Purple Orchid Care

There are orchid species with the same morphological features, but with different flowers. Violet orchid is found in several varieties of this plant, flower care, depending on the species, has a number of differences.

Purple orchid

Characteristics of a purple orchid

Purple orchid is one of the hybrid flower forms, which makes it better adapted to home conditions.The main feature of this species is purple flowers , the shade of which varies from light lilac to more saturated. Sometimes the plant is called lilac orchid. There is another name for the flower, descended from the Latin, Phalaenopsis violation.

Sometimes the orchid flower is artificially tinted, introducing special purple inks into the peduncle. Sometimes the paint is injected at the growth point, which is why the leaves also stain.

Description of the species

This plant has a relatively solid peduncle – an shoot on which flowers are formed.It has a zigzag shape and is able to bend in different directions. Compared to other orchid species, a small number of flowers appear on the violet phalaenopsis. The flowering period lasts all year. The largest number of them appears and holds from spring to autumn.

Description of flowers

Flowers of this species have a pleasant, pronounced aroma, similar to the smell of bergamot or water lilies. Their maximum width is 6 cm. The petals are oblong, have an oval or oval-elliptical shape, smooth surface, waxy appearance. Sometimes there are small, white-pink spots.

Description of leaves

The leaves of Phalaenopsis are large, fleshy, have an oblong elliptical shape. The ends are either blunt or pointed. In an adult flower, the leaves grow to 30 cm, their width is almost 15 cm.

Violet phalaenopsis varieties

Sometimes purple orchids are planted in the wild, but mostly it is homemade a plant that belongs to the orchid family. There are several varieties of phalaenopsis with purple flowers, but there are other species with flowers of similar shades, such as a pink orchid.

Wanda

The variety can grow above 1 m. It has strong, hanging , gray-green roots that can absorb moisture from the air. The vanda is called bearded, because its huge root system is similar to a beard. For normal growth, the variety does not require soil: it grows well on the block.

The stems have a cylindrical shape and a large number of leaves. Usually at least 4 flower stalks grow on one plant, on average 15 large flowers with a pronounced aroma are formed on each of them.

Wanda Orchid

Phalaenopsis

Purple Phalaenopsis orchid is one of the most common varieties. Its advantage is the ability to adapt to different climatic conditions, so it is well established at home. Its name means “moth-like,” because the flowers in this variety are like butterflies. They have different shades, from lilac to dark purple. Sometimes there are white, white-purple and dark purple flowers. They have practically no fragrance.

In the wild, phalaenopsis violet grows on tree trunks, clinging to the bark with its roots. It has an air-root system, due to which it receives moisture from the air. Green roots are also involved in the process of photosynthesis. Leaves gather at the outlet below the stem. The flowering period reaches 6 months. Up to 100 flowers appear on one peduncle.

Dendrobium

This variety of purple orchid is small in size. One of its features is the ability to drop leaves once a year. This orchid has epiphytic and lithophytic forms, but the first is more common. In the wild, it is a parasite, becauseattaches roots to the trunks and branches of trees and feeds on them.

Dendrobium has straight stems that transform into a swept shape. The leaves in the lower part of the stem are not collected in the outlet, but grow throughout the shoot, including the upper part. They are dense, have an oval-elliptical shape. There may be several flower stalks, 4 flowers usually appear on each of them.

General care for the purple orchid

The purple orchid is sensitive to the conditions of detention. Care for each variety of this species has its own characteristics. This is due to the fact that the characteristics of the varieties are different.

There are certain rules for caring for the plant, the same for all varieties. These include the choice of substrate and pot, ensuring the necessary temperature of air and lighting, proper watering and top dressing.

Substrate and pot

Purple orchids are famous for not needing soil mixture, therefore, as a substrate use:

• wood bark (preferably pine or willow);
• moss;
• charcoal;
• pumice and expanded clay (for drainage).

Granite gravel or crushed bricks are also used as drainage. But they should not cover the entire bottom of the pot. Sphagnum is placed there, which absorbs moisture well and gives it to the roots. If ground fern roots and peat are added to the substrate, feeding the flower will not be needed.

The root system of this species is powerful, it can grow greatly, so choose a large and stable pot. The plant should feel free in it. Plastic or ceramic containers are ideally suited for it, in which there should be holes to remove excess moisture.

The substrate and pot for the purple orchid

Lighting and temperature

The purple orchid loves sunlight, but grows well and blooms in partial shade. Direct sunlight is bad for her condition. For good growth, it also requires an average of 13 hours of daylight, so in winter, when daylight hours are reduced, additional lighting is artificially provided.

Suitable air temperature for phalaenopsis is from 15 ° C to 25 ° C. At hot temperatures, it does not grow well. GTAs are best placed on the east or west side. It is imperative to ventilate the room where they are located.

Watering and fertilizer

This species, like most others, likes humidity, the level of which should be at least 40% . If the air humidity is lower than this indicator, the leaves wither in the plant, the flowers fall. Often, watering and spraying the orchid is also not worth it: this leads to its decay. It is better to water 1-2 times a week and only when the substrate is completely dry.Use should melt or rain water. If there is no opportunity to get one, watering is carried out with boiled, settled water. When the flower stalks begin to dry, they are pruned.

It is necessary to feed a purple orchid in a pot every month, not more than once. It is better to use fertilizers containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. They are applied in the spring and summer at the doses indicated on the package. Too much fertilizer reduces the immunity of the plant, which contributes to the development of infections. If Phalaenopsis is transplanted 2-3 times a year, the flower does not need to be fed.

Features of care for each variety

The basic rules for care are the same for all varieties of purple orchids, however, there are some nuances regarding the cultivation of each.

Wanda Care

The immunity of this variety depends on the temperature regime. The ideal air temperature for it is 25 ℃. A drop in temperature of 5 ℃ during the week provokes the appearance of diseases and causes stress in the flower. The humidity level should not fall below 60%. The plant is watered and sprayed with warm water in the morning.

Care of the phalaenopsis

Phalaenopsis is able to withstand 28 ° C, and will also develop normally at 17 ° C. For this flower, it is better to create a small shadow or diffuse lighting: it does not respond well to bright direct sunlight. It is watered every 1-1.5 weeks.Also, the room must be ventilated and monitored so that the humidity level is not lower than 40%.

Care for the Dendrobium

The dendrobium grows well at 25 ° C. He is not afraid of a significant decrease in temperature: he retains the characteristics at 10 ° C. This is its main difference from other varieties. It is desirable that the temperature difference is maintained within 5-7 ° C. Humidity should be at least 60%. In a hot period, the flower is periodically sprayed. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure that moisture does not stagnate in the axils of the leaves.

This variety of orchid does not tolerate drafts and direct sunlight. It is recommended to keep it together with chistus, since in the wild Dendrobium grows next to ferns, which serve as a support for its roots.

Transplant rules

Lilac phalaenopsis is transplanted only in case of emergency. If force majeure does not occur, the transplant is carried out every 3 years, because during this period the substrate loses useful substances. It is better to transplant in early spring before the flower grows actively and the root mass grows.

If the plant has released a flower arrow, it is not transplanted to avoid slowing down the flower stalk and dropping unopened buds.

As it grows plants and root sprouts the pot is replaced with a larger one. The flower is moved into it by the transfer method.The process is carried out according to the algorithm:

• carefully remove the flower from the pot, holding the roots;
• place the flower in a new container with a pre-prepared substrate;
• carefully straighten the roots without compacting the substrate;
• insert a stick into the pot and fasten the stem to it with wire.

In the first month, fertilizers should not be applied, since all necessary useful substances phalaenopsis will receive from a new substrate. Watering is carried out 5 days after transplanting.

Conclusion

Care for the lilac orchid is almost the same as that carried out for other species of this flower, but this plant has several varieties, so the rules of cultivation and care are slightly different. Each variety has its own requirements, so before you start any varieties of purple phalaenopsis, you should carefully study the features of care for them.