Sympodial orchids and their photos

HomeOrchidsSympodial orchids and their photos

The term “sympodial” is most often used when describing plants of tropical and subtropical flora. The most striking representatives of sympoidal plants are orchids, in which the bud, having completed development, dies off or gives rise to a generative shoot. In many orchids, in addition to the apical ones, lateral inflorescences are also formed – they develop from buds located at the base of the shoot. The brightest representatives: orchids lelia, lycasta, biphrenaria, promenea.

Orchid Lelia: photo and care

Many representatives of the genus LAELIA and hybrids with their participation are popular in indoor and greenhouse floriculture. The genus was described by John Lindley in 1831 and currently includes about 75 species, which are native to the tropical regions of Central America. The name was received in honor of Lelia, one of the vestal virgins guarding the sacred fire. Lelia are epiphytic orchids with an elevated rhizome, and one or two leathery belt-like leaves and large fragrant flowers of a characteristic shape, forming an inflorescence-brush on a long (sometimes up to 50 cm) peduncle.

The most famous double-edged lelia (Laelia anceps) is an orchid native to Mexico, characterized by a huge variety of flower colors and plant heights. Large flowers (up to 11 cm in diameter) of a star-shaped form are located on long peduncles, up to a meter long. Flowers bloom from autumn to winter.

Look at the photo: lelia flowers can be white, various shades of pink and even rich lavender.

Known orchid with pure white flowers (var. alba “Jannine”), bicolor forms (“Brooke”).

The purple lelia (Laelia purpurata) is considered the national flower of Brazil and has been nicknamed the “queen of lelia”. This is a tall plant with large flowers, characterized by a wide variety of colors – from pure white and all shades of pink to intense purple and lilac flowers.

The two most popular forms are: var. satea (white with pale pink lip) and var. werkhauscri (white with a dark bluish-purple lip).

Another interesting species is the flava lelia (Laelia flava), originally from Brazil, it is a compact lithophytic plant with vertical inflorescences of bright yellow flowers.

When caring for a lelia, choose bright rooms, protected from direct sunlight. Plants need high humidity in the summer and cooler temperatures and drier conditions in the winter when the plants are dormant. Top dressing is carried out in spring and summer once every 2 weeks with mineral fertilizer.

When hybridizing, lelia easily interbreed with species from the genus Cattleya, sophronitis and others, often forming triple intergeneric hybrids. A hybrid obtained from crossing lelia and cattleya (Laelia x Cattleya) – leliocattleya (Laeliecattleya) – a plant with one or two leaves. In winter, Leliocattlei need warm conditions. However, they can endure lower temperatures for a short time if kept dry during their dormant period. They require excellent drainage and a substrate based on coarsely crushed pine bark.

These orchids are popular as houseplants that do well on sunny windowsills. Many large-flowered orchids are grown for cutting.

Laelia Cattleya Edgard Van Belle “Hausermann” – flowers are bright, red-purple, fragrant;

Laeliecattleya Mini Purple “Coerulea” – flowers of a bluish-lilac color.

Photo and care for the Likasta orchid

The orchid genus Lycaste (LYCASTE) unites about 50 species of deciduous sympodial orchids, which are native to the lowland and mountain rainforests of Central and South America from Mexico to Peru.

Lycasts are epiphytic or terrestrial plants that grow well in moderate and warm temperatures; they are distinguished by thick pseudobulbs and large, thin, folded leaves. The leaves usually last only one season and then fall off.

Lovers are best known for aromatic lycaste (Lycaste aromatica) – an epiphytic or epilithic orchid with folded, oblong leaves, originally from Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. In spring, several peduncles develop with fragrant yellow-orange flowers. It is easy to grow: it needs a moderate temperature and diffused light of medium intensity. To keep your orchid blooming profusely, plant it in a flower pot filled with a standard orchid substrate.

However, despite the fact that fragrant lycasta is the most popular species in cultivation, the most beautiful is the maiden lycasta (Lycaste virginalis), which is often offered for sale under the name Skinner’s lycaste (Lycaste skinneri).

The unusual appearance of the girlish lycasta is reflected in its species name, which implies the virgin, untouched beauty of the plant. Outwardly, this orchid is very similar to other lycastes. Its pseudobulbs bear 2-3 leaves.

As you can see in the photo, lycasta flowers are up to 15 cm in diameter, pale pink, with a darker lip covered with purple spots.

In culture, the white-flowered variety var. alba.

Girlish lycasta is grown in the same way as fragrant lycaste.

Lycaste Shoalhaven ‘Virgin White’ is a great example of an L. skinneri hybrid. Most plants have large, beautiful flowers that range in color from white to dark purple if the plants are almost pure white flowers.

Lycaste has a clearly defined cyclical development. In early autumn, her leaves begin to fall off and the plant begins a dormant period. It runs from October to February. Therefore, bright rooms with a winter temperature of +12 .+13 ° C are chosen for placement.

During the period of active growth and flowering (March-September), the difference in daily temperatures positively affects the lycasta, during the day the optimum air temperature is about +25 ° C, at night it can drop to + 18 … + 20 ° C.

Watering during the warm season is plentiful with daily spraying. During the dormant period, the plants are kept in a bright and dry room, while avoiding wrinkling of the bulb.

Transplanted lycastu immediately after flowering. Lycastes are very difficult to tolerate salinity of the substrate, so they need to be watered only with soft water and replanted annually, renewing the substrate. These plants are best grown in pots as their roots should never dry out during the growth period. At this time, they should be fed with special fertilizer for orchids and watered heavily.

Lycasts are propagated by division during transplantation (after the appearance of four or more shoots).

Orchid Maxillaria

Orchid Maxillaria (MAXILLARIA) – a large group of plants close to the lycaste – maxillaria (Maxillaria) – sympodial orchids, including several hundred epiphytic or lithophytic plants from Central and South America.

The genus name comes from the Latin maxilla, “jawbone or jaw”, referring to the lip, which in some species resembles a protruding chin. According to another version, the name is given because of the similarity of Maxillaria flowers to the jaws of an insect.

Maxillaria species are very diverse in the shape of flowers, their size and color. Solitary flowers bloom on peduncles appearing at the base of the pseudobulb, the petals being smaller than the sepals. The flowers are often fragrant.

Most often found on sale:

Maxillaria variegated (Maxillaria picta) with medium-sized fragrant flowers, yellow with purple spots, blooms in December-January.

Maxillaria narrow-leaved (Maxillaria tenuifolia) with purple flowers of the original form, blooming in November – January.

The genus includes various plants and they require different conditions of detention. However, most species prefer diffused light and moderate to cool to moderate temperatures. Grows well in pots with a substrate based on pine bark, miniature species of Maxillaria – on supports of tree fern or bark.

In addition, maxillaria belong to orchids with a pronounced cyclical development.

Orchid Biphrenaria (with photo)

Orchid Biphrenaria (BIFRENARIA) – a genus close to lycasts and maxillaria – biphrenaria. The genus includes about 20 species, which in nature grow mainly in the tropical forests of Brazil.

Most biphrenaria pseudobulbs bear one leathery leaf, up to 30 cm long. Fragrant flowers 7-8 cm in diameter, bloom in spring or summer.

Look at the photo of Biphrenaria – this is a beautiful plant with flowers of various colors.

These orchids easily adapt to different temperature conditions, they can be grown on the windowsill. For flowering, the plant must be exposed to bright sun for several hours during the day. The plant is transplanted every 2-3 years, after flowering, propagated by dividing the pseudobulbs.

The most famous species is Harrison’s biphrenaria (Bifrenaria harrisoniae) – a fragrant plant of medium size, with a flower diameter of 7-8 cm.

Orchid Pescatorea

The Pescatorea orchid genus (PESCATOREA) has about 15 species of epiphytic orchids that grow from Costa Rica to Colombia. The name of the genus was received in honor of the French florist-lover of orchids, J.-P. Pescatora. Pescatores have straight stems that do not turn into pseudobulbs. It blooms in spring and summer with large bright and fragrant flowers that keep fresh for a long time.

Pescatorea are kept in a moist substrate with a constant supply of fresh air around the leaves.

The intergeneric hybrid Zygotorea (Zygotorea) is formed with a genus close to pescotorea – zygopetalum (Zygopetalum x Pescatorea), unfortunately, so far it belongs to rare plants in culture.

Zygotorea Amethyst ‘Purple Gem’ is a wonderful plant with bright purple flowers.

Miniature Orchid Promenea

In the orchid genus Promenea (PROMENAEA) there are about 12 expressive miniature epiphytic orchid species from the humid mountain and tropical forests of Central and Southern Brazil. These are miniature sympodial orchids with large flowers, easy to cultivate. Promeneas are grown in cool to moderate temperatures in moist and shady conditions. Bloom in spring and summer.

Intergeneric hybrid of zygopetalum and promenea – propetalum (Propetalum), (Zygopetalum x Promenaea), differs from zygopetalums in the presence of yellow in the color of orchid flowers.

It belongs to the moderate temperature group (to cold). Requires diffused lighting with moderate watering. The substrate is the same as for zygopetalums.s

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