When Do Orchids Bloom? A Detailed Guide to Blooming Periods
Orchids are also known as spring orchids, orchid grass, orchid bloom and so on, and are epiphytic or terrestrial herbaceous plants of the genus Cymbidium in the family Orchidaceae. Chinese people have always regarded them as a symbol of nobility and elegance, and they are grouped with "plum, bamboo and chrysanthemum" as the "Four Gentlemen." The term "orchid chapter" is often used as a metaphor for the beauty of poetry and prose, and "orchid friendship" for the sincerity of friendship. Orchids are also used to express pure love. Let us take a look below at when orchids bloom!
When do orchids bloom?
Different orchid varieties bloom at different times. Spring orchid (Cymbidium goeringii) blooms from January to March, ink orchid (Cymbidium sinense) from December to February, sword-leaf orchid (Cymbidium ensifolium) from May to October, Hui orchid (Cymbidium faberi) from March to May, and cold orchid (Cymbidium kanran) from November to January. Among tropical orchids there are also different varieties with different blooming times. For example, spring dendrobium blooms in spring, autumn dendrobium blooms in autumn, and the normal blooming period of the moth orchid (Phalaenopsis) should be summer, but through greenhouse regulation it can also bloom at Spring Festival.
Why do orchids fail to bloom?
1. Insufficient growth age: Seedling orchids (seed-grown plants) and tissue-cultured plantlets may not necessarily bloom even after many years of cultivation. Just like other plants, for example fruit trees must reach a certain age before they can bloom and bear fruit, orchids must also reach a certain age before they can bloom and set seed.
2. Differences among varieties: The species differences among orchid types vary, and different local climate conditions often make it difficult for orchids to bloom. Take the spring orchid for example: in some regions it is relatively difficult to get it to bloom, or relatively few plants bloom.
3. Disrupted physiological growth: The physiological growth of orchids is disrupted for various reasons, and new leaf buds emerge during the flower bud formation stage. In this case, the orchid plant no longer has enough nutrients to maintain normal flower bud differentiation, which causes the flower buds to stop growing and fail to bloom.
4. Improper cultivation methods: Improper cultivation methods can also cause orchids not to bloom. There are mainly the following two situations.
① Soil too rich: The orchid growing medium contains too much nitrogen fertilizer and too little phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, resulting in excessive vegetative growth and inhibited reproductive growth. The solution is to replace it with a growing medium with balanced nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, or to apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer.
② Overwatering: Watering too much during the flower bud differentiation stage and keeping the growing medium too moist will likewise lead to vigorous vegetative growth, inhibit reproductive growth, and leave flower bud differentiation lacking the necessary driving force, thus causing the orchid not to bloom. Simply water reasonably.
What varieties of orchids are there?
1. Spring orchid (Cymbidium goeringii): The spring orchid is widely distributed and rich in resources. Its blooming period is February to March and can last about 1 month. The flowers have a rich, pure fragrance. Precious varieties include lotus, plum, narcissus and butterfly petal types in various colors. In terms of petal type, the famous varieties from Jiangsu and Zhejiang are the most typical.
2. Hui orchid (Cymbidium faberi): The roots of the Hui orchid are thick and long, and the leaves are narrow and strap-shaped, relatively rough and hard, grayish green, with obvious serrations along the leaf margins and a prominent midrib. The flowers have a strong fragrance that spreads far and lasts a long time. Flower colors include yellow, white, green, light red and multi-colored forms, mostly variegated flowers, and there are also plain flowers and butterfly flowers.
3. Sword-leaf orchid (Cymbidium ensifolium): The sword-leaf orchid includes summer orchids and autumn orchids that bloom in summer. It is robust and upright, with green leaves and abundant flowers, strong fragrance and beautiful blooms. It is not afraid of heat or cold, has strong vitality and is easy to cultivate. Different varieties have different blooming periods, and flowers can be seen from May to December.
4. Cold orchid (Cymbidium kanran): The leaves of the cold orchid are relatively slender and long, especially narrower at the leaf base. The leaf posture is elegant and unrestrained, fresh and green. There are large-leaf, medium-leaf, fine-leaf and edged varieties. Flower colors include yellow, green, purple-red and deep purple, generally with variegated veins and spots, and there are also pure flowers that are clean and flawless.
5. Ink orchid (Cymbidium sinense): The ink orchid is native to Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Yunnan, Taiwan, China, Hainan and other places in China. Orchid growers in various parts of southern China, especially Guangdong and Yunnan, most enjoy cultivating and viewing it. Its blooming period is from October to March of the following year.
6. Spring sword orchid (Cymbidium tortisepalum): The spring sword orchid was first treated as a variety of the Hui orchid, and later was established as an independent species. Flower colors include red, yellow, white, green, purple, black and multi-colored forms. It is bright and eye-catching, with a slender and graceful appearance and elegant charm, strong fragrance and pure scent, and is often the first choice favored by orchid growers.