Amazing plants have learned to adapt well to different climatic conditions, so orchids can be found in nature not only in the tropics. Naturally, it all depends on the orchids. Scientists even analyzed their growth by climatic zones:
- The first zone included South America, Central America, Australia, Southeast Asia and coastal parts of Africa.
- The second zone included mountainous regions, i.e. mountains of Indonesia, Malaysia, New Guinea, Brazil and the Andes. The slopes of these mountains are covered with dense forests, where fog is constantly (even on a hot day). The air temperature, of course, is slightly lower here than in the tropics, but the humidity is quite high. Everything mostly grows here as epiphytes.
- The third zone included the steppe and plateaus, for example, the plateau of Brazil. Orchids in this zone can be found only near water bodies, mainly terrestrial species and a small part of epiphytes.
- The fourth zone included parts of the territories of North America, Europe and Asia with a temperate climate. Orchids are also found here, but only terrestrial species and very few.
In Europe, these amazing flowers met around the middle of the 18th century - travelers discovered new continents and were amazed at the sight of exotic plants. There is a beautiful story about how a botanist in England received as a gift a package with a shriveled, almost completely dry specimen of an orchid from the Bahamas. He planted it in a pot and, indeed, a miracle happened - after a while the plant came to life and thanked with chic pink flowers, it was a tropical orchid. From that moment on, the craze for orchids began.
How did it take root?
People spent a lot of money to purchase at least one plant, thereby confirming their wealth status. But, much to our dismay, it was not so easy to "tame" the flower. Despite the efforts to create a "tropical paradise" in their greenhouses, they could not save the plant. A whole century passed, and only then did they finally find the right approach - they picked the right temperature in the greenhouse and ensured the flow fresh air. Orchids bloomed in lush color (find out more about orchid blooms). At the same time (19th century), the demand for them grew so much that special expeditions were sent to the jungle and flowers were taken out in huge quantities from there. They did not yet know how to grow orchids from seeds (read about methods of propagating orchids, including from seeds).
The history of the emergence of diversity in varieties
Varieties of orchids are so diverse (there are more than 35 thousand of them) that simply lead among all other plants. Surprisingly, every year and now they continue to discover new species in the tropics.
ATTENTION: Of course, they owe such a great variety not only to nature, but also to thousands of breeders from different countries.
And it all started again in England - one English gardener, out of curiosity, began to experiment with the flowers of Cattleya guttata and Cattleya loddigesi, and as a result, the seeds sprouted, from where the first man-made specimen of the Cattleya Hybrid appeared (in the 19th century). Well, then the baton was quickly picked up, the number of new hybrids increased dramatically, and the results delight us all.
For more information on unusual varieties of orchids, descriptions and photos of flowers of a wide variety of forms, check out.
In Russia, 35 species of this plant are listed in the Red Book. Scientists have calculated that, unfortunately, by 2050, about half of the current number of orchid species will remain in Europe. In most countries, they try to preserve wild orchid species in botanical gardens, reserves and national parks. Nowadays, all of them are protected by the laws of nature conservation.
Features of care
Our stores sell mainly hybrid types of orchids., care for them at home is much easier. The most popular species is Phalaenopsis. Important Points when leaving:
- proper lighting - diffused light is best for at least 12 hours;
- temperature regime- for all indoor orchids it will be optimal to provide 20 - 27 degrees of heat during the day, and 14 - 24 degrees at night;
- air humidity required high humidity, it is very useful to put an aquarium or a tray with water and pebbles next to the plant;
- watering - it will be necessary to water intensively only during the period of flowering and active growth, the rest of the time watering should be moderate.
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Conclusion
Psychologists say that even just looking at a flower is very useful - it protects against depression, it is a symbol of spiritual rebirth, perfection and harmony. Be sure to have at least one copy at home - and life will become brighter. This is an amazingly grateful plant - it blooms for a long time both in summer and winter, it pleases the eye, and it does not require any special care.
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These tropical flowers never cease to amaze. The variety of orchid species makes up 10% of the entire flowering flora.
Exotics are as tall as a 6-storey building, and live up to 100 years. Some are underground, pollinated by underground insects, others are in the air. Some even know how to copy the smell of bees to lure them to their flowers.
Where did these mysterious creatures originate and where is the birthplace of the orchid plant?
The history of the oldest plant can be traced on 65 million years deep into the centuries.
It originated in the tropics of South America. Today it can be found in all corners the globe except Africa and the Far North. Prefers a hot, humid climate with long daylight hours.
The name of the flower comes from the Greek word for "egg" because it resembles an egg in shape.
There are over 30,000 species of orchids and their number continues to grow.
Legends and myths about phalaenopsis
The most unpretentious and popular orchid - phalaenopsis. Includes more than 70 species. Its name means "like a butterfly".
A botanist from the Netherlands, Karl Blume, while traveling through the islands of the Malay Archipelago, mistook these flowers for butterflies from afar. Coming closer, he was struck by their beauty. This is how the name “phalaenopsis” came about.
Phalaenopsis
Phalaenopsis is native to Australia, the Philippines and Asia.
In world mythology, there are several legends about the birth of Phalaenopsis:
- AT Ancient Greece its origin was associated with the goddess of love Aphrodite. Beautiful flower grew up in the place where the goddess dropped her shoe.
- According to a New Zealand legend belonging to the Maori tribe, an orchid was born from the fragments of a rainbow.
It is phalaenopsis that is the progenitor of indoor species.
The most popular home types
Indoor varieties, which are very fond of flower growers, were bred by selection from natural ones. Therefore, the birthplace of the room orchid is also South America.
- Brassia. It is also called the “spider leg” for its unusual appearance. The flowers are greenish, up to 10 cm in diameter. Unpretentious in care. Begins to bloom in late spring. After the end of flowering, watering is stopped and allowed to rest.
- Cumbria. It is a hybrid of three varieties. Flowers have various sizes and forms. Peduncles are quite long, so they need support. In summer, cumbria should be protected from direct sunlight. In winter, watering is reduced, but not completely stopped.
- Cattleya. The largest of the domestic species. Very showy, "waxy" flowers. They are both giant and miniature. The coloring is varied. They begin to bloom in spring and bloom until autumn. After flowering, they should be allowed to rest for 6 weeks. Watering at this time should be reduced. The leaves are wiped with a sponge from time to time.
- Cymbidium. Recommended for beginners. The coloring is varied. Blooms in autumn and winter. There are more than twenty flowers on each vertical peduncle. They live for 8-12 weeks. After flowering, the cymbidium is left alone, reducing watering. The place of the flower should be chosen bright, sunny.
cymbidium
- .
Includes many species, varied in size, shape and color. Bloom throughout the year. May lose leaves after flowering. Dendrobium requires a bright place, without direct sunlight. Most popular variety- Noble Dendrobium. It blooms in spring in white and pink.
dendrobium
- Lycaste. Flowers yellow color. There is one flower per peduncle. The plant is famous for its very strong aroma. Active growth is observed in summer. That's when the lycasta needs abundant watering. In winter, put in a cool place, and watering is reduced. At this time, leaves fall and flower stalks form. Bred a large number of hybrids with large flowers and various colors.
- Paphiopedilum. The flowers are shaped like shoes. Each is located on a separate peduncle. Paphiopedilum needs moisture all year round.
Paphiopedilum
- Phalaenopsis. The flowers are flat, on curved peduncles. They live for about a month. Hybrid varieties are unpretentious in cultivation, can bloom periodically all year round. Blooms at +28°C. In autumn, phalaenopsis should be placed in a cool place for several weeks.
When choosing a plant for indoor cultivation, it should be remembered that some species are more demanding to care for, others less so. For beginners, it is better to start with easier-to-grow orchids (cymbidium or phalaenopsis).
Ground species of orchids
Terrestrial species have roots and ordinary leaves. They are grasses up to 50 cm in height. There are few leaves: most often one or two. The roots are underground. Rhizomes, the so-called "root cones", depart from them. In the spring, it grows from the root cone new escape, flowers are formed on it.
Epiphytes
Epiphytes grow by attaching themselves to trees with aerial roots. "Food" is obtained from environment and tree barks and very fond of sunlight. On their stems there are thickenings resembling nodules. These are false bulbs where the plant stores moisture and nutrients.
Lithophytes- a similar variety. They settle among stones and rocks, sometimes at an altitude of two thousand meters. AT wild nature are found in the countries of South America, which is officially considered the birthplace of the orchid plant. The roots of lithophytes are similar to the roots of epiphytes. They tolerate cool climates well.
Saprophytes
Saprophytic orchids do not have leaves. On the shoot, covered with scales, a brush of flowers is formed. The plant is interesting because it lacks chlorophyll. The flower receives nutrition from organic substances contained in humus.
hybrids
There are a huge number of natural types of orchids. At the same time, new hybrids (varieties) are constantly being artificially created. There is an assumption that at the moment their number is approaching a million.
Hybridization is designed to reduce the exactingness of flowers to growing conditions. This is done for more easy care at home.
Spreading
Orchids belong to the largest flowering family. They are distributed almost all over the world. Most species grow in the tropics.
The greatest diversity is in Asia, South America, the islands of the Malay Archipelago, New Guinea.
The orchid has long won the love of flower growers as a houseplant. For apartment cultivation, there are many specially bred hybrids.
The most beautiful and expensive flower on Earth is the orchid. She was born in that place on the planet where nature does not skimp on the beauty and richness of the world. The homeland of an orchid, a room beauty, so beloved by many, is the tropics. In these moist and vegetated forests, more than 90% of all known to the world types of orchids. Orchids are found everywhere, they managed to take root in the most unusual corners of the Earth and adapt to different conditions and climate. There are a huge number of varieties of this delightful flower - about 25,000. They are all different, some amaze the eye with the generosity of their bright decoration, while others are modest and unobtrusive.
They began to appear in our homes relatively recently. Orchids are fragile, vulnerable creatures and require careful attention. But how to properly care for a flower that grew in such an unusual climate for us? The homeland of the room orchid is the subtropical and tropical zone, and this is a humid and air-saturated environment. In her dense crown tall trees reliably protected delicate flowers from the burning sun and winds, the air was always warm, and daylight hours lasted at least 12 hours.
Tropics in your home
If you decide to acquire such a marvelous flower at home, you should take care of creating a climate akin to it. The homeland of the room orchid is rich in warmth, light and humidity. The air temperature should be within 20-25 degrees. If the air temperature drops, the plant may not bloom at the right time or even get sick. Orchids are delicate plants, and flowering takes a lot of their strength. If the plant is weakened, and the peduncle has already been thrown out, then it is better to cut it off.
The flower is photophilous, but the direct rays of the sun will be fatal to him. AT winter time it is better to place the plant on the south side of the apartment, and with the onset of summer, move it to the eastern or western zone. When daylight hours are reduced, you will need to provide the flower with an additional light source. For these purposes, you can use a fluorescent lamp. Place it at some distance from the plant, orchids - at least 11 hours a day.
Life-giving moisture
Wet forests are the birthplace of the orchid. The indoor pet in your home will miss the humidity. To organize her optimal conditions for life, place it near the aquarium or just put a bowl of water. As the water evaporates, the flower will receive life-giving moisture from the air. The plant must be moistened with water from a sprayer, but so as not to wet the flowers. Water should be used distilled or boiled, it should be soft, warm and moderately hard. Water plays an important role in the life of an orchid, it is not only a means of nutrition, but also a temperature regulator.
moderate watering
Water the plant in summer once every 3-7 days, in winter - no more than once a week. The ground does not have to be constantly wet. Allow it to dry out between waterings. Homeland orchid sometimes replaces heavy rains with drought. It is during periods of stagnation that insects arrive to pollinate the flowers, and the orchid prepares for this in advance. If we water less often, the plant will begin to plan for flowering.
Watering can be combined with top dressing, 1-2 times a month is enough. For fertilizer, special complexes for orchids are used. When watering, make sure that water does not fall on the axils of the leaves and the growing point. If this happens, remove the water with a cotton swab.
When watering, the substrate in which your orchid grows should be well moistened. Pour water well around the pot, excess water should drain completely into the pan under the pot. We drain it from the pan and repeat the watering again.
Phalaenopsis
Phalaenopsis is the most undemanding orchid to care for. It was she who allowed professional flower growers to take a decisive step forward, and deservedly took one of the most prestigious positions in many greenhouses. Homeland - northeastern Australia, the Philippines and southeast Asia.
Plants have huge flowers similar in appearance to moths. Their colors can be very different, and the flower seems to be made of wax. Phalaenopsis does not require special humidity and temperature changes. It is hardy, blooms twice a year, and its flowers do not fade for several months. Phalaenopsis have another unusual feature. They can form processes - babies in the axils of peduncles. When such a process takes root, it can be separated and transplanted into a separate substrate.
soil for orchids
The homeland of indoor plants, the orchid is very unusual, and sometimes even flowers have to adapt to it. Almost all orchids are epiphytes, they do not grow on the ground, but in the air on trees. They don't need soil at all. Their roots have mastered photosynthesis, so they are best grown in transparent pots.
The mixture for you can easily prepare yourself. This will require dry pine bark and dried bark will need to be boiled, dried, and after a few days, repeat the boiling procedure. After drying, grind the bark into small pieces and mix with moss. "Earth" for the orchid is ready. If you wish, you can also use the land. In this case, soil, sphagnum and pine bark are mixed in equal parts. Here is such a comprehensively unusual orchid. The birthplace of the plant and he came up with a very extraordinary one for her.
Other types
We stopped today on the most common types of orchids on sale and how to create conditions for them comfortable living in your house. But when buying a flower, it is important to consider that there are still the remaining 10% of flowers that are not native to the tropics. For such plants, the approach should be different. The birthplace of an orchid flower may turn out to be completely different, and therefore appropriate care will need to be provided. What is good for one species may be detrimental to another. Therefore, find out from the seller all the subtleties and nuances of caring for this amazing plant before the purchase.
Many of us have windowsills or desks flaunt beautiful, exotic plants - orchids. Modern orchids, of course, are indoor plants, but their optimal living conditions directly follow from the climatic features of the homeland of their predecessors.
So, where is the birthplace of a room orchid?
Orchids are specific plants. The fact is that they can grow both directly on the ground and on other plants. The vast majority of them come from South America. Today they are so popularized that they grow in almost all corners of our world. Scientists say that there are more than 30 thousand species, but this is not the final figure. And a year does not pass without another species of this exotic, heat-loving plant being discovered.
Another habitat of these plants is Southeast Asia. In principle, its climate is somewhat similar to the climate of South America, so there is no reason to be surprised. It is from there that the Phalaenopsis orchid comes from, which is the progenitor of the indoor orchids so familiar to us. If in America orchids prefer to grow in the jungle, in moisture and in diffused light, then in Asia, no less wet shores of reservoirs or even coastal rocks have become their favorite place.
These plants boast very specific roots - thick, round or flat, similar to suckers. But they are very convenient to cling to any surface, be it a stone or the bark of another plant. They do not dry out in the air, they have no vital need for soil.
Some types of ground orchids, from which indoor ones were subsequently bred by long-term selection, grow in North America, Australia and even Europe. None of these species, unchanged, turned into indoor ones, but they all served as material for other species adapted to apartment existence.
It must be said that a completely unique, one-of-a-kind species grows in the tropics of South America - a precious orchid. This plant blooms very small and even inconspicuous, but it can boast of absolutely fantastic, as if velvet leaves with some luminous patterns, they flicker when moving. In fact, it is difficult to describe in words, this is just the case when it is easier to see once. Such aristocrats flora, but not even every connoisseur can keep them at home, they are very capricious and sensitive.
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Temperature for phalaenopsis orchids
Temperature regime
One of the reasons why the Phalaenopsis orchid is considered a beginner's orchid is that its temperature regime matches well with the temperature in our apartments throughout the year. All you need is a minimum of effort and a little attention.
The Phalaenopsis orchid does not have a pronounced dormant period and requires only a slight decrease in temperature in winter. In summer, the daytime temperature is approximately 25-30, and in winter 20-25 degrees.
Video: Olga Rodina demo video
It is very important for the future flowering of the Phalaenopsis orchid that the difference between day and night temperatures is 6-7 degrees, since it is thanks to this difference that flower buds are laid in the flower.
If your flowers are on the windowsill, you should not forget that the temperature there in winter is much lower, in this regard, it is recommended to put a thermometer on the windowsill in order to respond in a timely manner to a drop in temperature near the flower.
If for a day or two the night temperature drops to 10-15 degrees, the phalaenopsis orchid will easily endure. But if the drop in temperature lasts for several days, then this can lead to a serious illness and further death of the plant.
When the temperature drops for a long time, the roots of the Phalaenopsis orchid stop absorbing water, and the leaves lose their elasticity and so-called wrinkles appear on them, which are the first signs of freezing of the flower. In this case, the orchid lives and feeds only on moisture and nutrients accumulated in the leaves of the flower.
A novice florist may think that the phaleponsis orchids do not have enough water and increase the amount of watering, but this will only aggravate the situation, as it will lead to root rot and other diseases.
The main ways to prevent freezing of the Phalaenopsis orchid are to seal all the cracks in the window frames, place the flowers as high as possible on the windowsill and in such a way that the pot and orchid leaves do not touch the cold glass.