Among domestic plants, one of the leading positions is occupied by an orchid. It differs in large decorative inflorescences and for a long time pleases them with their owners. In the shops you can find different names of apparently similar plants: phalaenopsis and orchid. What is the difference between the two?
What kind of plant is an orchid?
Plants orchid is considered to be one of the oldest representatives of the flora. It was widely known in ancient China, its references are found in texts created 300 years before the birth of Christ.
Orchid is the common name for all plant species that belong to the orchid family. This family is numerous and has about 75,000 species. This diversity of plants is divided into three groups according to the principle of growth:
- Epiphytic. Such plants need no soil for their growth; they grow quite comfortably without soil.
- Underground. These representatives of the flora grow exclusively under a layer of earth.
- Terrestrial. For growth, plants need soil, the development of inflorescences occurs outside the earth's surface.
The orchid family is unpretentious in relation to the growth environment. Plants are found both in the northern mountains and in the hot desert.
What is the difference between an orchid and phalaenopsis?
Orchidaceae are perennials that love moisture and diffused sunlight. Phalaenopsis also belongs to this family, which means that it is not much different from its relatives.
The main difference between an orchid and phalaenopsis is that orchid is the collective name of the entire plant family, and phalaenopsis is just one of its representatives. This species belongs to the epiphid type of growth. There is no need for soil for its development and growth. In the natural environment, phalaenopsis grows on tree bark and stones. To get proper nutrition, the plant needs its roots to have direct air access, from where the flower receives moisture and the necessary nutrition through the roots.
Features of Phalaenopsis
Phalaenopsis inflorescences in shape resemble a butterfly, which is why in Europe the plant was given the name orchid butterfly. In nature, its flowers are white. Artificial plants can be found in a variety of colors, from burgundy to pale pink. Artificially bred varieties can be not only monophonic, but also have a color of several shades, with circles or stripes on the petals. On one bush, from 5 to 60 flowers from 2 to 15 centimeters in size can be tied at the same time.
It is difficult to answer the question of how orchids and phalaenopsis differ, since it is difficult to compare a whole family of plants and its individual representative. There are many more common traits than differences. For pollination, all orchids require the participation of insects, as their pollen is heavy enough to spread by air. Flowers of this family have a fused stamen structure. Orchids, including phalaenopsis, are perennials.
Orchid comparison
When comparing the flowers of the orchid family, isolate to find a number of factors that distinguish phalaenopsis in a separate group. What is the difference between phalaenopsis and orchid?
- This species feels great at home. Many other varieties of orchids can be grown only in a greenhouse, observing a special regime of temperature and humidity.
- Phalaenopsis always has large inflorescences. But in the family of orchids there are species whose petals can be small.
- Phalaenopsis flowering can be several times a year, it lasts from 2 to 5 months. Most other types of orchids lose their decorative appearance much earlier.
- Phalaenopsis feels good in an atmosphere of high humidity. But some orchids do not like excess water.
Considering how the orchid differs from phalaenopsis, you can pay attention to the leaves. In phalaenopsis, they have an elongated shape with a rounded end. Orchids have leaves rounded without a sharp edge. This form of plant leaves is due to the fact that moisture collects in them, in the future it goes to plant nutrition. Phalaenopsis do not have an elevated tuber, which stores nutrients from the rest of the family. This plant prefers to grow on trees, clinging to the bark with its roots. A tuber in such conditions simply cannot form.
An important point in the question of how the orchid differs from phalaenopsis is the territory where the flowers grow. For the orchid family, the only "forbidden" place will be the territory of Antarctica, on the other continents and islands the plants feel good. But specifically the phalaenopsis prefer the southeast of Asia and Australia.
Conclusion
Phalaenopsis at home requires special care. These plants are different from the usual colors for Russian reality and do not require planting in the ground. But if you learn to care for this orchid, then its flowering will delight the owner most of the year.