day and night temperatures
in order to fl ower. Air
conditioning is a
hinderance to orchid
growth, as it does
not provide the
necessary humidity
which orchids
need. Most orchids
are epiphytes (a
plant that grows on
another plant but
is not parasitic, such
as the numerous ferns,
bromeliads, air plants and
orchids growing on tree trunks
in tropical rainforests) and require special
media in order to grow. Ingredients in
commercially available orchid mixes contain
materials that help to create loose, welldrained
environments for orchids to thrive.
Some orchids can be mounted on trees,
bark or cork, but the more commonly grown
varieties are usually potted.
The largest orchid weighs several hundred
pounds, while the smallest is the size of a
dime. Orchids take from fi ve to seven years
to bloom once germinated. Mature orchid
blooms can get so heavy that the plants may
actually grow upside down.
Orchid fl owers are
symmetrical. Remarkably,
each fl ower can be
divided in half
perfectly with two
equal parts.
Some orchids
bear single
fl owers, while most
varieties showcase
infl orescence, or
clusters of fl owers.
Ideally, orchids should
be repotted about every
two years or when the plant
gets too big for the pot. Replacing
70 GASPARILLA MAGAZINE • July/August • 2021
the growing media, as well as removing any
dead or diseased roots before placing an
orchid in a new pot or on a new mounting,
also helps to insure the life and health of the
plant.
Orchids need good air fl ow, and care
should be taken to avoid getting the foliage
and fl owers wet. Using clean tools when
transplanting and propagating orchids will
help to offset the diseases and problems
typically encountered by orchid growers.
The fi rst step when treating a potential
problem is to isolate sickly orchid plants, in
order to prohibit the spread of pathogens
to other healthy plants. Pest problems
encountered on some orchids may be
treated carefully by dabbing the pests
directly with a cotton swab soaked in
rubbing alcohol. Larger infestations might
require washing the entire plant with soap
spray or horticultural oil, which is designed
specifi cally for use on orchids. Symptoms of
disease in orchids include streaks, blotches
and crinkling on leaves, roots or fl owers.
There are two types of orchids – sympodial
and monopodial. Sympodial orchids,
such as cattleyas and oncidium, grow on
rhizomes and spread along surface areas
of their pots. Monopodial orchids, such as
vanda and phalaenopsis, grow upright from
a single growing point, producing roots and
offshoots on either their stems or fl ower