Blue orchid: features of origin and nuances of caring for a unique flower. How did the blue phalaenopsis appear?

The blue orchid attracts attention at first sight, causing an irresistible desire to buy this exotic miracle. But not every buyer knows that its unusual beauty is extremely short-lived, and the next flowering will not delight you with its unusual shade.

Unfortunately, we have to disappoint you: under natural conditions, orchids simply do not have the gene responsible for the blue pigment. Therefore, there is no need to doubt whether your blue orchid is painted or not. Definitely painted. True, this statement is true only for phalaenopsis.
By choosing a vanda flower, you will be able to enjoy your favorite color, but such a crop requires more careful care. You can choose a less whimsical option - cattleya, characterized by a variety of colors and large flowers.

And yet, natural shades are much inferior in brightness to the rich indigo that painted orchids flaunt.

Video “Basic principles of proper orchid care”

From this video you will learn how to properly care for an orchid at home.

How to achieve the desired color

Most flower growers do not hide the fact that the color of the flower is obtained artificially, but they try to keep the dyeing technology a secret. But upon careful examination of the plant, this mystery is easy to unravel: at the base of the peduncle you can see the place where the dye is introduced, which changes the color of future buds even before they bloom.

The high cost of blue orchids is due to the fact that not all plants survive such injections: many of them die, reacting poorly to outside interference.

When purchasing such a plant, carefully study the label, and be prepared for the fact that the next flower stalk will give you ordinary white flowers in order to avoid bitter disappointments. But snow-white orchids are incredibly beautiful, aren’t they?

Difficulties of growing

So, we remember that next time we can count on, at best, bluish flowers, or even completely snow-white ones. But if we want to keep the plant, which has already experienced stress, healthy, we will have to carefully care for it.

When the last blue flower has wilted, remove the colored peduncle and allow the orchid to rest for a while in a moderately warm room (temperature +20...+22 °C) with diffused lighting. A resting orchid should be watered regularly, but rarely, focusing on the condition of the substrate. The latter should have time to dry completely before the next watering.
We water using the immersion method, lowering the pot with the plant into a container of water for at least 1 hour. After this, carefully drain the remaining water so that it does not linger between the roots (otherwise the process of rotting of the root system may begin). During the dormant period, you should refrain from applying fertilizers - the crop should recover on its own after flowering.

As soon as you notice that the orchid looks strong and healthy, and is even trying to knock out new leaves, this means that the rest period has come to an end. Now you can gradually apply fertilizing and think about re-flowering. We move the orchid to a room where there will be a more varied air temperature: about +22 °C during the day and +18 °C at night. Such temperature fluctuations stimulate the formation of new buds.

Some people prefer to place the flower on a glassed-in loggia for a certain time in order to achieve the desired effect. But in this case, it is necessary to ensure that the temperature does not fall below +15 °C, since such hypothermia is fraught with serious problems for the plant.

Sometimes amateur gardeners are interested in the question of how to paint an orchid blue at home. It would seem that everything is simple: we take a regular syringe and blue ink from a color printer, and inject the orchid into the peduncle, rubbing our hands in anticipation of the appearance of blue buds.

Of course, you can decide to do such an experiment, but only if you are quite tired of your orchid and want to get rid of it. After such an injection, not only the peduncle will die, but also, with a high degree of probability, the entire plant. Therefore, you should not take risks and still buy a blue orchid in a store if you like it so much.

Orchids are considered one of the most beautiful flowers on Earth and are popular among gardeners in all countries. This is not surprising: the bizarre shape of the petals, size and relatively rapid growth sets them apart from thousands of other plants. But the most unusual among them is, of course, the blue or blue orchid.

A number of sources claim that blue orchids do not exist in nature. This myth arose due to the huge mass of fakes. Unscrupulous sellers simply paint the corollas of flowers using special pigments, and then pass them off as a blue wonder. So the flower will begin to turn blue and become a “blue” orchid.

Painted phalaenopsis is determined by pigment residues on other parts of the flower

Royal phalaenopsis - plants from the Orchid family, native to Southeast Asia, with white, purple or pale pink flowers - are subject to similar manipulations.

To recognize "painted phalaenopsis", look at other parts of the plant: They leave traces of blue pigment on them, so don't buy a fake one.

Only in 2011 did true blue phalaenopsis appear - Phalaenopsis Royal Blue, which are grown in Florida and Holland. The Dutch company Geest Orchideeen has grown several varieties of phalaenopsis in different shades of blue, with purple and even green shades.

Appearance, flowering and reproduction

Phalaenopsis are epiphytic plants that live on tree branches and feed on aerial roots. The leaves are elongated, belt-shaped or lanceolate, bright green, shiny and fleshy. The leaves are arranged in two rows, like many other orchids. Phalaenopsis have short stems, but peduncle can reach a meter and even one and a half meters.

These plants do not have any clear flowering schedule, since they live in tropical forests.

Flowering most often occurs in late spring, because there is more sunlight during this time.

Orchids reproduce vegetatively. To do this, use side shoots that extend from the rosette of leaves or from the peduncle. You need to wait for the first aerial roots to form on the side shoot - and you can plant it in its own pot.

Caring for blue phalaenopsis

Caring for blue phalaenopsis is not much different from caring for other orchids. The main conditions for the well-being of this plant are: humidity, good lighting and warmth.

The right choice of lighting and microclimate guarantee the health of phalaenopsis

Humidity

Humidity achieved by frequently “washing” the plant with a spray bottle. The water for this procedure should not be very cold, preferably if its temperature is 18-20 degrees. To ensure that the plant receives more light, place it on south, southwest or southeast windows.

At midday in summer in clear weather, it is better to shade the plant to avoid burns. The temperature during the day should be about 20 degrees. If the temperature is more than 25 or less than 15, plant growth slows down, problems with flowering and diseases are possible.

Temperature

These plants do not like large temperature changes; the difference between night and day temperatures should not exceed 2-3 degrees (except for those cases when the plant needs a “shake-up”, but more on that below). With strong temperature changes (more than 5 degrees), rot may appear.

Ideally temperature must be the same regardless of the season.

How to water

Water the orchid once a week, immersing the pot and the hole at the bottom in water for 10 minutes. When flowering, watering should be done more often - 2 times a week. All Orchids do not like hard water, so if possible use melt or rain.

Watering blue phalaenopsis using the immersion method

To fertilize or not

The plant “eats” a lot of minerals, so fertilizing should be done at least 2-3 times a month in the warm season. In autumn, the concentration of fertilizers is reduced by half, and in winter they also reduce the frequency of feeding to once a month. It is important that fertilizing is carried out not only along the root system, but also along the leaves.

Use special fertilizers for orchids.

Salts used for feeding will accumulate in the substrate. That's why it needs to be washed with warm water 1 time per month.

Flowerpot

The aerial roots of orchids can photosynthesize, so a transparent plastic pot is better suited for these plants, or if there is no completely transparent one, a white one.

A transparent pot is important for orchid photosynthesis

Transplanting a blue orchid

Orchids are being replanted once every 3-4 years, as the substrate is destroyed. Immediately after transplantation, it is recommended to use Zircon, a preparation for orchids that promotes the development of the root system.

The plant is replanted as follows:

Remove it together with the lump of substrate from the pot (if it cannot be removed, cut the pot);
Wash the roots with warm water to remove any remaining substrate;
Trim off rotten roots, if they are;
Place the orchid in a pot and covered with substrate.

Blue orchids are susceptible to the following diseases:

Damage by ticks	Spider mites are capable of attacking leaves and shoots, entwining them with a thin web and causing some of the living tissue to dry out (the plant becomes covered with small dry brown areas).
Chervets(small, a few millimeters, white caterpillar-like animal)	Confidor, Mospilan, Biotlin and other remedies help against them. An effective folk remedy is a mixture of soapy water and alcohol (liter of water, 15 grams of soap, 10 ml of alcohol)
Rot	Can usually hit roots or stems. Brown spots cover the plant, after which the rotten part dries out and dies. Here the reason is high humidity or an incorrectly selected substrate. Do not water the plant so often, change the substrate. The best substrate is dry pine bark or a special store-bought mixture for orchids

A plant affected by mites can be easily diagnosed by characteristic leaf damage.

If it doesn't bloom

Blue orchids do not bloom mainly due to lack of light. Drafts that lead to unusual temperature changes for Orchids, a lack of minerals, and elevated temperatures may also be the cause.

First of all, look at exactly which of the listed factors affect the plant. If there is a lack of light, move the plant to a south window, or use additional lighting (a 100 W fluorescent light bulb is suitable).

Place the light bulb at such a distance that the heat from it is not felt. General The length of daylight for an orchid should be about 12 hours, so it cannot be illuminated all night.

Sometimes it is useful to give the plant a “shake-up”, allowing the temperature to drop at night to 15 degrees.

In case of drafts, it is better to move the orchid to another room., if there is a lack of minerals, use fertilizing more often.

Most blue orchids are fake. True blue varieties are grown in the Netherlands by Geest Orchideeën and in the USA by Silver Vase Farm. Caring for blue orchids is no different from caring for Phalaenopsis orchids.

Blue orchids have appeared on sale relatively recently. They quickly found their fans and instantly became extremely popular. The blue flowers of phalaenopsis amaze not only with their bright shades, but also with the unique color of the petals. However, not all orchid lovers know what the secret of the amazing colors of these exotic plants is.

Description of the variety and characteristics

The blue orchid is a rare tropical flower that can be found in India, China and Asia. In nature, their representatives are such varieties as Vanda and Cattleya. Under natural conditions, they grow on trees, clinging to their trunks with powerful roots.

The Vanda orchid is a rather capricious plant. At home, it is grown in special flowerpots or glass vases. The orchid blooms for 2-3 months in spring and summer. The petals have a variety of shades: from blue to dark purple. Flowers reach a diameter of 9 cm. There are specimens with a strong aroma. Leathery dark green leaves are located on a cylindrical stem.

Vanda orchid prefers intense light. Therefore, it is grown on a southern window, shading it from the scorching rays of the sun. Thanks to Wanda, many hybrids with purple flowers were bred. All of them are characterized by large buds, long leaves, strong aerial roots and thick stems. The inflorescence can have up to 10-12 buds. Royal orchid hybrids feel great at home.

A distinctive feature of the Cattleya orchid is its large, fragrant flowers. The palette of shades of its petals varies from dark red to bright purple. Along with last year's flower stalks, Cattleya forms new ones, growing in width. At the same time, pseudobulbs appear on the plant, in which nutrients and moisture accumulate. The orchid blooms for one month in the autumn-winter period.

Is phalaenopsis blue?

Many people wonder if there are blue Phalaenopsis orchids. Often, owners of an unusual plant with blue flowers are faced with the fact that during the next budding they lose the richness of their shade and become pale blue or completely white. This phenomenon is due to the fact that phalaenopsis are painted blue with special dyes.

Not all flower shops hide the fact that plants are dyed. Labels with appropriate warnings are placed on orchids. But most often, information about flower coloring is hidden from the buyer. Subsequently, the happy owner of the strange plant remains disappointed.

Among the Phalaenopsis orchids there are no specimens with natural blue flowers. The desired shade is obtained by introducing the dye into the plant tissue. Specimens with white flowers are subjected to such experiments, due to which the coloring is uniform. Gradually the dye is washed out, and the buds acquire their original color.

Coloring phalaenopsis blue is done in two ways:

Ink is injected into the peduncle, roots or leaves.
The plant is watered with water, after adding chemical dyes to it.

The second method of painting is considered more dangerous due to the toxic effect of paint on the root system. Chemicals used to change the natural color of the petals cause significant harm to the plant. After such experiments, the orchid will most likely die.

On a note!

Dyes do not always penetrate directly into the petals. Depending on the place where the chemical is introduced, not only flower stalks with buds, but also leaves and roots can be stained.

Flower sellers specially give the buds an unusual shade. Thus, they sell an ordinary orchid under the guise of Phalaenopsis Royal Blue for triple the price.

Is phalaenopsis purple?

Purple phalaenopsis includes a palette of shades from bright pink to purple. Some specimens may have a uniform color of buds, while others may have petals with an unusual pattern in the form of dots, stripes and spots. The most striking specimens of phalaenopsis with purple flowers are the following species:

Schiller's phalaenopsis;
Phalaenopsis equina;
Phalaenopsis Luddemann.

Phalaenopsis “Elegant Debora”, “Spider Beauty”, “Little Zebra” and others also attract attention with their unusual purple hue.

It is quite possible to purchase phalaenopsis with blue-violet buds, but not in flower shops. You can try to find a rare plant at exhibitions. Determining whether a specimen is real or fake is quite simple: you need to find out the genus of the orchid and inspect the plant for damage from injections.

Is there a blue phalaenopsis?

Real blue phalaenopsis are very rare on the shelves of flower shops. But it won’t be difficult to purchase an exotic plant with blue buds. In nature, there are specimens of phalaenopsis with flowers of light blue, lilac, gray-blue or pink-blue color. In most cases, these are hybrids or species plants with small buds. Phalaenopsis blooms continuously for six months. The saturation of the shades of the petals may be different. The flower exudes a faint pleasant aroma.

Of the orchids in nature, the buds of the Vanda orchid have a blue color. But it is quite difficult to buy it. Experienced flower growers know that phalaenopsis lacks blue pigment. The lilac shade of the buds is considered as close as possible to blue. The desired color is obtained using artificial dyeing. When buying such a tropical plant, you need to remember that it will soon cease to be an unusual specimen in the collection. Gradually the blue color will fade until the petals turn white.

The history of blue orchids

The world saw the blue orchid for the first time in 2011 at an exhibition of exotic plants in Florida. Phalaenopsis blue Mystigue was created by the Silver Vase orchid farm. Three months later, at the FloraHolland flower growing competition in Holland, the nursery “Geest Orchideeen” presented another specimen of orchids with blue flowers - Phalaenopsis Royal Blue. The creator of the unusual plant received an award in the Sales Concept category.

Manufacturers of blue phalaenopsis do not hide the fact that the shades of the petals are not natural and that the next flowers will be white. Patented technology is used during dyeing. Its details are not disclosed to the general public. The technique is that the flower is immersed in a special liquid, which consists of natural ingredients. Therefore, the procedure is absolutely harmless to the plant.

In 2013, at the Orchid Conference in Okinawa, Japanese breeders demonstrated the result of many years of experiments - a new variety of Phalaenopsis orchids with bright blue flowers. For the experiments, we used the white Aphrodite orchid, into which the Asian Commelina gene was introduced, which is responsible for the production of blue pigment. Phalaenopsis does not have this gene. The new plant species is called "Phalaenopsis Royal Blue". The orchid's buds are small, but the blooms are abundant. However, this miracle of genetic engineering will not soon become available to amateur flower growers.

Olga

My first encounter with blue phalaenopsis was in a flower shop. A month after the purchase, the plant began to dry out, and only then did I notice traces of injections on the peduncle. Phalaenopsis was saved. It did not bloom for a long time, and then white buds began to form on the stem. The original specimen has turned into an ordinary orchid.

Evgeniya

I bought the orchid because of the unusual dark blue hue of the buds. Later I learned that phalaenopsis are specially painted blue. Having examined the plant, I found an injection hole on the stem. The dye spread to the leaves, which gradually began to die. I became convinced that all the blue phalaenopsis were weakened and needed urgent help. The plant survived and pleased with delicate white flowers, which I like better than blue ones.

Vdalimir

At the next flower exhibition I bought a phalaenopsis with light blue buds. I have been growing orchids for a long time and I know that before purchasing they need to be inspected. Having found no traces of injections, I purchased an unusual plant. Although phalaenopsis has small flowers, the color is natural. Small buds form lush inflorescences, the contemplation of which brings a lot of pleasure.

Rules for caring for blue phalaenopsis

The problem is that unscrupulous sellers, trying to make extra money, paint the plant themselves. They pass off ordinary white orchids as blue phalaenopsis and sell them at a higher price. Often blue phalaenopsis dies due to poisoning by chemicals contained in the paint. Such a plant needs special care to keep it healthy and unharmed.

How to water a blue orchid

Watering orchids is closely related to the light intensity and air temperature in the room. In caring for tropical plants, the correct ratio of lighting and watering is of great importance. When growing phalaenopsis in bright light conditions, moisten the soil once every 8-10 days. It is necessary to monitor the condition of the substrate and prevent it from overdrying.

To get a good harvest, you need to use high-quality seeds. The most productive varieties can be ordered on the official website "Gardens of Russia". Large selection of varieties for every taste.

On a note!

In cloudy weather, the plant consumes less liquid. Watering can be delayed to prevent waterlogging of the soil, which can provoke the development of diseases and the appearance of pests.

The water used to moisten the soil should be warm. The best way to water is to use a hot shower. In order not to damage the fragile roots and leaves of the orchid, the pressure should be made diffuse and weak. After this procedure, the plant must be dried with paper napkins, because Stagnation of fluid in the leaf axils can lead to rotting. A hot shower promotes the active growth of phalaenopsis, awakens it from a dormant state, and stimulates flowering.

Watering can be done by immersing the flowerpot with the plant in a container of water. It takes 30-40 minutes to saturate the substrate with moisture. Do not water phalaenopsis with tap water. Pressure can erode the top layer of soil, causing the roots to be exposed. Watering orchids with cold water causes the roots to die.

Care after purchase

The purchased plant must be carefully examined. If injection marks are on the peduncle, the phalaenopsis will most likely survive. And if the paint was introduced through the roots or trunk, the orchid may die. After dyeing, the flower is in a state of stress. Therefore, it is so important to provide him with optimal conditions and proper care. In this case, it is necessary to monitor the general condition of the plant.

It is not recommended to replant the plant immediately after purchase. Blue phalaenopsis is placed on the south window, providing it with diffused lighting. To prolong flowering, additional lighting is provided to the orchid in winter. Fluorescent lamps are used for illumination.

The air temperature in the room where the flower is grown should be +25-30°C. Place containers of water or an artificial fountain near the phalaenopsis to provide the necessary air humidity. Its indicators must be at least 70%. If the room is hot, the plant must be sprayed. It is not recommended to grow this tropical plant on a cold windowsill.

If the condition of the plant remains satisfactory, continue to care for it like other orchids. And if the phalaenopsis begins to drop buds, you need to carefully examine the roots and peduncle. The damaged stem is removed to prevent chemicals from getting into the roots and leaves. It is recommended to remove the plant from the pot and rinse the root system with water.

If there are pricks on the roots with traces of rot, it is necessary to urgently take the following measures:

cut off the affected areas with a sharp knife;
a severely damaged root must be removed at the base;
Sprinkle the cuts with ash or crushed coal.

If dyes spread to the root system, the phalaenopsis is transplanted into a new substrate. With proper care, the plant will soon be covered in its magnificent white “butterfly” colors.

You should not try to return the blue tint to the flowers by watering the phalaenopsis with blue or ink. This way you can completely destroy the plant.

Phalaenopsis with bright blue buds is just a successful marketing ploy, and not the result of the work of breeders. This species has no analogues of blue flowers in nature. The unusual color is obtained as a result of the use of special dyes. Whatever the color of the phalaenopsis, proper care and care will make it a wonderful decoration for any home.

Orchids with amazing blue flowers are currently very popular. Looking at them, you experience approximately the same feelings as if you were looking at a bright, clear spring sky or a tropical sea. It is not for nothing that the color blue symbolizes enlightenment, eternity, and spirituality. And the bird of happiness has the same color.

Blue orchids are grown in limited quantities because the process of coloring them is not simple, and it is quite difficult to obtain uniformly colored flowers from the plant.

. The material for creating blue specimens is a white phalaenopsis orchid.

The idea for growing an artificially colored blue orchid was the Blue Vanda orchid (Vanda coerulea Lindl) with exotic flowers of purple and blue colors, growing in Thailand, China, Burma and the northeastern part of India.

The phalaenopsis orchid acquires its unusual blue color under the influence of special dyes that can depress it, so it requires special care.

It is not recommended to replant the miracle orchid after purchase, since it may not tolerate new stress. It is best to place a blue orchid with a store pot in a beautiful ceramic vessel with pebbles at the bottom. If you are lucky enough to find a vessel of a soft blue color, then as a result you will receive an original solid composition.

In order for the orchid to please its owners for a long time, it is necessary to adhere to the following rules of care:

An orchid requires bright, diffused light and a certain temperature regime. The best place for the plant in winter is a window sill in the southern part of the room. Orchids require 10-15 hours of bright light, so in winter natural light is supplemented with backlighting. In summer, the most successful placement would be an east window. The optimal temperature for keeping an orchid in summer is +20 degrees, and in winter – +17. In this case, the air humidity should be high, for which the orchid leaves are sprayed from time to time.

Watering an orchid depends on the light intensity. In bright sunlight, the flower consumes more water, and on cloudy days, the amount of water absorbed is significantly reduced. In any case, the soil must be constantly moist. Water the plant with soft, slightly warm water. Orchids love to “take a shower.” When performing this procedure, it is necessary to monitor the water pressure - it should be diffuse and weak. In nature, orchids can easily withstand heavy tropical downpours, but in our case we are dealing with a plant grown in greenhouse conditions that requires careful watering. If the flower pot is in a vessel with pebbles, then the best option for watering the orchid is to keep the pebbles constantly moist. Thus, the roots of the plant are protected from rotting, and the air has sufficient humidity for the orchid.

The orchid does not tolerate stuffiness, so the room must be ventilated more often, even in winter. On a warm sunny day, the flower can be exposed to fresh air.

After the orchid has bloomed, cutting off its peduncle is not recommended. It may contain dormant buds, from which a new peduncle or baby will grow. And when you see buds on a new branch that are not blue, but white, do not rush to water the plant with blue or ink. This will cause the orchid to get sick and die. It’s better to let it bloom and admire the beautiful snow-white flowers.

If, after purchasing a blue orchid, its buds begin to fall off, this may mean that it has not coped with the effect of the dye on it.

the peduncle with harmful dyes is cut off completely;

the plant is removed from the pot, the remaining soil is removed and the roots are washed with warm water;

carefully check the roots and, if rotten areas are found, cut them off;

the sections are sprinkled with wood ash and dried;

then the orchid is planted in new soil. specially designed for growing orchids. You can buy it in flower shops or specialized departments of supermarkets. You cannot use the soil in which the “sick” orchid was located.

If brown spots appear on the leaves of the orchid, and they feel hard to the touch, then the cause is sunburn. In this case, the plant is shaded, but the damaged leaves are not removed. If the spots feel soft to the touch, it could be a fungal disease. In this case, damaged leaves are removed immediately.

Gray mold that appears on the leaves signals an error in care: spraying the plant at low room temperature. If the plant does not bloom. This means that it suffers from a lack of light.

By providing the blue orchid with proper care, you will have her as a real decoration for the window sills, even if she changes the color of her outfit from blue to white.

Orchids have always been famous for their original and unusual flowers. But the queen among them is the blue orchid. Such flowers appeared on sale relatively recently and many do not know whether they are real or painted. This article will answer this question.

Blue orchids, which are sold in flower shops, invariably attract attention with the unusual color of their flowers. Here the question naturally arises: “Are blue varieties of orchids painted or real?” The answer to this question may disappoint exotic lovers, since such a natural color of the buds of this type of flower does not exist in nature.

The fact is that orchids do not have a gene that is responsible for the blue color of their petals. Therefore, if there is a blue orchid in a flower shop, then you know that the plant has been painted.

However, you can find flowers that have a blue-lilac color to their buds. In nature, the closest color to blue is found in representatives of the Vanda genus, which includes approximately 60 species. These plants produce flowers whose petals have a lilac tint, diluted with light spots.

Vanda has many hybrid forms, as it crosses well with other varieties. The result is unusual petal colors. But when buying blue orchids of the Vanda genus, you need to understand that they are very capricious in terms of care and you will have to tinker with them.

In addition to representatives of the Vanda genus, the following varieties of orchids form blue flowers:

Cattleya orchid. If we compare it with Vanda, then this is a less demanding plant that will be much easier to grow at home. Plants form large flowers that smell pleasant and have different colors of their petals;
Phalaenopsis orchid. It is considered the most unpretentious indoor plant. The formation of small-sized buds is characteristic. Phalaenopsis does not produce the rich blue color that is characteristic of artificially colored flowers. A slight bluish tint will be more visible here. There are varieties whose flowers have a lilac or pink-blue tint.

For growing in an apartment or at home, Phalaenopsis is the best blue variety. Caring for it at home will be practically no different from flowers that have different petal colors. Apart from simple care and blue buds, the flower has practically no smell. Therefore, it is great for those for whom spicy scents are contraindicated.

As a result, we can conclude that in nature there are no varieties of orchids that have a rich blue color. But there are representatives of three genera whose buds have the desired shade. However, in terms of care, they will be somewhat more demanding than other representatives. You need to remember this when buying a flower for growing at home or as a gift.

Where did blue orchids come from?

For the first time in the world, blue orchids of the Phalaenopsis variety were presented at an exhibition of tropical plants, which took place in 2010 in Florida (USA). Such an unusual flower was obtained by the Silver Vase farm, which breeds orchids. Just three months later, Phalaenopsis Royal Blue appeared. The plant was demonstrated at the FloraHolland flower competition, which is held annually in Holland. Phalaenopsis Royal Blue was presented by the Dutch nursery “Geest Orchideeën”.

Today, manufacturers do not hide the fact that the blue orchid is not natural. After purchase, such flowers will bloom next time with white buds.

Plants are painted using a patented technology that is kept secret. However, producers of blue orchids note that to give the buds a blue color, they place the plants in a specially prepared environment. For its preparation, natural ingredients are used that do not cause any harm to the flower.

Thus, Phalaenopsis and the other blue-colored species are specially bred varieties by breeders. Therefore, to the question “do blue orchids exist or not in nature,” you know the exact answer. It's just a good marketing ploy.

Achievement of Japanese breeders

Despite the fact that several varieties of blue orchids had already been bred, breeders continued to work in this direction. After many years of experimentation, luck smiled on Japanese breeders. At an exhibition in Okinawa in 2013, the world's first Phalaenopsis orchid was presented, which had a truly rich blue hue. To get this color, scientists had to introduce the Asian Commelina gene into a white orchid of the Aphrodite variety. The introduced gene was responsible for the blue coloring of the petals, so the hybrid was able to bloom with buds of the required shade.

The new species of blue orchid is called "Royal Blue". The hybrid is characterized by small flowers that reach 5 cm in diameter. At the same time, abundant flowering is observed. Up to 30 flowers can form on one stem.

This transgenic orchid is an exclusive plant and cannot yet be found on sale.

How to save the blue miracle

Manufacturers can paint Phalaenopsis blue, but the average person does not have this option. Therefore, in order to preserve the purchased indoor flower, it is necessary to properly care for it. After all, if the care of the blue orchid was insufficient, the buds will quickly begin to crumble.

It is worth noting that, regardless of the efforts of the florist, it will not be possible to get blue inflorescences from the flower after purchase. The fact is that in the absence of periodic tinting, the blue tint will gradually fade and over time the orchid will begin to bloom with white flowers.

The worst outcome would be the death of the plant due to severe stress. To prevent this situation, you need to know how to care for the blue miracle at home. There are several rules here, the implementation of which guarantees the health of the flower.

After the plant has been brought into the house, its buds may begin to fall off. In this case, you should pay attention to the roots of the orchid. If the paint was injected into the roots, then it will no longer be possible to help such a flower. If the coloring composition was introduced directly into the peduncle, then the chances of salvation remain high.

To revive a colored Phalaenopsis, you need to cut off the stem, which is full of dye. After this we perform the following steps:

remove the flower from the pot. You need to act carefully so as not to damage the root system;
After this, the orchid roots should be rinsed well in warm water. At this stage, it is easy to check each root for any puncture marks. If the paint is injected through the roots, then at the site of its introduction, areas with rotting or simply bluish areas will form;
all damaged areas should be cut off;
Next, the cut areas should be sprinkled with cinnamon or ash. They should dry well;
After this, the plant can be placed in a flower pot. It is worth noting that a new substrate must be filled in the pot. It can be purchased at any flower shop.

The substrate in which the flower was previously must be thrown away. It cannot be reused, as it contains a large number of chemically active substances and harmful components.

Such problems arise when sellers dye the flowers themselves, passing them off as Phalaenopsis Royal Blue. The price for such specimens is usually three times higher than for other orchids with a blue tint.

In this case, the risk of the plant dying after purchase is very high. After all, the dyeing technology was not followed, and toxic substances could act as a dye (for example, blue ink from a regular ballpoint pen). Typically, the dye is introduced into the plant through injections into the root, stem or peduncle. This procedure leads to a significant weakening of the flower, acting as stress for it.

Therefore, when purchasing a blue orchid at a flower shop, you need to very carefully examine its roots, stems and peduncles. If paint injection sites are found, then such a plant should not be purchased. It will die very quickly anyway.

Some sellers achieve a blue tint by watering the flower with blue-tinted water. In this case, not only the buds, but also the roots and leaves will get a blue tint. Although this is a more gentle coloring method, it is still stressful for the plant. Therefore, you should not try to get a blue orchid on your own at home by pouring dyes on it.

Now you know whether there are blue varieties of orchids in nature, and also how to follow them at home in order to preserve such a miracle for as long as possible.

Video “The Secret of the Blue Orchid”

From this video you will learn whether blue orchids exist in nature.