The cultivation, propagation, and planting of Dancing Orchid.

The cultivation method of Dancing兰花

The editor brings you an introduction to other flowers, specifically the cultivation method of Dancing兰花, detailed information is as follows:

Dancing兰花, also known as Dancing Lady Orchid, King蝴蝶兰, and Bump Petal Orchid, is the general name for plants in the Oncidium genus of the Orchidaceae family. There are more than 750 native species worldwide, and the commercially used varieties with diverse forms are mostly hybrids. Dancing兰花 is a very beautiful and highly ornamental orchid, one of the world's important cut orchid varieties, suitable for home and office bottle arrangements, and also a high-grade material for flower bouquets and small baskets. It is cultivated worldwide. Its form varies greatly, with pseudobulbs being oblate and relatively large, but some species do not have pseudobulbs. The leaves are 1-3, and can be divided into thin-leaved, thick-leaved, and sword-leaved types. Thin-leaved types have relatively thin leaves, slightly leathery, with most plants growing robustly, suitable for cultivation in medium-temperature greenhouses; thick-leaved types are drought-resistant, and can survive without watering for several weeks in winter without dying; sword-leaved types have smaller plant shapes, suitable for home cultivation. Generally, there is only one flower stem on a pseudobulb, but some robust ones may have two. Some species have only 1-2 flowers on a stem, while others can reach hundreds, such as the small flower varieties used for cut flowers, with a single branch having dozens to hundreds of flowers. The flowers are colorful, resembling flying golden butterflies or dancing ladies, hence the names King蝴蝶兰 or Dancing Lady Orchid. The colors of Dancing兰花 flowers are mainly yellow and brown, with green, white, red, and magenta among others, and their sizes range from very small mini types to very large ones, with flower diameters reaching over 12 centimeters. The flower structure is very special, with sepals of equal size, petals almost equal to or slightly larger than the dorsal sepals; the lips are usually trilobed, large or small, lyre-shaped, with a ridged protuberance at the base of the middle lobe, and small bumps on the ridge, which is quite unique, hence the name Bump Petal Orchid.

Dancing兰花

The propagation of Dancing兰花

The propagation methods of Dancing兰花 include tissue culture and division. As a sympodial orchid, Dancing兰花 will produce daughter plants after maturing, and these can be cut from the mother plant when they have pseudobulbs. Division propagation is generally done after flowering or in spring and autumn.

Tissue culture of Dancing兰花 is relatively easy, usually using seeds or nutritional organs such as shoot tips and flower spikes for propagation. In seed culture, a medium prepared with 3 grams of Flower Treasure No. 1, 2 grams of pancreatin, and 35 grams of table sugar has good germination effects on its seeds. Adding 15% coconut juice can promote seed germination. The shoot tip and flower spike cultures of Dancing兰花 usually do not have browning, and the optimal initial culture medium for these is 1/2 MS, modified Knudson C, or V&W medium. Or播种 medium can be used, and hormones are generally not used. The secondary culture of protocorms can use the same culture medium supplemented with 5%-10% banana juice or 15%-20% coconut juice. Seedling culture can use the above medium or V&W medium.

The cultivation and management of Dancing兰花

Due to the large differences in traits among varieties, the cultivation and management methods of Dancing兰花 also vary greatly. Generally speaking, thick-leaved Dancing兰花 prefer warm temperatures, with a growth temperature of 18-25°C, and need protection from cold below 12°C. They are more suitable for cultivation in the southern regions of China. Thin-leaved Dancing兰花 prefer cooler temperatures, are not heat-tolerant, with a growth temperature of 10-22°C, and are not well adapted to flatlands, so should be cultivated in cool, medium-altitude areas, but should be moved to greenhouses during winter cold snaps. The flowering period of Dancing兰花 is not fixed, and flowers can bloom once the plants are mature.

Dancing兰花 has similar light requirements to Cattleya orchids, and should be moderately shaded during cultivation. In summer, about 50%-60% of sunlight should be blocked, and in winter, about 20%-30% of sunlight should be blocked. Too much sunlight can slow growth, cause plants to become stunted and develop sunburn, eventually leading to leaf drying and even plant death. If there is too much shade, insufficient light will cause poor leaf growth and affect flower bud differentiation, significantly reducing flowering, and sometimes even causing no flowers to bloom. When flower stems emerge, set up a trellis to support them and prevent the flower stems from falling over.

Cultivation medium and potting

Most species of Dancing兰花 are cultivated in pots. The potting material is similar to that used for Phalaenopsis orchids, such as sphagnum moss, crushed fern roots, sawdust, charcoal, perlite, crushed bricks, and peat soil. These materials work well in combination, such as fine fern roots 40%, peat soil 10%, charcoal 20%, perlite or vermiculite 20%, and crushed stones and bricks 10%. When planting, use crushed stones or bricks to pad the bottom of the pot with about 1/3 to facilitate ventilation and drainage. Plastic pots, unglazed pots, and porcelain pots can be used for cultivation. For Oncidium plants that have been cultivated for 2-3 years, as the plants grow larger and produce small plants, the roots become too full and should be repotted. Repotting is usually done after flowering, and for non-flowering plants, it can be done before the growing season, such as early autumn or after the weather cools down, with the cultivation material replaced, and potting can be combined with division.

Watering and fertilizing

Dancing兰花, like most orchids, prefers higher air humidity, but due to the large differences in plant shape among different species, their drought resistance varies. Varieties without pseudobulbs have poor drought resistance and need to keep the potting medium moist, supplementing water as soon as the medium dries. Reduce watering in winter, which is beneficial for flowering, and stop watering when the temperature is below 10°C. In the hot summer, spray water around the plants, on the shelves, paths, and on the plants to increase air humidity, otherwise it will affect their growth. Also, due to the hot climate in summer, in addition to maintaining a relatively high humidity, good ventilation and aeration are required for Dancing兰花 cultivated in greenhouses, otherwise growth will be poor and rot diseases may occur.

Appropriate fertilization is an effective measure for the robust growth of Dancing兰花. Use a small amount of slow-release fertilizer as a base fertilizer when planting, and apply decomposed soybean cake water, oil cake, and bone meal once a month. Except in late autumn and winter when temperatures are too low, during the growing season (spring, summer, and early autumn), apply a 1500-2000-fold liquid water-soluble fertilizer every 2-3 weeks. For non-flowering plants, apply a balanced compound fertilizer with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which can be sprayed on the leaves or applied to the roots. Near flowering, supplement with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.

Disease and pest control

The main pest of Dancing兰花 is the scale insect, which feeds on the juice of the plant's leaves, causing the plant to wither, and in severe cases, the entire plant will turn yellow and die. Use a 40%氧化乐果 emulsion at a dilution of 1000 times to spray and kill, or a 50%马拉松 emulsion at a dilution of 2000 times to spray and kill. The main diseases of Dancing兰花 are soft rot and leaf spot. Leaf spot disease affects the leaves, while soft rot disease can cause the entire plant to die. Use a 50% multi fungin solution at a dilution of 1000 times or a 50% methyl thiophanate soluble wettable powder at a dilution of 800 times for prevention and control.

The above is the complete content on the cultivation, propagation, and cultivation of Dancing兰花, for your comprehensive understanding and reference!