What Is Golden Thread Orchid? A Detailed Guide to Planting Precautions
In recent years, the market price of golden thread orchid has been steadily rising, because it has relatively strict requirements for its living environment when planted, has a long growth period, and its seeds do not germinate easily, so the number of wild plants is also becoming fewer and fewer. Therefore, artificial cultivation of golden thread orchid has gradually developed. Below, let us learn together what is golden thread orchid? What are the precautions for planting?
1. What is golden thread orchid?
Golden thread orchid is a perennial herbaceous plant. It has extensive medicinal value among the people and has long been praised as the “king of medicines”, “golden herb”, “divine herb”, “bird ginseng”, and so on. This product is the whole plant of the orchid family plants Anoectochilus roxburghii and Anoectochilus formosanus, entering the lung, liver, kidney, and bladder meridians. Anoectochilus roxburghii grows in shady, damp places under broad-leaved forests and can clear heat and cool blood, remove dampness, and relieve toxicity.
Golden thread orchid gets the name “golden thread” because its leaf veins are like golden silk threads interwoven into a net, and it gets the name “lotus” because the leaf base is sheath-shaped and wraps the stem to form a sheath node, and its texture is thick, solid, and upright like a lotus. Taiwan, China golden thread orchid has white leaf veins, but the medicinal material is collectively called golden thread orchid.
At present, the varieties mainly circulating on the market include Fujian golden thread orchid, Taiwan, China golden thread orchid, Yunnan-Vietnam golden thread orchid, and Guangxi golden thread orchid. Except for Fujian golden thread orchid, the other varieties are relatively cheaper. When buying golden thread orchid, pay attention to identifying it, mainly by looking at the leaf veins, but do not neglect observing the stem, because some counterfeit products have golden reticulate veins but no stem nodes or sheath-like leaf bases clasping the stem, and some leaves grow from the base of the root. At present, there are various packages on the market, and some are obviously fake: a few genuine plants are laid on the surface, while what is wrapped inside is all similar orchid family species or other cheap herbs, and some are entirely mixed varieties, with almost not a single genuine plant.
2. What are the precautions for planting golden thread orchid?
1. Scientific site selection
When artificially cultivating golden thread orchid, the planting site should be selected in shady, cool places by streams and ditches in woodland at relatively high altitude. This is the key to successful cultivation. An altitude above 400 m is required, near broad-leaved forests or mixed broad-leaved and coniferous forest zones. 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%, little or no wind, light transmittance about 30%, water sources nearby, and good soil structure, preferably weathered yellow soil that is neutral or slightly acidic (pH=4.5~6.5).
2. Scientific planting
Golden thread orchid should be planted shallowly rather than deeply. After planting, it is best to cover it with clean, dry moss. The plant spacing and row spacing are 5~10cm*5~10cm. After planting, water immediately with settling water to ensure the survival rate. Mountain areas at relatively high 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 choose to plant 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, and improve the survival rate and yield.
3. Field management
The quality of field management of golden thread orchid is directly related to its survival rate, growth, and yield. The growth cycle of golden thread orchid requires little light and heat, and it is especially averse to direct strong light around noon, so a shade shed should be set up on the cultivation site to regulate light transmittance. Golden thread orchid needs water but is not suitable for water accumulation, so the amount of watering should depend on the development status of the seedlings and their growing environment. For golden thread orchid after planting, the types of fertilizer applied should mainly be slow-release organic fertilizers, such as diluted liquid after fermentation of soybean cakes, pig manure, cow and horse manure, and other farmyard manures. If foliar fertilizer can also be sprayed, so much the better. Usually, a small amount of ferrous sulfate is added to every 100 kg of fertilizer liquid to promote dark green and glossy leaf color.
During the growing season of golden thread orchid, every half a month, a solution of 0.3% urea plus 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate can also be sprayed once, for 4 consecutive sprays. When fertilizing, never contaminate the leaves of golden thread orchid. If contamination occurs accidentally, spray clear water immediately. The factors harming golden thread orchid and the occurrence of pests and diseases are mostly caused by high temperature, poor ventilation, and unclean light and cultivation site. Therefore, efforts should be made to overcome these adverse factors and remove weeds.
4. Harvesting
After golden thread orchid is planted for 4~5 months, when the plant height is above 10 cm, there are 5~6 leaves, and the fresh weight is 1~2 g, it can be harvested. At harvest, pull it up with the roots (or cut the stem and keep the roots for regrowth), shake off the soil, and place it in sunlight to dry or use fire to dry it into a dry product.