Pleione

Pleione: what you need to know before buying an orchid

Orchid Pleione: photo

Pleione is not a very large genus, it belongs to the Orchid family. The genus includes about 20 varieties, most of which are terrestrial plants. in the wild, this type of plant can be found in the forest regions of Burma, India, Thailand, Taiwan and Laos, as well as in the foothills of Tibet, Nepal and the Himalayas. The Pleione orchid has a sympoidal growth pattern, has a rather low height. Pseudobulbs are small in size, differ in a spherical shape, which tapers closer to the apex. The activity of each pseudobulb lasts for 1 year. In spring, from the upper part of the pseudobulb, one can observe the appearance of 1-2 leaves, which can reach a length of up to 20 cm. The long-leaved foliage has a lanceolate or elliptical shape. The foliage is leathery, soft, as if pleated along the central and lateral vein (parallel to the leaf blade). ... Also, before you buy a playone, you need to know that when the autumn period comes, the leaves begin to wither and completely die off, and at the same time the plant begins to bloom. Long peduncles emerge from the bases of the pseudobulbs, it is important to note that they are single-flowered. Orchids that are grown at home are distinguished by their large flowers, the diameter of which can be up to 10 cm.The flower is distinguished by the presence of central petals, which grow together so as to form a long tube, which has a distinct fringed lip, which very often has a contrasting color. 5 long petals are distinguished by their lanceolate shape, arranged so as to form a narrow-beam star, the rays of which will be located at the bottom, in a slightly extended form. Breeders were able to breed about 150 varieties of the genus Pleione, which have different colors and sizes of flowers, and all these varieties of playone can be bought in specialized stores. There are varieties that have both multicolored flowers and monochrome ones. There is a variety whose corolla is light purple; the inner surface of the tubes is white with dark purple spots. There is a variety, the flowers of which have a deep yellow color, and also the surface of the lip has a rather impressive spot that does not have a specific shape. There is a variety that has snow-white flowers.

Pleione: home care

Orchid Pleione: video

Most often, the cultivation of the playon is carried out in the garden. But, if you can create all the necessary conditions for him, then you can grow at home.

Lighting. The room in which the playone orchid will be grown should be sufficiently lit, but the light should be diffused. It is important to protect the plant from direct sunlight. It is best to grow the plant on the windowsills on the east or west side. It is on these sides that the plant will be able to receive the required amount of sunlight, while it will not be able to get burned.

Temperature. When the playone orchid is actively growing, the temperature in the room should be moderate - +18 +22 degrees. Heat can negatively affect the condition of the plant.

Rest period. After the end of flowering and the fall of all the foliage, those pseudobulbs that remain must be transferred to storage in a cool room. The room temperature should be +2 +5 degrees, otherwise the orchid may freeze. Florists use various methods to preserve pseudobulbs.To do this, the pot with the plant must be taken to the basement, but so that it does not freeze. You can take out the pre-dried pseudobulbs, trim all the roots, keeping only a few centimeters from them, wrap them in a plastic bag or paper, and send them to the refrigerator for storage. But do not forget to constantly monitor the state of the pseudobulbs. Do not allow them to dry out, and also make sure that there is no accumulation of water droplets, so that there is no accumulation of condensation.

Orchid Pleione: photo

Watering mode. When there is an active growth of the playone, the plant should be watered abundantly. It is necessary to monitor the moisture content of the substrate. Water the plant only with soft water. If you take running water for irrigation, then first you need to carefully defend it, you can filter it.

Air humidity level. When the plant has a growing season, the moisture level should not exceed 60%. In order to increase the level of humidity, it is necessary to systematically moisten the leaves by spraying. You can also add expanded clay to the pallet and add a little water.

Top dressing. fertilizers need to be applied once every 7 days from March to October. Those are used as fertilizers. Which are specially designed for orchids. In the fall, when the leaves begin to turn yellow, fertilization must be stopped.

We are engaged in the preparation of the soil mixture. In order to grow a playone, it is necessary to use a special loose substrate that will be able to pass air well, while retaining moisture. The soil mixture should include fine bark, crushed sphagnum and vermicompost. All ingredients must be mixed in equal proportions. The plant should be planted in a wide and low container. Also, it should not be about creating a good drainage layer, which will include expanded clay in its composition, in order to avoid stagnation of moisture in the soil.

Transfer. It is recommended to transplant the playone once a year, in the spring. After you transplant, you need to pay attention to the pseudobulbs so that they are not too buried in the substrate. About ¼ of them should be above the soil surface. When you transplant, pseudobulbs that have faded, become old or wrinkled are subject to cut.

Reproduction. In the spring, you can separate the young pseudobulbs from the mother plant and plant them in separate containers.

Diseases and insect pests

Orchid Pleione: photo

Pleione can be attacked by mealybugs and spider mites. As soon as you detect the presence of pests, the plant will need a warm shower, during which all the foliage is subject to washing. Also consider how to protect the substrate from running water. If you have not been able to completely destroy the insects, then you will need to carry out processing using special chemicals. Most often, the playone is exposed to rot, which can appear if you improperly care for the playone orchid.