Tropical orchids (Cattleya, Hooded Orchid, Dendrobium, Stick Leaf Banded Orchid,

Toothed Petal Orchid, Beautiful Hooded Orchid, Phalaenopsis Orchid, Bemisia Orchid)

1. Species and morphological characteristics of the tropical orchid species are numerous, and their flowers are large, Fig. 2-55 Morphological Characteristics of Cattleya with a wonderful posture, colorful, and of high ornamental value, but there is no scent. Used for floriculture are mainly the following:

(1) Cattleya is native to the South American tropics. There is a short rhizome, rhizome nodes expanded pseudobulb; in the top of the pseudobulb produced thick leathery leaves 1 to 2. Flower whorl is very large, up to 20 cm in diameter, each petal is free, the labellum is very large, the lateral lobes enclose the staminal column, the staminal column is long and stout, the apex is wide. Corolla red to purplish-red; autumn and winter flowering, flowering period of up to more than a month, flower arrangements can be maintained in water for as long as 10 to 14 days (Figure 2-55).

(2) Tulip orchids are also known as sac orchids. Native to the southeast subtropical region. Rhizome creeping growth. Leaves are leathery, with grooves on the surface. Scape from between the leaves and out, each scape with 1 flower, Figure 2-56 Dendrobium morphological characteristics of individual can bear 2. Outer perianth with a piece of erect growth, very durable; labellum expanded and saccate, staminal column very short. Flowering in winter and spring. One of the Hong Kong Hoodoo orchid is native to southern China, flowering from June to September.

(3) Dendrobium is native to Yunnan, China, now widely distributed in tropical Asia and New Zealand. There are aboveground stems, stem clusters erect and slender. Leaves are soft, leathery, rectangular-orbicular, apically crenate. Flowers inserted at upper nodes of culms, 1-4 flowers per branch; flowers ca. 8 cm in diam. Upper and inner tepals similarly shaped, outer tepal united with the staminal column, saccate; labellum broadly ovate-square, richly variegated, with a violet spot on the labellar disc and a coriaceous protuberance at the base. Flowering period August to December (Figure 2-56).

Figure 2-57 Morphological characteristics of Stickleaf Viburnum (4) Stickleaf Viburnum is native to the southern part of Yunnan, China. It has above-ground stems, and the culms are woody and climbing. Leaves are rod-shaped, inserted in two ranks on the culm. Scapes arising from leaf axils of culms, each scape bearing 3-4 flowers; flowers ca. 7 cm in diam. and purplish red; inner and outer perianths similar, labellum hairy, yellow, without protuberance below, staminal column short and thick. Fl. July-Aug. (Figs. 2-57).

(5) The toothed petal orchid is native to Mexico. Each pseudobulb can draw two leaves, plant height 8 ~ 13 cm, leaves thick leathery. The scape is pendulous, 30～60 centimeters long, with about 30 flowers per plant, red; the labellum is rose-red, spotted with yellow or red.

(6) The beautiful tulip is native to northern India. No pseudobulbs. Leaf color is light green or dark green. The scape is 25-30 centimeters long, with 1 flower per scape, rarely 2, the diameter of the flower is up to 13 centimeters, the pocket is very large, yellowish-green, and covered with brown patches or mottled. it blooms from September to February.

(7) Phalaenopsis is native to tropical Asia. The above-ground stems are very short, only 2-3 centimeters long. Leaves large, each scape 1 to several, arching growth, some have branches, 70 ~ 80 cm long, each scape with 1 to several flowers. Corolla waxy; labellum white, colored, lobes large, neck yellow with red spots. Flowering from October to January (Figure 2-58).

Figure 2-58 Morphological Characteristics of Phalaenopsis (8) Bayberry orchids are native to the southern foothills of the Himalaya. The plant is 5 to 8 centimeters tall. The pseudobulbs are wrinkled. The scape is about 15 centimeters long, bearing 7 flowers per scape, pure white, 5～7 centimeters in diameter, the labellum and fringe-like hairs are light orange-yellow. Flowering period is from December to March (Figure 2-59).

2. habit Tropical orchids are epiphytic plants, mostly attached to the trunk of large trees in the rainforest growth, and some of them are born in the rocks and wet mountain forests and streams on the stump. Spring and summer are their main growth period, the rainy season growth is the most vigorous, during this period requires high temperature and high humidity; fall growth is slow, winter growth stops and in a semi-dormant state.

Figure 2-59 Morphological Characteristics of the Bayberry OrchidThe light, water and temperature requirements of tropical orchids vary slightly from species to species. Cattleya has slightly more light requirements, needs to maintain a room temperature of 15-20℃ in winter, and requires a well-ventilated environment, but it cannot be ventilated too much in early spring when the shoots are sprouting, or the new shoots will easily wither. The overwintering temperature of Dendrobium is a little lower than that of Cattleya, but the temperature required during flowering is high and direct sunlight is avoided. Dendrobium requires high temperature, should be maintained in the shade in summer, should see oblique sunlight in winter, and should maintain good ventilation. Stick Leaf Vanda Orchid requires very high air humidity and very low water content in the cultivation substrate; the room temperature should be kept above 22℃ in winter in order to keep them well. Other tropical orchids have similar requirements for environmental conditions, they are afraid of direct sunlight, prefer high air humidity, the cultivation substrate needs to be loose and breathable, and high temperatures need to be maintained in all seasons.

3. Propagation methods can be sown or divided. Because the seeds are tiny, sowing needs complete equipment, a long time and complex technology, family flower can only use the method of planting to propagate seedlings.

Division of plants with sharp pruning shears between the pseudobulbs connected to the rhizome (Mado) cut, immediately in the cuts on the application of sulfur powder antiseptic. Any pseudobulbs with latent buds can be directly planted into pots, they will soon be able to draw leaf clusters; no latent buds of pseudobulbs do not directly on the pot, the first concentrated in a shallow pot, covered with wet peat or wet sawdust, placed in the room at about 25 ℃ to germinate, wait until they grow latent buds, and then potted plants separately.

Dendrobium has an above-ground stem, in the moist air from the stem node parts of the young plants, these young plants have both stem and leaves and young roots, cut them down to a single other planting can survive. Can also cut stem cuttings, insert them into the brown peat, maintain high temperature and more than 80% of the air humidity, will soon be rooted and sprouted leaves. Tooth petal orchid, Phalaenopsis and other regeneration ability is very strong, can be cut into 2 ~ 3 cm long small section of the unflowering scape, flat in the warm and moist peat moss, more than a month can be rooted and sprouted leaves. Large-scale production are through tissue culture to produce test tube seedlings.

4. Cultivation and maintenance cultivation of tropical orchids can not use culture soil, a cultivation substrate does not need to be deep, it must be loose, breathable and well-drained, pH value between 5 and 6, acidic reaction. Now the commonly used formulations are listed in the following table.

Table tropical orchid cultivation substrate composition and with the proportion table (volume ratio)

Tropical orchid species mountain hairy stick leaf purple Keji root water keel root peat moss turf soil dry cow dung sawdust general tropical orchid 321 pocket orchid 1121 root system of the delicate toothed petal orchid 11 Dendrobium Tomentosum Orchid 1122 Bemisia Orchid 11222 Phalaenopsis Orchid, Wanbang Orchid 2113 planting should try to use a small pot as long as the root system can be accommodated. As long as it can accommodate the root system, it is enough. For indoor display, misting with a small sprayer should be used frequently, and the pots should be slightly moist, do not water heavily. Keep in the shade and out of direct sunlight. Do not pour organic liquid fertilizer into the pot, can be ammonium sulfate and potassium dihydrogen phosphate 1000 times liquid syringe into the pseudobulb or above ground stalks, the effect is quite remarkable.