The most beautiful and expensive flower on Earth is an orchid. She was born in that place of the planet where nature does not skimp on the beauty and wealth of the world. The homeland of an orchid, a roomy beauty so beloved by many is the tropics. More than 90% of all world-known orchid species found their birth in these moist and saturated forests. Orchids are found everywhere, they managed to take root in the most unusual corners of the Earth and adapt to different conditions and climate. There are a huge number of varieties of this delightful flower - about 25,000. They are all different, some are stunning with the generosity of their bright decoration, while others are modest and unobtrusive.
They began to appear in our homes relatively recently. Orchids are fragile, vulnerable creatures and require careful attention to themselves. But how to care for a flower that grew in such an unusual climate for us? The homeland orchid is home to a subtropical and tropical zone, and it is a humid and airy environment. In it, a thick crown of tall trees reliably protected delicate flowers from the burning sun and winds, the air was always warm, and daylight hours lasted at least 12 hours.
Tropics in your home
If you decide to get such a marvelous flower at home, you should take care of creating a climate akin to it. Homeland orchid room rich in warmth, light and humidity. Air temperature should be between 20-25 degrees. If the air temperature drops, the plant may not bloom in time or even become ill. Orchids are tender plants, and flowering takes a lot of their strength. If the plant is weakened, and the peduncle has already been thrown away, then it is better to cut it.
The flower is photophilous, but the direct rays of the sun will be detrimental to it. In winter, it is better to place the plant on the south side of the apartment, and with the onset of summer move to the eastern or western zone. When daylight hours are shortened, it will be necessary to provide the flower with an additional light source. For these purposes, you can use a fluorescent lamp. Place it at a certain distance from the plant, daylight orchids - at least 11 hours a day.
Life-giving moisture
Moist forests - the birthplace of orchids. The indoor pet in your home will lack air humidity. To arrange optimal living conditions for her, place her near the aquarium or just put a bowl of water. As water evaporates, the flower will receive life-giving moisture from the air. The plant must be moistened with water from a sprayer, but so as not to wet the flowers. Water should be used distilled or boiled, it should be soft, warm and hard in moderation. Water plays an important role in the life of an orchid; it is not only a means of nutrition, but also a temperature regulator.
Moderate watering
Water the plant in the summer once every 3-7 days, in the winter - not more than once a week. Earth should not be wet all the time. In the interval between watering, it should dry properly. The homeland of indoor plants, orchids sometimes replace torrential rains with drought. It is during periods of stagnation that insects fly in to pollinate the flowers, and the orchid prepares for this in advance. If we water less often, the plant will begin to plan flowering.
Watering can be combined with top dressing, 1-2 times a month is enough. For fertilizer, special complexes for orchids are used. During watering, make sure that water does not fall on the sinuses near the leaves and the growth point. If this happens, remove the water with a cotton swab.
When watering, you should well moisten the substrate in which your orchid grows. Pour water well in a circle around the pot, excess water should completely drain into the pan under the pot. We merge it from the pan and repeat watering again.
Phalaenopsis
Phalaenopsis is the most undemanding orchid to care for. It was she who allowed a decisive step forward for professional flower growers, and deservedly took one of the most prestigious positions in many greenhouses. The homeland of the Phalaenopsis orchid is northeastern Australia, the Philippines and southeast Asia.
Plants have huge flowers, similar in appearance to moths. Their colors can be very different, and the flower seems to be made of wax. Phalaenopsis does not require special humidity and temperature extremes. It is hardy, blooms twice a year, and its flowers do not fade for several months. Phalaenopsis has another unusual feature. They can form processes - children in the axils of the peduncles. When such a process takes root, it can be separated and transplanted into a separate substrate.
Soil for orchids
The homeland of houseplants, the orchid is very unusual, and even flowers sometimes have to adapt to it. Almost all orchids are epiphytes; they do not grow on the ground, but in the air on trees. They absolutely do not need soil. Their roots have mastered photosynthesis, because they are best grown in transparent pots.
Mixture for growing orchids can be easily prepared independently. This will require dry pine bark and dried sphagnum moss. The bark will need to be boiled, dried, and after a few days, repeat the boiling procedure. After drying, crush the bark into small pieces and mix with moss. "Earth" for the orchid is ready. If you wish, you can use the land. In this case, soil, sphagnum and pine bark are mixed in equal parts. Here is such a comprehensively unusual orchid. The birthplace of the plant is the composition of the soil, and he came up with a very unusual one for it.
Other species
Today we stopped at the most common types of orchids for sale and how to create the conditions for comfortable living in your house. But when buying a flower, it is important to consider that there are still the remaining 10% of the flowers that are not native to the tropics. Such plants should have a different approach. The homeland of an orchid flower may turn out to be completely different, therefore care will need to be provided accordingly. What is good for one species may be detrimental to another. Therefore, find out from the seller all the subtleties and nuances of caring for this amazing plant before buying.