Phalaenopsis are often referred to as “butterfly orchids” because their charming flowers of various shapes, sizes, patterns and colors – white, yellow, pink, red, purple, brown and green – resemble tropical moths. The graceful, often contrasting color lip of the flower stands out effectively against the background of the patterned (striped, reticulate, tiger, speckled) or even color of the flower petals, reaching 8 cm in diameter.
Horse Phalaenopsis (Phalaenopsis equestris). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Paul
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Description of phalaenopsis
Phalaenopsis orchid has now gained wide popularity among flower growers. This orchid belongs to the group of indoor orchids, the cultivation of which is within the power of a novice amateur florist. This flower has one undeniable advantage: an adult, well-developed plant can bloom almost all year round, it has a very short dormancy period.
Orchids usually have a special organ for the accumulation of water and nutrients – pseudobulbs, phalaenopsis does not have a pseudobulb, it is an epiphyte, that is, a plant that has no connection with the soil, which settles on the trunk and branches of other plants, using them as a support. Epiphytes feed on minerals, which are obtained from the moisture of precipitation, dust, decomposed bark.
Epiphytes have aerial roots, which serve both to obtain nutrients and as a support for flowers. Some of the roots of phalaenopsis, those that are in the light, are colored green, since, along with leaves, they participate in the process of photosynthesis.
Phalaenopsis leaves are dense, green, collected in a rosette. Flowers of various colors – flat up to 5 cm in diameter. The phalaenopsis peduncle is curved, multi-flowered inflorescences are formed on it. The original varieties of phalaenopsis are rather large plants (up to 1 meter), but miniature species are more popular among flower growers.
Large plants include Dendrobium phalaenopsis, which has numerous hybrids. A plant with large flowers and leaves. Like all phalaenopsis, it blooms for a long time.
Phalaenopsis schilleriana. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com chipmunk_1
Phalaenopsis care
The temperature regime for phalaenopsis should be even in winter and summer. The best temperature is +25 degrees. In winter, it is desirable that the temperature does not drop below +20 degrees (although Phalaenopsis can withstand a short-term drop in temperatures). This type of orchid has one feature: Phalaenopsis gives flowering only if it provides a difference between day and night temperatures of +5 degrees. Only in this case does he lay new flower buds.
The phalaenopsis flower stalk continues to grow as the flowers fade, and if you cut off the part of the flower stalk where the flowering ended, then new flowers will appear on the remaining part, which increases the flowering period.
Phalaenopsis requires bright, diffused light. Phalaenopsis care means providing it with 10-15 hours of bright lighting, so in winter the plant needs backlighting.
Like any other orchid, Phalaenopsis is very sensitive to humidity, which must be high. The leaves should be sprayed once a day, but there should be no drops on the leaves, the spraying is the smallest, like fog. It is advisable to put the pot on a tray with pebbles in which water is poured. This will create the necessary moisture for the phalaenopsis. Pay attention – the pot is placed on the pebbles so that it does not touch the water, otherwise there is a high probability of root rot.
When watering, there is one more feature: you cannot pour water on the growth point at the base of the outlet, so you need to water carefully, into the edge of the pot, but it is better to water by dipping the pot into a container with water so that the water gets onto the substrate through the holes in the pot.
Phalaenopsis substrate must be breathable. It is made up of pieces of bark, moss, you can add pieces of foam, which, by the way, is good to use as drainage and for other plants instead of broken brick or expanded clay. This whole mixture should be slightly damp, but not wet. It is especially necessary to water the plant in winter at low temperatures due to the high probability of root decay. Only soft, settled water is suitable for irrigation.
For phalaenopsis, it is natural for the roots to grow into the holes in the pot and form above the soil. This does not mean that a phalaenopsis transplant is needed. The upper roots can be slightly covered with a substrate, for which, when planting in the upper part of the pot, you need to leave free space (the soil should not fill the pot to the top). Phalaenopsis transplant is carried out only if a suspension in growth is noticed and the pot is clearly small. By the way, it is better to take a plastic pot, since in such a pot you can drill holes on the side of the pot, which will create additional conditions for air to penetrate to the roots and eliminate moisture stagnation.
For phalaenopsis, care means the absence of drafts, although fresh air is needed for this plant.
Reproduction of phalaenopsis
Phalaenopsis reproduce by “babies” appearing on flower stems.
The roots of the children are wrapped in moist sphagnum, while leaving the opportunity to dry well – and then sprinkling a little.
Phalaenopsis stuartiana. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Rothanthi Kynigaki
Phalaenopsis diseases and pests
When the roots of young phalaenopsis grow more than 3-4 cm, they can be planted.
Phalaenopsis diseases, like all plants, are associated with inaccuracies in care. For phalaenopsis, this is, first of all, excessive moisture, especially at low temperatures. In this case, the plant is affected by rot. It is necessary to remove all parts of the plant affected by rot, transplant it into a new substrate and not flood the plant.
If watering is insufficient, the leaves may dry out, and the likelihood of the plant being damaged by pests increases, especially during the hot period. Most often these are scale insects, aphids, etc.
Shield, or shield aphid got its name from the waxy shield that covers the body of an adult pest. At first, at a young age, the scale insect is hardly noticeable, but it quickly multiplies, covering the stems and leaves with dark spots. Adults are motionless and sit under shields, from under which larvae crawl out and crawl throughout the plant. At this time, they are destroyed by spraying with a soap-tobacco solution, to which you can add a little kerosene or denatured alcohol. Adult pests, along with shields, are removed with a damp swab, but you still need to treat the entire plant with insecticide or soapy water to remove the larvae.
aphid – a small insect can be green, gray or black in color. It settles on the underside of the leaf and feeds on plant sap, which leads to drying and folding of the leaves. It multiplies rapidly. It is destroyed by ready-made preparations that are sold in stores or solutions of nicotine – sulfate in water and soap in a ratio of 1 g. nicotine – sulfate per 1 liter of soapy water.
After processing, the plants should be washed well after a day, covering the soil with polyethylene. If necessary, the processing is repeated.
With a lack of lighting, the phalaenopsis stretches and does not bloom.
Phalaenopsis cornu-cervi. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Larry Kuekes
Phalaenopsis species
Horse Phalaenopsis (Phalaenopsis equestris)
An epiphytic green-leaved orchid native to the Philippines and Taiwan. The flower stalk is purple-violet in color, as it blooms, it gradually lengthens and at its end more and more new flowers appear, while the old ones gradually fall off, so each peduncle remains in blooming state for several months. The flowers are light pink, rather small (2-3 cm). The maximum flowering occurs in two seasons – February-Parel and September-November.
Phalaenopsis cornu-cervi
Epiphytic or lithophytic green-leaved phalaenopsis from Southeast Asia, from the islands of Java, Sumatra and Kalimantan. The specific epithet “antler” refers to the flattened tip of the peduncle with crest-like outgrowths at the sites of flower bud formation. Peduncle from 9 to 42 cm long bears 7 to 12 flowers. The flowers are golden yellow with brown spots, 3-5 cm in diameter. In culture, flowering plants can be observed at any time of the year.
Phalaenopsis adorable (Phalaenopsis amabilis)
Epiphyte is native to the Malay Archipelago, New Guinea and Australia. Leaves are usually only three to five, they are oval-oblong, fleshy, leathery, green, up to 50 cm long and 10-12 cm wide. One and a half meter drooping peduncle often branches, the total number of flowers can reach 20-30 pieces. The flowers are milky white with a lip painted in yellow and purple tones. The diameter of the flower is 8-10 cm. The maximum flowering occurs in May-June.
Phalaenopsis stuartiana
Variegated epiphytic plant from Mindanao – one of the largest islands in the Philippine archipelago. On a branched peduncle, about 20 flowers develop, each 5 cm in diameter. The dorsal sepals and petals are white, while the lateral sepals are divided in half by the central vein – white above and yellow below with numerous purple specks. The lip is spotty, three-lobed. Blooms from January to March.
Phalaenopsis schilleriana
Variegated epiphytic plant native to the island of Luzon (Philippines). Peduncle up to 1 m long, branched, purple. Flowers 7 cm in diameter, elegant lilac-pink color, which fades slightly from the center to the periphery of the petals and sepals. The lip is three-lobed, its tip bifurcates and forms backward-directed “horns” resembling a grip. Mass flowering occurs in December-March.
