In a large family of phalaenopsis, you can sometimes notice plants with an unusual bud shape. As a result of the mutation, the flower merges, and outwardly it looks like an unopened bud. Two horizontal petals transform into a lip, and the flower becomes asymmetrical. This phenomenon is not considered permanent, peloric orchids in the future may give ordinary flowers. This article describes the varieties of phalaenopsis pelorics, their distinctive features, as well as the rules for planting, propagating and caring for flowers.
Distinctive features
Unstable forms of mutation exist; one plant can produce a peloric and ordinary flower. The appearance of peloricity is associated with genes, but sometimes on an ordinary flower it occurs as a result of poor care or stress. In such plants, peloricity is unstable, with the resumption of comfortable conditions, the mutation may disappear and the plant will bloom, as usual.
What is the difference between the peloric orchid and other flowers of this family? In addition to the unopened bud, sometimes different petals or sepals grow, resembling a lip in shape and color. You can look at the photo of the Peloric orchid and evaluate the unusual appearance of the flower.
Such a plant has a peculiar appearance. In addition, sometimes the petals become thickened. All biologists are unanimous in their opinion that this is a plant mutation, and amateur flower growers sometimes strive to acquire precisely peloric flowers. Further in the article - about the most famous varieties of orchid phalaenopsis peloric.
Butterfly
Miniature variety with loose peloricity. This means that on one peduncle there can be pelorics and ordinary flowers. Orchid peloric Butterfly is also called semipeloric.
Burgundy
Very effective variety with burgundy flowers. The hybrid is characterized by various shades and patterns. It can be solid burgundy, and also covered with a mesh pattern.
Legato
Orchid Peloric Legato is characterized by sustainable peloricity. Usually it has two peduncles 50-60 high, on which flowers of delicate pink color are located. Petals of the Phalaenopsis Orchid Legato Peloric orchid are transformed into a lip.
Golden jaguar
Most often in indoor floriculture, the Golden Jaguar variety is found. The peduncle is large, its height can reach 70 centimeters. Flowers are strewn along its entire length. A flower can manifest itself as a peloric or have loose peloricity.
Mini
There are many varieties of varieties of mini-phalaenopsis peloric with flowers of different colors and shapes. Peloricity in some is stable, while in others it appears with some periodicity.
Ground preparation for planting
Like all orchids, pelorics need well-chosen soil. It is the basis for the proper development of the flower. A substrate is prepared for the plant from pine bark (you can take it from other coniferous trees), sphagnum moss and a small amount of inert materials: vermiculite, expanded clay, perlite. These materials serve as drainage and contribute to better aeration of the roots.
When applying expanded clay for planting, it must be borne in mind that orchid roots easily grow into it, this leads to some difficulties in further transplanting the flower. In this case, the roots should be carefully separated from expanded clay.
The basis of the substrate is the bark. Before planting, it must be dry and free of pests. You can pre-steam it in the oven. The bark absorbs all salts from water well and acts as a filter.
If there is no desire or ability to prepare the substrate yourself, it can be purchased at flower shops. The quality of the finished material is not satisfactory among experienced gardeners involved in orchid cultivation.
Capacity selection and fit
All orchids absorb light from the roots, so transparent pots must be chosen for them. Their sizes must be selected according to the volume of the root system.
Planting orchids is usually straightforward. A drainage layer is laid at the bottom of the pot, then a plant with an earthen lump is carefully placed and covered with a substrate. The root neck should not reach the edge of the pot by three centimeters.
The planted plant is cleaned for two weeks in a moderately cool room for adaptation. Then the orchid is determined in a permanent place.
Care Rules
An important condition for normal growth and flowering is air temperature and lighting. An orchid needs to be kept in good daylight, but protected from direct sunlight. She needs at least 10 hours of daylight. The temperature should be from 18 to 25 ° C.
Hybrid phalaenopsis, unlike other orchids, adapt well to home conditions. Even if the atmosphere does not suit them at all, they will not perish, but will grow and develop more slowly.
Watering and feeding
It is during the cultivation of the Phalaenopsis orchid peloric watering is of great importance. Most varieties of this plant love moisture, but here you should not be too diligent and fill the flower. You need to focus on drying the soil and the color of the roots.
With normal humidity in the apartment, the soil usually dries on the 3-4th day. The roots take on a silver gray hue. This means that the flower already needs watering. The dry climate in the apartment negatively affects the leaves of the peloric orchid. In this case, it is necessary to spray the leaves of the flower, but at the same time make sure that water does not fall on the buds.
Feeding is recommended once a month, in winter they are reduced to once. They use special complex fertilizers, which can be purchased at flower shops.
Plant transplant after shopping
The orchid purchased in the store must be transplanted from a temporary container into a permanent pot. In this case, the entire temporary substrate is completely replaced, leaving only an earthen lump on the roots. An actively flowering plant does not need to be transplanted immediately, this will lead to falling buds.
A plant without flowers is transplanted into a permanent pot. The transplant orchid phalaenopsis peloric tolerates well. The main thing is to choose a high-quality substrate for it. The flower is carefully removed from the temporary pot, the roots are carefully examined. If there are rotten areas, they must be removed. Cut points are treated with crushed activated carbon.
Then gently lower the root system of the orchid in a new pot, carefully spreading the roots so that they do not bend. Pour a moist substrate into the pot and put the plant on acclimatization. Watering is stopped for two weeks, and the flower pot is placed in a cool, shaded place.
Flowering stimulation
Usually hybrids of phalaenopsis pelorics bloom twice a year. Some gardeners are faced with the problem that the plant does not bloom, despite all the efforts. This is mainly due to the fact that he lacks light.
If the orchid does not bloom, this problem can be solved in two ways. Some gardeners provide the plant with additional artificial lighting.
Another way is to put the flower in a cool place where the temperature does not exceed 16 ° C, as well as reduce watering. The flower is kept in such conditions for 20 to 30 days, and then returned to normal conditions. After that, the orchid forms arrows and blooms. After the plant fades, the peduncle is cut off, but if it does not dry out, it can be left on the plant, since in the future it will again give buds.
Disease and Pest Prevention
Infectious diseases rarely affect phalaenopsis pelorics. Usually they suffer from improper care. Direct sunlight can cause leaf burns if the plant is on a windowsill on the south side of the house.
Orchids often suffer from excessive watering, the roots of the plants rot, and the green part dries up. Lack of lighting, keeping in a cold room can also cause illness and death of the plant. A dense arrangement of orchids is not recommended, for each plant, free air circulation is necessary. Periodically, it is necessary to ventilate the room, to avoid moisture falling on the buds when spraying. Irrigation of leaves is carried out in the morning.
Sometimes pests are found on a plant that is sold in a store. In this case, the root system is completely separated from the soil in which the flower was sold. The plant is placed under room temperature water and the roots are thoroughly washed.
Pelorics require increased humidity in the room, but this is easy to achieve if you put a pallet filled with wet pebbles or expanded clay, next to the orchid. Creating comfortable conditions for the maintenance of orchids will protect the plant from various diseases.