotic plant on a large piece of bark or split coconut. The composition looks quite colorful, and it is easy to take care of the flower. If you like this option, give it a try. But do not forget that in this case, in the first stages, the orchid must be tied to a support.
Flower shops sell packaged soil for orchids. It contains nitrogen and the necessary top dressing, and also contains large fractions that prevent compaction of the soil and promote aeration.
Where to put an orchid?
Not only dishes are important. This plantalso requires compliance with the light regime. The best choice would be a western or southern window. In summer, royal orchids feel comfortable on eastern windowsills. But the north side is the worst choice.
If your windows face south, in the summer the orchid needs to be moved. Direct sunlight is detrimental to her. Burns may remain on the leaves.
Experienced flower growers advise to organize diffused light for this plant.
Maintaining the temperature regime
You should also take care of the temperature. Best of all, this plant feels at 18-22 degrees. If your room is hotter, rot can develop on the roots and lower leaves of the orchid. In a cold room, the plant will wither and will not give you beautiful flowers.
Humidity is also important. The optimal value is 30%. In a dry room next to the orchid, it is advisable to install an aquarium or a decorative fountain nearby.
Water and fertilize
Royal Orchid Phalaenopsis, like Wanda, does not like frequent watering. Excess moisture can lead to the death of the plant.
There are three options for watering a flower:
- dipping in a basin of water for half an hour, followed by settling in a pan to drain excess liquid;
- bathing in the shower;
- directly watering the roots from a watering can;
- moistening the leaves with a spray bottle.
In winter, any of these procedures should be carried out no more than once every 7 days. Can be reduced in summerDouble the intervals between waterings. If the soil in the pot does not have time to dry out, compacts, rolls, the roots are covered with bloom or there is an unpleasant smell of dampness, most likely you overdid it with watering. Take a break, and then reduce the amount of water in the future, otherwise the flower will die.
Royal orchids can only be watered with high-quality filtered water with a slight hardness.
Top dressing is carried out during the growing season. Use a special nitrogen fertilizer for these exotic plants.
Royal orchid blooms
Continuous flowering is one of the main features of this plant. Most types of royal orchids bloom from late summer to mid-autumn. Some varieties of phalaenopsis delight owners with flowers almost all year round. Vanda blooms in late September - early October.
The palette of colors is very wide. Orchids can be white, pink, burgundy, yellow, lilac, purple. Remember, unusual shades like the aforementioned blue, as well as black and green, are not varieties, but artificial coloring. The royal orchid is a beautiful enough flower in its natural color, there is no need to experiment with paint at all.
A peduncle appears on the stem of the plant, which will soon give beautiful orchids. If after flowering, which, by the way, will not happen very soon (after 2 months), it is better not to touch the peduncle. It can dry up and fall off by itself, or maybe again after a while.bloom.
You can use this vegetative part for plant propagation.
Royal orchid babies
It is not so easy at home, but it is still possible to propagate this plant. But it should be remembered that since the orchid is royal, care for it must be appropriate.
In their natural habitat, these plants propagate using seeds. But at home this is impossible, so flower growers use the vegetative method.
Throughout life, the orchid throws out young sprouts. It is necessary to plant them in separate pots, but this must be done carefully. You can not plant children during the flowering of the orchid, which can last quite a long time. After the color has fallen, you need to wait another 3-4 weeks before starting the growing season.
If the orchid is in no hurry to please you with children, you can help her a little. To do this, find a bud on a faded stem and make a circular incision along it. Lubricate this place with a growth activator (bought at a flower shop) or fresh birch sap. This method works flawlessly, the kids do not keep themselves waiting long.
If you learn how to plant orchids yourself, you will soon be able to arrange a real greenhouse at home at no additional cost.
