This fragile and sophisticated plant is still little known to flower growers living in the latitudes of Eastern Europe with moderate climatic conditions. And it is not very clear whether caring for her at home differs from the content of Cattleya and cymbidiums that are often found in flower shops. And the environmental conditions in which most indoor plants grow are also suitable for this plant.
This plant has a slightly obscure name - zygopetalum orchid. Photos and features of its content at home are presented in this article.
South American Beauty
This plant from the orchid family is caressed by the famous detective Niro Wolfe (a fictional hero of the novels of the American writer R. Stout). A plant with some wayward character can easily claim the title of "Miss Tropics".
The owner of curved, flexible forms, lithophyte and epiphyte is the zygopetalum orchid (photo of which can be seen in the article). High adaptability of the plant allows it to feel comfortable on plants, and on stones, and on the ground. A distinctive feature of this short flower is that it does not develop vertically, like many other representatives of this family, but horizontally.
The main colors of the petals are brown, burgundy, green, purple and white. A feature of the orchid is that it emits delicate, sweet aromas, especially until noon.
About the name of the plant
The strange name of this flower (zygopetalum) is associated with its structure. It is translated into Russian as “petal to petal”. Petals and sepals of the corolla of the zygopetalum fused at the base and are interconnected by a narrow bridge.
The plant received its poetic epithet due to the lip-shape of a white-lilac-bluish hue characteristic of this orchid, similar to the wings of a flying angel.
Spread in nature
In nature, the zygopetalum orchid grows in South and Central America, but most of the officially registered 14 species grow in Brazil. They live in the forests of Mexico, Peru, Paraguay and Bolivia. The flower belongs to the small Orchid family and has only 20 varieties.
The latter are epiphytes of moist forests located on the slopes of small plateaus and in river valleys. Among them are orchids that lead a land-based lifestyle and grow on cliff ledges. Warm and humid conditions are optimal for the development of this plant.
Most often, zygopetalum lives on trees, attached to their branches. Also, it can often be found in the soil, where it blooms and multiplies beautifully. A characteristic feature of zygopetalum is a kind of thickening at the very base of the stem, which contains the most important substances that accumulate during the growth of the flower. They are necessary for plant nutrition.
The rest of the article presents plant varieties and a detailed description of the zygopetalum orchid.
Species and varieties
In this family there are not a very large number of varieties of zygopetalum. Since their number is not more than 16, breeders have created several hybrids in order to diversify them.
Here are the most popular and common varieties of zygopetalum orchids . Home care for all of them is simple.
- Maxillare is an orchid with large flowers. Brown-chocolate petals with greenish edges. At the base of the lip has a dark purple hue, closer to the edge becomes pink and purple.
- Spotted - a very elegant orchid with yellow-green petals dotted with brown-burgundy spots. The white lip is covered with longitudinal purple-violet lines in the form of strokes.
- Shaggy - this is an epiphyte with a peduncle bearing up to seven fragrant showy flowers with salad-colored petals, completely covered with chestnut-cherry stains. The white lip has purple-violet lines.
- Blue angel - an orchid smelling of black pepper. Compared to other varieties, capricious. White petals closer to the edges become purple-blue. The lip is a little darker in shade.
- Luisendorf is a plant with a pleasant sweet aroma. The duration of its flowering is 2-3 months. One peduncle has up to 8 buds. Light green petals along the entire plane have large brown-burgundy spots merging together.
- Arthur Elle Stonehurst - an orchid that strikes with saturated dark colors of rotten cherry petals. Almost completely painted in burgundy and her lip.
- Alan Greatwood - a variety with large extravagant flowers, the petals of which are chocolate in color with a green border. The white lip is covered with merging purple stripes.
- Merlin's Magic is a variety with a contrast of shades. Brown-purple spots are scattered on the main lettuce background of the petals, and a lilac-violet waterfall on the white lip.
Description
The structure of the plant orchid zygopetalum is unusual. Her form is sympodial (many growing horizontal shoots) with oval smooth tuberidia (height about 7 cm). From their upper part, 3 linear-lanceolate thin leaves with pointed tips are formed. On them longitudinal veins are distinctly visible.
The peduncle sprouts from a young sprout, about 50 cm long. It usually bears 8 or more flowers with a circumference of about 7 cm, fragrant and waxy. The fleshy sepals and petals are lanceolate, pointed to the ends. As a rule, they are painted in a yellow-green color with a painted brownish-purple ornament in the form of strokes, spots and stripes. Their lip is broad-shouldered, large, with two protrusions at the base resembling ears. Her edges are wavy. The color of this plant is dominated by purple-violet and lilac-blue patterns on a white background.
The zygopetalum orchid looks beautiful and elegant. Home care for her is not very difficult.
Landing rules
In order to grow an orchid in the room, it should be planted in transparent plastic containers with enough holes in the bottom to drain excess water. In the process of planting and transplanting, it is important to remember that the base of the pseudobulbs should not be buried in the substrate, since their delicate tissues tend to rot when any adverse factor appears. Air access for the plant is of no small importance.
Like most epiphytes, zygopetalum feels good in an air-permeable substrate, which should consist of different fractions of the pine bark. The largest fragments should be placed at the very bottom of the expanded clay layer, and pieces of medium size should be placed closer to the surface. Given the tendency of the root system to rot, pieces of charcoal can be added to the soil. The substrate can also be bought in a specialized store.
It should be noted that the zygopetalum orchid does not need frequent transplants. In addition, she reacts to them rather painfully. It is only necessary to transplant the plant when young sprouts that have appeared reach a value of about 5 centimeters. It is on young shoots that flower stalks appear. An orchid grows its pseudobulb only after flowering is complete and if it lingers on a transplant, it can dry out flower stalks that have already begun to bloom.
Conditions of detention
The zygopetalum orchid is also unpretentious to lighting conditions. Caring for her in this regard is completely uncomplicated. In nature, the orchid grows in the lower tier of the tropics, to which direct sunlight rarely reaches. Therefore, windows in the apartment are suitable for her east or west, as well as the brightest north. Too bright sun rays contribute to the appearance of burns on the leaves and provoke early flowering on new young sprouts, which is undesirable.
The leaf blades of this plant themselves can tell about a lack or excess of lighting: a rich green juicy color indicates normal conditions, a yellowish-green hue is a signal of the need to urgently transfer the plant to a more shaded place in the room.
Moderate and moderately cool temperatures are favorite for zygopetalum orchids. The maximum optimal day temperature for the orchid is +25 degrees, the optimal night temperature is + 14-16 degrees.
Home Care
Zygopetalum orchid, as noted above, is unpretentious in care. All measures are reduced to a rational regime of irrigation and proper feeding, slightly different from fertilizing other types of orchids.
During the development of new young shoots and during the formation of peduncles, the plant should be watered regularly, but with a good drying of the substrate between waterings, but also not allowing it to dry out. After flowering is complete, watering should be reduced. Next, you need to return to the normal watering mode, and at the time the pseudobulb begins to form, reduce watering. Very often, due to excessive moisture, the orchid refuses to bloom.
In any additional procedures that contribute to increasing air humidity, there is no need. The only exception is the period when the hot weather in the summer lasts for a long time or in the winter dry air prevails during the operation of the heating system.
In general, the zygopetalum orchid is not picky. Care methods are only slightly different from caring for other plants. Orchid should be fertilized only during the emergence and growth of young shoots. At this time, fertilizing with a high content of potassium and phosphorus is necessary. When the first bud is opened, these measures can be stopped and resumed only after flowering is completed. In this case, nitrogen content should be increased in fertilizers. When the formation of a pseudobulb occurs, the orchid should be fertilized with a full range of mineral fertilizers. Next, take a break until new sprouts appear.
Dark spots on leaves and bulbs
If there is confidence that dark spots are not a decorative feature of an orchid, then you should be wary. The appearance of such indicators of the disease is often the result of a burn from sunlight. Left immediately after watering on a light windowsill, plants under the influence of direct rays can become sick.
If dirty spots appear on the surface of the leaves, and brown dents on the flowers are a sign of a fungus infection. This is called "gray rot." Orchid and viral infection, which can appear only on its most beautiful part, do not bypass the side. In this case, brown or black stripes appear on the flowers.
Periods of flowering and dormancy
The peculiarity of the zygopetallum orchid is that its peduncle appears on a new young sprout, which has grown one third of the height of the mother plant. This new sprout for the period of flowering orchids stops in development and does not develop until the plant fades. After the corolla withers, the flower stalk can be safely trimmed. This is necessary so that he does not draw out from the plant the forces he needs to form a pseudobulb.
It should be noted that if the orchid did not bloom before the formation of tuberidium, then it makes no sense to wait for flowering this season.
How to propagate?
Reproduction of zygopetalum orchids at home occurs only in a vegetative way. To do this, divide the rhizome during transplantation. An indispensable condition that should be observed during reproduction is that at least one young shoot and three adult pseudobulbs must be on each dividend.
The seed method of propagation of zygopetalum is available only to qualified specialists in the laboratories of greenhouses and greenhouses with mandatory sterility.
Transfer
This manipulation is not very popular with zygopetalum. They do not like to change their place of residence. Most likely, transplantation should only be a necessary measure. For example, if there was a need to increase the volume of the pot or to replace the old substrate.
It should be noted that it is advisable to change the soil from time to time, since salts accumulate in it, which the plant is not able to process. Transplantation, as noted above, can be carried out only after flowering has stopped. With pseudobulbs, care should be taken. They must have access to air, so they should not be completely covered with soil.
It is recommended that no more than once every 3 years in the spring to transplant an orchid.
Disease
Zygopetalum orchid is most affected by rotting of the roots and base of tuberidium when the soil is waterlogged. With small lesions, you can save an orchid. For this, its roots should be reanimated. The rotten pseudobulb needs to be thrown away so that its rot does not transfer to neighboring tuberidia. It is necessary to thoroughly dry a suitable pseudobulb and, if necessary, treat the preparation with fungi.
Pests: aphids, spider mites, scale insects. The procedures for their destruction are similar to those used for other orchids.
Conclusion
One of the most stunning indoor plants are orchids, which today are found in almost all homes. It is attractive with a variety of shapes and colors. One of the most interesting representatives of the family is the zygopetalum orchid. Care and transplantation of this flower does not require much effort, so it is worth growing it. It is special and very beautiful, with an unusual inflorescence.
Zygopetalum has every chance to attract attention and win the hearts of many gardeners. Stunning beauty, unusual inflorescences, a pleasant sweetish aroma, relatively unpretentious methods of care and the simplest requirements for the conditions of detention - all this allows you to easily grow this plant in the house.
At home, it can delight the eye with its bright colors for 8 weeks.