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Lady’s slipper: description
It is rather difficult to grow a lady’s slipper orchid at home. This attractive plant has a whimsical character and needs a lot of attention. But any effort will undoubtedly pay off with the attractive appearance of the flower.
Description of the orchid “Venus shoe”
This perennial evergreen is a prominent member of the orchid family. In its natural habitat, the flower can be found in Thailand, India, the Philippines, Japan and China. But some varieties grow in Russia and Mongolia, with most of them listed in the Red Book.
Many varieties of the lady’s slipper orchid are listed in the Red Book
A feature of the culture is a short flowering period, which lasts about 2 weeks. In this case, the buds of some plant species appear every 8-15 years. Therefore, growing a shoe is a matter of honor for experienced florists.
Perennial rhizome flower reaches 40 cm in height. The leaves are dark green or gray, about 30 cm long, collected in a rosette. Each of them produces a long stem with a single peduncle. The petals are colored yellow, brown, white purple and even green. There are specimens with striped and spotted coloration. Large buds reach 7 to 12 cm in diameter.
Orchid “Lady’s slipper”: rules of care
The flower is very moody and difficult to grow at home. And in order for the orchid to take root, you will need to provide it with thorough daily care. Growing rules:
- The soil. The plant needs a substrate consisting of sphagnum, leaf turf, crushed bark and charcoal mixed with dolomite flour or chalk. Lay out coarser soil at the bottom of the container, light, moisture-absorbing soil closer to the surface.
- Watering. The slipper does not know how to retain moisture, so it needs daily abundant hydration. The water must be defended and heated to room temperature. Make sure that moisture does not get on the leaves and stems of the crop. Water the flower with distilled water once every 30 days to regulate the amount of salt.
- Top dressing. In the summer, fertilize the soil every 15 to 20 days. For these purposes, use a weak solution of a complex mineral fertilizer.
- Temperature. The optimal range for a flower is + 22−32 ° C during the day. At night, you can lower the temperature to + 16-18 ° C.
- Lighting. Provide the culture with 12-14 hour daylight hours. But don’t place the pot in direct sunlight.
The attractive “Lady’s Slipper” will become an adornment of any florist’s collection. But to grow this capricious orchid, you will need to make every effort.