At the moment, orchids are becoming the most popular house plants around the world. On the territory of the former USSR there are almost five hundred varieties of this flower. Naturally, flower growers need information about their pets.
Today we will talk about an orchid called Big Lip, tell you all about proper cultivation, possible problems and how to cope with them.
What kind of plant is it?
Variety of Big Lip refers to large-flowered phalaenopsis. The flower petals themselves are silky to the touch, very delicate and fragile, painted white. Therefore, they require quite trembling treatment.
Big Lip is translated as "big lip". And indeed, it is the large size of the lip that this variety stands out among others. The size of the flowers reaches 9-10 centimeters.
The whole plant can reach almost a meter in height. - 70-80 centimeters. The leafy plates are fleshy, juicy, grow up to 25 centimeters in length, and up to 10 in width. They are distinguished not only by size, but also by a rich shade.
Usually such an orchid can live for quite a long time - about 10 years.. In rare cases, the duration reaches 15 years.
A photo
With the appearance of the plant can be found on the photos provided.
On the video you can clearly see how the Phalaenopsis Big Lip looks like:
History of
This species was discovered in the middle of the eighteenth century - in 1752. He was found on one of the Moluccas islands - on the island of Ambon. We are obliged to this find by the professor from Germany Georg Riumfu.
Description of the species and its difference from others
The main feature of this phalaenopsis is the large size of the lips of the flower.as well as the shape of the petals, which look like a fluttering butterfly.
Attention! Big Leap Subsorts has not yet. This variety is presented in a single variety.
Bloom
When and how?
The Big Lip Orchid is distinguished by its ability to open buds for half a year.. The break between the blooms may sometimes not be at all. This is not good, because after such continuous flowering phalaenopsis loses a lot of energy and may eventually stop blooming or even start to hurt.
Therefore, after each fall of the flowers, it is necessary for Big Lipa to have a rest period. To do this, reduce the frequency and abundance of irrigation, as well as stop fertilizing.
Care during the vegetation period
In order to form flower buds, it is necessary to provide the plant with the necessary conditions:
optimum temperature (22-26 degrees of heat in the afternoon);- moderate watering;
- good 12-hour lighting (make sure the light is diffused);
- complex fertilizers.
optimum temperature (22-26 degrees of heat in the afternoon);After cultivation, you can transplant the plant, if required by the root system. Peduncle trimmed is not necessary. This should only be done if it has dried. If the flower arrow is green, it means that a new flower can bloom on it or a scion grow - baby.
What if it does not bloom?
To begin with, it is necessary to adjust all the cultivation factors to suit the Orchid family (we will write about this below). If all the manipulations with the care did not help, it is worthwhile to arrange a stressful situation for the plant. You can create a similar situation by meeting the following points:
- put an orchid in a darker place;
- reduce the temperature of the content to 16-19 degrees;
- reduce watering.
Such manipulations will become a kind of shake-up for Big Lipa, in most cases provoking flowering.
Care instructions
Choosing a place
Indoors it is necessary to find a window sill, which goes to the east (small deviations in the south or north) are allowed. If there are none, you can put a flower pot in the southern part. But in that case will have in the hours of the scorching sun pritenyat flower. This can be done with a regular sheet of paper.
You can, of course, periodically, take out the flower to fresh air, but this takes time, and most importantly, you must constantly remember this, which is often a difficult task in a busy life.
It is worth noting another important point regarding ventilation: Care should be taken to ensure that fresh air does not pass into a disastrous draft..
Selection of pot and soil
Since the root system of any orchid performs the same functions as the other green parts of the plant — that is, it participates in the process of photosynthesis — then growers prefer transparent flowerpots. It is in such containers that the light easily gets to the roots.
It is also worth noting that the walls of the pot should be smooth. Under natural conditions, phalaenopsis grows its roots to the stones, trunks of trees. Therefore, if the surface of the pot is rough, the roots will begin to grow in the home. For a young plant, a pot of 12-15 centimeters in diameter will suffice.
As for the soil, beginner growers are advised to purchase ready-made substrate. This saves time and effort. In addition, there is no risk of preparing the wrong soil. In 99% of cases, the store substrate is ideal for phalaenopsis. The main thing to choose a composition designed specifically for your plant.
Experienced growers can decide on self-preparation of soil mixture. For this they will need:
- peat;
- sphagnum moss;
- sand (need large, so it is better to choose the river);
- bark (pine or spruce).
All components are harvested in equal shares and mixed.
Important! Do not forget about the bottom layer - drainage. Thanks to him, it is possible to avoid stagnation of water.
Temperature
The optimum daily temperature for the Big Linden is 25-28 degrees Celsius. This condition is necessary for the formation of buds, as the orchid has established itself as a thermophilic plant. At night, degrees can be reduced to 17-21.
The difference between day and night temperatures must necessarily be. This is the key to full growth and development, as well as long and lush flowering.
When there comes a period of rest (that is, after flowering), all indicators of heat are reduced by a couple of marks.
Humidity
At home Phalaenopsis six months in a row can rain rain. Therefore, there is always high humidity. Such conditions must be maintained in home cultivation.
It is important to spray the air around the flower and the plant itself.. But you need to carefully monitor that the water does not fall into a sheet outlet, otherwise the process of decay may begin.
A safer method of moistening the air is. You can simply put a container with water next to the flower pot. The main thing - do not forget to update the water reserves, since on hot days they quickly evaporate.
Attention! You can not place an orchid near heating devices, as they are very dry air.
Lighting
The light should be for 10-12 hours a day.. This is a prerequisite for the normal development of orchids. In winter, you will need to use artificial lighting to achieve such daily indicators. Recall once again that the light must fall absently.
Watering
Moisturize the soil is recommended every other week. But you should always look at your specific situation. The soil must be completely dry. In this state, it is necessary to hold the soil for two days. Only then can the plant be watered. This applies to the period of flowering and growth. But during the rest, you can moisten the earth even less often. This will not make phalaenopsis worse; it can easily survive drought.
Florists recommend watering in two ways to choose: under the shower or immersion. Both the one and the other method are correct. The choice is made based on the goal. If you need to refresh not only the soil, but the whole plant as a whole, it is sent under the shower. If, together with hydration, you also need to feed the orchid, then they prefer to dive.
Top dressing
In fertilizers Big Lip needs during growth, as well as the budding. If the first flowers have already blossomed, the need for feeding is eliminated. Choose better ready-made complexes, which are sold in specialized stores.
Important! It is necessary to strictly follow the instructions for use, not exceeding neither the frequency nor the dosage.
Transfer
It is recommended to do this infrequently - once in 2-3 years. The soil is changed to a new one, and the pot is enlarged only a few centimeters in diameter.
Breeding methods
At home, increasing the number of orchids is possible only with the help of children. This is a process that appears on the peduncle. Cut it off after small roots and a few leaves grow.
The inventory is sterilized, and cuts are sprinkled with cinnamon. In production and in natural conditions, reproduction can also occur in a second way - with the help of seeds.
Diseases and pests
The most common parasite that attacks Big Lip is the spider mite.. It is better to start with it at once to begin to fight thoroughly - with the help of acaricidal preparations (“Fitoverm” is the most suitable for orchids). Processing is performed several times with an interval of 7-10 days.
But the following diseases can occur:
- Fusarium;
- gray rot
To fight these diseases should be insecticides. And also do not forget that the cause of any disease lies in the wrong care. Therefore, be sure to revise their ways of growing these orchids.
We offer to see a visual video about a sick Big Lip:
Prevention of various problems
If the florist follows all recommendations, then he should have no problems. But as soon as a new flower appeared in the collection, it should be sent to the monthly quarantine, at this time carefully examine the “newcomer” for problems so that they do not spread to healthy plants.
Orchid is now synonymous with sophistication and nobility.. Therefore, it should be treated as something unusual and fragile.
