How to Grow Anoectochilus roxburghii? A Detailed Guide to the Cultivation Methods of Anoectochilus roxburghii
When it comes to Anoectochilus roxburghii, what likely comes to mind is its great medicinal value and high cost, as well as the uneven quality of Anoectochilus roxburghii currently on the market. People have always wanted to learn more about good things, so since wild Anoectochilus roxburghii is now very rare, how should artificially cultivated Anoectochilus roxburghii be grown?
How to Grow Anoectochilus roxburghii
1. Maintain sufficient moisture. Anoectochilus roxburghii likes a humid environment, and moisture is crucial to its growth. It is very difficult for it to survive in dry, water-deficient conditions. During cultivation, the potting soil should be kept moist. In addition, pay attention to the relative humidity of the room. When it is too dry, you can use a humidifier to add humidity or spray water around the plant. Normally, you should also spray water on the leaves frequently.
2. Choose loose, breathable soil. It is best to use leaf mold, which is high in nutrients, loose and highly breathable, and also has strong fertilizer-holding capacity. Next is humus soil, which is slightly inferior to leaf mold. If the soil is not good, you can add a little base fertilizer when planting.
3. Avoid direct sunlight. Anoectochilus roxburghii likes a moist and shady environment. If it is placed in sunlight, certain shading should be provided, preferably blocking more than 50 percent. It can be placed in a relatively humid place indoors, and put in the sun for one or two hours each day, but not in direct sun.
4. Keep the temperature moderate. When the temperature is above 35 degrees, the leaves tend to curl, and at this time it is best to move it to a cool place indoors. When the temperature is below zero degrees, certain frost protection measures should be taken.
5. Pot selection and repotting. Relatively speaking, porcelain pots look better, but their breathability and drainage performance are poor, which is not good for the plant roots to breathe. Ceramic pots are better: not only are they cheaper, but they also have good breathability. If it is a relatively dry area, it is best to choose a combined planter, which helps increase air humidity. If the plant is too small, it is not suitable to choose too large a pot. When the plant grows larger, it needs to be moved to a suitable pot, so as not to affect the plant's growth because the pot is too small.
Cultivation Methods for Anoectochilus roxburghii
1. Scientific site selection
When artificially cultivating Anoectochilus roxburghii, the planting site should be chosen in a shady place by a stream in woodland at a relatively high altitude. This is the key to successful cultivation. An altitude above 400 m is required, near broad-leaved forest or a mixed zone of coniferous and broad-leaved forest. The average temperature in January is required to be 10 degrees Celsius, the average temperature in July 25 degrees Celsius, the relative air humidity 70 percent, with little or no wind, light transmittance of about 30 percent, a water source nearby, and good soil structure, preferably weathered yellow loam that is neutral or slightly acidic (pH=4.5~6.5).
2. Scientific planting
Anoectochilus roxburghii should be planted shallowly, not deeply. After planting, it is best to cover with clean, dry moss. The plant spacing and row spacing are 5~10cm*5~10cm. After planting, water immediately to settle the roots and ensure the survival rate. Mountainous areas at higher altitude should be planted in spring from April to May, which can accelerate growth and allow harvest in the same year. Flat land and low hills should be planted in autumn from August to September, which can avoid the peak period of high summer temperatures and the occurrence and spread of pests and diseases, improving the survival rate and yield.
3. Field management
The quality of field management of Anoectochilus roxburghii directly affects its survival rate, growth and yield. The growth cycle of Anoectochilus roxburghii requires little light and heat, and it especially avoids strong direct light around noon, so a shade shed should be set up on the cultivation site to regulate light transmittance. Anoectochilus roxburghii needs water but is not suitable for waterlogging, so the amount of watering should depend on the development of the seedlings and their growing environment. For Anoectochilus roxburghii after planting, the types of fertilizer applied should mainly be slow-release organic fertilizers, such as diluted liquid after fermentation of soybean cake, pig manure, horse and cow manure and other farmyard manures. It is even better if foliar fertilizer can also be sprayed. Usually, a small amount of ferrous sulfate is added to every 100 kg of fertilizer solution to promote dark green and glossy leaves. In the growing season of Anoectochilus roxburghii, every half month a solution of 0.3 percent urea plus 0.2 percent potassium dihydrogen phosphate can also be sprayed once, for 4 consecutive sprayings. When fertilizing, never contaminate the leaves of Anoectochilus roxburghii. If contamination occurs accidentally, spray clean water immediately. The factors harming Anoectochilus roxburghii and the occurrence of pests and diseases are mostly caused by high temperatures, poor ventilation, and unclean light and cultivation sites. Therefore, efforts should be made to overcome these adverse factors and remove weeds.
4. Harvesting
After 4~5 months of planting Anoectochilus roxburghii, when the plant height is above 10 cm, with 5~6 leaves and a fresh weight of 1~2 g, it can be harvested. At harvest, pull it up by the roots (the stems can also be cut while leaving the roots to regrow), shake off the soil, and place it in the sun to dry or dry it over fire to make the dried product.
How to Propagate Anoectochilus roxburghii by Division
Division propagation of Anoectochilus roxburghii can be carried out in both spring and autumn. Generally, divide once every three years. Any plant that grows vigorously and has dense pseudobulbs can be divided. After division, each cluster must retain at least 5 pseudobulbs connected together. Before division, reduce watering to make the potting soil relatively dry. When potting after division, first cover the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot with broken tile pieces, then spread coarse gravel to occupy 1/5 to 1/4 of the pot depth, then add coarse-grained soil and a small amount of fine soil, and then plant with sandy loam rich in humus. The planting depth should be such that the pseudobulbs are just buried in the soil, leaving a 2 cm rim at the edge of the pot. On top, spread Selaginella uncinata or fine gravel. Finally, water thoroughly and place in a shaded place for 10-15 days, keeping the soil moist, then gradually reduce watering and carry out normal care.
Prospects for Growing Anoectochilus roxburghii
The prospects for growing Anoectochilus roxburghii are very broad. We can set everything else aside and consider only that the development of modern medicine is creating an ever-growing demand for medicinal materials, and the annual export volume of medicinal materials is still continuously increasing. In fact, this does not mean that the demand for Anoectochilus roxburghii will also change greatly. The main reason is that Anoectochilus roxburghii has relatively special medicinal properties, and the points for which it is used are not particularly numerous. Even so, there is still a certain demand for it in pharmaceutical research, and it is also used in other pharmaceutical development. In addition, wild Anoectochilus roxburghii is basically on the verge of extinction, so growing Anoectochilus roxburghii can just fill the gap in the market.
Most of the Anoectochilus roxburghii currently on the market is artificially cultivated, but artificial cultivation is not that easy either. I believe everyone knows that the growing environment of Anoectochilus roxburghii is very demanding, so many times we can only imitate its wild environment. For this reason, everyone is warned that Anoectochilus roxburghii is not something we can grow just because we want to.