Latin name: Bletilla

Family: Orchids (Orchidaceae)

Genus: Contains five to ten species from East Asia; some of them are popular garden ornamental plants.

Name:The scientific name of the genus is formed by adding a diminutive suffix to the name of the American orchid genus Bletia Ruiz & Pav. - Bletia. Which, in turn, is named after the Spanish pharmacist and botanist Luis Blet, who lived in the 18th century. Representatives of these two genera are similar, while plants from the genus Bletilla are smaller.

Synonyms for the scientific name of the genus:

• Jimensia Raf.
• Polytoma Lour. ex Gomes

The standard genus abbreviation in ornamental horticulture is Ble.

Spreading: Plants of this genus are found in China, Japan, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Taiwan.

Bloom: June July

Description: Perennial low terrestrial herbaceous plants.

Pseudobulbs are dense, round, underground, slightly buried. Each pseudobulb produces several leaves in the spring.

The leaves are broadly lanceolate, longitudinally folded, green, sometimes variegated, soft, and can reach about half a meter in length.

Peduncles appear in warmer areas in late spring, in temperate areas in summer. The inflorescence is a raceme of few flowers. The length of the peduncles, depending on the type, is from 20 to 40 cm. The flowers are small, with a weak aroma, and have a classic orchid shape. Sepals are oblanceolate, elongated, petals are shortened, crescent-shaped. The color of the petals varies - from white to purple. The lip is wide, serrated, three-lobed, speckled. The side blades cover the column; the middle one protrudes forward or is arched backward. The column is thin, with narrow blades on each side. There are four pollinia.

Care: Plants are best placed in groups. IN middle lane Russia, for example near Moscow, bletilla is usually well preserved in open ground, however, it is not easy to achieve abundant flowering: you need to choose a suitable place that is not damp and not flooded with melt water. It is advisable to mulch the plantings.

Lighting: A well-lit place protected from direct sunlight.

Watering: It is important to keep the soil moist in spring and summer

Priming: Prefer fertile soil

Landing: They are planted immediately after purchase to a depth of 5-10 cm. The distance between plants is 15 cm. They usually appear on sale in the spring.

Fertilizer: Application of fertilizers (0.01% solution of complete mineral fertilizer) is carried out only during the active growing season.

Reproduction: By division in early spring and seeds. Reproduction is not difficult. Whole nests of pseudobulbs are formed shallow in the ground; they are separated and planted in groups of 3-4. first in small pots, and then transferred to larger containers.

Winter: In the south it winters well, even runs wild, without losing its decorative appearance. In spring, in the botanical gardens of Sukhumi and Yalta, you can admire the magnificent blooming arrays of bletilla. If plants are left in the ground for the winter, root feeding is required in the fall. In the conditions of the European part of Russia, pseudobulbs do not overwinter; for the winter they should be dug up and stored in a cool, dry place.

Growing in a greenhouse, at home: Unpretentious. They tolerate transplantation well. Most species are cultivated in cool rooms. The earth mixture is made up of equal parts of clay-turf, leaf litter, humus soil and 0.5 parts of coarse sand. Water moderately; during the dormant period (for most species this is July-August), watering is stopped completely, and the plants are kept in a cool, semi-shaded place. During the dormant period, the leaves completely fall off. Watering is resumed after dormancy ends.

Application: An excellent plant for a greenhouse or for alpine slide. Plants from this genus are used in Chinese traditional medicine to stop internal bleeding and to reduce tumors. Dried bletilla roots are a common item in Asian markets and herbal shops.

Varieties and types

Bletilla striped, or hyacinth(Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb. = Bletia hyacinthina R. Br. = Bletilla hyacinthina (R. Br.) Reichb. f.)

A touching plant from China and southern Japan. Zone: 5 (6)-8. In Japan it is called shi-ran - purple orchid.

Plants are 30-70 cm tall. Rhizome with tuberous thickened annual growths. Aboveground part represented by leaves and peduncle. Long closed leaf sheaths form a rather tall (12-15 cm tall) false stem (with an inflorescence up to 45 cm tall). There are 3 lower sheaths, they are scaly and do not bear plates; the fourth has a small leaf-shaped bend; There are 3-4 true leaves, they are oblanceolate, pointed, with pronounced longitudinal folds, large, 20-30 cm long, green, without hairs or pubescence. The inflorescence is a rare spike of 1-8 flowers. The flowers are large, up to 3-4 cm long, bright, lilac-pink, with a delicate aroma. The bracts are petal-shaped, greenish-purple, falling off when the flowers open. Sepals oblanceolate, pointed; petals irregularly oblanceolate, obtuse. The lip is elongated-oval, three-lobed; the side lobes are raised upward, and their edges are turned inward, forming something like a tube; their outer ends are triangular, intensely colored, with a whitish edge; the middle lobe is slightly grooved, inside with 5-7 longitudinal curly-toothed whitish ridges, between the ridges longitudinally brownish-striped, and in the middle with many dark purple dots and specks; the outer edge of the middle lobe, together with the small middle notch, is dark purple. The column is straight, whitish at the bottom and purple at the top; the lower and middle parts are dotted with small brown strokes and dots. Pollinia in one pocket. The ovary is bent, not twisted.

It is known culturally in Japan, England, and Germany. In Russia, open ground cultivation is possible Black Sea coast Caucasus and the southern coast of Crimea. When sheltered, it winters near Moscow. It does not bloom every year in cultivation. There is a variety "Alba" with white flowers. In the Nikitsky Botanical Garden it blooms in early summer and blooms for almost a month, bearing fruit at the end of August.

Propagated by seeds and dividing the bush; grown in partial shade, on fairly moist, clay and loamy soils, including alkaline ones.

Bletilla brown-yellow(Bletilla ochracea).

You can meet it in Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan, Myanmar and China. Representatives of this species are low perennial herbaceous plants with green, soft, sometimes variegated, longitudinally folded, broadly lanceolate leaves. The inflorescence is a few-flowered raceme with peduncles about forty centimeters in length. The flowers are small with the classic shape of orchids and have a weak scent.

Other species with indication of range:

• Bletilla chartacea (King & Pantl.) Tang & F.T.Wang (1951). Northern Myanmar.
• Bletilla foliosa (King & Pantl.) Tang & F.T.Wang (1951). Central and Southern China, northern Indochina.
• Bletilla formosana (Hayata) Schltr. (1911) - Bletilla taiwanis, or Bletilla formosan. Central and Southern China, Taiwan, Ryukyu Islands (Japan).
• Bletilla ochracea Schltr. (1913) - Bletilla brown-yellow. Central and Southern China, Vietnam.
• Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Rchb.f. (1878) - Bletilla striped. China, Japan. There is a variety Bletilla striata var. alba with white flowers.

Kira Stoletova

The Bletilla orchid is an unpretentious perennial plant, about 70 cm high, that captivates with its elegance and beauty. Most widespread found in China and Japan.

Types of orchids

Bletilla orchid is divided into several types:

• Bletilla striata or hyacinth;
• Striata alba alba;
• Bletilla brown-yellow.

Growing

Cultivation on a production scale is possible. On small areas, in well-lit places, in middle regions where the climate is milder and warmer.

If the climate in the region is cold, then closed and semi-open greenhouses are suitable. They will protect the flowers from strong cold winds and rain. Temperature control in such places is greatly simplified.

Landing

Bletilla striped is suitable for growing open method, but also feels great in the apartment. For home option A basket or pot with holes, about 2 liters in volume, is suitable.

Growing in open soil

The flower is heat-loving and does not tolerate sudden drops in temperature, so the temperature should not be less than 5° C. The plant is grown both in the garden and in ordinary decalcified soil. Ideal conditions For full growth there are special mixtures for orchids. For example, a mixture of rotted leaves with lime and sand.

Garden orchids are planted in the ground in the spring, when frosts have subsided and a stable climate has arrived. Provide the site with sunlight with slight shading, no dampness, and no cold wind. Planting depth is about 2.5 cm, with an interval of 15 cm. The soil needs to be moistened periodically, until the leaves appear, only then carry out normal watering.

Growing indoors

Bletilla striped is well grown at home, especially in cold regions. Place the container or pot with the plant in the brightest place in the house. To prepare the substrate, you need to mix the following components:

• peat;
• beech leaves;
• fertile land;
• sand.

It is also a good idea to use orchid soil, which is sold in finished form in specialized stores.

When planting in pots, make 1/3 layer of drainage and cover with fragments of brick, polystyrene foam or expanded clay. Place the orchid with its roots on the drainage and cover it with a substrate layer, and leave the plant stem visible. There is no need to water for several days after planting, but only maintain moisture with irrigation.

Care

Like all indoor ornamental plants, striped bletilla requires quality care: watering, fertilizing, treatment of pests and diseases. A garden orchid is subject to a greater number of factors that can affect the quality of its growth.

The amount of watering depends greatly on temperature regime and soil conditions. The entire pot or basket is immersed in the settled water for 30 seconds, then left to dry.

The warm shower method is the most natural and effective for of this plant. The flower is placed in the bathroom and watered with a watering can with light water pressure along the stem. This procedure improves growth rate, weight gain and flowering quality.

The ideal humidity level is 60 – 70%. You can control the level using a humidifier.

During the period of active growth, a large amount is required nutrients— it’s time to step up care and apply mineral supplements. It is advisable to use specialized solutions. The frequency of fertilizing is 1 – 2 times a month.

Diseases and pests

Especially a lot of pests lie in wait for a flower in an open area. A large number of insects, as well as snails, which can harm and destroy flowers.

The most common disease is rot, caused by bacteria and fungi.

Disease Control

The most common diseases include different types rot:

1. Brown. It is treated by cutting off the affected tissue, and the cut areas are sprinkled with crushed charcoal. For prevention, treatment with copper sulfate is necessary.
2. Black. Rotten fabrics are cut clean and treated with dust. charcoal or Bordeaux mixture. The affected substrate is thrown away and the pot is sterilized.
3. Root. If it appears, then both the soil with the roots and the pot are treated with solutions of 0.2% Fundazol or Topsin. The procedure is carried out by immersion in the solution, with an interval of 10 days.
4. Fusarium. It can be eliminated by treating a solution of 0.2% Fundazol once every 8 hours for ten days. Spraying stops during the procedure.
5. Gray. The infected area is removed and the rest is treated with an antifungal agent. If the disease recurs, a different fungicide is used.

There are also diseases that appear on orchid leaves due to poor care:

• anthracnose;
• leaf spotting;
• powdery mildew.

Pest Control

1. Shield. A small tubercle on a leaf under which the scale insect lives. It attaches to the leaves and sucks the juice, thereby slowing down growth. The reason for their appearance is elevated temperature at the place of detention. Getting rid of scale insects is easy. Wash warm water, and use a toothbrush to remove pests. Then treat with Fitoverm or Actellik.
2. Aphid. Small insects green and black. Aphids feed on the sap of the leaves and inject back poison that poisons them. They are also dangerous because they carry fungal diseases. Appears when there is a lack of humidity in the air. Simply wash off discovered aphids with water if they are not very diluted. Damaged parts are removed. If the aphids have multiplied greatly, then treatment with a soap solution is necessary, which is destructive for them.
3. Spider mite. An indicator of the appearance is a thin cobweb; at a more advanced stage, spots appear yellow color. Like many orchid pests, spider mite sucks juice from leaves. The reason is the dry air in the room. To eliminate the mite, wash both the flower and the place where it stood with soapy water. Then place it in transparent cellophane for a couple of days to increase the humidity around the orchid.
4. Nematode. Small transparent worms, 1 - 2 mm long. They damage roots, leaves and stems, making trenches and furrows in them that can be seen with the naked eye. Deal with nematodes by isolating them from other flowerpots. Then treat the substrate with Levamisal or Decaris. A warm shower will also help, but it must be done carefully to avoid harming the orchid.

Prevention

In order to prevent both diseases and pests, constant care is required.

Bletilla orchid - flower description and plant care

The Orchid genus includes about 10 species; the bletilla plant is widespread in Japan and China. In conditions European countries grown as an ornamental seedling, unpretentious in care, prefers open ground.

Description of the flower

Bletilla orchid belongs to perennial plants, reaches a height of up to 20 cm. It has variegated or lanceolate leaves. Depending on the climate, it blooms at any time of the year. Bletilla is not capricious in care - maximum light and minimum humidity.

Source: Depositphotos

Bletilla - bright ornamental plant, easy to care for

The flowers are small, up to 5 cm long, lilac-lilac in color, placed in an oblong box. The aroma is weak, the buds bloom one by one, and therefore the flowering process is long - about a month.

Plant species

Several types of seedlings are common at home: Bletilla hyacinth, up to 70 cm high, with tuberous thickened growths. The flowers are large, the spike contains up to 8 buds. The ovary is bent.

If you look at the photo of brown-yellow bletilla, it is distinguished by its small size, a brush length of up to 40 cm, with small, classically shaped orchid inflorescences. The leaves are longitudinal, the stem is smooth, thickened.

Gardeners also use to decorate landscaped areas such types of bletilla as Alba, with snow-white blooms, and Albostriata, with pink striped inflorescences. Such species are rare in European countries.

Care and planting

The orchid can grow in open areas even at temperatures below 5°C. At home, it is enough to place the pot with sprouts in a sunny place, protecting the flower from drafts and dampness.

Planting and caring for bletilla is carried out as follows:

• for intensive flowering, it is better to choose a special soil mixture for planting;
• the bulbs must have no signs of rotting;
• transplantation is carried out in the spring;
• seeds are laid out thin layer(when planting seeds) at a distance of 3-5 cm;
• The optimal air altitude is up to 25°C.

Important! It is forbidden to allow excessive moisture or drying out of the soil. After 2 months, you can fertilize the plant, and before the start of the winter period, it is enough to equip a protective structure from the wind and you can safely expect spring flowering of the bletilla orchid.

Bletilla is a terrestrial orchid native to the subtropical regions of Japan and China. The false stems bear pale green, long, folded leaves. Plant height is from 40 to 60 cm. The flowers are beautiful lilac-violet in color. Inflorescences are racemose. few-flowered.

For indoor culture, the hyacinth bletilla (B. hyacinthina) is most interesting. The lower leaves are ovate, the upper leaves are oblanceolate, pointed, longitudinally folded. The flowers are small, up to 5 cm in diameter, pinkish-lilac to lilac-lilac, slightly drooping, velvety. The stem is creeping, located underground or on its surface. Blooms from January to February.

Bletilla - home care

Lighting.

Bletilla - light-loving plant. Grows in well-lit and even sunny windows. After the dormant period, the plant is shaded from direct sunlight for the first few days.

Temperature.

Bletilla is cultivated in cool rooms in winter period(10-12 °C) and in moderately warm summers (at a temperature of 18 - 22 °C). In summer, pots with plants can be taken out into the open air.

Watering.

During the growth period, abundant watering is required; during the dormant period, the plant is almost not watered, but only slightly moisten the substrate once a month so that it does not dry out.

The soil.

The substrate for bletilla is made up of turf, deciduous soil, humus, peat and sand (2:1:1:1:1). A mixture made up of turf soil, peat and coarse sand is also suitable (you can also add broken brick). Good drainage is a must!

Transfer.

The plant is replanted annually after a dormant period.

Rest period.

Bletilla has a pronounced dormant period, during which it sheds its leaves. At first they begin to turn yellow and gradually fall off. During this period, the plants are kept at a temperature of 10-12 °C. in a dark place, stop watering. At the beginning of growth, the plants are transplanted into fresh soil mixture in wide, flat pots. Watering is increased. Transfer to a well-lit place.

Reproduction.

Bletilla is propagated by dividing the bush during transplantation. It is advisable to do this in early spring, after the dormancy period ends and before new growth begins. It is better not to divide the bletilla too often, because they bloom better in cramped pots.

Orchid is one of the most graceful flowers in nature, which can grow both in pots on home windowsills and in open ground. personal plot. Here we will look at what a garden orchid (bletilla) is, care, planting rules and other nuances of cultivating this beautiful plant in open soil.

It is worth noting that many species of wild orchids are listed in the Red Book as endangered, and bletilla is not found very often in nature.

Bletilla: description of a garden orchid

Bletilla– herbaceous flowering plant, belonging to the Orchidaceae family and including about 10 species. The birthplace of the flower is Japan and China. It is in those parts that an orchid of this species can be found in wild conditions on mountain slopes and in wooded areas.

The bush can reach a height of up to 70 cm. The leaves of the plant are lanceolate-shaped, folded, pointed at the tips, their length varies between 25-50 cm. At the end of spring or early summer, flower stalks grow from false-forming leaves (from 5 to 12 pieces on one bush), at the ends of which they bloom beautiful flowers, with a three-lobed lip protruding forward, typical of orchids.

The color of the flowers, depending on the species, can be purple, pink, lilac, white, yellow or cream.

Slightly protruding above the ground or completely underground pseudobulbs are slightly flattened, and sometimes can have a rounded shape.

At home, mainly one species is grown: striped bletilla (Bletilla striata), it is also known as hyacinth (Bletilla hyacinthina). Less common in cultivation is brown-yellow or ocher bletilla (Bletilla ochracea).

The color of the flowers of the hyacinth garden orchid is lilac, pink-violet. The culture can grow in winter gardens, in open ground, greenhouses, some grow it in pots on windowsills.

Garden orchid (bletilla): how to plant in open ground

In open areas, the flower is grown where winters are not too harsh. Bletilla will do just fine without insulation if in the region, in cold period year the air temperature does not drop below +5-4 ºC. In other cases, in winter the roots will have to be insulated or the plant will have to be dug up and moved to a warm place until spring.

The garden orchid is a flower that you don’t see very often in gardens. It is best to buy seedlings from a nursery or from professional gardeners.

Bletilla is not capricious in relation to the soil; it can grow in neutral garden soil. But if you want the crop to bloom luxuriantly and actively develop, it is better to plant an orchid in the garden in alkaline soil.

Lime, sand, humus, turf soil - all these components are mixed in equal parts. This soil will be the most favorable for bletilla. To plant a flower in winter garden Or in a pot you can buy a ready-made substrate for orchids.

Selecting a location

Gentle graceful flower prefers to grow in partial shade. Too much sun can burn the petals and leaves. In an open area for a garden orchid, it is better to choose a place where there are no drafts and shade is formed during the midday period. Planting tubers under a canopy and in completely shady areas is not recommended.

The southwest and southeast sides are best suited. On the south side, the flowers will have to create screens for shade on hot summer days.

Landing rules

Tubers are planted immediately after purchase at the end of spring, when the frosts have completely subsided.

In soil that has been prepared in advance and moistened to 50-60%, make depressions of approximately 5-7 cm. The root system is placed in the holes and buried. The recommended distance between bushes is 15-20 cm.

Immediately after planting, the plants are watered a little and left to take root.

Bletilla garden, how to care for it at home

An orchid is a flower with character, but you can’t call it too capricious either. Subject to simple rules, it will grow beautifully and please the eye.

How to water a garden orchid

IN summer period The bushes are watered so that the soil dries out by 50-60% between irrigations. The main thing is to avoid stagnation of water, otherwise the roots will quickly rot and the plant will die. The flower also does not like drought, but will tolerate it more easily than overwatering and waterlogging of the soil.

With the arrival of the rainy season, the frequency of irrigation is reduced. If there is a lot of precipitation, then additional watering may not be needed at all. In winter, watering is completely stopped.

From time to time, the soil around it needs to be mulched and lightly weeded. Weeding is carried out very carefully and shallowly. Root system The flower is located close to the surface and can be easily damaged.

Important! When watering, do not allow water to get on the leaves and flowers.

Top dressing

To get a healthier crop with abundant flowering, caring for garden bletilla includes fertilizing.

During the warm season, it is recommended to apply universal or special fertilizers for orchids to the soil. They must be diluted strictly according to the instructions. The frequency of feeding is once every 15-18 days. In the fall, feeding is stopped and resumed only with the arrival of spring.

Insulation for the winter

In regions where winters are long and cold, it is better not to plant orchids in open space at all. Where frost in winter does not exceed -10 ºC, the crop will take root, but its roots must be insulated.

At the end of September, all shoots are cut off at the root, and an insulating layer is created from hay, dry leaves, sawdust, cardboard, and pine twigs. Open the plant only when the temperature at night is above 0 ºC.

Diseases and pests of garden orchids

If the orchid is over-watered, it runs the risk of developing black or gray rot. To restore the plant, it is necessary to significantly reduce watering and treat it with a fungicidal preparation.

Reproduction

Bletilla can be propagated by seeds, but this is a painstaking and very long process. The easiest way to propagate a plant at home is by division.

In spring, several new pseudobulbs are formed in an adult bush. They are separated and planted first in boxes or pots, and kept in a stable, warm environment. When shoots begin to appear, you can plant the bushes in open ground.

• The flower cannot be sprayed; it does not tolerate dampness.
• Sudden temperature changes are very harmful for garden orchids; if the climate is unstable, it is better to grow the crop in greenhouses or indoors.
• In the sun, the leaves may turn yellow and become covered with brown spots.
• If the bush begins to wither, it may be receiving too much moisture.
• When a plant lacks moisture, it drops its leaves.
• Bletilla will not grow in full shade.
• If the flower grows in a pot, then it must be replanted once a year.

This was the basis of information for getting to know such the most beautiful flower, like a garden orchid (bletilla). Care and planting do not require any special difficulties, although attention to the culture is still necessary. For the invested energy and a piece of love, the plant will thank you with its beautiful flowering, which lasts quite a long time - almost all summer.