Goodyer creeping, photo by Korzhavin KonstantinThe first mention of precious orchids ("jewels") in Russia is associated with the name of the naturalist E.L. Reggel. In 1899, the International Exhibition of Horticulture in St. Petersburg was held, at which F.I. Kekhli presented anectochilyus. In the 20th century, collector N.A. Bersenev was one of the first to master the cultivation of this crop in ordinary household conditions.
Precious orchids belong to the orchid family. In modern times, about 500 species of these orchids are known. They represent approximately 15 genera that are included in the tribe Physurus Physuroideae, a subtribe of goodyear Goodyerinae. These are terrestrial monopodial orchids. These orchids are distributed throughout the globe: Brazil (South America), China, India, (Asia), Indonesia, New Guinea. Simple species, for example, Goodyer creeping, are also found in Russia - coniferous forests. The plant is perennial, but blooms once in a lifetime.
Experts distinguish orchids by the color and venation of leaves. The patterned pattern of veins depends on the conditions in which the orchid lives and the age of the plant. With each new sheet, an increasingly complex drawing opens. Under natural conditions, precious (variegated) orchids are very difficult to notice, as they grow among fallen leaves and moss, under snags and the roots of large trees. Orchids live in symbiosis with endemic fungi (which provide them with protection by removing some photosynthetic production from plants), which allows orchids to be in almost darkness, among fallen leaves and moss.
Mainly in the collections of amateurs you can find the following species:
Ludisia Ludisia is a "gemstone" orchid distributed from India to Indonesia. It got the name because of the dark green leaves, striated with red veins; the only one of the genus "jewels" that does not require high humidity.
Makodes - grows on the island of Java; has malachite leaves with golden veins. For the pattern on the leaves, which resembles the letters of the local alphabet, the plant is called "alphabet."
Anectochilus Anoectochilus - plants are found from the Himalayas to New Caledonia, where they grow on mossy rocks. Among these species there are plants with light green and almost black color of leaves, which can be rounded, with wavy or serrated edges. Anectochilus is very rich in golden veins, a number of varieties are called "golden."
Dossinia dossinia - very similar to Macodes, but with larger leaves and leaf color from light lime to purple-green. In the light, the leaves really shimmer like gems.
And, of course, each collector has something of his own, unique and rare, or even a hybrid of his own selection.
Anectochilus, photo Dasha1
Ludizia, photo dflGrowing precious orchids at home is not very difficult with a greenhouse or aquarium. Since in nature these orchids grow in the shade, then they do not need much light, one fluorescent lamp is enough. An aquarium with precious orchids can be placed in any corner of the apartment. But at the same time, illumination is necessary, best of all - illumination with LED lamps, but precious orcs grow well under fluorescent lamps.
Air humidity should not exceed 80%, with regular ventilation, and the temperature - above 26-27 ° С. It is better to prepare a substrate for precious orchids yourself: chopped moss (previously scalded with boiling water), or "live" moss collected in a swamp (immersed in water (temperature 45 ° for 30 minutes). Slugs and all kinds of animals will come up to breathe, and here you can quickly collect them manually. Precious - orchids are terrestrial, they do not need a transparent pot, it is more important that the water does not stagnate, does not cake, does not press. The pot should not be deep, and drainage must be poured to the bottom.
"Gems" look very beautiful in an aquarium with "live" moss, although sometimes moss grows faster than orchids, so it will have to be cut periodically. There are also difficulties of such a neighborhood: due to the fact that part of the stem is immersed in moss, you can not notice some diseases, such as the stem nematode - relatively long (1.0-1.3 mm), freely moving, without a clear difference in the sexes, it penetrates the upper part of the root (hypocotyl) and leaf base, eggs lay in the tissue of the plant. And nematode larvae go through several stages in their development, they can tolerate unfavorable conditions very persistently for a long time. Fungal diseases are dangerous for "jewels." If such are found, it is advisable to remove fungal plaque, spread fundazole paste on places affected by fungal disease. For prevention purposes, I smear all the stems with fundazole paste periodically.
Very rarely, "gems" are affected by a spider mite.
It is advisable to water the plants with boiled or rainwater. Watered as the substrate dries. It is better not to top up than to pour. In principle, "gems" do not need feeding, but you can feed them with fertilizers in a very small concentration (reducing the dose by 5-10 times than indicated on the package), intended for orchids.
The "jewels" multiply by cuttings throughout the year. Any section of the stem is suitable for rooting, only if there are two nodes (buds) on it. The cut must be dried for 10-15 minutes and then immersed in clean moss. In a few weeks, fluffy roots and new shoots will appear. It will be necessary to re-root precious orchids quite often - over time they grow, especially stretched out after flowering - it depletes orchids and the lower part of the stems is exposed. Therefore, the longest shoots need to be cut off and grow roots for them. By the way, ludia and other precious orches can quickly take root in water.
Good luck growing these beautiful "golden" plants.
When writing the article, the materials "Science and Life" from February 2005, E. Arkhipov were used.