The orchids add color and elegance to any room in your home. It doesn’t matter which variety you decide to grow but remember to choose the color you prefer and in harmony with the tones of your home. Orchids have the advantage of offering a very wide range of shapes, colors, and sizes. This makes them unique in the furnishing of any room.
Did you know that there are fragrant ones and that a genus, which includes about 80 species, has plants that are grown hanging from a thread and without soil? What the different species of orchids have in common is the beauty of their flowers but each one requires specific attention and care to give the best of oneself. Below, I will try to briefly summarize some tips on growing orchids.
Interesting facts about orchids
Unlike what is imagined, orchids are widespread, not only in places with tropical climates but also in almost all natural environments. It is possible to meet them in the tundra, in the sub-desert regions, in the equatorial forests, near the seashore or in the mountains. In Italy, they are present with about 80 native species.
Each orchid has specific characteristics that distinguish them and which makes them prefer one to the other. They belong to the Orchidaceae family , which is made up of around 30,000 different species. In addition to the splendid specimens found in nature, man has created numerous hybrids.
Orchids offer blooms of a thousand colors, starting from pure white, you get to black through all the colors of the visible spectrum. The most difficult to find and obtain by hybridization is the black and blue ones. The most common ones, on the contrary, are those with white and pink flowers, with multiple shades.
Also in the fragrances, we have a wide choice, which starts from the completely odorless varieties to those with sweet and delicate fragrances to those with strong notes, up to some that emit nauseating scents. I believe you will never imagine that one of the most commonly used spices in the kitchen in the preparation of desserts, vanilla, is an orchid native to Mexico, already known to the ancient Aztecs.
Like many other plants and flowers, orchids, for their beauty, are also chosen as a symbol of a nation. This happens for example in Venezuela with Cattleya mossiae and in Guatemala with Lycastevirginalis.
Which orchids to choose for your home or office
The orchid that is most commonly found on the market, in garden centers or in florist shops, is Phalaenopsis. It is one of the easiest orchids to grow at home or in the office. Its name derives from the words of origin Grecaphalaen and opsis, which describe the similarity of its flowers to the shape of a butterfly.
The plant bears its flowers for a period of about three months, in optimal cultivation conditions. To evaluate the quality of the plant you are buying, you must:
– count the number of branches, which, for a good quality plant, must be at least two,
– observe the quantity and state of the buds, must not show brown marks or wilt,
– the shape of the flower but in this case, it is an aesthetic factor,
– the size of the flowers, they exist with small flowers and leaves and others with large leaves and flowers of considerable size and with long stems. Some can even reach eighty centimeters in height.
The average height of a good quality Phalaenopsis is about sixty centimeters.
If you are passionate about gardening and lovers of the genre, you will certainly be curious to discover new forms. Among all those available, some really special, look for one that can be a distinctive note for your home.
The Cattleya is a genus of epiphytic plants, belonging to the Orchidaceae family, which includes a large number of species. Native to tropical and sub-tropical regions, it is one of the most common orchids. Among its close relatives, we find Laelia, Brassavola, Sophronitis, Epidendrum, Encyclia, Broughton. The most common species of Cattleya produce large and fragrant, brightly colored flowers. They are among the most suitable choices whether you are newbies of the genre or experts in the field. This is very robust plants resistant and able to pass unscathed even to the scarcity of water due to forgetfulness or distraction. They also tolerate sudden changes in temperature quite well. There are also varieties with a very contained bearing, suitable for those who have little space available to dedicate them.
The orchid Miltonia has bright green leaves and bright flowers, the shape similar to a face, reminiscent of those of pansy or pansies. They originate in the fresh forests of Brazil. They grow with flourishing vegetation in environments with high humidity, with daytime temperatures not too high. The high moisture content promotes flowering. The first flowering occurs in spring and the flowers persist on the plant for about five weeks. Some more resistant varieties have the advantage of blooming again in the autumn. If the temperature in the environment is too high, Miltonia will not produce flowers.
Vanda orchids produce some of the most beautiful flowers in the plant world. They originate in India, the Himalayas, southern China, and northern Australia. They produce large flowers with a large variety of colors. Plants bloom multiple times in a year if they are healthy and carefully grown. The flowers can last up to three weeks on the plant. In their natural environment, these orchids live on trees, with their roots hanging in the air. To live, they absorb water from rain or air humidity, which they then store in their fleshy roots.
The Vanda orchids prefer daytime temperatures that oscillate between 24 ° C and 29 ° C, while at night it ranges from 18 ° C to 24 ° C. These plants prefer exposures with the sun in the morning and shade in the afternoon. If the leaves of your Vanda are light green, they are getting the right amount of light. On the contrary, if they are dark green, they should be moved to a brighter place.
Take care of orchids
As we have just seen, orchids are appreciated for the multiplicity of shapes and colors of flowers. Since the flower of this plant is the object of our desire, we will have to be very careful in its cultivation.
Choosing the best growing substrate is very important. Just as it is to give the right fertilizer to stimulate its growth and flowering. A plant with good vegetation and stress-free is hardly prey to pests. For further information on this topic, you can read another post on this blog.
To plant a new orchid, you need a clean pot. In this we will insert a light substrate, very draining and that allows the roots to move freely in the pot since they need a lot of air to stay healthy. Sometimes, pine bark is used as soil, together with other elements that promote root development. In the presence of inadequate soil, the roots will soon become brown and with a soft texture. Avoid over-compacting the potting soil, otherwise, the plant will suffer.
Once planting is complete, immerse the pot in water to moisten the potting soil. Orchids do not bear water stagnation. Repeat this on average once a week. Together with the irrigation water, at least once a month, administer liquid fertilizer, so as to maintain your orchid with healthy vegetation and with a brightly colored bloom.
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