ORCHIDS
The
beauty, complexity and incredible diversity of orchid flowers are unrivalled in
the plant world. Most cultivated orchids are native to the tropics.
In their natural habitat, they attach
themselves to the bark of trees, or the
surface of other plants. Their thick, white roots are specially adapted to
absorb moisture and dissolved nutrients. Because these tropical orchids usually
grow high in the trees, rather than on the forest floor, they are accustomed to
good air circulation and plenty of light. They prefer a 12-hour day, all
year-round, and require a high intensity of light — about the same as midsummer
conditions in temperate regions.
How Orchids Grow
Orchids
are usually grouped into two broad categories that characterize their growth
habits. Monopodial orchids have a single, upright stem, with leaves arranged opposite
each other along the stem. The flower stem appears from the base of the
uppermost leaves. Orchids with this growth habit include the phalaenopsis and
vandas. The more common growth habit is sympodial. These orchids grow
horizontally, sending out new shoots from the old rhizome. Leaves and flower
scapes form at the top of the new shoots. Many sympodial orchids form
pseudobulbs, which are swollen shoots that store water and nutrients to help
the plant survive periods of prolonged drought. Sympodial orchids include
cattleya, cymbidium, oncidium and dendrobium.
Caring for Orchids
Light
As a general rule, orchids are light-hungry plants.
For best results, they should get 12 to 14 hours of light each day, year-round.
In a tropical environment, the duration and intensity of natural light does not
vary as it does in temperate climates. For this reason, you may need to move
your orchids around, and supplement with artificial light to keep them happy
during the winter months.
Growing media
Terrestrial
orchids, such as paphiopedilums and some cymbidiums, grow in soil. But most
tropical orchids are epiphytes, which means that they grow in the air, rather
than in soil. Their fleshy roots are covered with a layer of white cells called
velamen, which acts as a sponge to absorb water. The coating also protects the
roots from heat and moisture loss.
Watering
Most orchids can
tolerate drought far better than they can tolerate excess moisture. Nothing
kills an orchid faster than letting it sit in a water-logged pot. Without
adequate air circulation, the plant will suffocate and die. As a very general
rule, orchids should be watered once a week.
Humidity
Most tropical orchids prefer
humidity levels of 60 to 80 percent.
Fertilizer
Orchid-growing
mediums provide very few nutrients, so orchids must be fertilized to
sustain healthy growth. Use a liquid fertilizer, and dilute it more
than you would for other plants. Fertilizer should only be applied when plants
are in active growth.
Potting and re-potting
Orchids
are usually happiest in a relatively small pot. Plastic pots are preferred
because when it’s time to re-pot, the roots can be more easily detached, or the
pots can simply be cut apart.
Propagation
Propagating orchids
from seed is quite difficult. Unlike the seeds of other plants, orchid seeds do
not contain nutritional storage tissues. To grow, the seed must land where it
will find a particular kind of fungi that can penetrate its root system and
convert nutrients into a usable form. To overcome the odds, an orchid seed
capsule typically disburses millions of microscopic seeds, which can be carried
hundreds of miles from the mother plant.
It is far easier to
propagate orchids by division. But remember that dividing a plant means
forsaking blooms for at least a year. Also, the larger the orchid plant, the
more flowers it will produce. Small divisions take many years to mature.
Easy Orchid Varieties for Beginners
Cattleya: High light; 55 to 90 degrees F; 40 to 80 percent
humidity; alternate wet and dry; coarse fir bark.
Phalaenopsis: Bright light; 65 to 85 degrees
F; 40 to 70 percent humidity; do not allow to dry out; medium fir bark.
Paphiopedilum: Bright light; 50
to 80 degrees F, depending on variety; 40 to 60 percent humidity; continuous
moisture; bark or fluffy moss mix.
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