Learn to Grow Orchids

Growing orchids can be easy when you know how to take care of them. Orchids are like newborn babies who needs utmost care, attention, understanding and patience. In the orchids world, aside from the many online sources, common sense and knowledge about orchids, attention and patience will bring you through the exciting activity of orchid growing. The main two things to note when you grow orchids are water and sunlight coupled with proper maintenance, proper ventilation, fertilizer, etcetera.
Water can make or break your orchid. Remember that orchids are air plants meaning they must have free air circulating or good ventilation around them. If you haven't noticed or observed, orchids are found where there is constant breeze. Stale air certainly does not allow drying of potting mixture and foliage. During hot days it might be necessary to mist or wet the orchid house floor to enhance vaporization.
A clear sign or even a clear warning that your orchid is getting enough light is the leaf color. This sign is a clear indication of the orchid's condition. Generally, leaves should be brightish green rather than dark green. Dark green means that the plant needs more light while reddish green indicates too much light. Try to protect the leaves from mid day sun with sheer curtains or move it back from the window.
It doesn't take a PHD or a brain surgery to grow orchids. With the right sources, observation and knowledge, coupled with dedication, it wouldn't be a surprise to see your lovely and attractive orchids grow and multiply.

ORCHIDS

The orchid family (ORCHIDACEAE) is considered the largest family of the flowering plants. It has over 150,000 hybrids and 30,000 species recorded throughout the world, excluding the ones that are yet to be discovered. Orchids are found in many parts of the world, from the Arctic region to the Tropics, but most of them are found in the warmer regions of the earth. Though found from sea level to 14,000 feet, they are found most abundant between elevations of 1,500 to 7,000 feet. Habitats of orchids vary, from dry sandy areas to aquatic habitats to tree tops in clouded forests. Some are confined to a particular environment (endemic) while others are found over a wide range of localities. Orchids belong to the Monocots, seed plants having a single cotyledon and leaves which have parallel veins and floral parts in threes. The floral structure of orchids helps us to distinguish it from the rest of the plant families. An orchid flower normally has 3 sepals on the outer floral whorl and 3 petals on the inner whorl. One of the petals, the lip or labellum, is different from the other two. It is often larger, highly modified in terms of shape, colour and structure and also showier. The flower is oddly twisted to let the lip be at the lowest segment for pollination. Coupled with fragrance, orchid flowers can attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies, moths, flies, and birds to help in its successful pollination. There is also another modification commonly found in orchids. It is the fusion of its flower parts. Emerging from the centre of the flower is a club-shaped column on which sits the anther with masses of pollen grains (pollinia). Below the anther, we find the female portion of the column, the stigma. It has a sticky depressed surface where the pollinia are deposited during pollination. Below the stigma is the ovary. Upon fertilisation, the ovary develops into a seed capsule which contains enormous amount of minute, dustlike seeds. Orchids vary in size – from a fraction of an inch in height with flowers the size of a pinhead to tall ones which have eight foot stems and whose flower stalks are twelve feet high and flowers, five inches across. Orchids have two main growth habits, namely monopodial and sympodial. Sympodial orchids like Arundina and Spathoglottis have pseudobulbs which mature and produce flowers at their terminal end. The pseudobulbs store water and nutrients for the plant. A new pseudobulb grows from the base of the earlier one, forming a rhizome in the long run. Monopodial orchids like Arachnis and Renanthera, on the other hand, have main stems which grow continuously. The main stems produce flower spikes or inflorescences from or opposite the leaf axil. In Malaysia, a small percentage of the orchid species, which are selected according to their horticultural and aesthetic value, is cultivated in specialist nurseries, botanical gardens, and in private collections. The major part of the orchid species population is still in the field, which is in the pristine tropical rainforests. This state of affair is rather risky due to the present indiscreet collection by orchid collectors and traders and the deforestation programme in the name of economic development. This action and development policy threatens the orchid species survival in its natural environment. In a short span of time, they will be depleted. The less attractive and unpopular miniatures or botanicals will subsequently suffer the same fate. The future generations of Malaysians will also lose out by not having the opportunity to see and know them. It is at this point that we find a real need to conserve the orchid species that is in situ and ex situ conservation. A holistic approach is deemed necessary and timely to overcome this situation and also to prevent further deterioration.

Dendrobium Orchid Flower

Although there are many different species of orchids, none are as diverse as the Dendrobium Orchid. There are an estimated 1200-1600 varieties of this single genus. None have such diversity in the range of habitats they can be found in. They are found thriving in the Himalayan mountains, the lowland tropical forests and the Australian desert.

Some Dendrobium orchids mimic another popular variety, the Phalaenopsis because the flowers look similar. The difference is that the Phalaenopsis varieties are evergreen and the Dendrobium Orchid leaves fall off in the fall and winter. The stems are quite strong and the distinct colors make them very popular in cut flower arrangements.

This species of orchid has been found to have many medicinal qualities. It is commonly used in Chinese medicine as one of the fifty fundamental herbs. It has also been found to remove harmful chemicals such as xylene and toluene from the air.

When growing Dendrobium Orchids, most of their care differs from other orchid species. One of the things that make this variety different are that these orchids love light. They can handle up to 50 percent light. Natural light is best but you can use incandescent bulbs if necessary.
Unlike some orchids that can handle a variance of 20 degrees between day and night temperature, the ideal zone is between 50 and 90 degrees with a variant of no more than 10 degrees between night and day.

Humidity is a major factor in the success of this type of orchid as well. Humidity levels should be about 50 to 60 percent. You can pick up gauges that monitor humidity level in your pet store located in the reptile supplies. You can mist the leaves and stalks with a water bottle as long as you check to ensure you don't over water and cause mold to grow.

Unlike other orchids who like to be re-potted frequently, Dendrobium Orchids should only be re-potted once every three years. This ensures that the plant roots have sufficient time to grow undisturbed.

It has been reported that some blooms have lasted up to ten months. Although this may not always be the case, Dendrobium Orchids are one of the most popular in bouquet arrangements and can bring beauty into your home.

Having been studying orchids for a long time, Steve Fortuna has lots of tips and information to share on orchid flowers. You can find more information and pictures on phalaenopsis orchids, dendrobium orchids, and more by clicking a link above

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Fortuna

Learn About the Lovely Orchid Flower

Ask any gardener which bloom is their favorite, and you will hear "orchid flower" possibly more often than any other flower. The orchid is a much-desired plant for many gardeners. They are lovely, to be sure, but orchids need a lot of attention, and very correct conditions if they are to prosper. There are different types of orchids, and each one may require care just a bit different from the rest.
The orchid needs its humidity kept at around sixty percent. This makes the greenhouse one of the more logical places to grow orchids. If you don't have a greenhouse, you can grow them in pots, in a tray filled with rocks and water, and let the plant take in as much as it needs.
If you grow your orchid flower plants inside, you don't need to worry as much about too much sunlight, although you might want to supplement dark rooms with a grow light. Make sure your orchids are in a well-ventilated area. You can open the windows if the weather isn't too cold, or turn a fan on low. This will help your orchids to remain bacteria and pest-free.
Make sure your orchids are well-watered, but don't drown them. As long as you keep water in the rocks of the tray underneath your orchids, they can gather what they need. Use filtered water, as it is the easiest for your orchid flower to draw moisture from.
You may fertilize your orchids if they look hungry - a weak solution is best. Alternate one application of fertilizer per four or five water applications. If you water too soon after fertilization, the water may wash away the nutrients that you want in the soil for your plants.
Orchids are picky about the temperature they need to stay healthy. Most orchids are accustomed to warm temperatures, so be careful not to expose them to cooler temperatures. Recently, some breeders have developed orchids that can deal with cool weather better, if this is a concern in your area.
Don't change the pot of your orchid flower more than once every year or two. You might think they need transplanting sooner, but orchids typically do their best when the roots are tight, not loose. Let an orchid go for a few months after you think it needs repotted, and then repot it,
Most orchids kept in pots will break down their growing medium within two years, so this is also a good reason to repot at that time. Remove the old mix from your pot, rinse the root system of your orchid flower, and put the plant into a new pot, filling in around it with new medium. This will help your orchid to grow happily for the next couple of years, until it's repotting time again.
For tips on orchid facts and peony facts, visit the Plants And Flowers website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_J_Lee

Orchid Flower Anatomy

1. Sepals - Although they may look like petals, they are actually the glorified remains of the flower bud. There are usually three of approximately equal size.

2. Petals - Orchids always have three petals. Two are "normal," and the third becomes a highly specialized structure called a lip.

3. Lip or Labellum - The lower petal of an orchid. Used by the flower to provide a 'landing platform' for its pollinator.

4. Column - A finger-like structure that carries the orchid's reproductive organs--the stigmatic surface (female organs) and the Pollinia (male organs) located under the Anther Cap.

What Are Orchids?

Orchids are the largest family in the world of plants. They grow wild in all countries except Antarctica.

The flowers of orchids seems very complicated, but in reality they are in a very simple structure. Like many other parents, such as orchids have Lily family three sepals and three petals. However, this similarity to other plants is only superficial, like all their orchids petal East are in a single structure called the lip or lip. This petal is always very different from the other two petals.

Orchids also have different reproductive function. Instead of the separation of male and female reproductive organs, stamens and pistils are combined in a single structure called the column.

Seeds of orchids are like tiny grains of dust. They are placed in sterile vials in a mixture of sugar and nutrients. The ball behaves like a small greenhouse. The seedlings remain in the balloon for about a year. They are then moved into a community pot. They grow in the pot for eight months a year. They are then moved to individual pots. It can grow up to seven years to a mature plant in full bloom, grows depending on the type of an orchid.

Have developed types of orchid flowers to attract insects to pollinate. Check them when their fragrance is at its peak. Some orchids smell is best at night, so they dusted in the night flying moths.

Terrestrial orchids grow in the meadows, forests and on hillsides.

Orchids grow not only in the trees of the tropical rain forests, many species actually grow on rocks (they use the rock as an anchor - something to consider in understanding how their cousins Tree of Life).