Deep understanding of Cattleya
The editor introduces you to the content about growing Cattleya at home, providing an in-depth understanding of Cattleya, which will definitely help you. Let's learn about it together!
Cattleya is an epiphytic plant belonging to the Cattleya genus of the cactus family. The shrub-like main stem is cylindrical and woody. The branches are flat and leaf-like, mostly with two ridges and occasionally with three wings, with wavy, rounded teeth on the edges. The areoles are located at the notches of the rounded teeth. Young branches have bristly spines, while old branches are spineless. Large white flowers bloom in the evening during summer and autumn, with funnel-shaped flowers and a fragrant scent.
Cattleya usually flowers in the quiet of the night during the summer and autumn seasons, which is when it displays its beautiful appearance. Around 9 PM is when it reveals its enchanting charm the most, with purple flower stems supporting a large Cattleya flower, the white petals neatly encircling each other, and the heavy flower trembling as if it could break the branch. As it trembles, the petals slowly open up, revealing a beautiful face. Dense and delicate white filaments twist out from the flower core, with yellow, slightly swollen anthers at the top, which are the stamens.
The pistil of Cattleya is quite special, surrounded by the stamens, slightly thicker than the filaments, also white, especially the stigma at the top, which resembles a small white daisy. Graceful, pure, charming, and proudly raises its head, blooming. The entire flower is elegant and graceful, filled with fragrance, shining brightly. Hence, it is known as the "Beauty under the Moon." Interestingly, after the flower gradually opens, it withers slowly within 1-2 hours, with the whole process lasting only about 4 hours, hence the saying "Cattleya appears in an instant."
Why does Cattleya bloom at night? This unique flowering characteristic dates back to its native climate and geographical features. It grows in the tropical deserts of Mexico to Brazil in the Americas. The climate there is dry and hot, but it cools down at night.开花 at night can avoid the intense sunlight; shortening the flowering time can greatly reduce water loss, which is beneficial for its survival and helps sustain its life. Over time, the characteristic of blooming briefly at night has gradually formed and been passed down from generation to generation.
Nowadays, people can try to make Cattleya bloom during the day. Horticulturists use the following scientific methods of "stealing the day" and "reversing day and night" to achieve this. When the flower bud reaches 10 centimeters, the entire plant is moved into a dark room at 7 AM every day to create a dark environment. From 8 to 9 PM in the evening, the plant is artificially illuminated with a 100 to 200-watt light. After this treatment for 7 to 10 days, Cattleya can bloom during the day, from 7 to 9 AM, and remain open until 5 PM before completely closing.
It is worth noting that most people mistakenly take its stems and branches for leaves. In fact, it has no leaves. What people see as "leaves" are actually its leaf-like变态 stems, not leaves, which are green, contain chlorophyll, and can replace leaves in photosynthesis. Therefore, without leaves, it can further reduce the evaporation of moisture from the body, adapting to the survival environment of tropical dry deserts.
Currently, many people grow a variety of plants that bloom during the day, with thin and round main stems, flat and arrow-shaped branches, which are known as "Dendrobium orchids."
The above is the specific content of an in-depth understanding of Cattleya. If it can be of help to you, remember to visit the website often!