The origin of the rainbow flower: where does the orchid come from and the features of caring for it

This indoor beauty was born in the tropics of South America (according to legend - an orchid from the "shard of the rainbow" appeared). More than 90% of all known orchids chose these forests rich in vegetation and moisture saturated as the place of birth.

Of course, there is still something to be said about Southeast Asia - it was here that the Phalaenopsis orchid, familiar to everyone, appeared. In this article we will tell about the history of the origin of this beautiful flower and its care.

Origin: where does this flower come from and in what area does it grow?

Amazing plants have learned to adapt well to different climatic conditions, therefore orchids can be found in nature not only in the tropics. Naturally, it all depends on the type of orchids. Scientists even conducted an analysis of their growth in climatic zones:

• The first zone included South America, Central America, Australia, Southeast Asia and the coastal parts of Africa.IMPORTANT: That is, the tropics are warm and humid, the climate that all kinds of orchids really like, but most of all are epiphytes.
• The second zone includes mountainous areas, i.e. mountains of Indonesia, Malaysia, New Guinea, Brazil and the Andes. The slopes of these mountains are covered with dense forests, where fog is constantly (even on a hot day). The air temperature, of course, is slightly lower than in the tropics, but the humidity is quite high. All orchids mainly grow here as epiphytes.
• The steppe and plateaus, for example, the plateau of Brazil, were included in the third zone. Orchids in this zone can be found only near water bodies, mainly terrestrial species and a small part of epiphytes.
• The fourth zone included parts of the territories of North America, Europe and Asia with a temperate climate. Orchids are also found here, but only terrestrial species and very few.

Learn more about orchid in nature, how it grows and how it differs from home, in a separate article.

When and how was the plant first brought to Europe?

In Europe, these amazing flowers were introduced around the middle of the 18th century - travelers discovered new continents and were amazed at the appearance of exotic plants. There is a beautiful story about how in England a nerd received a parcel with a shriveled, almost completely dry orchid from the Bahamas as a gift. He planted it in a pot and, indeed, a miracle happened - after a while the plant came to life and thanked with chic pink flowers, it was a tropical orchid. From this moment began a craze for orchids.

How did it take root?

People spent a lot of money to get at least one plant, thereby confirming their status of solvency. But, much to my disappointment, “taming” the flower was not so simple. Despite the efforts to create a "tropical paradise" in their greenhouses, it was not possible to save the plant. A century has passed and only then they finally found the right approach - they selected the right temperature in the greenhouse and provided an influx of fresh air. Orchids bloomed in lush color (learn more about orchid bloom here). At the same time (19th century), the demand for them grew so much that special expeditions went to the jungle and flowers were exported from there in huge quantities. They did not know how to grow orchids from seeds (about methods of propagating orchids, including from seeds, read here).

History of Variety Variety

Varieties of orchids are so diverse (there are more than 35 thousand)that simply lead among all other plants. Surprisingly, every year and now continue to open up new species in the tropics.

And it all started again in England - out of curiosity, an English gardener began experimenting with the flowers of Cattleya guttata and Cattleya lodigezi, and as a result the seeds came from where the first man-made copy of the Cattleya Hybrid appeared (in the 19th century). Well, then they quickly picked up the baton, the number of new hybrids increased sharply, and the results delight us all.

Read more with unusual varieties of orchids, descriptions and photos of flowers of various forms, see this material.

Is there a guard?

Despite the huge number of species, of course, such an amazing plant needs protection. It is ruthlessly exterminated in nature - both during deforestation, and when draining bogs, and some with roots just tear this miracle of nature out for medicinal purposes (about whether an orchid is poisonous or not, what benefits or harm the human body does, find out here). Back in the late 19th century, the question of orchid protection was first raised in Europe., the first protected species was the “venus shoe”.

In Russia, 35 species of this plant are listed in the Red Book. Scientists estimate that, unfortunately, by 2050, about half of the current number of orchid species will remain in Europe. In most countries, they try to preserve the species of wild orchids in botanical gardens, reserves and national parks. Nowadays, they are all protected by the laws of nature conservation.

Care Features

Our stores sell mainly hybrid orchid species.It’s much easier to take care of them at home. The most popular species is Phalaenopsis. Important points when leaving:

1. proper lighting - best diffused light for at least 12 hours;
2. temperature regime - for all indoor orchids it will be optimal to provide 20 - 27 degrees of heat during the day, and 14 - 24 degrees at night;
3. air humidity - high humidity is required, it is very useful to place an aquarium or a tray with water and pebbles next to the plant;
4. watering - you will need to water hard only during flowering and active growth, the rest of the time watering should be moderate.

Watch a video about orchid care:

Conclusion

Psychologists say that it is very useful to just look at the orchid flower - it protects against depression, it is a symbol of spiritual rebirth, perfection and harmony. Be sure to have at least one copy at home - and life will become brighter. This is an amazingly grateful plant - it blooms for a long time both in summer and winter, pleasing to the eye, while it does not require special care.

Watch the video: Orchid Care: Reblooming Dendrobium nobile Orchids & Dendrobium keiki's - A story of two Brothers (December 2024).