Creating a Unique Orchid - Hybrids Are the Rage
January 12th, 2010
Those who have grown orchids know it can become habit forming. Many growers spend countless hours researching the pronunciation of Latin names. What is the special fascination with these flowers?
Orchid varieties come in a vast assortment. Over 25,000 species occur naturally, and the artificial hybrids number at over 100,000 recognized by official botanical organizations. Artificial hybrids don’t mean that scientists have created new organisms from the soil, air and water. It is a term designated for plants creatd from a cross pollination process.
Both hybrids and naturally occurring orchids come with an endless range of sizes. There are varieties best seen with a magnifying glass, as well as varieties which look beautiful on a windowsill. One variety found in the Indonesian rain forest weighs in excess of 1,000 pounds, producing thousands of flowers on a mature plant.
The rainbow of colors and variety of shapes are a signature marker of orchids. Many will resemble a bird, a moth or a bee. There are varieties that have forms like nothing else seen, and these are the unusually appealing varieties to breeders. While orchids were once only available for the upper-class, now almost anyone can own one of these gorgeous plants.
Orchids have been long admired, but over the years no one could effectively reproduce them. It wasn’t until 1856 that the first hybrid orchid variety flowered. People admired the plants, but most found them too fussy to cultivate, as they were more tedious than pleasurable.
Orchid seeds are notoriously small, sometimes as fine as dust. Learning to handle these seeds has been challenging, as well as getting them to grow. In 1922, Dr. Lewis Knudsom made a discovery that made orchids a widely available item. When seeds were placed in a mixture of water, sugar and agar, the seeds germinated and grew. Since then, new hybrids appear every year.
In nature, a hybrid occurs if there are two or more closely related species that flower near one another. In nature, the insects act as pollinators, going from plant to plant. The pollen from the plants first visited will fertilize the subsequent plants. The fertilized seeds create seedpods that are capable of growing into a new variety.
Over the course of time, the seedpod will mature and open, sending out thousands of seeds. Of the ones that take root, some will have difficulty growing, and even less will reach maturity. The ones that do grow are the natural hybrids.
Man made hybrids are often named by the grower. Special orchids will have the cultivators name as well. It is interesting to look at some of the major groups of orchids:
Epidendrum group: This is a group of wild orchids. It is the largest group and has about 1000 species.
Denobricm group: This is the second largest genus containing 900 species. It is found in the Himalayas, in southern Asia and Australia.
Cattleya group is mostly hybrid variety. This group boasts of a variety of colors from bright violet, yellow to subtle tinted cream colored variety.
Cymbidium group: This group contains about 40 species and is prized for its beauty. Multiple blossoms in a single stem is its specialty. Long lasting cut flowers and orchids valued as export commodity come under this group.
Brassarola group has fragrant flowers, most of which are white colored. Heavily fringed lips at the edge of the blossom are the specialty of this group.
To see more about interesting tropical plants see Frangipani, Plumeria also see Blue Hibiscus or Tropical Hibiscus.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/creating-a-unique-orchid-hybrids-are-the-rage-1701268.html
Caring For Orchids
December 18th, 2009
Orchids are beautiful, exotic plants that are temperamental, but can be successfully grown indoors as a decorative houseplant. Orchids are not that complicated and if you understand caring for orchids and their needs you can grow these exotic and beautiful plants.
One of the big mistakes the people make when caring for orchids is over watering their orchids. People assume that when their potting soil looks dry, they need to be watered. This is not true, as the potting bark may appear dry, the bark itself holds moisture. The rule of thumb is to water once a week or once every other week, sparingly. Orchids also need to be fertilized, also sparingly. Buy orchid fertilizer at your favorite greenhouse.
Orchids will thrive in your ordinary home environment if given the proper potting bark, right amount of water, proper amount of sunlight and fertilizer occasionally. Orchids usually grow on the trunks and branches of trees. This means that their roots are used to drying out before being given water again. When growing one of these plants in your home, you should let the potting bark dry out completely before watering.
The amount of light the orchid plant needs can vary. When caring for orchids they generally need a good deal of diffused light. Sitting in an eastern facing window will allow them to have the cooler morning light and prevent them from burning in strong afternoon sunlight. 12 hours of light a day is ideal, but sometimes not practical, because of very strong afternoon sun.
Getting a good routine in place for watering and fertilizing is a great way to guarantee that you will be able to enjoy these exotic plants for a long time.
There are four types of orchids:
1. Terrestrial Orchids, having their roots in soil.
2. Lithophytes, which grow in rocks or at least, very little soil.
3. Saprophytes, which get their nutrition from decaying or dead matter usually accessed on the forest floror.
4. Climbing Epiphytes, being found in trees with roots that cling to tree bark to absorb water and nutrients.
The Phalaenopsis orchid is a beautiful orchid commonly found in many well decorated homes. It is a perfect house plant for a warm environment heated with a dry central heating system. The blooms are round and come in many vibrant colors. the Phalaenopsis orchid usually blooms twice a year. There are normally four to five blooms on a single very long stem. They produce ‘air’ roots that drape over the sides of the pot and also take root in bark chips in the pot.
This type of orchid should be allowed to dry out thoroughly in its planting bark before watering. Usually water every two weeks. Run water into the planting pot and allow it to drain out the bottom of the planting pot. Fertilize at watering time two or three times a year.
Phalaenopsis should be repotted every two years. This should be done in the spring after the plant has blossomed. Medium-grade fir bark works best when growing these orchids in a medium sized pot.
Over 26,500 species of orchids exist. Over 100,200 hybrid species have been bred. Orchids will grow in all climates except very dry desert like conditions. Many orchids don’t grow in soil, in humid climates they will grow clinging to the branches and trunks of trees.
It is a good idea to read up on the care required for your particular orchid species. With proper nurturing these exotic beauties can really add style to your home.
Growing orchids can be done with patience and by giving tender loving care. Please visit us at Caring For Orchids for more free information on raising orchids. This article was written by Jan Hartman.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/caring-for-orchids-1595816.html