A flower familiar to many, called an orchid, is most often pink, white, green, purple or yellow. The family of these plants is one of the largest in the world, with more than 25 thousand species. In the wild, they live mainly on trees, which use them mainly as a support. This is what distinguishes these unique flowers. Black orchids, bred by skillful hands of breeders, are quite unpretentious in care. It is also important that during flowering they do not cause allergies.
How did unusual flowers appear - black orchids?
Under this name, as a rule, we mean plants of a very dark saturated shade (burgundy or purple). It is so inherent in nature that the pigment responsible for black is completely absent in flowers. However, scientists from different countries did not stop working on the cultivation of orchids of the desired variety. As a result, California breeders managed to create the desired flowers. Black orchids as a species have been patented and presented to the public.
Types of Black Orchids
In shops you can find several varieties of this unique plant. Moreover, its shades will vary from dark blue to rich burgundy. The most popular is Maxillaria schunkeana - a black orchid.
A flower, the price of which is quite affordable, can now be purchased in many specialized stores. Such varieties as Paphiopedilum de Nachtwacht, Black Butterfly, Dracula roezlii can also be attributed to the dark ones. Night butterflies - this is what flowers called "black orchid" are associated with (photo).
Flowers at home: growing
Since this plant lives mainly on trees or stones covered with moss, a loose substrate, poor in nutrients, should be used for its cultivation. An orchid transplant is best done after flowering. As a substrate, it is best to take sphagnum moss and pine bark. However, before transplanting, you need to properly process the substrate. Crush the bark into small pieces and pour boiling water for fifteen minutes. After this, the water needs to be drained and the wood cooled. Moss should also be scalded with boiling water, and then squeezed and cooled. In order to less injure the roots of the plant during transplantation, it must first be watered. In a new transparent pot, place a mixture of 1 part moss and 6 parts bark.
When transplanted, the plant is removed from the old container and the old substrate is carefully removed. If there are dark roots, they should be trimmed by sprinkling the cut with chopped charcoal. The plant is placed in the center of a new pot and carefully sprinkled with a substrate around it. If the flower is unstable, you can tie it to a wooden stick with a thread. A layer of moss is recommended on top.
Three days later, you can water the transplanted flowers. Black orchids do not like to often change their "home". Therefore, transplantation should be done every three years.
Care
The plant feels comfortable in a dark place or shadow. A large amount of light is harmful to him. Water the orchid with water at room temperature no more than once a week. It is recommended to feed the flower once a month with a special fertilizer in a concentration of ¼.