Wanda Orchid is truly a royal plant that attracts attention with its stunning flowers. The bewitching and attractive appearance of this orchid leaves no one indifferent. If you have never cultivated these flowers at home, then you should carefully study all the details of this process. In this article, we will talk in detail about the process of planting and caring for the Wanda orchid at home. Caring for her is a rather troublesome business, but if you pay enough attention to it, you will receive gratitude in the form of incredibly beautiful and long flowering.
Description
Wanda Orchid is one of fifty species belonging to the combined genus of flowering Indian and Australian plants. It was the Indians who gave the "Royal" name to this orchid. In 1795, William Jones, who studied Asian nature and people, gave the Wanda orchid its current name. And since 1981, this flower is the national symbol of Singapore.
In general, the orchid of this variety is a rather tall epiphytic (not requiring soil) plant, reaching a height of almost a meter, with long leaves of a belt-shaped form, growing up to 25 centimeters in length. Its peduncles, most often, produce six small and dim flowers, which, as they grow, acquire a large size and bright color. The main feature of this type of orchid is considered to be very powerful roots, which are highly branched and can reach two meters in length.
Orchid species
To date, more than fifty varieties of Wanda orchids are known. In this section we offer to get acquainted with the most popular.
- Chess Wanda. This species is especially popular in the countries of Southeast Asia. It is characterized by epiphytic branching roots and yellowish-golden flowers. Leaves have a lamellar appearance and a cylindrical shape.
- Wanda lamellar. A flower that came to us from the Philippines, and also well established in a rainforest with a humid climate. It has elongated leaves located on half-meter shoots, with yellow-brown flowers of small diameter growing from a central shoot.
- Wanda is three-colored. One of the tallest species of this orchid, growing one and a half meters in height. Belt-shaped leaves have a leathery structure. Inflorescences of short length are covered with ten large flowers of white or cream color with a splash in the form of brown spots.
- Wanda is gross. Like the three-colored species of the plant, it has a fairly high trunk - about two meters, with strong branching and a tendency to crawl. The species is called a rollish due to the long and narrow leaves of the same name. Peduncle gives about six pink or crimson flowers.
- Wanda is blue. An orchid of this variety is characterized by an erect stem of a meter height, covered with two rows of leaf-shaped leaves. During the flowering period, it is covered with large blue-blue flowers with a diameter of about 10 centimeters, in an amount of 6 to 12 pieces.
General Care Features
Wanda orchids are quite capable of growing not only in specialized greenhouses, but simply at home. However, it should be understood that in order to obtain a healthy and beautiful plant, conditions should be maintained that are as close to tropical as possible (as in the homeland of this orchid). The main criteria for the care of Wanda orchids are: maintaining temperature and humidity, timely top dressing and providing the necessary lighting. Only observing all the requirements for caring for this rather capricious flower, you can achieve success in the form of large and colorful flowers. So, about everything in order and in more detail.
Creation of optimal conditions
Growing and caring for Wanda orchids, first of all, implies supporting the necessary climatic conditions. Oddly enough, but in order for the plant to bloom, it is important for him to ensure a temperature difference. Moreover, each variety has its own optimal cultivation temperature, which must be clarified upon purchase.
For example, for an orchid, in the homeland of which plains terrain prevails, a temperature above 35 degrees is not critical. But for plants from the highlands more moderate temperatures are required, and without sudden changes. The most comfortable temperature is considered to be in the range from 22 to 27 degrees during the period of growth and flowering. During the rest period, the temperature should drop to 14 degrees. Active flowering can be achieved by creating fluctuations in air temperature day and night. In addition, with hotter air, its humidity should also be increased to 75-80%.
Landing pattern
As mentioned above - an orchid is an epiphytic plant, that is, it does not require the use of soil for its cultivation. Based on this, there are three main ways to plant a Wanda orchid in the home.
- With a substrate. A pine bark in combination with sphagnum is suitable as a substrate for orchids . If it is not possible to prepare the substrate yourself, then it is not difficult to find it ready-made in the store. To plant in this way requires a spacious pot with a large number of holes for the best ventilation of the roots and providing them with free space.
- In glass vessels. To do this, use a stable vase of small height, in which only the roots of the plant are placed. The leaf and flower part should remain in the open air to provide adequate lighting and fresh air.
- In a suspended system with bare roots. The plant is placed in a wicker basket so that its roots are provided with maximum ventilation. The only drawback of this method is the frequent spraying of the plant due to the rapid evaporation of moisture.
The importance of lighting
Without proper access to sunlight, any, even the most thorough care of the plant will be practically meaningless. Orchid Wanda - the standard of photophilia. Receiving coverage of less than ten hours a day, it stops active growth and does not begin to bloom. The best places to grow are glazed balconies or loggias. If they are absent, the use of a southern window is permissible, and in the summer at lunchtime the window is slightly shaded (or the flower is transferred to another window sill) to avoid burns on delicate flower petals.
The lack of light can be recognized by the too dark shade of the leaves (as well as the shorter upper pair of leaves, compared to the lower) and the growth arrest of roots, the end of which is covered with a white coating.
Watering
Compliance with the watering regime of the Wanda orchid is one of the most important requirements for caring for it. If you are going to grow a plant in a substrate, then watering should be done only when it is completely dry, otherwise a more frequent application of water threatens to rot the roots. When grown in a glass vase or in a hanging system, weekly watering in winter and autumn is sufficient, and in spring and summer, the frequency of watering is doubled.
The watering process is as follows: the plant is placed in the bath and for 5-7 minutes it is well shed with warm water from the shower. Water temperature should not be lower than 35 degrees. Or the roots of the plant are lowered into a vessel with water for 20-30 minutes. After such watering, the plant is given half an hour to ensure that excess moisture from the leaves and roots of the glass.
Top dressing
Since most often the orchid grows without soil, it is not easy to introduce this or that fertilizer. But at the same time, the plant requires weekly dressing. Therefore, the fertilizer application process is carried out by spraying the plants with a weak solution of the drug. More active top dressing should be carried out in the vegetative period, and at the stage of dormancy of the plant, their number can be significantly reduced.
Transfer
As such, orchid transplants do not exist, due to lack of soil. But, if you decide to grow it in a substrate, then it should be replaced every three years. Fresh substrate prevents root decay due to low access to sunlight.
The main sign of Wanda's orchid readiness for transplant is the presence of new roots. When they appear, the plant should be transplanted immediately, without waiting for their regrowth. Such rapid transplantation is due to the fragility of longer young roots.
Breeding
Those who have been growing orchids for several years know that this plant not only blooms, but also can multiply. In adult plants, small roots begin to appear in the leaf sinuses, which are cut off along with the apex of the flower. It is possible to engage in the reproduction of the Wanda orchid only after the appearance of these roots. The cut point is immediately treated with ground cinnamon or grinded charcoal.
The cut process must be planted in a container with a substrate, while carefully spreading the roots. In order to protect them from damage, make a small depression in the substrate. After planting, the stem should be moderately watered until its active growth begins - during this period it can be strengthened.
Disease
The main diseases that Wanda's orchid is susceptible to are fusarium and bacterial rot. In this section, we will tell you how to recognize and cure these diseases.
Fusarium shows dark spots that appear at the base of the leaves. The cause of the onset and development of this disease is damage to leaves or young roots. If the plant is affected by Fusarium infection, immediately treat it (by spraying) with its "Fundazole", having previously cut off the affected parts and sprinkled the cut points with activated charcoal. For prevention, constantly remove old roots and yellowed leaves.
Bacterial rot develops due to too high air temperature in combination with excessive watering. The roots of the orchid acquire a loose structure and gradually rot. In order to get rid of bacterial rot, treat the plant with a solution of Fundazole or Topsin. Processing consists in immersing the plant in a solution of the drug.
Pests
Among the pests of orchids can be noted mealybug. The adult of this insect has a size of not more than 4 millimeters, an oval shape and a pinkish color. White plaque on the insect means that it is ready to lay eggs. The main habitat of the mealybug colonies is the underside of the leaves or the tip of the shoot. The main harm caused by this insect is to suck out the juice from the stems of the plant and the defeat of the flowers of the Wanda orchid, which take the form of cotton wool due to clumps of web. To remove the vermilion eggs from the plant, the leaves must be wiped with a damp cloth dipped in soapy water or alcohol. With a more severe damage, the plant is treated with insecticides.
A spider mite is another pest that does not mind spoiling an orchid. The size of these bright red insects is incredibly small - less than 0.5 millimeters. Particularly favorable environment for their development are warm rooms with dry air. A spider mite lesion can be recognized by yellowed and dried leaves. Spider mites are especially insidious in that with the onset of not quite favorable conditions for development, they burrow into the substrate and wait this time until the onset of suitable conditions. With a weak lesion, it is enough to treat the plant with a soapy solution or garlic tincture. With a stronger infection, the use of insecticides and colloidal sulfur is permissible.
If you find yellow dots on the stems and leaves, then this is a sure sign of infection with scabies. The leaves of the Wanda orchid, affected by the scab, fall off in a dried and twisted form. In addition, the overall growth of the plant slows down, and in some situations it completely dies. Removal of scutes is carried out by wiping the leaves and stems with a damp sponge. It is also important to process the area around the flower pot.
Finally
In this article, we not only told you about the Wanda orchid, but also introduced you to its most popular varieties. Detailed tips for caring for this plant will allow you to grow this "queen" of orchids in your home without any problems. Carefully monitor the level of humidity and air temperature, to which this plant is so sensitive, and you will definitely get stunningly beautiful flowers with a pleasant aroma.