What is the most suitable growing temperature for orchids?
As an ornamental potted flowering plant with high ornamental value, orchids usually have certain temperature requirements for normal growth. But because there are many varieties, their temperature requirements differ. Usually epiphytic varieties have poor drought tolerance, so they like to grow in warm environments; terrestrial varieties have stronger cold tolerance, so they like to grow in cooler environments with lower temperatures.
Epiphytic orchid varieties prefer warm growing environments, with Cymbidium bicolor as a typical representative. Cymbidium bicolor is commonly found in some low-altitude areas of Yunnan, and if planted in areas such as Kunming, necessary cold protection measures are often required in winter for it to survive the winter safely.
For terrestrial orchid varieties, cold tolerance is usually stronger, mostly represented by Cymbidium goeringii and Cymbidium faberi; even if buried under snow in winter, they can generally bloom as scheduled the following spring.
At the same time, even for orchids of the same variety, due to regional differences, there are obvious differences in temperature requirements. Cymbidium goeringii produced in the Yunnan-Guizhou region can often bloom normally in winter and spring; while Cymbidium goeringii suitable for growing in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang area, when moved to the Kunming region for cultivation, instead cannot bloom normally.
The reason is mainly that Cymbidium goeringii in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang area has adapted to the local cold winter climate, and the development of flower buds requires a necessary low-temperature period before it can bloom. After it is moved to the relatively warm southern region, even in winter, the temperature is much higher than in the north, so flower buds cannot form normally, thereby affecting normal blooming.
The editor, located in the south, once conducted an experiment: removing a orchid plant grown in the northern region from its pot and removing the soil adhering to the roots, then washing the root system clean, wrapping the roots with fresh moist sphagnum moss, and finally wrapping the plant together with the root system in kraft paper and placing it in the fruit preservation drawer of a refrigerator. After about one month, it was taken out, and it was found that the orchid showed no signs of frost damage. Then it was potted and planted, and after about half a month, the flower scape unexpectedly appeared and elongated, and later it bloomed normally.
Practice has proved that in most areas of our country, the most suitable growing temperature for orchids is usually between 10-30°c; when the ambient temperature is below 5°c or exceeds 35°c, slow growth will obviously occur, and then it will tend to enter a dormant state. During propagation and seedling raising, the temperature should be kept between 5-18°c.
It can be seen that temperature has an important influence on orchid growth. But what can be certain is that no matter which variety of orchid, if the growing environment temperature is too high or too low, it is unfavorable to the growth of the plant. Especially when grown as a potted plant, the temperature must be kept within a suitable range; otherwise it will not only affect blooming, but also reduce the ornamental value of the potted plant.