The main question: how does an orchid develop a peduncle?

The development of a peduncle on an orchid is an important stage for the plant . And sometimes a gardener can wait a long time for its appearance, but from the moment the buds of a tropical plant open, all the care it takes pays off with interest.

But if the care is not organized correctly and the basic rules are not followed,
you may not get a flower arrow .
Therefore, if it is absent for a long period, you need to review the rules of care and find the mistake in order to correct it and give the flower everything it needs. Let's find out in more detail below how an orchid develops a peduncle.

How many flower stalks can there be?

Why do orchid leaves wither: reasons and methods of dealing with them

The plant does not produce more than 3 flower stems. Usually there is 1 shoot with blooming flowers. The age of the crop and the presence of 8-10 leaves in the rosette are conditions when 2 or 3 peduncles are formed, causing stress in the orchid. Often active flowering is accompanied by a weak crop. The creation of suitable conditions by experienced florists causes the appearance of 2 flower stalks on the orchid.

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Peduncles on an orchid

How to renew a house?

It is possible to increase the flowering time of phalaenopsis by providing it with the following conditions:

1. sufficient lighting;
2. the difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures is +5 °C;
3. timely application of special fertilizers for orchids containing phosphorus and potassium, use of fertilizers every fourth watering;
4. avoiding overmoistening of the growing point.

To stimulate re-blooming, experts recommend cutting off the peduncle above the fourth knee, and then periodically spraying it with warm water.

It should be remembered that repeated flowering depletes the orchid.

What it is?

Definition

Peduncle is a shoot that arises between the rosettes of leaves. The new shoot, from the very beginning, has the rudiments of buds that look like scales. Over time, the new growth with buds will develop into a strong stem with several dozen buds. It tends upward and resembles a spike in the arrangement of flowers on it.

What it looks like: description and photo

The peduncle is a stalk that is rough to the touch, with small mounds (at the site of bud formation), and sharp at the end. It arises either from the axils of the leaves, or on an old, trimmed, faded stem, from a waiting bud. In this case, the shoot grows sideways and will not have such abundant flowering as a fresh peduncle.

How to distinguish from the root and other parts?

Inexperienced breeders often confuse the peduncle with fresh roots or babies. An orchid is an epiphyte that has aerial roots that resemble small green worms in diameter, which is why they are so easy to confuse with a peduncle. The spine is smooth and rounded at the end, which distinguishes it from the arrow. The baby, when formed, changes shape and becomes like a boat and emerges from the root zone, and not from the leaf sinus.

Phalaenopsis orchid propagation

In nature, a flower reproduces by dispersing seeds or producing young shoots, which most often appear at the end of flowering. But at home, this method is unacceptable because the process is too complex and time-consuming. Thus, Phalaenopsis is grown only in special greenhouses.

An adult, overgrown plant can be divided into several parts, cutting off the rosette so as to cut off the top with a pair of roots and leave a “stump” with the remains of the root system, from which children will later appear - lateral buds. Grown-up children must be carefully separated from the mother's base. But the main danger of this method is that the “stump” itself can dry out and dry out the bud. You can separate the sprout if it has its own roots and several leaves.

Orchid propagation

Basic rules of vegetative propagation:

• Phalaenopsis must be overgrown, have at least four large leaves and strong roots;
• before propagation, the orchid must receive sufficient nutrition, light and water;
• the plant should have a faded peduncle no more than one and a half years old, which is cut back to the dormant upper bud;
• cutting tools must be sterile.

The best time to carry out the propagation procedure by dividing the plant is considered to be the period from the second half of February to the beginning of summer. Sometimes, to start the baby’s development mechanism, you need to “wake up” the kidney. To do this, you need to carefully open the protective scales and treat them with hormonal cytokinin paste. There is another way to “wake up” a bud: apply damp sphagnum peat moss to it and wrap it with polyethylene to create a microgreenhouse.

Reproduction by peduncle

And the simplest way is to cut off the peduncle after flowering and place it in water with diluted fertilizer. You need to place it so that the sun's rays fall on it.

It will also be interesting: Phalaenopsis Orchid - care at home after purchasing in a store?

Where does it grow from?

The development of the flower stalk occurs from the axil of the orchid leaflet. Sometimes she looks out from the growth point. Other shoots that appear from the stem and other zones (root areas) are either children or roots. The arrow occurs when re-blooming from a dormant bud of an old shoot. It grows away from the main stem and is characterized by weak bud formation.

The rapid development of the peduncle confirms the correctness of care. Sometimes the arrow slows down its development, and then turns yellow and dries up. The reason is insufficient supply of light and nutrition to the orchid.

Attention! Lighting, watering and fertilizer in sufficient quantities contribute to the formation of shoots at the required pace. The flowers that bloom on it reach their maximum size.

Beginners are interested in how an orchid produces a peduncle and how long it takes for a new stem to grow. Orchids bloom at different times in relation to their age. It is unlikely that a peduncle will appear from a young rosette. Some individuals bloom in the third year, while other specimens bloom at an older age.

The duration of flowering depends on the species. Some varieties bloom all year round, despite seasonality. Others within a certain period:

• Phalaenopsis blooms all year round if the plant is properly cared for;
• Cymbidium - from October to the end of winter;
• Dendrobium blooms from mid-autumn until January.

Growing an orchid is determined by following the rules of care - untimely watering causes the flowers to dry out, along with the arrow. Lack of nutrients affects the length of the shoot. Peduncles develop well in diffused sunlight and high humidity. When buds form, feeding is stopped, otherwise the decorative period of the flower is reduced.

Possible problems

There are cases when the peduncle grows for a long time, it develops incorrectly or is absent altogether. How to solve the problem, what measures to take in such cases?

Emergence from the growth point

In mature or old plants, after numerous flowerings, a flower branch may grow from the growing point. In young animals, this phenomenon is a consequence of stress.

In this case, you don't need to do anything. You should wait until the flower adapts after stress; all that remains is to observe and take care of it in time. Such an arrow can still form buds and bloom for a long time.

The flower arrow is broken

If the stem is accidentally touched and it breaks, there is no need to be upset. Cut off the flower shoot next to the nearest bud at the fracture site. The cut area is treated with cinnamon or charcoal. Soon a young shoot forms from the bud.

Advice!

You should not try to wrap a bandage or other material around the fracture site in the hope that the stem will heal. On an orchid, the arrow may soon dry up.

No stem at all

If the flower is “lazy” and has not thrown out an arrow for a long time, then you can hurry it up with the shoot. A slight shake will help force the phalaenopsis to release the arrow. Flower growers provoke the appearance of a peduncle in a resting orchid for more than a year.

Actions:

• move the orchid to a shaded place;
• reduce the amount of watering, but avoid drought;
• at night, lower the air temperature by 5 degrees, open the window briefly, but without drafts;
• shaking is carried out for about a week, then the pot is placed in the usual environment for the flower.

Stuck in development

It happens that the arrow has grown, released several buds, and then stopped growing and new buds do not appear. Why did this happen and what to do in this situation.

What to do:

• inspect the plant, make sure there is no disease, rot, or insects;
• does the beauty have enough of everything - light, watering, humidity, fertilizers;
• if after treatment the stem does not begin to grow, then you need to wait until the phalaenopsis wakes up and continues to grow.

Main differences

Signs by which the primordia of flower shoots and roots are distinguished:

The peduncle is pointed and directed upward. The tip of the spine is rounded and points down.

What to do after flowering?

It will be clear to leave or remove the peduncle after inspection:

1. If the stem is dry, cut it off at the base.
2. A green peduncle, but with a dried growth point, we trim it, a little above the first living bud.
3. Leave the green peduncle, without signs of drying out, unchanged. After a period of dormancy, flowering buds will appear on it again.

Growing a beautiful and healthy flower stalk is not difficult. You need to know the basic rules of care, inspect it daily and act quickly if problems arise. If you have an irresistible desire to decorate your home with an orchid, it is better to choose phalaenopsis. This is an unpretentious species that causes less trouble for a beginner. By his appearance it is easy to understand when help is needed.

Experiment with its location in the house, and the orchid will joyfully respond to your care and thank you with riotous flowering, several flower stalks at once. After the first success, you will definitely have a desire to purchase new orchid specimens, other colors and shapes, because it is even more interesting to grow more exotic species.

Orchid care

Contrary to popular belief, an orchid does not require any complicated care, but certain principles for maintaining this culture should be adhered to.

First of all, you need to monitor the air humidity - it should not be lower than 65%. In addition, you need to take into account the lighting; it should not be made direct. The best light is diffused. But there is no need to shade the place of growth, otherwise you risk not seeing the flowers at all.

Before she put out a flower stalk

In order for the plant to develop well and begin to bloom, a number of conditions must be created for the flower, in addition to certain humidity and temperature:

• in winter, when daylight hours are shortened, the crop needs lighting;
• try not to move the pot often, this is always stressful for the flower;
• use fertilizer containing phosphorus and calcium, but it is better to exclude nitrogen during flowering;
• abundant and frequent watering of the plant does not stimulate the appearance of a peduncle, but it can quickly cause rotting of the roots;
• It’s best to just make sure that the substrate is a little damp all the time;
• If necessary, you can use a special humidifier, but not an air conditioner.

IMPORTANT! To stimulate flowering, you can slightly lower the room temperature or move the plant to a cool place. You can reduce watering a little. Flower growers call this stimulation method the creation of artificial stress

Sometimes it helps. Too comfortable conditions pamper the orchid, it does not need to form seeds, it is already good

Florists call this method of stimulation the creation of artificial stress. Sometimes it helps. Too comfortable conditions pamper the orchid, it does not need to form seeds, it feels good as it is.

After his appearance

The very appearance of a peduncle does not guarantee the formation of buds. You should continue to care for the plant:

• Once again, make sure that your green pet is not exposed to direct sunlight; in the summer this can cause burns;
• in winter, to maintain humidity, you can place a flower pot in a container with water, at the bottom of which lay expanded clay to improve the evaporation process;
• Lack of light can cause buds to drop. In the autumn-winter period, be sure to use lighting;
• abundant watering is not needed, once a week is enough;
• Feeding during this period is absolutely necessary; it is advisable to apply a special liquid fertilizer intended for orchids twice a month.

After flowering, the peduncle usually dries out; it is recommended to trim it. If it remains green at the base, pruning should be done only to this point.

Time and place of appearance

A stem appears on which the flowers will grow, in the axils of the leaf blades. The axil is the angle between the stem and the leaf. This is where the flower bud is formed.

The most favorable season for the growth of new shoots is autumn. New leaves usually appear in summer.

The period from the beginning of the growth of the peduncle to the opening of the buds takes about two months. The duration of growth is affected by light: the more light, the faster the growth process will progress.

Note that the side stem forms much faster: beautiful flowers will bloom within a month and a half, and in some cases even after a month.

Basic Rules

You must know the basic rules of pruning in order to minimize injury to the plant.

First you need to pay attention to the selection of devices that you cannot do without. These include:

1. Garden pruning shears are the best option, as they do not injure the stem when pruning. You can replace it with sharp scissors or a knife, but you need to act carefully.
2. Alcohol or other disinfectant (you can use bleach or the boiling method). They need to treat the tool before cutting.

Next you need to determine the cut point:

1. If it is a peduncle (peduncle), then you need to trim it above the dormant bud at a height of one or two centimeters. Moreover, the closer the bud is to the leaf rosette, the more flowers will be formed on the later lateral shoot. However, re-blooming should be expected no earlier than two to three months after pruning.
2. If it is an aerial root (rotten or completely rotten, frozen, dry, dying), then pruning is done to include one or two centimeters of healthy tissue. Remember that in this case you will also need to transplant the plant into a suitable pot with fresh substrate.
3. If it is a leaf (dry, diseased, frozen, yellowed, swollen, etc.), then pruning is done so as to capture about two centimeters of healthy tissue.

Next, you need to process the cut area. Crushed activated carbon, ground cinnamon, brilliant green or iodine are suitable for this. Any of these products is an excellent antiseptic that disinfects. Then the treated cut area must be dried for at least twenty minutes.

Height

How quickly does it increase in size?

Growth depends on the following factors:

• From the view. The growth of the flower arrow in a regular phalaenopsis takes about 2 months, and in a hybrid it increases by 30 days. This is the time from the appearance of the embryo to the adult stem with buds.
• From the conditions of detention. They must correspond to the indicators indicated above.
• On the number of flower stalks on the plant. If he is alone, then development proceeds faster than when there are several of them and he looks stronger and healthier.
• From its location. The lateral process goes through the growth phase faster (about 2 weeks earlier).

How many flower shoots are there usually?

A young plant usually shoots one arrow. A more mature flower, which has 6-8 leaves, is capable of developing two, rarely three peduncles.

A pair of flowering stems grown in our latitudes is a very good result. An excessive desire to force the plant to bloom more abundantly leads to its depletion and recovery time, which will require more time in the future.

Should I cut the arrow or not?

Before taking any action regarding the peduncle, evaluate its condition:

1. the brown and dried ones are cut off, leaving a small stump at the base;
2. a slowly drying peduncle, on which there are swollen buds, is cut 2–3 cm to the green part or the upper bud, in which case re-blooming will occur on the same shoot.

If the arrow does not dry out immediately, but swelling of the buds is not observed on it, there is no need to rush with pruning, since the orchid at this time is still receiving nutrients from the peduncle.

Why doesn't an orchid bloom for a long time? Why doesn’t an orchid bloom at home and what to do about it?

Growing orchids is inextricably linked with the anxious anticipation of their flowering. During this period, plants become unusually spectacular, revealing their exotic beauty to the fullest. However, it often happens that for one reason or another, capricious tropical flowers do not bloom. Sometimes the duration of “flower silence” is calculated in years. For what reasons may orchids not bloom at home, what needs to be done to correct the situation?

Why doesn't the orchid bloom?

Flowering time, its frequency and duration depend on the characteristics of the plant variety. Most varieties begin to form the first buds at the age of 1.5-3 years. To determine the age of an exotic plant, it is necessary to count the number of shoots in its rosette - for example, two-year-old plants have at least 5 of them. Orchids usually bloom once every 2-3 months. Proper care and care of the plant ensures its flowering 2-3 times a year. Experienced plant growers claim that if an exotic plant does not form flowers for more than a year, then this clearly indicates the presence of some kind of problem.

At the same time, plants that stubbornly do not bloom can feel quite at ease. They produce new leaves, roots grow, and even flower stalks form. However, the formation of buds on peduncles does not occur. It even happens that an orchid can release a peduncle, which dies very quickly. The main factors due to which orchids do not form buds and bloom are:

• natural causes;
• improper care.