Beautiful Mixes decorate not only apartments, houses, offices. Florists widely use this particular variety to create flower arrangements and bouquets. Exquisite flowers for a long time remain fresh in the cut.
Phalaenopsis mix - beautiful butterfly orchids, distinguished among their relatives by a variety of colors and sizes of the exotic form of flowers. How to care for these plants after they are brought home from the store, as well as at the end of adaptation, we will tell in the article.
What kind of look?
Phalaenopsis Mix - a hybrid variety, the result of modern breeding. It belongs to the evergreen species, bloom long. The bred mixes are better adapted to growing at home than many species of orchids. Among gardeners, this variety is very popular because of its unpretentiousness and endurance.
What does it look like?
Phalaenopsis Mixes have large fleshy leaves of bright green color. Sheet plate oblong, rounded. Some subsorts are spotty colored leaves.
Peduncles are formed in the leaf sinuses. The number of peduncles - 1 - 3, depending on the variety variety. Each peduncle densely placed 25 - 40 flowers. Peduncles straight, branching at the tops.
Flowers numerous, have the form of a butterfly, traditional for all phalaenopsis. Many varieties differ fragrant flowering. By color Mixes have a wide color spectrum - white, yellow, purple, burgundy. There are flowers of variegated colors with various inclusions, patterns and edging. Flower size 2 - 10 cm.
The root is fragile, brittle, branched.
Biological description
Orchid Mix belongs to a huge family of Orchids with a long history. Flowers belong to the genus of epiphytes. Natural varieties grow on tree trunks, stumps, are located on stones, in the gorges of rocks, mountainous areas.
Natural sources grow in Australia, Southeast Asia and other tropical corners of the earth.
Important! Flowers belong to perennial plants, have a life expectancy of up to 7 - 8 years.
This species has up to 35 species.
Distinctive features
- Mix - means mixing, mixing. Phalaenopsis Mix - a mixture of many species and varieties.
- The variety is distinguished by a variety of colors themselves flowers. Flowering lush, dense, long, can be repeated several times a year.
- The variety can do without a long dormancy state, is easy to maintain, and is not picky about top dressing.
- Orchid breeding Mix under the force even beginner florist.
History of
In the 19th century, natural varieties of phalaenopsis were discovered in the Malay Archipelago by K. Blume, a traveler, a scientist, and a director of a botanical garden. Phalaenopsis - "moth-like." The shape of the petals is similar to the wings of an exotic butterfly - symmetrically located, identical in shape and color. Mix variety - adapted to the European growing conditions type of phalaenopsis.
The first hybrids were bred in 20 in G. Velbrunnom.
Subort: description and photo
In the catalogs of online stores, in the collection of orchid lovers there are numerous specimens of phalaenopsis mixes subortes.
Mini
Miniature flower The height of the stem to 15 - 20 cm in height. The flowers are soft pink. The leaves are oblong, dark green. Peduncle well branched at the top, forms a set of flowers of medium size.
Special 1250
The flower is quite tall, up to 40 cm in height. Orchid 1250 has 2 flower stalks. Abundant flowering. The flowers themselves are gently pink in color with a peach shade. Petals are streaked with darker streaks. Polubarchate flowers in structure. The leaves are long, large, light green.
1 branch
What it is? It is a compact shrub, releasing 1 peduncle. Flowers densely planted on top of flowering stem. The flowers are soft white, medium size, up to 4 - 5 cm in diameter. The leaves are broad, oblong, dark green.
Step-by-step instruction
For care after the store and at home, after a period of adaptation
When buying a flower in a store, you should carefully examine the instance you like - the state of the root system, the integrity of the stem, the density and elasticity of the leaf plate.
Immediately after transportation, the flower is not transplanted, daily adaptation is necessary. flower It is advisable to transplant a flower from a temporary container into a permanent pot in the near future. Often the temporary composition of the soil in the store is unsuitable for the full development of Orchid Mix.
A further move for an exotic orchid at home has a number of features:
Location and lighting
Mixes, like many phalaenopsis, are very fond of light, in the shade the flowering and growth of the hybrid are very problematic. Lighting should be complete, but diffused, somewhat distant.
For this variety suitable western or eastern location. Southern windows should be applied in the summer with a light curtain or rearranged pots in a more gentle light mode.
Important! Bright direct sun flower can not tolerate. Aggressive rays can leave burns on the leaves.
In winter, the flower needs additional artificial light. Required lighting special lamps for 3 - 4 hours a day. Light day for this variety must be at least 12 hours.
Pot
It is better to choose plastic light transparent containers, this will allow to control the condition of the soil and roots. In the pot be sure to make holes at the bottom and across the side surface. Roots also need light, like leaves. for the full course of the process of photosynthesis.
Too spacious pots are not recommended. Mixes like compactness, the pot should be a little cramped.
Regularly turn the pots so that the light falls from all sides. This prevents the stem from stretching and the deformation of flowers and leaves.
Temperature
- In the summer heat temperature frames - up to 20 - 25 ° C.
- In the autumn-winter period, the temperature must be reduced to 17 - 18 ° C.
Important! Phalaenopsis Mix reacts poorly to sudden changes in temperature, does not tolerate cold.
For full flowering, a daily difference of day and night temperatures of 4 - 5 ° C is mandatory. It is important not to overdry the air and the substrate, when the temperature exceeds 25 ° C, the flowering does not occur, the leaves turn yellow and dry.
Air humidity
Timely air moistening is a necessary condition for a tropical flower. Optimum moisture frame - 50 - 60%. In the summer heat, additional air moistening is necessary.
The pots can be placed on wet stones; open containers with water should be placed next to the pots. Orchid Mix loves shower and spraying. After the procedure, ear sticks should remove excess water from the sinuses of the rosette and leaves. In winter, you can simply wipe the leaves from dust with a damp cloth.
Stagnant, damp, musty air is contraindicated flower. It should be regularly ventilated, providing fresh air.
But beware of drafts and gusts of cold air. It is not recommended to place the pots near the air conditioners and fans.
By watering
Requires moderate, but regular watering in small doses at the root. Water should be avoided on the flowers themselves, and there are ugly spots on them. After a shower, you should put the pots in a shaded place until completely dry.
Water for irrigation should be purified, you can use rain water at room temperature. A few drops of lemon juice or citric acid solution are added to the water. In the summer, watering should be every 4 days; in the fall, watering is reduced by 2 times.
Optimum and safe method of watering - immersion method:
- In a large container with clean warm water pots are lowered for 15 minutes.
- The root system will absorb the right amount of water.
- Then the pots should drain.
- Excess moisture immediately spills from the pan. Roots should not be in the water.
By transplant
Mixes do not like frequent changes. Orchid should be transplanted only when the roots have grown too much, sticking out of the pot. Repotting should be done after flowering, so that the flower does not throw off the buds and the inflorescences themselves.
It is better to carry out procedure in the spring, the flower adapts better, does not get sick. Soil mix can be purchased at the store. Fits any substrate for orchids.
You can mix the substrate yourself. The composition of the soil mixture for Phalaenopsis Mix:
- Charcoal - 3 hours
- Tree bark - 2 hours
- Moss-sphagnum -2 hours
- Small shells, expanded clay, pebbles for drainage.
Transplant plan:
- Used capacity 2 cm more than the previous one.
- A drainage layer is poured at the bottom.
- Well soaked old substrate, carefully removed the bush.
- The roots are thoroughly cleaned from the old substrate.
- Cut dry, damaged, rotten processes of the root.
- Cuts are dried, powdered with crushed coal.
- The flower is placed in a new container.
- The voids are filled with a new substrate.
- The soil is not compacted, not pressed down, so as not to damage the fragile root.
- Immediately after transplantation, a sapling is plentifully watered.
Important! 2 - 3 drops of zircon are added to the water for better rooting.
By breeding
Phalaenopsis Mix breeds "kids" - shoots. They appear on the peduncle or on the outlet. Separate shoots, empty roots up to 5 cm.
Dividing procedure:
- Separated escape with 2 - 3 leaves.
- Cuts are covered with cinnamon.
- Sprouts are planted in a small container with a ready-drained substrate.
- Requires regular hydration.
- Content temperature - at least 22 ° C.
- Such nurseries can be placed in aquariums, florariums.
- 10 - 12 months young saplings are contained in special conditions.
Diseases and pests
- Fungal infections, gray rot of stems, root rot - the result of hypothermia and the flower bay. Urgent transplantation, sanitary pruning of rotten fragments, complete replacement of the soil are necessary. The pot and substrate should be treated with a fungicide.
- Leaf spot appears from dry air, lack of moisture. It should pritenit windows, adjust the mode of irrigation. It is necessary to add leaf spraying to reduce the temperature and increase the humidity of the air.
- Also from drying out the soil in the heat there are scale insects and worms. Spray the plant with soapy water or treat the substrate and leaves with phytotherm. The procedure is repeated 2 - 3 times for prophylaxis.
- Spraying of aphids is saved by spraying tinctures of soap and tobacco. You can use any chemicals from aphids.
Phalaenopsis Mix requires constant attention and careful care.. Exotic flower develops rapidly, blooms profusely, well rooted to create the necessary conditions of life for it.