Mini orchids: home care. Pygmy orchid

Not surprisingly, many flower growers are fascinated by mini-orchids. Care at home for flowers is not particularly difficult. The most important thing is to know some of the subtleties of their content, and then they will long please you with their beauty.

general characteristics

Mini orchids, dwarfish orchids, they are phalaenopsis, flowers belonging to the same species. There are a huge number of varieties and varieties of phalaenopsis. However, we will consider only a mini, or a dwarf version.

Mini orchids are not in vain liked by avid flower growers and people who just want to bring a little coziness to the room. These flowers have miniature sizes, which distinguishes them from standard plants.

Dwarf orchids are represented by a variety of varieties. The adult flower together with the inflorescence reaches 15-30 centimeters in height. There are species that are even smaller - they do not grow above 10 centimeters.

Where does this flower grow? A mini orchid in nature can be found on the expanses of the wooded part of the equator or among the rocks. To grow phalaenopsis at home was successful, you need to understand which grade is most appropriate for the microclimate of your home.

As it was mentioned earlier, varieties of mini orchids differ in variety. But all of them can not be considered, so let's focus on the most popular ones.

Mini Mark

Simple in the content of phalaenopsis. Has a lot of cream colors. The petals are decorated with orange and pinkish blotches. A saturated orange shade has a lip. Leaves and stems are very neat, have a greyish-green hue.

Separately it is necessary to say that this phalaenopsis will please its owner with double flowering in a year. The flowers themselves have a pleasant aroma. The leaves of the plant reach a length of not more than 12 cm. Flowers in diameter - about 4 cm.

Pink orchid

Not the smallest member of the orchid family, but its size is less than average. The height of the peduncle is about 20 cm, it has a curved shape. Flowers have a white and pink color. On one plant there can be from 10 to 15 pieces. The sheet is elongated, its size varies from 10 to 15 cm.

Luddemann's Orchid

A special feature of this species is the ratio of proportions of sepals and the flower itself. A rather unusual mini-orchid, as the flower is much smaller than the sepal. Color intensive pink-violet. The core is slightly darker. The lip has yellow-red impregnations.

Leaves are elongated, not more than 20 cm in length. The color is light green. The diameter of the flowers themselves is about 5 cm. There are 5 to 7 of them on one peduncle.

Oncidium

Oncidium is widespread and has more than 700 species. Some representatives are simply gigantic in size, while others are very small. There are species that do not exceed 10 cm in height, their flowers resemble irises. The fragrance is gentle, but well palpable. The inflorescence of the mini-orchid reaches about 10 cm. The flowers are small, each diameter is 1-2 cm. The main type of color is red, yellow and brown. Blossoms all year round.

Cymbidium

Cymbidium has no less species than oncidium. One of the most famous is the aloe vera cymbidium. The plant does not exceed 30 cm in height. The flowers are light yellow, small, about 5 cm in diameter. Also, the cymbidium can be painted in other shades, such as burgundy and beige.

Cattleya Orchid

There are a lot of dwarf subspecies. Flowers have different colors, so that everyone can pick up a pet to your taste. The height of the flower itself is from 10 to 25 cm.

In some Cattleya species, the diameter of the flowers is equal to the height. The most famous varieties of Cattleya: Skinner, Valker, Aklund.

The maintenance of a dwarfish orchid

Nothing difficult in the content of mini orchids. Home care includes the same procedures as for many other colors. Let's consider the basic features:

• The plant should not be exposed to direct sunlight, but the lighting should be sufficient.
• The temperature regime in the room should change with the passage of the seasons. In particular, this applies to the first two months of autumn. During this period, the temperature should not be lower and not higher than 16-17 degrees Celsius. This is due to the process of laying flower buds. In the rest of the year the temperature can vary in the range of +18 ... +30 ^о С.
• Humidity also matters for a mini-orchid. Care at home reduces, among other things, to maintaining the proper level of humidity. The higher the temperature, the higher the percentage of humidity. Otherwise, the flower will simply die. However, if you overdo it, the decay process may begin. To prevent this, it is recommended to ventilate the room well.
• For transplantation, only soil based on moss, charcoal and softwood bark is suitable. A mini-orchid is transplanted every two years.

• Now as to the question of how to water a mini orchid. It is also important to observe the temperature regime here. Water should be above room temperature by 4 degrees. What other features are there for caring for a mini orchid at home? You can put pots of flowers in the water. For example, in the bathroom. This procedure should last no more than 20-30 minutes. In this case, as in the case of "baths", it is important that the water of the glass from the holes in the pot. Otherwise, the root system can rot. Watering flowers is not necessary more than once a week. In the hot season - every 3-4 days.
• Irrigation is also necessary for the care of a mini orchid. At home, you can use a spray gun. In a particularly hot weather, the procedure is recommended in the morning. The water temperature should be the same as for watering.
• Top dressing should be done twice a month. Moreover, it is possible to add a nutrient mixture both to water for irrigation and to water for irrigation.
• Pruning of flower stems is performed after the mini orchid has faded. Leave you need one centimeter of the base of the peduncle.

The rest period

A mini orchid in a natural environment does not need a rest period. However, the housing mode of the content and our climate dictate its own rules. Therefore, in the cold season, when it begins to get dark early, care must be taken to extend the daylight for the plant.

You can use artificial lighting for this. Ideal option is the use of special lighting devices for flowers. But if for some reason there is no opportunity to purchase such lamps, then you can use the usual ones.

Diseases and anxiety symptoms

Problems with health in a dwarfish orchid missing. This type of plant is susceptible to viruses and is sensitive to incorrect content. Also, pest problems often arise. All this can turn into the death of an orchid.

In order not to run the problem and in time to have time to save the flower, you need to be able to distinguish the symptoms that signal the disease. Let's consider some of them:

• The leaves acquire a yellow color, wither and fall off. This indicates either excessive accumulation of water in the soil, or too intense illumination.
• Flowers fall before they have time to flower. A sign that the plant is very hot. Or he lacks humidity.
• The leaves are covered with dark spots, they are caked. The symptom is that the watering level is inadequate.

For the prevention, you should regularly inspect the plant for the presence of parasites. In case of their detection, remove manually or use specialized tools that can be purchased at a flower shop. Choose drugs especially for a mini orchid. Care at home for these beauties, maybe, and not complex, but to monitor the plant is still necessary.