Lelia

Lelia is a representative of the genus of the same name, belonging to one of the largest and oldest plant families - orchids. The plant is named after the ancient Greek female name Lelia. That was the name of one of the sisters of Zeus, the priestess of the goddess Vesta, who guards the sacred fire of the family hearth. It is believed that the flower is named after her.

All species of Laelias growing in natural conditions are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Lelia: description of the orchid

Lelia: photo of an orchid

Lelia is an epiphyte, that is, it grows or is permanently attached to other plants. And also, it belongs to the number of sympodial plants. Their development is characterized by the fact that when the plant shoot completes development and dies off, it gives life to a new, young shoot.

Today, the genus Lelia has 23 species. In its natural environment, the plant can be observed in the subtropical regions of Brazil, Mexico, as well as on numerous islands of the Caribbean Sea. Lelia is able to grow in lowland rain forests, in mountainous areas and even in places with very high degrees of solar radiation.

Depending on the species, the height of the plant can range from a couple of centimeters to half a meter. Lelia has pseudobulbs characteristic of orchids, cylindrical or slightly round in shape, which are a kind of repository of water and nutrients. Young airy tubers have a gray-green color and a smooth, glossy surface. Over time, the glossy shine disappears, and wrinkles appear on the surface of the pseudobulb. The leaves of the plant are dense and rather tough, cylindrical or rounded in shape, pointed at the tips.

Lelia: photo of an orchid

In our latitudes, various hybrids of cherries are quite popular, which are grown in greenhouses, botanical gardens and, of course, cultivated as indoor plants.

Indoor laelias bloom in the winter-spring period, which lasts from December to April. Peduncles are apical, not branched, forming one flower or raceme-like few-flowered inflorescences. The flowers themselves are quite large, reaching a diameter of 17-20 cm. The flower consists of three petals and three sepals of a similar color. Petals differ in size from sepals, they are slightly wider and have a wavy edge. The third petal is called the lip, it is solid or three-lobed, with a smooth or fringed edge.

Growing and caring for laelia

Lelia Orchid: photo

Lelia is a rather capricious plant, therefore, growing and caring for it requires some experience. Therefore, nevertheless, it is worth taking on the cultivation of laelia for those flower growers who already have a successful experience in cultivating plants of the orchid family, for example, orchids.

First of all, Laelia needs good lighting, since it is a very light-loving plant. If it is not possible to provide 10 hours of daylight hours, then artificial lighting must be used. Lighting for this plant is a rather important factor affecting the proper development and growth of pseudobulbs, the establishment of flower buds and, accordingly, long flowering.

The optimal temperature regime for growing laelia is characterized by a significant difference between day and night temperatures. During the day, the temperature in the room should be + 19 ... + 25 degrees, and at night from + 14 ... to +19 degrees. The minimum difference in daily temperatures is at least 5 degrees.Florists who practice orchid cultivation are advised to take plants outdoors for the period from May to September. Thus, both the observance of the temperature regime and the duration of daylight hours will be ensured. The maximum temperature that a plant can withstand, left in the summer heat in the open air, is + 32 degrees. For a dormant period, lelia is transferred to the room. As a rule, this period occurs in autumn and winter, but sometimes it happens at other times of the year. The fact that the dormant period has begun will be prompted by a young, developed pseudobulb and half-unfolded leaves. The formation of peduncles means that the dormant period has come to an end.

Experienced growers recommend growing cherries in pots filled with splinters of pine bark and sphagnum, as well as on blocks.

As a block for growing laelia, a piece of pine bark that has been previously cleaned of dirt and resin is suitable. The plant is fixed on a block, covering the roots with sphagnum, which will prevent them from drying out quickly, retaining moisture.

Lelia Orchid: photo

Watering the plants depends on how they are grown. I cherish what grows in a container, watered after the substrate dries. You can determine the level of its moisture by looking at the state of the bark, which is clearly visible through the transparent walls of the pot. If lelia grows on a block, then in the heat it is watered daily, and under normal conditions - once every two days. Water the plants only with filtered water at room temperature. Some gardeners recommend adding a few drops of citric acid or acetic acid to soften the water. Such additives should be added in very small quantities so that the water does not have a characteristic taste. Laelia is watered by immersing it in water, where it should be for about 20 minutes.

The plant needs a fairly high level of air humidity - from 70% to 85%. It is impossible to provide such a level even by very frequent spraying. For this reason, cherries are advised to grow in orchidariums, or use a humidifier.

A flower transplant is performed only when necessary. Such a need arises when traces of decay or acidification of the substrate are noticeable. And also, if the capacity simply does not hold the grown flower. It is advised to transplant during the formation and growth of young roots.

Top dressing is applied at least once every two weeks. As a fertilizer, you can use complexes of mineral nutrients that are suitable for feeding orchids. It should be borne in mind that when preparing a working solution, it is necessary to use half of the dose indicated on the package. Fertilizers are applied in various ways, alternating watering and spraying.

Of the breeding methods for laelia, only the vegetative method is suitable for indoor ground. At the same time, it is important that when dividing with rhizome, at least three pseudobulbs remain on each division.

Experts note that the plant is extremely rarely affected by diseases. Their cause, in most cases, is improper care, namely: weak and insufficient lighting; non-compliance with the temperature regime; incorrect and untimely watering; root injuries caused during planting or transplanting a plant.

Lelia Orchid: photo

Types of laelia

Indoor conditions, only a few types of laelia grow well and develop. However, there are already quite a few hybrids derived from these species.

Lelia double-edged

In nature, this species grows in Mexico, Guatemala in Honduras. This laelia is especially common in wet forests. By the way, in Mexico it has another name - "el toro", which means "bull". This name for such a delicate flower is probably due to the elongated and pointed sepals, reminiscent of the horns of a bull.

Laelia pseudobulbs are univalent, oval in shape, no more than 3 cm wide, and up to 10 cm high. Young stems are formed next to each other, at a distance of 3-4 cm.The length of the leaves varies from 10 to 20 cm, and their width is 4 cm. The peduncle can grow up to 1 m in length and produce up to five fairly large flowers. The petals and sepals have an elongated, slightly curved back shape. In size, the petals are slightly larger than the sepals; their length is 6-7 cm, while the sepals are literally one and a half centimeters less. Their width differs significantly, the sepals are almost twice as narrow as the petals. However, it is this combination of different shapes and sizes that makes this type of laelia very attractive. The third petal has lateral sides fused into a tube and a wavy edge bent towards the bottom. Laelia's petals are lavender and sepals are purple. The funnel and pharynx are yellowish with dark purple strokes.

Lelia Orchid: photo

Lelia Gulda

The homeland of this species is Mexico. However, today, you will not see it in natural conditions.

The pseudobulbs of the plant are spindle-shaped with weakly pronounced edges. Two-leaved, but there are also pseudobulbs with three leaves. Their width is no more than 3 cm, and their length is from 4 to 15 cm.The leaves are also rather narrow, no more than 3 cm wide, but at the same time they are quite long - up to 25 cm.The length of the peduncle can reach 40-80 cm. Usually, on it produces a minimum of three and a maximum of ten flowers, with a diameter of about 8 cm. Sepals are narrow, only a couple of centimeters wide, and no more than 6 cm long. The petals are diamond-shaped and have a wavy edge. Sepals and petals are dominated by lilac color, lighter or almost white towards the center of the flower and darker at the tips.

Lelia Orchid: photo

Lelia blushing

This is a fairly common species of laelia in South America. Pseudobulbs are oval, have a slightly flattened shape, univalent, less often double-leaved, from one and a half to three centimeters wide, and no more than seven centimeters high. Leaves are narrow, elliptical in shape and short in length - 10-15 cm, width - 3 cm. Peduncles are multi-flowered, their maximum length can be 80 cm. They form up to 15 medium-sized flowers, with a diameter of 3 to 7 cm. Sepals are belt-shaped with a pointed edge , from 2 to 5 cm long, and not more than 1 cm wide. The petals are diamond-shaped, slightly rounded, up to 4 cm long, up to 2 cm wide. Most often, the flowers are painted in light pink or purple in various tones. The throat is a deep purple color.

Lelia Orchid: photo

Lelia is magnificent

And another Mexican. This species is an endemic plant, which means that, except in Mexico, there is nowhere else to see it in natural conditions.

Lelia forms single-leaved or double-leaved pseudobulbs, small in height - about 5 cm, having an oval shape. The length of the leaves is small - 12-15 cm, width - up to 3 cm. The peduncle is short - 15-20 cm, with paired or single flowers, up to 15 cm in diameter. The petals are rounded, slightly diamond-shaped. Sepals, on the other hand, are elongated and narrow. The color of the Flowers is different - all shades of pink and lilac. In the line of this species there are also varieties that have an absolutely snow-white color.

Conclusion

It is extremely difficult to grow lelia and achieve its flowering without theoretical and practical training. However, nothing is impossible, if you apply strength and effort - the result will not be long in coming.

Lelia Orchid: video about the plant

Lelia: reviews of growing plants

• Kristina Vladimirovna, Leningrad region: “The Lelia Orchid has been growing with me for a very long time. Over the years of cultivation, I realized that it is better to grow Lelia in a transparent container that transmits light well. For these purposes, I use a pot designed for orchids, I think it is quite suitable. It is also good because it has rather large drainage holes, allowing air to reach the roots of Laelia in the required volume. "
• Ekaterina Maksimovna, Moscow region: “I have two types of laelia growing at once: blushing and magnificent. Both are very beautiful, but very whimsical to care for.Therefore, I would not recommend growing a Lelia orchid for novice gardeners. "