Description and types of an unusual neofinetia orchid, the conditions of its planting and maintenance, advice on reproduction and care in different periods of life. Plant species. The neofinetia orchid has the Latin scientific name Neofinetia. The plant belongs to the orchid family and is part of the perennial genus. Neofinetia has become an important part of Japanese culture, and memories of it date back to the early 17th century. At that time, the plant was known as Fu-ran, which is an abbreviated version of the more complete Japanese phrase "Fuki-ran", which literally means a noble and rich orchid.
Today, neofinetia in its natural habitat is found in the mountainous regions of China, Korea and Japan. It usually grows in semi-deciduous forests, is not afraid of shade and is rather unpretentious in conditions. At the moment, science knows three types of plants:
- neofinetia falcata - described in 1600;
- neofinetia richardsiana - discovered only in 1996 in one of the Chinese provinces (Sichuan);
- neofinetia xichangensis, characterized by a short sepal outgrowth, was discovered only in 2004.
Climatic conditions for growing neofinetia
- Lighting. Neofinetia is very fond of light, therefore, for the full development of the plant and flowers itself, a sufficient level of lighting must be provided. Certain types of neofinetia will not at all demonstrate all their spectacular aesthetic qualities, if you do not pay due attention to lighting. Such extremely light-loving forms include plants with flowers of bright saturated shades, as well as variegated neofinetia. It is not afraid of neofinetia and direct sunlight, so it can be exposed to the sun without much anxiety, but in this case it is important to take into account some points that negatively affect the condition of the plant. In particular, prolonged exposure to direct ultraviolet rays significantly reduces (2 times) the lifetime of flowers. In addition, the pot heats up in the sun and transfers excessive heat to the plant, from which it can lose its beautiful appearance. Certain types of neofinetia with yellow spots on the leaves or flowers of the same shade are strictly forbidden to be kept in direct sunlight. This is due to the fact that exposure to ultraviolet radiation disrupts natural pigmentation and "burnout" occurs. When creating conditions suitable for neofinetia, you should take care that the illumination is in the range of 16-32 thousand lux. If fluorescent lamps are used for lighting, then the distance from their tubes to the plant should be more than 15 cm. When using powerful lamps with high luminous efficiency, this distance should be even greater - over 120 cm. When neofinetia is grown at home on a windowsill, it is advisable to choose windows, who do not face north. In the summer, the orchid can be taken out into the fresh air, but when placing it, it is important to ensure the proper level of shading in order to exclude the possibility of prolonged exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation.
- Growing temperature. Neofinetia is not capricious in the choice of temperature, therefore, it is not necessary to specially control this parameter. The plant can withstand even a short drop in temperature to zero without any consequences. The optimum temperature is considered to be 20-22 degrees Celsius during the day and 9-12 at night in the spring and summer. In winter, it is desirable that the temperature is no higher than 18.
- The moisture content of the plant. Here neofinetia is demanding, and it needs to provide good hydration at the level of 40-60%. If the plant is bred on windowsills, then it is recommended to use special humidifiers or place trays of water to saturate dry room air with moisture.
- Watering the orchid. For neofinetia, this moment of plant care is key. The plant should not be allowed to dry out, otherwise it can quickly wither and die. Neofinetia loves clean water - distilled or rainwater. Intense watering is only good for her, so do not be afraid to water the orchid too intensively. Moreover, if water from a tap or a well is used for irrigation, then this should be done very intensively. In no case should you water the neofinetia with water that has gone through the process of artificial softening. In the periods between watering, the soil should dry out; it should not be allowed that water constantly stands in the pot. It is important to understand that drying in a small amount will be useful, but if you do not give the plant water for a long time, then neofinetia may not bloom or the flowers that appear will be weak and undeveloped. At the same time, it is also impossible to constantly pour water, as this will negatively affect the condition of the plant, although it loves high humidity. If the roots are constantly flooded with water, then soon their dying off will inevitably begin. In addition, the risk of getting sick with stem rot increases significantly, which destroys neofinetia in a few days. Also, when watering, you should take into account the seasonality factor. In moments of intensive development and flowering of the orchid, it should be watered often, and in the winter period of rest, on the contrary, less often.
- Top dressing. Balanced fertilizers can be added continuously throughout the year. It is desirable that they do not contain urea, which oxidizes the soil. If distilled or rainwater is permanently used for irrigation, the plant will be deficient in calcium and magnesium. In this case, neofinetia should be provided with these elements. In winter, fertilizers with a low concentration of nutrients are used no more than once a month, and the rest of the time, a little feeding of neofinetia can be given before each watering. At the same time, feeding should not be overly intense, otherwise neofinetia may lose its variegation. Therefore, the nutrient solution should not be too concentrated, and it should not be applied very intensively. In the summer, top dressing is usually carried out once every 10 days.
- Bloom. The flowering period of neofinetia usually lasts from mid-spring to late autumn. One peduncle can contain 3-15 flowers. Most neofinetia forms show flowers with a long spur. Moreover, the flowers have a strong pleasant smell and do not fade for a long time - up to 2 months. Neofinetia flowers with pink, yellow and cherry-red tints look very impressive.
- Transfer. Neofinetia is recommended to be transplanted after 2-3 years, and this is best done in the spring or early summer. The plant feels great in plastic and clay pots.
Features of planting neofinetia
- Landing in sphagnum. For this method, it is advisable to select high quality sphagnum, after which the roots of neofinetia are placed over a small lump of moss and fixed so as to prevent loosening. At the same time, the moss should not be over-rammed, otherwise water will stagnate in it later, and this, as mentioned above, can lead to a number of negative consequences and even the death of neofinetia. This planting of neofinetia in the moss was actively practiced by the Japanese. It is extremely difficult to assess all the advantages and disadvantages of this method at the moment, but some specific points can still be highlighted. For example, the roots of neofinetia, by planting in sphagnum, end up inside the air chamber, which is why feeding occurs more intensively. But this condition is met only when choosing a special pot with a large drainage hole. If you choose a compact pot for such purposes, then there is a danger of providing excessive moisture for the roots with all the ensuing negative consequences.
- Landing on blocks. This type of neofinetiya landing allows you to see how it looks in its natural environment. True, it is only suitable for those who have a florarium or additional moisturizers at home, otherwise it will not be possible for the plant to provide the required level of moisture in a room environment.
Neofinetia is planted in both ceramic and plastic pots. Until recently, it was a very common myth that the roots of this orchid feel uncomfortable in ceramic pots, which is why the plant withers and does not bloom. Because of this common misconception, many people have purchased plastic pots to plant neofinetia. But this is not entirely correct and here's why. Yes, using plastic pots will make the neofinetia easier to transplant. But at the same time, the plastic container practically does not allow air to pass through and is lightweight, which increases the danger of turning the pot with the plant over. However, the main disadvantage is that plastic heats up easily and transfers heat to orchids, and this is extremely bad for them.
Ceramic pots are devoid of these drawbacks, but they have their own - increased trauma to the roots. However, this factor does not carry the risk for neofinetia at all, as many assume. The fact is that the plant, without any consequences, experiences the loss of part of the roots during transplantation. In addition, this factor can be weakened if, immediately before the start of transplantation, the neofinetia is not watered for some time, as a result of which the turgor of the rhizome from drying out will not be so elastic.
If we talk about the adhesion of orchid roots to the walls, now in ceramic pots the surface of the dishes is already as smooth as in plastic ones. Therefore, this factor can no longer be taken into account when comparing containers. At the same time, the ceramic pot has a porous structure, as a result of which it easily permits moisture and air, and this has a positive effect on the state of neofinetia.
For planting neofinetia, you can take a substrate common for all pot crops. But the proportions can be different, so here are the three most popular ones:
- sphagnum 3 parts, perlite and fern fibers 1 part each;
- coniferous bark 3 parts, perlite and fern fibers 1 part each;
- conifer bark 3 parts, perlite and chopped sphagnum 1 part each.
However, it is not necessary to adhere to precisely these strict proportions, since neofinetiya is not too capricious to the conditions of planting. It is only important to comply with one simple condition - when planting an orchid, you need it to be higher than the edge of the pot.
If a wicker basket is used for planting, then the gaps can be sealed with coconut fiber or sphagnum, preventing the substrate from falling out. In addition, orchids grow well on blocks made from tree bark, fern roots, or cork trees. To retain moisture, moss can be laid on such blocks. By the way, while maintaining a sufficient level of humidity, neofinetia will grow on live moss, even if it covers the stone.
Harmful insects affecting neofinetia
Damage to the plant is caused by:
- worm;
- shield;
- aphid;
- thrips;
- whitefly;
- ticks of all varieties.
The greatest amount of trouble is caused by the first two pests, namely, the scale insect and the worm. Therefore, below we describe what harm they cause and how to deal with them.
The scale is half the size of a match head, it adjoins the leaves or pseudobulb. The pest is clearly visible on orchids. Usually scale insects settle in large colonies. When the pests are torn from the leaf, a small wound remains through which infection can penetrate, therefore, after removing the pests, such places are treated with brilliant green or sprinkled with ash. As a rule, scale insects migrate to neofinetia from other plants.
Elimination of harm after scabbard:
- first, the plant should be thoroughly washed;
- then the leaves are cleaned of the scabbard;
- after that, neofinetia is sprayed with a substrate of phytoverm or actellik, to consolidate the effect after 8-10 days, the spraying is repeated;
- it is useful to transplant the plant after the spraying cycle;
- for the prevention of scale insects, neofinetia is wiped every 5 days.
The worm in appearance resembles a white lump. Only by multiplying it, you can notice the presence of a mustache and an elongated ribbed body. Of all the pests, the worm is the most dangerous for the orchid genus, since it drinks the juices from the plant, and the symptoms of this do not appear immediately. Therefore, in some cases, the plant cannot be saved with the appearance of direct signs of depletion. The negative influence of the worm is manifested in the fact that the leaves and stems turn yellow and dry out.
Another negative factor concerns the spread of the worm, since it is extremely difficult to prevent this. It can be blown out by a draft, eggs with a pest are often found in the substrate, even ordinary ants can transfer it from plant to plant. Once on neofinetia, the worm begins to feed and reproduce, settling in scales, under the leaves or in their axils, and also at the base at the roots. Over time, the colony grows in size, so the laid eggs can already be seen in open places. True, at first, the females of the worm choose the most shaded side, as a result of which the delayed offspring can be noticed either upon close examination, or when the colony has already grown to indecent sizes.
The larvae that emerged from the eggs first accumulate and feed together, but soon they begin to actively search for unoccupied territories to create their colonies. As a result of the life of the worm, sugar formations remain on the plant, which are collected by ants and other insects. In such secretions, a sooty fungus may appear, which also harms the plant.
Fight against the worm:
- first, if possible, all infected places should be removed, and the remaining ones should be thoroughly cleaned;
- then every day it is necessary to do an external examination in the morning and in the evening, removing the worms found, for example, with a toothpick, the remaining wounds must be washed with water or dishwashing liquid, which breaks down the secretions and does not harm the plant;
- the substrate and the plant itself should be sprayed with a phytoverm solution once a week;
- if, after spraying for a month, the worm is not found, then you can congratulate yourself on the fact that this parasite has been safely removed;
- to prevent worms and other pests, the plant is thoroughly wiped every 5-7 days.
Neofinetia also, if irrigation regimes are violated, can be affected by rot of bacterial and fungal origin, which are manifested by brown spot on leaf plates and stems, while it is necessary to remove all affected areas and treat the orchid with a fungicide.
What neofinetia looks like, see here:
