Cultivation methods of Calanthe
An introduction to the knowledge topic of growing Calanthe at home, the cultivation methods of Calanthe. The editor of this site will introduce it to you next.
Calanthe is a plant of the orchid family, Calanthe genus (Calanthe), with the English name Common Calanthe. There are more than 100 species in this genus. Compared with foreign orchids such as Cattleya and Dendrobium, Calanthe appears too simple and elegant, and compared with domestic orchids such as Cymbidium and Neottianthe, it seems too abrupt. Therefore, it has not received much attention for a long time. However, although the individual flowers of Calanthe are small and delicate without bright colors, the small flowers are shaped like small shrimps, and the whole inflorescence looks interesting when combined, and its ornamental value is not low.
Calanthe prefers a warm and humid environment with sufficient sunlight. It is relatively cold-resistant, semi-shaded, not drought-resistant and heat-resistant, and should be cool in summer. It requires loose and fertile soil with good drainage, such as decomposed leaf soil or peat moss soil, and is generally distributed in the growth areas of domestic orchids.
Morphological characteristics
The stem of Calanthe is not obvious, only with short rhizomes; the leaves are several, large, nearly base-growing, usually 3 pieces, oblanceolate and narrowly elliptical, 15-20 cm long and 3-6 cm wide, petiolate, base surrounding the stem. The deciduous varieties turn black and fall off after the leaves wither in winter; the flower stems emerge from the axils of the leaves or the side of the stem base, the flowers are medium-sized, the lower part of the lip and the column are completely or partially fused into a tube, and there are spurs at the base. The flower stem is 20-50 cm long; the raceme is paniculate, with about 10 flowers, the perianth is light brown and spreading. The lip is light purple to red-purple or white, fan-shaped, with 3 deep lobes, the middle lobe is further divided into 2, with a long spur. A single individual flower has an inverted lip, which looks like the tail of a small shrimp in shape, hence the name Calanthe.
Species and distribution
Most of Calanthe are terrestrial species, a few are epiphytic species, widely distributed from South Africa, Madagascar, China, the Korean Peninsula, Japan, the Himalayas to Indonesia, Australia, and some islands in the South Pacific. Only one species is far from the center, distributed in the tropical region of Central America. There are more than 40 species in China, distributed in the Yangtze River Valley and southern provinces.
According to the biological characteristics of the nutrient body of Calanthe, it is usually divided into 2 large groups: one group is evergreen species, whose leaves are evergreen and the spherical pseudobulbs are small; the other group is deciduous species, whose pseudobulbs are larger, more or less angular, and the leaves fall in autumn.
There are many varieties of Calanthe, mainly including the variety Calanthe with sparse flowers: the flowers are yellowish-white with fragrance, produced in Sichuan, Hubei and other places. Silver Band Calanthe: the pedicel and ovary are yellowish-green, about 3 cm long, the flowers are open, the sepals and petals are reflexed to some extent, yellowish-green, produced in northern Guangdong, southwestern Guangxi, southwestern Guizhou and southeastern Yunnan; Long spur Calanthe: the flowers are yellow, produced in western Hubei, Sichuan, Yunnan; Tri-plicate Lip Calanthe: the flowers are pure white, produced in Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian; Long spur Calanthe: the flowers are rose red, produced in Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, (T-W); Motuo Calanthe: the flowers are light purple, produced in southeastern Tibet.
The cultivation of Calanthe is very similar to that of domestic orchids in general cultivation techniques. It prefers a warm and humid climate, should not be exposed to direct sunlight, and it is best to be in a place with 70% shade, using loose soil rich in humus and good drainage; general garden soil can also be mixed with humus soil, adding an appropriate amount of bone meal or hoof horn powder as base fertilizer. Indoor cultivation should not be watered frequently. It can be planted in the open forest or in pots. The planting depth is generally 3-5 cm to ensure that the pseudobulbs can be completely buried in the soil. When planting, select the pseudobulb blocks of the current year with tender buds and cut them into small blocks, each block needs 1-2 buds, and place the bud mouth in a triangular staggered manner and flat in the pot.
During the growing period of Calanthe, fertilize once a month, and when the flower stems emerge from the leafy clusters, apply 1-2 times of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. Stop watering after the leaves fall in winter. Keep the potting soil moist during the growing season, but slightly dry during the flowering period from March to May; the cultivation site should always be kept moist and watered in time during dry weather. Water twice a day in July to September. Calanthe is afraid of waterlogging, so it is necessary to remove excess water in time during the rainy season or after heavy rain to avoid root rot. From May to August, apply a thin fertilizer once every half month, with a concentration not exceeding 0.5%; change pots after flowering, once every 2-3 years, keep the lowest temperature above 0℃ in winter, and control the potting soil to keep it moist.
Compared with common domestic orchids, almost all cultivated Calanthe prefer stronger light. In the northern region, they can be cultivated under sparse forests or shade nets with about 50% light shading in spring, summer, and autumn. In the Yangtze River Valley, they can be planted under sparse forests or at the edge of forests and gardens. Compared with deciduous species, evergreen Calanthe requires a slightly shaded environment, but it does not need to be shaded in greenhouses in winter.
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