Cattleya care at home

If you choose the queen among the orchids - the throne is rightly occupied by Cattleya. And, like a real queen, a flower is capricious, it requires a lot of attention, effort and patience to its "person". Only by receiving the maximum dose of care and care, the orchid will please its owner with a wonderful color and a foaming fragrance.

Botanical description

William Cattleya, an English gardener and flower grower, is considered the father of Cattleya orchids. It was he who brought this flower "miracle" from Brazil, growing it in his greenhouse.

In modern floristics, there are about 40 hybrid species of this herbaceous plant. From other members of the Orchid family, this variety is distinguished by its peculiar lip shape.

The lip in floristics is called the wayward orchid petal, which contrasts sharply with the color of the other petals.

Cattleya - a flower extremely demanding and capricious, can refuse to bloom for years. Blooming Cattleya is a divine color and indescribable fragrance. On one of its shoots about 10 flowers fit, they are 5-25 cm in diameter. Cattleya is one of the types of sympodial Orchids: the plant becomes wider every year, thanks to the appearance of new shoots next to the old ones. The stem grows from preformed pseudobulb (tuberidia), which accumulate moisture and beneficial vitamins.

The flowering period is about a month, in winter and autumn orchids rest from flowering.

Types and varieties of Cattleus

In the wild, there are about 65 species of Cattleya, more than 40 hybrid varieties were bred in the selection process:

1. For the habitat flowers are divided into: epiphytes, which grow on the trunks or branches of trees, different moisture-loving; lithophytes - inhabitants of rocky canyons and faults, lovers of swimming in direct sunlight.
2. For color: they understand all known colors.
3. For "growth": from a few centimeters to a meter and up.
4. For the size of the flower: from a couple of millimeters to 25 cm.
5. For the number of flowers: single flower stalks or inflorescences.
6. For the number of leaves: single-leaved or double-leaved.

The most popular varieties of this family are:

• Orchid Cattleya two-tone - a favorite of exhibitions of photo orchids. Used by florists in various compositions. Differs in impressionable flowers, the diameter of one such decoration is 10 mm. The lip is painted purple, and the remaining petals are pink or purple-brown, sometimes giving a reddish tinge.
• View Bowring - almost a giant. The length of the orchid is 70 cm in the wild, and at home it is only 35 cm. On its crimson lip petal there is a bright yellow patch on the crimson lip. Petals lilac-purple.
• Triana - white and pink queen of flower growers. The lip of the petal stands out strikingly crimson or purple color.
• Forbeza - Cattleya-inch, height of 10-20 cm. Peduncles attract the attention with a delicate olive shade with a snow-white or pale pink lip.
• Wavy petals of pink, purple or violet hues, bright yellow spot on purple lip petals are characteristics gingerbread orchid.
• Lush white or pink flowers, belong to the orchid princess varieties Giant.

Did you know? An orchid is a flower that, with its fragrant aroma, cannot cause allergies.

Growing conditions

The orchid is not only the beauty queen, but also the queen of whims. Caring for Cattleya at home requires responsibility and color loving, strict adherence to the norms of irrigation, lighting, fertilizer, temperature control, clarification.

The capriciousness of an orchid is manifested mainly in its refusal to bloom. The absence of lush inflorescences on a young and healthy plant is extremely distressing color lovers. The reason for this behavior may lie in the too young age of your pupil and the lack of strength to bloom.

Therefore, experienced flower gardens are advised to buy an already blooming orchid with the presence of 4 tuberidia. If you did not manage to get flowering, take care of the one that you have, she will definitely give you a celebration of flowering. The main thing to follow the following rules.

Location

Cattleya prefers the southern side of the habitat in the house, she is not afraid of direct sunlight for several hours a day.It is the sun's rays that contribute to the development of pseudobulb.

Overheating plant will tell you the pale green leaves with a yellowish tinge. In this case, it is worth moving it to a more shaded place. Conversely, dark green, lost orchid leaves will tell you about the lack of light.

Under normal lighting, the flower will flaunt brilliant leaves of a rich green color.

Winter time - the period of hibernation. At this time, they are particularly in need of light. Flower gardens are recommended to illuminate them with fluorescent lamps.

Temperature and humidity.

Kattleya feels great in room temperature conditions. In the summer, it is necessary to ensure that it does not overheat. If the leaves are warm to the touch, you need to wash them with water at room temperature, increase the humidity of the flower. This can be achieved by placing a tray of water near it.

The optimum temperature for the flower is 16-20 ° C. For full flowering, the difference in differences in day and night temperatures should be 5 ° C.

On hot days, the orchid should be placed from time to time in a pan, filled with water or sprayed.

As for watering, the flower is not too thirsty. The rate is once every 1-1,5 weeks.It should be remembered that before you an extraordinary plant, traditional watering is not for him. An orchid needs to be “watered” by placing its root system in a container of water.

Substrate and capacity

The full functioning of Cattleya is impossible without a careful selection of a special substrate. You noticed that in the flower shops the orchid does not grow in ordinary soil.

It requires a different type of soil. Bark mixed with sphagnum moss is used as a substrate for Cattleya.

If you want to transplant your own scarlet flower yourself, you need to select the bark of the middle and small fraction, soak it in water, approximately for two days.

Then the bark soaked in moisture must be washed with clean water, mixed with moss and foam. Substrate for planting orchids ready. This soil will become the keeper of moisture for the flower, and also has optimal air permeability.

Regarding capacity, the "queen" is picky. Most gardeners prefer to plant Cattleya in clay pots or clear plastic.

How to care for a flower

Orchid care includes watering, fertilizing and transplanting.Rational and proper observance of these agrotechnical norms will be rewarded with lush flower stalks.

Watering and spraying

In spring and autumn, the orchid is recommended to be watered once every 1-1.5 weeks. This periodicity is disturbed in summer and winter.

In the summer, the plant needs more water, it is necessary to water it every 2-3 days, because under the influence of direct sunlight the substrate in the container dries very quickly. In winter, on the contrary, it is worth reducing the amount of watering.

The highest quality water for Cattleya - separated or rainwater. The word "watering" for this flower is not very appropriate, as it is most likely fed, placed in a pan with water for 5-10 minutes. Water should be warm.

In the hot season, the leaves of the plant and the air around it must be further moistened by spraying.

Fertilizer

In order for Cattleya to grow actively, she needs help, that is, to feed her. Mineral fertilizers are used as top dressing. Carefully read the instructions "vitamin": for your queen, the dosage should be minimal.

When the period of growth and formation of tuberidia began, the orchid is fed with substances with the maximum composition of nitrogen.When this period ends, the flower needs phosphorus and potassium.

Feed should be added every 2-3 watering. With the advent of the peduncle, fertilization is stopped.

Transfer

Despite the fact that the orchid does not like transplants and does not tolerate them well, it is necessary to resort to this measure at home. The fact is that the substrate is oxidized, which can adversely affect your royal flower.

To implement the transplant, you need to prepare a new container with the substrate. In addition, you need to know exactly whether you split the plant.

Keep in mind that after the transplant, your pet will be renewed for a very long time and return to full-fledged life activity.

Breeding features

Cattleus is propagated by dividing during the period of emergence and active growth of new roots. The flower must be carefully pulled out of the container and placed in a wayward bath (a bowl of water) for a few hours. When the rhizome is enough to get wet, it is divided. Florists recommend to keep on slices from 3 to 5 pseudobulb.

Plant pests

Your favorite, as it does not sound sad, may succumb to attacks of many pests, including:

• Aphid - a small insect of green or black color that damages the leaves, buds, inflorescences, destroys the orchid's cellular system, is the causative agent of viral and fungal infections. Destroy aphids by bathing with ordinary or soapy water.
• As a result of overheating, the flower may attack scythe - insects that settle on the leaves a wayward dwelling in the form of hillocks and hillocks, feed on the plant sap, dull its growth and development. These inhabitants can be driven away in the process of increasing the humidity around the flower, as well as remove them with an ordinary toothbrush.
• Spider mites - Another pest that is afraid of moisture. If you notice a thin cobweb under the inflorescence, immediately bathe your darling in soapy water and spray regularly. The fight against ticks will not do without the use of insecticides ("Fitoverm", "Neoron").
• Nematodes - Pest worms that affect absolutely all parts of Cattleya. From these parasites it is difficult to cure. The treatment process is to use the solution of "Decaris" in the indicated dosage. The flower must be evacuated and placed in a room with a high temperature.

Your favorite flower requires special attention and responsibility.You will have to fulfill all the vagaries of the Cattleya orchid. But then she will thank you royally.