How to grow the monkey face orchid? A detailed guide to the latest cultivation methods

The monkey face orchid, also known as the monkey face orchid, is a small epiphytic plant of the genus Dracula in the orchid family. Its flowers are unusually shaped and large, and its flower colors are rich and varied. It is mostly used for pot cultivation, hanging basket or hanging basket cultivation, and is very suitable for green decoration in places such as in front of room windows, on balcony walls, in shop windows of commercial buildings, and at exhibition hall entrances. Now let us take a look together at the cultivation methods of the monkey face orchid!

Growth habits of the monkey face orchid

The monkey face orchid requires a cool growing environment, fears intense heat, is difficult to get through summer, and is also not tolerant of frost and cold. 10-25°C is the suitable cultivation temperature. In the warmer regions of the south, it can be placed outdoors in semi-shade all year round or cultivated in plastic greenhouses. In the Yangtze River basin or regions to the north, it should be cultivated in intermediate-temperature or high-temperature greenhouses. In late autumn, winter, and early spring, when temperatures are not very high, give direct sunlight to help the plant form flower buds, flower, and set seed. If high-temperature weather occurs or in summer, humidity should be increased and shade nets should be used to lower the temperature. When the temperature is below 10°C, keep it warm and increase heating.

Propagation methods of the monkey face orchid

1. Division: Division of the monkey face orchid is generally carried out in early spring before new buds sprout. First take the mother plant out of the pot, remove excess substrate, separate the tangled root system as much as possible, and cut it open from the base of the stem with a sharp knife. Each new plant should retain two or more shoots and have a certain amount of roots, and use a brush dipped in sulfur powder or carbendazim powder to apply to the wound to prevent the wound from being infected by pathogens. After division, the new plants can bloom in the same year.

2. Sowing: The monkey face orchid can self-pollinate, but the seeds scatter easily, so they should be harvested in batches at the right time. Because monkey face orchid seeds are very small, greenhouse cultivation usually sows in autumn, using flats or plug trays for seedling raising. The seeds do not need to be covered with soil, and after sowing they should receive sufficient light. Seedlings generally emerge in about 25 days. During the seedling stage, do not water too frequently; just keep the substrate moist. At the same time, spray a fungicide once a week. When 2-3 true leaves have grown, transplant once. When the seedlings are more than 10 cm tall, plant them in pots. Seed-grown seedlings can bloom in 1-2 years.

Cultivation methods of the monkey face orchid

1. Substrate: The monkey face orchid prefers a slightly acidic substrate, requires loose, breathable, well-drained material that can keep the roots moist without waterlogging. Generally, orchid cultivation substrate can be used. When potting small seedlings, first place a 2-3 cm thick layer of coarse-grained substrate or expanded clay pebbles at the bottom of the pot as a drainage layer, sprinkle some Osmocote granular controlled-release fertilizer on it as base fertilizer, applying 2-3 grams per pot, and cover with a layer of substrate about 1-2 cm thick, then place the plant in, so as to separate the fertilizer from the roots and avoid burning the roots.

2. Water: The native environment of the monkey face orchid is relatively dry, and long periods of rainy and cloudy days make it prone to pathogen infection. Therefore, during the growing period, relative humidity should be kept between 50-75%. When the temperature is around 20°C, maintaining the indoor natural environment is sufficient. When the summer temperature reaches above 25°C, carry out artificial humidification, generally using fans and wet curtains or a high-pressure misting system, but avoid spraying water on the leaf surface. When humidity is too high, increase ventilation, otherwise pests and diseases are likely to occur. The water needed by the monkey face orchid generally depends on the substrate used. If sphagnum moss is used, water less; when the substrate is 70% dry, water promptly.

3. Fertilizer: The monkey face orchid needs relatively little fertilizer. Generally the fertilizer concentration is a 3000-fold solution. During the growing season from May to October, fertilize once every two weeks. It is best to use liquid fertilizer to water the root zone and spray the leaf surface. During the growing period, the monkey face orchid mainly uses nitrogen fertilizer and balanced fertilizer, commonly N:P:K=30:10:10 or 20:20:20 mixed fertilizer. During the flowering period, N:P:K=10:30:10 mixed fertilizer is commonly used. Fertilize preferably in the evening, then water once with clear water early the next morning. At the same time, during the flower bud stage, spray the leaves once a week with orchid-specific flowering fertilizer, Huabao No. 3, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, and other phosphorus-potassium fertilizers to make the flower spikes thicker and the flowers more brilliant.

Pest control of the monkey face orchid

1. Aphids: They often damage tender leaves, flower buds, and so on in groups, with nymphs and adults piercing and sucking sap. If there are only a few, they can be brushed off with a brush. For treatment, spray 1000-fold wettable powder of Yashiling, or 2000-3000-fold 2.5% deltamethrin emulsifiable concentrate, or 1000-fold 40% methomyl, or 1500-fold acetamiprid emulsifiable concentrate, etc.

2. Scale insects: Adults and nymphs suck sap on leaf stalks, leaf bases, and leaf surfaces, producing yellow spots. In poorly ventilated environments, scale insects reproduce and cause damage easily. Ensure ventilation and air circulation. Once scale insects occur, promptly spray 1000-fold 25% buprofezin wettable powder or 800-1000-fold 40% profenofos emulsifiable concentrate, once every 7 days, for 2-3 consecutive times.

3. Snails and slugs: They mostly gnaw on new buds, new leaves, flower buds, and roots at night. From June to October, in humid environments, control them promptly. Spread lime powder on the ground, or use 8% metaldehyde granules scattered in places where they appear, or spray trichlorfon and other pesticides on the leaf surface to kill them.

Disease control of the monkey face orchid

1. Wilt disease: It mostly occurs in high-temperature and high-humidity seasons, especially developing quickly after summer rain. The plant's leaves turn yellow and wilt, and the whole leaf rots. Cut off dead diseased leaves, and note that the growing medium must not be too wet. Choose 2000-fold hymexazol solution or 2000-fold 25% propiconazole emulsion to spray the base or drench the roots. Or spray 1000-fold 50% benomyl wettable powder, or 500-fold 40% thiophanate-methyl suspension concentrate, or 2000-fold 2.5% fludioxonil suspension concentrate, once every 7-10 days, for 2-3 consecutive times.

2. Anthracnose: It mostly occurs in the plum rain season. In the early stage of the disease, round or oval reddish-brown spots appear on the leaves. In the later stage, the lesions turn dark brown, and in severe cases the lesions show necrosis. Cut off dead leaves and ensure ventilation. Spray 600-1000-fold wettable powders such as chlorothalonil, thiophanate-methyl, and mancozeb, once every 5-7 days, for 2 consecutive times. When there is no disease or in the early stage of the disease, spray 600-fold 50% anthracnose-ling emulsifiable concentrate, once every 10 days, for 3-4 consecutive preventive applications.

3. Southern blight: It mostly occurs in the high-temperature and rainy seasons from August to September. In the early stage, the base of the orchid leaves turns brown and rots, producing white silky mycelium. In severe cases, the entire leaf cluster dies. Pay attention to ventilation in the greenhouse, and the spacing between potted flowers must not be too dense. When the disease occurs, use 800-1000-fold Lan · Bingbizhi solution, or 1000-fold 50% Fuduoning, or 2000-fold 75% Miepuning, once a week, for 3-5 consecutive times. You can also drench the seedling roots with 1% copper sulfate solution. Diseased potted flowers should be removed from the greenhouse and buried for destruction.

4. Leaf blight: It mostly occurs under high-temperature and high-humidity conditions. Small black spots appear near the leaf tip or at the front end of the leaf, and the lesions gradually expand to cover the entire leaf, which finally withers and falls off. When symptoms are found, immediately cut off the diseased leaves and spray 800-fold chlorothalonil solution or 500-fold mancozeb solution.

5. Tillering rot: It mainly occurs on tiller buds, and secondly on leaves. In the early stage, water-soaked lesions the size of mung beans appear at the base of the buds. Under high temperature and high humidity, it easily infects the leaf surface, producing dark brown water-soaked large lesions. In summer, during continuous rainy days, if fertilizer and water management is improper, the potting soil is too wet, and fertilizer is too heavy, the disease occurs easily. Soil moisture content should be controlled. When new buds emerge 4-5 cm high, spray 1000-fold 0.01% boric acid solution or Shakujing, or use 1000-fold agricultural streptomycin for control.

6. Root rot: The root system partially or completely rots and turns black, and the plant grows poorly. The main causes are blockage of the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot, waterlogged substrate with poor aeration, excessive watering, cold weather, or damage from concentrated fertilizer. Clear the drainage holes. During the new seedling growth period, do not water over the top, and after spraying water on the leaves, ventilate promptly to keep the leaf bases dry. During the growing period, avoid excessive nitrogen fertilizer. When the disease occurs, use 1000-1500-fold 50% Genfuling wettable powder or 600-800-fold 15% hymexazol aqueous solution to drench the roots, once every 7-10 days, for 3-4 consecutive times.