Description and types of odontoglossum, advice on maintenance, choice of soil, watering, transplanting and feeding, recommendations for reproduction. Pest control. Odontoglossum (Odontoglossum) is ranked among the numerous Orchid family (Orhidaceae), or as it is also called - Orchids, which includes 5 more subfamilies. Plants of this family have already been found in all areas of our planet, except for Antarctica. The genus Odontoglossum includes another 65 species of flowering beauties. The homeland of their growth, these orchids chose the mountainous territories of Central and South America, where a tropical and subtropical climate prevails. They mainly settle at an absolute altitude of 1700-3000 m, and some species have climbed even higher, where the air is even cooler and the humidity is higher. The name of this flower combines two Greek origins: “odons”, “odontos” means a tooth, and “glossa” means a tongue. The orchid owes this to the appearance of its flower. At the base of the lower petal ("lips"), calloused outgrowths similar to teeth are visible. The flower was first described by a botanist from Germany at the beginning of the 19th century, Karl Kunt.
The plant is an epiphyte (growing on the branches or trunks of other trees or shrubs) or a lithophyte (choosing rocks or rocks for growth). Its sizes can be medium or purchased. It is very rare that odontoglossum grows as a terrestrial flower. The plant's rhizome is rather short, there are pseudobulbs with a flattened shape, to which fragile root processes are attached. Plant height rarely exceeds 20 cm, although some varieties can reach up to 90 cm.
The leaf plates are painted in a rich emerald hue, leathery, highly elongated and thin. If the care conditions are good, they can last for many years. This orchid is distinguished by a whole system of shoots, which together form an ornamental bush (the type is called sympodial). The parts of the shoots that run horizontally form the rhizome of the plant. Those that are upright create bulges (pseudobulbs). The flowering stems usually bear some very beautiful showy flowers, and originate from the base of the pseudobulb. There is a bud, which is located at the beginning of the previous growth of a shoot or leaf (this may be the location of the sinus of an underdeveloped leaf plate).
This type of orchid is practically not found in flower shops, you can see on sale only hybrid species that are bred on the basis of odontoglossum, since this type of flower easily crosses with genera close in the family. The resulting new orchid species are highly decorative, and the flowering process spreads from mid-autumn to the end of May days. However, in different varieties, flowering is observed at any time of the year and is followed by a dormant time, which occurs every 8 months. For a grower who is just starting to get involved in the cultivation of orchids, this flower will present difficulties in cultivation.
Recommendations for growing odontoglossum
- Lighting for orchids. This orchid is very fond of good lighting. Only the main thing is not to install it in direct sunlight. That is, the plant will feel quite comfortable on the windows of the south-east and south-west exposure. But on the sills of windows with a southern orientation, you will have to set up shading in the hottest hours of the day. This is done with lightweight curtains or gauze curtains. You can also stick tracing paper or paper on the glass, which will diffuse the scorching light.
- Content temperature. These plants tolerate the cooler living conditions in their natural environment and are therefore best grown in cold rooms or greenhouses without heating. However, hybrid species that have been crossed with orchids that are accustomed to growing in warm conditions are suitable for indoor growing. For them, in the summer months, temperature indicators should fluctuate within 24-26 degrees (it is better if daytime indicators should be set at 19 degrees, and nighttime ones by 3 degrees lower), for winter, 17-13 degrees of heat is recommended.
- Humidity content of odontoglossum. The plant loves high levels of humidity in the air and therefore, in the daytime it should be at the level of 60%, and at night it should reach almost 90%. This will help the orchid grow and develop normally. Lack of proper moisture in the air will negatively affect the growth and appearance of odontoglossum. It is important to remember that as temperatures rise, the room needs to be ventilated more often, and the humidity should rise proportionally. In order to help the plant survive the hot summer months, you can install the orchid pot in deep and wide containers (trays), into which a sufficient layer of expanded clay or pebbles is poured and water is poured. The moisture evaporates and removes the dryness of the air. It is only necessary to ensure that the bottom of the pot does not touch the surface of the water, as this can provoke rotting of the roots of odontoglossum.
- Watering the flower. The moisture content of this orchid is directly dependent on the ambient temperature - the higher it is, the more often and more abundantly one needs to water the odotoglossum. Excess moisture should easily leave the pot - it is better to purchase double pots (the plant itself is in the upper part, and unused water flows into the lower part). Failure to fulfill this condition can lead to rotting of the roots, and then the entire stem of the orchid. It is recommended to water the plant abundantly and often, not allowing the substrate in the pot to dry out, all the more so that the pseudobulbs wrinkle. As soon as odotnoglossum stops blooming, then it should be watered with less frequency. When the plant is dormant, watering is reduced to 1 time per week. If the orchid has young shoots, then it is necessary to be very careful about moisturizing, since they are highly sensitive. It is recommended to arrange warm shower procedures for such a flower, as this is very similar to the natural growth conditions (the water temperature should be approximately 35 degrees). Such actions will contribute to good development and further growth. If the shower is carried out frequently, then the odotnoglossum will produce more leaves and the flowering frequency will increase. However, if the water hardness is too high, then this method will not work for the flower. For humidification, in this case, rain or melt water is used, but if there is none, then you can take distilled water mixed with tap water in a 1: 1 ratio. It is also recommended to filter, boil and settle water for several days to soften tap water. The water temperature should fluctuate within the range of 20-23 degrees.
- Top dressing for orchids. As soon as the plant started to grow after a dormant period, then it is necessary to apply special fertilizers for orchids. It is also recommended to use a liquid fertilizer with a complex of minerals. The concentration of the applied dressings should be very low. The frequency of top dressings applied during the growth period is weekly, and when the flowering process begins, they are reduced to 1 time in three weeks. When young odontoglossum sprouts reach 1/2 of their normal size, then fertilizers with a high content of phosphorus compounds should be used. In addition to the fertilizers that are applied to the substrate, it is necessary to carry out foliar dressing. It is recommended to spray the leaf plates of the flower with the same type of fertilizer. It is best to alternate these methods of fertilizing the plant.
- Transplantation and selection of soil for odontoglossum. In order for the plant to please with its growth and flowering, it is necessary to change the pot and the substrate in it every 2 years. This procedure must be carried out before or after the flowering period (for example, in spring or autumn). Usually odontoglossum itself gives a sign that it is time to transplant - a young shoot 5–8 cm long appears or the substrate half decomposes. When changing the pot, the old pseudobulbs must be carefully separated.
Important! You can not transplant the orchid when the temperatures are very high. Soil for odotnoglossum should be lightweight, good breathability and moisture capacity. To change the substrate, you can use special purchased soils "Orchid" or "For Orchids and Bromeliads". They make up the soil mixture independently from the following components:
- chopped sphagnum moss, peat soil, chopped charcoal (all parts are equal);
- pine bark, chopped fern roots, coconut fiber (chips), crushed charcoal (the volumes of the parts are the same).
A sufficient drainage layer must be laid in the container. Once the plant has been transplanted, it is recommended to cover the surface of the soil with chopped sphagnum moss, it will help retain moisture. After transplanting, the orchid is not watered for a week.
Reproduction of odontoglossum indoors
You can get a new plant by dividing the bush during transplantation. It is necessary to take into account when dividing the rhizome, so that each delenka has a couple of pseudobulbs and at least one growth point. Using a well-sharpened knife, carefully cut the rhizome.
The cut sites should be powdered with crushed activated carbon for disinfection. Each of the pieces must be placed on the chopped sphagnum moss and wait until root growth is resumed. Once this has happened, the plant can be placed in a pot for permanent growth. Its roots straighten out over the drainage layer, and the voids between the roots are filled with the substrate, making it a little denser.
Orchid cultivation problems and possible pests
Most often, the plant can be affected by spider mites, thrips, scale insects and aphids. To combat them, the plant should be treated with modern insecticide solutions. When the substrate is waterlogged, diseases provoked by fungal or bacterial rot can begin - in this case, it is recommended to treat the roots with fungicides, disinfect the pot and change the substrate.
All problems that arise when caring for odontoglossum indicate a violation of watering, the level of illumination or temperature conditions, among them they note:
- at low humidity, the leaf plates begin to turn yellow and wrinkle, the growth of the plant slows down;
- whitish spots on the leaf plates of orchids indicate insufficient ventilation of the room;
- yellowed leaves can be triggered by direct sunlight.
Odontoglossum types
The species below are most often grown indoors as they are not overly demanding.
- Odontoglossum bictoniense (Odontoglossum bictoniense). The plant is distinguished by flattened pseudobulbs that curl tightly. The height of the orchid is 18 cm. From the bottom, they are covered with 4–6 double-row lower leaves. The upper part of the pseudobulbs is covered with 2-3 linear long leaves. The inflorescence is a loose, upright raceme composed of multiple flowers 4–5 cm in diameter. Its length can vary between 30–80 cm. The buds have narrow petals and the same sepals, which are colored yellowish-green, with a pattern dominated by spotted chestnut-brown colors. The lip of the flower has a kidney-shaped or heart-shaped shape, it is distinguished by a wide and not long marigold. Its edge is small-wavy, it is painted in lilac or white shades, at the base there are 2 fluffy yellow keels. The flowering process extends from mid-autumn to early winter months. Flowers in the inflorescence are revealed little by little. The first brush can bloom within 2–2, 5 months.
- Odontoglossum pretty (Odontoglossum pulchellum). The species is classified as a separate genus Odontoglossum Schltr. Bulbs, which have a flattened shape, are very close together. They carry two linear keeled elongated leaves, forming dense large groupings. From the axils of the lower leaves, thin, curved flowering stems develop. They collect loose racemose inflorescences of 4-6 snow-white flowers with a fragrant aroma. At the base of the lip, directed upwards, there is a ridge in the form of a callus, casting a bright yellow tint with reddish specks. Two lateral sepals are located under the lip (which looks like a guitar) and are almost hidden by it, they are almost fused. The flowering process takes the last two winter months.
- Odontoglossum crispum (Odontoglossum crispum). The most beautiful flower of this genus. Flowers, which are located on the same peduncle and are very densely planted, never repeat each other's patterns. The racemose overhanging inflorescences contain up to 15 flowers with a fringed edge. Snow-white or lilac petals have patterns in cherry and brown tones. The lip is characterized by irregularities and is decorated with mottling in yellow-brown tones.
- Odontoglossum lemon (Odontoglossum citrosmum). In the inflorescence 9–20 pale pink or lilac flowers, lip in light pink shades.
- Odontoglossum heart-shaped (Odontoglossum cordatum). In the presence of 3-8 large flowers, distinguished by a cordate lip.
- Odontoglossum large (Odontoglossum grande). A synonym for the name of this orchid is Tiger Orchid. This orchid is the most beautiful plant in this family. It mainly grows in the mountainous forest regions of central America - on the high plateaus of Costa Rica and Guatemala. It chooses for growth indicators of an absolute height of 2000–2500 m. It settles in places with sufficient illumination and well-ventilated areas - on the coastal areas of rivers and streams, forest edges and clearings. This plant never lacks moisture (even in the driest seasons), both in the air and in the soil. This is due to morning dews, fogs at night and evaporation from water bodies, falling from strong changes in the heat indicators of the day and night. This plant was found and first described in the early 19th century by the naturalist and plant collector Ure Skinner, in a mountain gorge near the capital of Guatemala.
"Tiger Orchid" is a rhizome plant, although it is well hidden under flattened pseudobulbs. There are usually 2-3 units of them, they are located directly above the rhizome, close together. They bear leaf plates that cover the bottom of the pseudobulb, from their sinuses, 1–2 peduncles take their development. These flowering stems are in the shape of drooping brushes. The inflorescence includes 3–7 (very rarely 9) large flowers with a diameter of 12–15 cm. Sepals are painted in bright yellow shades, and large transverse stripes of light brown color are drawn on them. Bud petals with a wavy edge, cast in light brown tones in the lower part and bordered by a yellow stripe, bright yellow in the upper part. The rounded lip of a small size is painted with a whitish or white-yellow tone and is covered all over with slightly red strokes or spotting. The flowering process lasts from September to mid-winter. The flowering period is about a month. This orchid is best suited for indoor cultivation, but it is very susceptible to a lack of cool temperatures.
For more on odontoglossum, see this video:
