This exquisite and original plant is at the peak of popularity, it can be seen in almost every home - beautiful and delicate flowers of different shades, ranging from snow-white to dark purple and even blue, on a high stem, blossoming for several months. This orchid Phalaenopsis, care at home for which requires proper attention.
Types of Phalaenopsis orchids
As a result of numerous crossings, the phalaenopsis orchid has an incredible number of varieties and species, and the varieties differ not only in color and size, but also in terms of growing and care at home. The most common types include the following:
- Phalaenopsis Amabilis. Has from four to eight oblong leaves, flowers are shades of white, milky, pink and reach 10 cm in diameter. Flowering lasts about 4 months, approximately from October to March.
- Phalenopsis Schiller. The wrong side of the leaves has a reddish-brown hue, and the upper surface is painted with spots of gray and dark green colors. During the flowering period, up to 200 flowers of lilac or soft pink color with a diameter of 9 cm can blossom on one plant. With a comfortable Phalenopsis Schiller blossom from May to February.
- Phalaenopsis Stewart. The main distinguishing feature of the variety is variegated leaves and roots of silvery color. The height of the peduncle reaches up to 80 cm, it can have up to 80 flowers at a time. Flowers are small, up to 7 cm in diameter, petals are white with red spots at the base. The period of its flowering is approximately from January to March.
- Phalaenopsis Sander. The most rare and expensive kind of orchids. Beautiful hard leaves are dark green with specks, has high peduncles with many flowers (up to 50 pieces). Flowers come in different shades, with a comfortable content blooms all year round. Ideal growing and maintenance conditions for Phalaenopsis Sander - 29-34 ° C in the daytime, 21-23 ° C at night and humidity of 75-80%.
- Phalaenopsis Giant. The variety is characterized by a huge size of leaves, the length of which can reach a meter. In this case, the length of the peduncle is small, about 40 cm, on which about 30 medium-sized flowers of variegated flowers with a bright citrus aroma can form.
- Phalaenopsis the Olenogy. This plant was named because of the unusual appearance of the peduncle. Its light green leaves are fleshy, blunt, about 20 cm long. The number of flowers is no more than 15 pieces at the same time with a diameter of 5 cm. This orchid blooms at any time of the year.
- Phalaenopsis Hieroglyphic. The flower has leaves and peduncles about 30 cm long, leaves are green and shiny, on each branch of the peduncle there are 3-4 flowers, which bloom for more than a month. The petals are white with burgundy and yellow dots or strokes that look like hieroglyphics.
- Phalaenopsis Pink. This is a miniature species of orchids with flowers 3 cm in diameter. Tsvetonos reaches no more than 30 cm, about 15 flowers bloom on it. The dark green leaves on the back are brownish in color.
Phalaenopsis - care
Another reason for the popularity of orchids is the unpretentiousness of care at home. It is not demanding of lighting, the windowsill of the window looking to the north side will become quite a comfortable place. Phalaenopsis feels great in the apartment conditions at a temperature of 10 to 28 ° C. If the house is 30 ° C or more, it is important to ensure good air circulation. To humidity of air too high requirements are not present, it is not necessary to moisten air artificially.
Special care for Phalaenopsis after the purchase is not needed. You may need to change if:
- a flower in a pot can not stand alone;
- there is very little substrate in the pot;
- there are problems with the roots.
How to water phalaenopsis?
How to properly water phalaenopsis is the first thing you need to know for successful care at home. The first rule is better to undercharge than to pour. Too much water is more harmful to orchids than drought. To water a flower it is necessary, if the substrate and roots are completely dried, and there is no condensation on the walls of the pot. The interval of watering depends on the season, temperature and humidity, approximately every 2 weeks. Watering is so - we immerse the pot with the flower in a container with clean water at room temperature for 20-30 minutes, then let the water drain.
Phalaenopsis - reproduction at home
According to many, this is extremely difficult, and the question of how to propagate the phalaenopsis orchid at home can only have theoretical answers that are inapplicable in practice. This is really a difficult matter, but it is quite real and even interesting. There are several ways, the most common of which is reproduction by babies, applied a month or two after a long flowering period. We will describe from the very beginning - under the old leaves phalaenopsis has peduncles with two types of kidneys. From the first, young peduncles turn out, the latter are babies.
Under what conditions can an orchid be propagated? You need to pay attention to this:
- the plant is grown, healthy, with strong roots;
- good care at home;
- lean watering (14 days without water);
- prolonged lighting.
Having found out the children, we wait until two pairs of young leaves appear, with which young roots are thrown out, we carefully separate the children. Then we must take care of the flower - we clean it from the scales of the kidney on the peduncle and cover with cytokinin ointment. During the day, the children are allowed to dry and planted in a fine-fractured substrate. The lower leaves turn yellow, but they can not be removed. For rooting it is important to maintain a temperature of 22-25 ° C. If root growth is very slow, it is necessary to stimulate the plant with hormonal preparations - Heteroauxin, Kornevin, Epin .
Phalaenopsis Orchid - transplant and care
Transplantation of Phalaenopsis orchids should not be done often, it is a great stress for the plant, and normally it should not be done more often than once in 2-3 years. But in some cases it is important to transplant the flower urgently:
- if the substrate began to decompose;
- if parasites appeared in the pot;
- rotten roots;
- the pot became too small;
- the plant in the pot is not stable.
For the transplant the spring months are favorable. The plant must be dry. If the orchid can not be pulled out of the pot, you can moisten the soil, but before planting let the roots dry on a napkin for about 8 hours. The transplant is performed as follows.
- We take the plant from the pot and carefully clean the roots of the soil. In this case, the roots that have grown into the substrate should not be disturbed.
- We check the root and substrate for the presence of parasites - if any, we soak the roots for several hours in water, then let them dry well.
- Crop the rotten and dead roots with sharp scissors, the places of the slices are sprinkled with coal. Healthy roots try not to damage in any way, even if they are broken, do not delete.
- Fill the third part of the pot with drainage.
- We put the flower in the pot, slightly cranking it, fill it with fresh soil.
- Do not water five days after the transplant.
Soil for orchids Phalaenopsis
Soil, which is called "For Orchids" is not suitable for these flowers. The best soil for phalaenopsis orchids is a clean and large pine bark. The stones are laid on the bottom of the pot - this is important for easy watering and for stability - with a flower the flower will not turn over. Choosing a pot, it is better to give preference to transparent ones - orchids feel better when the roots get sunlight.
How to make the Phalaenopsis orchid flower?
Each species of this plant has its own flowering cycles, but if the phalaenopsis orchid does not bloom in the prescribed time, what to do in this case? Stimulate flowering meager watering, lowering the night temperature (the difference between day and night should reach 6-8 ° C), as well as preparations "Ovary", or "bud".
Diseases of orchids Phalaenopsis
In the care at home for the orchid Phalaenopsis, you can face the fact that she has diseases and pests. These include:
- hives;
- fusariosis;
- mealy worm ;
- arachnoid mites .
From diseases and pests the orchid Phalaenopsis is well washed with water and treated with pesticides and acaricides, after which it is important to provide it with proper care at home. Water for washing roots and leaves should not be cold, it is better to use warm or room temperature.
Resuscitation of phalaenopsis
Due to improper care or a long absence of the owners, the orchid may begin to die, but often the plant can still be saved. How to reanimate Phalaenopsis? First, the flower stem is cut off, then the flower is removed from the pot and washed well with warm water. Then we revise the roots, remove the dead and rotten, cut the places with coal. Then we plant the orchid in the soil from the bark of pine and moss-sphagnum, we provide it with good lighting without direct rays. After that, Phalaenopsis orchid, home care after which should be ideal in the future, will most likely come to life.