Multiflora orchids are valued for their unpretentiousness and beauty. Caring for them does not require the enormous strength and skills of a professional gardener, and the flowers delight you with their beautiful view. In addition, flowers are an excellent remedy for depression, it is a scientifically proven fact. Today we will tell you all about the beautiful phalaenopsis.
Multiflora Orchids: Description
I want to start the story of a beautiful flower with the history of its discovery. In 1750, Professor Blume from Holland first noticed an orchid. On the opening day, he was on the island of Ambon, on the Malay Archipelago, and was surrounded by dense thickets. Dusk was gathering, and the professor was about to leave for a safe place for the night, when he suddenly noticed a lot of bright butterflies that were sitting on the plant. Approaching them, Blume was surprised to find that butterflies are not insects, but beautiful bright flowers. It was then that the orchid phalaenopsis multiflora got its name, which means "a flower like a butterfly."
This orchid is appreciated for its unusual bright flowers, the shape of the petals of which resembles the wings of butterflies. This beauty is quite unpretentious, and for a long time pleases with flowering, which lasts from two to four months. The plant is decorated with multi-flowered tassels. Arrows with "butterflies" rise from the bare root system or from the leaf sinuses. There are many tricks that make the orchid blossom several times a year, and with proper care, you can achieve flowering three times in twelve months. But we will talk about this later in the article.
Recently, many hybrids of multiflora orchids have appeared, this explains the unusual variety of shades of flower petals. Not so long ago, lovers of indoor plants began to be able to decorate the room with a phalaenopsis of bright blue, saturated color. But these are colored plants, which can be guessed by the presence of paint in the roots, and this is written on the label of the pot in which the wonderful plant is sold.
Peduncles branching and flexible, surrounded by five or six dark green oval-shaped leaves. Usually, if a new sheet appears, then one of the old fades. But it happens that a multiflora orchid, the photo of which is available in this article, has up to twelve leaves. Phalaenopsis flower stalks grow directly from the soil, it does not have a stem. On each of the peduncles there can be up to 20 inflorescences, therefore the plant has many “butterflies” during the flowering period.
Multiflora Orchid: Home Care
Phalaenopsis is an epiphyte, because it selects tree roots for living and growth. The plant not only clings to the root, but also receives proper nutrition from the rotted remains of plants that lurk in the deepening of the bark. How to provide such a diet at home so that the orchid lives, blossoms and pleases the eye of the multiflora? Leaving, as we already wrote, is simple to primitiveness. Today we will talk about how to properly grow a flower, what kind of fertilizing it needs.
Multiflora orchids are very fond of light. They feel great on window sills, and in well-lit rooms. If there are cloudy days in the yard for a long time, then the plant needs to provide additional lighting. In summer, when the sun “fries” heavily, the orchid needs to be removed from the window sill, as its delicate petals can get burns.
Phalaenopsis does not have a pronounced dormant period; therefore, the temperature regime is also very important. In summer, it is considered acceptable from +25 to +35, in winter it is not lower than +25 degrees. Particularly important for kidney formation is the temperature difference at night and day. If the plant is contained on the windowsill, then such a difference will be guaranteed. Just carefully select the place to install the pot, there should not be drafts, their multiflora does not tolerate well. You can not transport and carry the flower along the street in winter and cold autumn time, since the roots can freeze and die.
If the temperature for phalaenopsis is unacceptable, he will show it to you with his leaves: they will be covered with wrinkles, and will lose elasticity. Many flower lovers who first encountered orchid content confuse this symptom with a lack of moisture.
Air humidity
Multiflora orchids in nature grow in humid tropical thickets, so if you want to grow and keep a plant at home, you should take care to saturate the air with necessary moisture. Phalaenopsis grows well if its pot stands on a pallet of water laid out with expanded clay. Moisture will evaporate, and bring comfort to the plant.
If the room is too dry, then frequent rubbing of the leaves with a sponge dampened with water and spraying with soft, settled water will help. It is necessary to ensure that moisture does not stagnate in outlets formed by leaves.
Watering
To ensure proper care, water Phalaenopsis twice a week in summer and once in winter. It is important not to overdry or waterlog the roots. Many people prefer to lower the pot with the plant in water for fifteen minutes, so that the substrate is completely saturated.
If the plant is not sufficiently watered, then the lower leaves will begin to turn yellow, and streaks will appear on the upper ones. If the roots are dry or begin to rot, then the affected areas are removed with a sharp knife, and the sections are treated with charcoal powder or sulfur. To prevent roots and leaves from decaying, do not allow water to enter the sinuses during irrigation.
Top dressing
A plant you just bought should not be additionally pampered with different “snacks” for flowering and growth, as they can already be pumped up to the ground with all kinds of fertilizers. After this interval, select a low-nitrogen orchid supplement and use it year-round. The dosage and number of top dressings, the gap between them, see the instructions on the package. In no case do not increase the amount of fertilizer prescribed by the manufacturer.
Transfer
Like all plants, the multiflora will eventually become crowded in its pot, and it will require an expansion of living space. To do this, buy a substrate and a transparent pot. Why exactly transparent? So it will be easier for you to monitor the condition of the roots, and "resuscitate" the plant in time. So, you need to transplant only in the spring. Prepare the pot: make additional holes on the sides and at the bottom, lay a drain, a little substrate on top. The plant has very brittle roots, so put them in a new pot very carefully and cover them with the rest of the substrate just as carefully. In no case do not press down the roots, do not slam the substrate. The rosette of leaves should remain completely on the surface. If some roots remained stuck in different directions, and were not sprinkled, let it be. Over time, they themselves will hide.
Dangerous pests
Multiflora orchids are attacked by pests and diseases. If your beauty was "knocked down" by a virus, then do not try to save it, destroy it along with the substrate and the pot so that other plants do not become infected. Dangerous orchid is gray rot, aphids, slugs and snails. Parasites are too hard to catch in the harmful effects, as they hunt at night. Buy the necessary soil supplements that will prevent the appearance of harmful neighbors.
If phalaenopsis does not bloom
If the plant was brought from the store, and the buds began to dry out, it’s okay, the care and maintenance simply changed. Soon, new inflorescences will appear on the peduncles. After flowering, you don’t need to trim the plant, dead flower stalks themselves will disappear, and the good ones will again be covered with “butterflies”.
If for a long time new flower stalks do not appear, or buds do not form on them, then be sure that you spoiled, but did not ruin, the orchid. It needs to be punished a bit, to remind about the destination. So, you will need to reduce the air temperature overnight to +16 for a couple of weeks and stop humidifying the air. Soon the beauty will delight you with her flowers!