General plant signs, tips for growing, recommendations for choosing a substrate and replanting, growing problems and their solution, orchid types. Phalaenopsis sounds in Latin as Phalenopsis, and belongs to the large and beautiful family of Orchids or Orchids (Orchidaceae). This family is very ancient and it appeared in an era dating back to 145 million years ago. Basically, all the plants included in it are monocotyledonous. Phalaenopsis often grows as an epiphytic (plant that grows on the branches or trunks of trees) or lithophytic (growing on rocky surfaces). The homeland of its true habitat on the planet is considered to be the southern and eastern regions of Asia, the Philippines and the northeastern regions of the continent of Australia. Most of all he prefers to settle in forests located on plains or mountainous areas, where a humid and warm tropical climate prevails.
This orchid owes its name to the Dutch botanist Karl Ludwig Blume, who lived in the 18th-19th centuries. It was he who discovered a magnificent colorful flower on one of the islands of the archipelago in Malaysia, without considering a cascade of phalaenopsis flowers for a flock of butterflies from afar, he was very surprised when he finally approached the plant. Therefore, the orchid has a name formed by the fusion of two Greek words "moth", which sounds like "phalaina" and the similarity - "opsis". Therefore, the people often call it "moth orchid" or "butterfly orchid".
These flowers are the most unpretentious of the entire colorful orchid family, and apparently because of these properties, they are so popular. The genus includes representatives of more than 70 species of epiphytic orchids. Flowers like to choose places to grow, which are at an altitude of 200-400 m above sea level. Phalaenopsis differs from many orchids in that it lacks both rhizome (rhizome) and pseudobulbs. In this case, the plant has only one stem, which stretches strictly vertically upward and has only one growth point. This type of growth sounds like monopodial (lat.monopodial). In plants with this type of growth, the apical bud is preserved throughout the entire life of the orchid - this is an indicator that the plant stretches its stem higher and higher, there is no growth in width. In height, the stem can reach 40 cm marks.
In the process of life of the "night butterfly", the laying of leaf plates occurs at the apex of the shoot. In the same place, the leaves are located in the next sequence, and between them - in the axils, flowering stems or aerial (atmospheric) axillary root processes originate. With age, the lower leaves of Phalaenopsis die off, and they need to be removed. And on the stem is the development of a new orchid root system. The leaf plates are collected in a leaf rosette, since the stem has a very slow growth rate.
The leaves of this orchid are fleshy, leathery, as if covered with wrinkles. This is all due to the fact that the orchid collects moisture reserves in its leaf plates. The plant has 1–2 young leaves annually. They gradually bloom from the base (growth point) to the top. It also helps keep the plant decorative even if the flowers have not yet blossomed. The length of the leaf can be measured as 5 cm, or up to meter indicators - it depends on the type of phalaenopsis. The leaf plates have a rich dark emerald hue, however, there is also a whitish tint, light green, and the entire leaf surface can be decorated with reddish, purple, brown or almost white spots, strokes or dashes.
Phalaenopsis flowers are his real pride. Their color can range from snowy white to so deep purple that it appears almost black. Patterning can be spotted, with streaks and streaks, speckled, etc. The diameter of the flowers in the opening is also striking in its variety, there are flowers only 2 cm in diameter or their size reaches 12 cm. The number of "colored butterflies" on the flower-bearing arrow directly depends on how much the branching of the peduncle has occurred or what the state of the orchid is. There are from 3 to 40 units, but there are more than 150 of them. Some of the flowers have a delicate aroma.
Recommendations for the care of the "butterfly orchid"
- Lighting and location phalaenopsis. Like most orchid varieties, this one is also not too demanding on lighting conditions. But the "moth-orchid" will be more comfortable in a place with diffused sun rays that will not harm its leaves - this can be an east or west window. Some growers install a pot with phalaenopsis in the back of the room, but this time it will be necessary to arrange additional lighting with special phytolamps in order to increase the length of daylight hours to 12-15 hours a day. With the arrival of winter, long-term artificial lighting is also useful for the plant. If the internodes of the flower began to lengthen and look thin, and the leaf plates decrease in size and turn pale, then this is a sure sign of insufficient lighting.
- Content temperature. The plant, as a true inhabitant of tropical humid forests, loves an air temperature of at least 18 degrees, so in the spring-summer period at home you will have to maintain the thermometer readings within 20-24, and with the arrival of autumn and until spring, it is desirable not lower than 20.
- Dormant period for phalaenopsis. The dormant period for these plants is not as pronounced as, for example, for Cattels, since the regions in which the "butterfly orchid" grows in the natural environment have a more uniform climate. In this flower, the rest period depends on the general condition of the plant and it begins after the end of the long flowering process. Such a period does not depend on environmental conditions, the temperature of the content is 16 degrees.
- Air humidity for phalaenopsis it should be high, spraying of leaf plates is often required, but this must be done carefully so that water does not fall into the leaf outlet. If this happens, it is required to get wet immediately, otherwise moisture can lead to rotting of the plant. It is necessary to spray only with water free of lime impurities and salts, otherwise an unaesthetic whitish spot will appear on the leaves. The plant shows the moisture level with the help of the tips of its root shoots - if they have a juicy green tint, and the size is long - everything is in order with moisture.
- Watering. Humidification occurs with soft water at room temperature, in which there are no harmful impurities and salts. For this, distilled, rain or snow water is taken. While the orchid is undergoing a period of growth and flowering, the substrate should be moderately moist. With the arrival of the rest period, watering is reduced, but it is not necessary to allow the substrate to dry out. The tips of the roots (their green color) signal that the plant has begun to grow, otherwise they have a uniform brown-reddish-green tint. Often this orchid is watered by immersion in a container of water, about half the pot, so that the soil is well saturated with moisture.
- Fertilizer for Phalaenopsis. As soon as the flower enters the phase of growth activation, it is required to feed it every 20–25 days with solutions of complex mineral fertilizers for orchids. This is necessary because in the mixtures the dose is well calculated, which will not burn the roots. The most important thing for a "moth orchid" is that its growth period does not necessarily fall in the spring and summer months.
- Transplantation and selection of a substrate. Changing the pot and substrate for phalaenopsis is required only when necessary. A signal can be a slowdown in the growth of an orchid, which means that the capacity has become small. The transplant is done very carefully so as not to damage the "atmospheric" roots. The old pot needs to be cut and the root system removed without destroying the substrate. The capacity is taken just a little more than the previous one. It is recommended to choose transparent plastic pots for transplanting, since the root system of the orchid contains chlorophyll cells, and they are involved in photosynthesis, therefore, the roots, as well as the aerial part, need lighting.
The soil is taken rough and loose, it is better to buy special soil for orchids. You can also mix detailed pieces of pine bark, fern roots, chopped sphagnum moss, and pieces of charcoal.
Self-breeding tips for phalaenopsis
Most often, to get a new beautiful orchid, they use the vegetative method - planting side shoots. They are called "kids". This "young growth" develops mainly from "dormant buds", which are located on the stem or flowering arrow. When root shoots appear on this formation, and they begin to reach 3 units of 4–5 cm each, they must be carefully removed from the mother orchid and planted separately. The substrate is taken one that is suitable for an adult orchid specimen.
Problems with growing phalaenopsis
When the conditions of keeping at home are violated, namely, the air humidity indicators fall, the plant can be affected by spider mites, aphids, thrips, mealybug or scabbard.
In the first case, the leaf plates have small punctures, as if applied with a pin, the leaves turn yellow and deform, and a thin translucent cobweb begins to cover them and the peduncle.
Aphids are manifested by creeping small bugs of green or black color, which can fill all the leaves, stem and peduncle.
Thrips, like a spider mite, sucking out juices, pierce the leaves with their proboscis along the edge, from which the plate is deformed, and the leaf itself turns yellow.
If a mealybug is affected, then the whole plant begins to cover a plaque, very reminiscent of pieces of cotton wool.
When infected with a scutellum, it can be seen from the back of the leaf - small brownish dots, a sugary sticky coating that covers all parts of the flower. It can provoke the appearance of a sooty fungal disease if you do not take timely measures to destroy the insect.
You can use sparing folk methods of spraying or wiping the leaves - oil, soap or alcohol solution. However, these mixtures do not always give positive and long-term results. Then it will be necessary to carry out an insecticide treatment. If the temperatures are lowered, and the humidity level is high enough, then, as a result, the roots and leaves of phalaenopsis will begin to rot. In this case, to solve the problem, it is necessary to remove all the affected parts of the orchid, treat the remaining plant with a fungicide and transplant it into a new substrate, and then even out the irrigation regime.
Phalaenopsis species
- Phalaenopsis pleasant (Phalenopsis amabilis). An orchid that grows like an epiphyte and is of medium size. The leaf plates are oval-oblong, fleshy and leathery, reaching half a meter in length with a width of 10 cm. Painted in a dark emerald hue. The flower-bearing stem can measure 40–70 cm in height and is highly branched. The number of flowers on it reaches 15–20 units, they are quite large, their diameter can reach 10 cm. The disclosure is consistent, wavy. They keep on the peduncle for a very long time. The main shade of flowers is snow white, the lip is painted in red or bright yellow colors. They can have a delicate aroma.
- Phalaenopsis Schiller (Phalenopsis Chilleriana). The stem of this representative of orchids is short, and the growth is monopodial. Likes to settle on the trunks or branches of trees. The size of the plant is large. Fleshy leaves, covering wrinkles, they reach a length of 25 cm. Their color is variegated - the upper surface of the leaf has a silvery-gray tint with a dark green spot, which merges into stripes running across the plate. The reverse side has a reddish undertone. It is distinguished by a very branched peduncle reaching a height of 90 cm. The number of flowers is enormous - it can number up to 170 units. The flower is painted in pink shades, has a size of 9 cm in diameter. The orchid has a delicate aroma.
- Phalaenopsis Stuart (Phalenopsis Stuartiana). The homeland of this flower is the island of Mandanao, which is part of the Philippine archipelago. This variety is similar to the previous one. The only difference is in the patterning on the leaf plates. The peduncle branches, the flowers are medium-sized. They are painted in snow-white color, have a purple spot and the lower lip, bright yellow with gold, is also covered with a pattern of spots of a reddish hue. The flowering process stretches from February to the end of March.
- Phalaenopsis Lueddemanniana (Phalenopsis Lueddemanniana). Orchid with compact size. Leaf plates in the form of an elongated ellipse. Measured 25 cm in length and 8-10 cm in width. Their color is delicate, light green. Flowering stems are not long, the number of flowers on them varies from 5 to 7 units. Their diameter reaches 5 cm. The color of the petals is pinkish-purple. Towards the center of the bud, the shade becomes brighter and richer. The lip is colored white with a red or yellow spot. The flowers have a very pleasant aroma.
- Phalaenopsis giant (Phalenopsis gigantea). The largest orchid of its kind. The stem is so short that it is not visible due to the spreading leaf blades. The surface of the leaves is leathery, glossy, they hang beautifully from the base. With a meter of their length, the width is measured 40 cm. The flowering stem, also bending, hangs down and reaches a length of 40 cm. From 10 to 30 flowers grow on it. The petals of the buds are fleshy when opened, the flower can reach a diameter of up to 4–7 cm. The shape of the petals is rounded, the aroma resembles citrus fruits. Flowers are painted in milky, green-yellow or bright yellow colors, reddish-brown spots or streaks appear on them.
- Phalaenopsis pink (Phalenopsis rosea). This orchid variety also has a monopodial type of growth and reaches miniature sizes. The leaf plates are distinguished by oblong-oval outlines, reaching 15–20 cm in length and 7–8 cm in width. They are painted in rich dark emerald shades. The flowering stem only grows up to 20 cm in height, rather curved, dark red. It contains up to 10 to 15 colors. The flowers are whitish-pink shades with a small lip divided into three lobes - those on the sides, directed forward and shaded with pink tint. However, in the middle, these lobes are whitish at the base and have three dark red stripes, short in length. The blade in the center is shaped like a rhombus and is colored with a rich bright pink shade, to which a brown undertone is mixed, it is best seen at the base.
- Phalaenopsis Sanders (Phalenopsis Sanderiana). This orchid variety is quite rare. A variegated pattern appears on the green leaf plates. Flowering stems are long enough, drooping to the ground. The color of flowers can be very varied. Their diameter is usually measured 5-7 cm.
- Horse Phalaenopsis (Phalenopsis equestris). A plant with leafy plates of a dark green color. Peduncle - red-violet hue. It constantly lengthens in the process of growth, and over time, new small-sized flowers appear on it, painted in delicate light pink colors. The diameter of the flowers is only 3 cm. How to care for phalaenopsis at home, see here:
