Ecological habits

It likes a warm, humid and semi-shady environment. Not tolerant to cold and afraid of exposure to the scorching sun. It is suitable for fertile leaf mold soil and peat soil, and is afraid of coal soil and coal ash. The temperature in winter is not lower than 10℃

Suitable temperature

The most suitable temperature for crab claw lotus is 15℃-25℃. If it exceeds 28℃ in summer, the plant will be dormant or semi-dormant. , the ideal room temperature in winter is 15℃-18℃. If the temperature is lower than 15℃, there is a possibility of bud drop.

Propagation methods include cuttings, grafting and sowing.

Propagation by cuttings: Select strong and thick stem nodes, cut off 1 to 2 nodes, and place them in a cool place for 2 to 3 days. After the incisions are slightly dry, insert them into the sand bed. The matrix should be 4:1. Peat and sand, the inserting bed temperature is 15-20℃. The humidity of the transplanting bed should not be too high to prevent the incision from getting too wet and rotting. Roots will begin to form 2 to 3 weeks after transplanting, and they can be potted after 4 weeks.

Grafting propagation: It grows vigorously and blooms earlier than cutting propagation. It is usually carried out from May to June and September to October. The rootstocks used are Tianchi and Tiger Thorn. If large pot cultivation is required, pear cactus is used. The scion should have 2 to 3 stem nodes, and the lower end should be cut into a duckbill shape and connected with the wedge of the rootstock. Use a cactus thorn or a sterilized toothpick to insert and fix it. Generally, one rootstock can be grafted with three scions, and each scion is 120° apart. After grafting, the plants are maintained in a semi-shady place to maintain high air humidity. If the scion remains fresh and stiff within 10 days after grafting, it has healed and survived and needs careful maintenance. After 1 month, the grafted plant can be transferred to normal management.

Propagation by sowing: Crab claw orchid requires artificial pollination before it can bear fruit. Indoor pot sowing is often used. The suitable germination temperature is 22-24°C. The sowing substrate is a mixed soil of peat, leaf mold soil and coarse sand. High temperature disinfection is required before sowing. After sowing the seeds of crab claw orchid, cover the mouth of the pot with glass to maintain the humidity of the pot soil. Germination occurs 5 to 9 days after sowing. Seedlings grow slowly and should be managed carefully.

Cultivation and management The new branches after propagation can be cultivated in 12 cm ordinary plastic pots or hanging pots, with 3 plants planted in each pot. It is summer after planting, and the room should be kept ventilated and cool. Excessive temperature or dry air will be detrimental to the growth of the stem nodes, and sometimes the stem nodes will shrink and die. Fertilize once every half month during the growing season. Apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer 1 to 2 times in autumn. When grafting new branches, when watering and fertilizing, be careful not to splash the grafted healing area to avoid rot. It can bloom 20 to 30 flowers that year, and one pot can bloom hundreds of flowers after 2 to 3 years of cultivation. Cutting plants generally need to be re-cutted and renewed after 2 to 3 years of cultivation. When the crab claw orchid blooms, the room temperature should not be high, preferably 10 to 15°C. The flowering period can last for 2 to 3 months. Single flowers generally wither after one week. Do not move it casually during the flowering period to avoid breaking the stems and falling flowers. There is generally a short dormant state after flowering. Watering should be controlled and fertilization should be stopped. After the stem nodes grow new buds, normal fertilizer and water management should be carried out. If the amount of watering after flowering is too large, the roots will easily rot and the stem nodes will shrink and die. If the crab claw orchid needs to bloom in advance and be ready for the market, it can be treated with short days. Short-day shading treatment of 8 hours a day can bloom 1 month in advance

Pests and diseases: Rot and leaf blight are common hazards. Spray with 50 grams of 800-fold solution of fungi for control. Insect pests include red spider mites and scale insects. Red spider mites should be sprayed with 2000 times of fenitrothionate EC 50 times to kill them.