White orchids are one of the most exquisite and beautiful plants. They are often bought for both home and office. In addition, white orchids are often used to create original wedding bridal bouquets. This plant is able to please the eye with its flowering throughout almost the whole year. But, it is worth noting, it requires special care, prefers the constant attention of its mistress.
White orchids: photo, description
This plant has several names. Florists call it that: butterfly orchid, phalaenopsis or just a white orchid. These flowers are in great demand among buyers. Still would! After all, the plant is so charming that it will win the heart of even a very harsh florist.
In 1750, for the first time, the Dutch botanist Professor C. Blume discovered phalaenopsis. This happened on the islands of the Malay archipelago. This flower was simply striking in its resemblance to a swarm of butterflies. Therefore, the botanist gave him the name phalenopsis. Translated, this word means "butterfly."
White orchids are epiphytes. This means that they use other plants for their support.
There are two types of phalaenopsis:
- miniature (maximum height up to 30 cm);
- standard (about 1 m high).
White phalaenopsis orchid: main characteristics
The above plant has the following features:
- has flowers that resemble moths;
- blooms up to 3 times a year;
- flowers of yellow, red, white, green or pink color (depending on the type of phalaenopsis);
- plant height is up to 1 m;
- has a large root system;
- pseudobulbs are absent;
- leaves are lapid, broad, dark green in color;
- a flower arrow appears at the base of the last formed leaf.
It should be noted that white orchids are evergreen and ever-growing. Photos of the plant are presented in the article. Phalaenopsis blooms almost all year round and lives well in a house up to 7 years old.
A characteristic phenomenon for white orchids is falling of the lower leaves. This allows the plant not to grow excessively.
Care
White orchids always require good supervision. First of all, it is important to choose the right place where the plant will stand. It should be well protected from the midday sun. Therefore, ideal sills for white orchids are those that are in the southeastern or eastern part of the room.
An acceptable daytime temperature for phalaenopsis is a maximum of 27 degrees Celsius. At night it is allowed up to 16 degrees, but in no case lower.
In the store, before buying, it is important to inspect the plant well. A healthy white orchid is distinguished by light gray roots. Usually the plant is sold in plastic pots, so it is advisable to transplant it immediately. Also, gardeners recommend for prevention to water the orchid with a solution of fungicides.
It should be noted that improper care of the above plant can trigger the development of a variety of diseases. This is especially true for watering. If it is wrong to water a white orchid, then its roots can become infected with a fungus. In this case, the root system stops growing, it turns yellow and decays.
It is worth noting that phalaenopsis prefers high humidity in the room. Therefore, flower growers recommend regularly spraying the plant and the air near it. But in this case, you need to be careful: water should not fall into the core of the leaf outlet, because this leads to decay.
Phalaenopsis propagates by "children" that appear on the stems of flowers. When they reach about 5 cm, they can be planted in other pots.
Transfer
White orchids prefer a moisture-absorbing and friable substrate. In its quality, flower growers use in most cases bark from old trees. It must be remembered that nevertheless the best substrate for the plant is pine bark. In addition, gardeners warn that it should not contain tar, as this is detrimental to white orchids.
It is advisable to clean the bark from resinous substances: it is boiled over low heat for several minutes. After this, the water is filtered and allowed to cool the future substrate. Then it is crushed.
It should be noted that it is convenient to cut the bark exactly when it is still wet. The size of the pieces should be within 1-2 cm.
Then it is recommended that the roots of the orchid be well cleaned of dry and rotten tips. Place the plant in a prepared pot and cover it with a substrate. Watering immediately after transplantation is not recommended. This is done the next day.
How to water the plant?
Orchid with white flowers is very whimsical. Therefore, watering should be given special attention and everything should be done correctly. For this, water is used, which contains a minimum amount of calcium salts. Watering the plants is carried out by soldering, or, in other words, by immersion.
For this, it is important to take, for example, a plastic container or any other container, and place a pot of orchid in it. Then add some water (so that only a third of the pot is covered). It is recommended to leave the plant for about half an hour. During this time, the orchid will get wet well enough and gain the right amount of moisture.
After such a soldering procedure, the plant is set aside so that the excess glass is well glass. Then they just return the orchid to its place.
An important recommendation from gardeners: watering a plant is carried out only when its roots become light gray. After water procedures, orchid roots usually turn green.
White orchid dressing
Nutrients are just as necessary for the plant as water. Therefore, flower growers recommend timely feeding of orchids with useful and so necessary micro and macro elements.
To do this, it is advisable to buy special fertilizers for white orchids, for example, Pokon or Forte. They are also recommended to be applied by immersion from March to September. Top dressing is carried out twice a month and alternates with watering.
Peduncle pruning
It should be noted that for a long time a white orchid blooms. Its flower, under favorable conditions, can stay on the peduncle sometimes even more than a month. But still, the time comes when the plant ceases to please its beauty. Florists recommend not to rush with pruning flower stalks.
When the white orchid thrives on the main axis, the peduncle is cut as follows: it is important to leave 3-4 buds from the leaf outlet. What does it give? Experts say that this pruning allows new peduncles to develop precisely from those buds that remained below the cut.
White phalaenopsis orchid is an exquisite plant with magnificent flowers. She is considered a true aristocrat among her own kind. Therefore, care for it should be appropriate.