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Reference · Crops

Orchidaceae

Orchidaceae is one of the largest and most diverse families of monocot plants. In an agricultural context, the crop is valued for its high aesthetic value and use in industrial floriculture, as well as in the food industry, particularly the genus Vanilla.

Main sections

Helleborine36 Habenaria18 Malaxis13 Lepanthes10 Jewel Orchid9 Liparis9 Himantoglossum7 Hemipilia5 Hexalectris5 Laelia5 Isabelia4 Limodorum3 Ionopsis2 Isotria2 Jacquiniella2 Jumellea2 Lacaena2 Lockhartia2 Lycaste2 Lyroglossa2
514 sections

What the section contains

Habenaria Habenaria Willd. Habenaria Habenaria 18 items Hapalorchis Hapalorchis 1 item Heath spotted-orchid Dactylorhiza maculata Hebridean Marsh Orchid Dactylorhiza hebridensis Helleborine Epipactis Zinn 1 item Helleborine Epipactis 36 items Helleriella Helleriella 1 item Hemipilia Hemipilia 5 items Herminium Herminium 1 item Hetaeria Hetaeria 1 item Hexalectris Hexalectris 5 items Himalayan lady's slipper Cypripedium himalaicum Himantoglossum Himantoglossum 7 items Himantoglossum caprinum Himantoglossum caprinum Holcoglossum Holcoglossum 1 item Houlletia Houlletia 1 item Huntleya Huntleya Ionopsis Ionopsis Kunth Ionopsis Ionopsis 2 items Isabelia Isabelia 4 items Isochilus Isochilus 1 item Isotria Isotria 2 items Jacquiniella Jacquiniella 2 items Japanese lady's slipper Cypripedium japonicum Jewel Orchid Anoectochilus 9 items Jumellea Jumellea 2 items Kefersteinia Kefersteinia 1 item Kentucky lady's slipper Cypripedium kentuckiense Kerry spotted orchid Dactylorhiza kerryensis Koellensteinia Koellensteinia 1 item Lacaena Lacaena 2 items Lady Orchid Orchis purpurea Lady's slipper orchid Cypripedium L. Laelia Laelia Lindl. Laelia Laelia 5 items Lapland Marsh Orchid Dactylorhiza lapponica Large-flowered ladyslipper Cypripedium macranthos Leochilus Leochilus 1 item Lepanthes Lepanthes 10 items Lepanthopsis melanantha Lepanthopsis melanantha Leptotes Leptotes 1 item Limodorum Limodorum 3 items Liparis Liparis 9 items Lockhartia Lockhartia 2 items Long-spurred orchid Anacamptis longicornu Loose-flowered orchid Anacamptis laxiflora Loose-flowered orchid Anacamptis palustris Ludisia Ludisia A. Rich. 1 item Ludisia Ludisia Lycaste Lycaste Lindl. Lycaste Lycaste 2 items Lyroglossa Lyroglossa 2 items Macodes Macodes 1 item Macradenia Macradenia 2 items Madeira orchid Dactylorhiza foliosa Malaxis Malaxis 13 items Man Orchid Orchis anthropophora Marsh Orchid Dactylorhiza Masdevallia Masdevallia Ruiz & Pav.

Orchidaceae

The family has a nearly global distribution, except for permafrost zones and deserts. The primary diversity of species is concentrated in tropical and subtropical belts, where plants grow as epiphytes, lithophytes, or terrestrial forms.

Botanical features include the presence of specialized roots with velamen for moisture absorption from the air, symbiosis with mycorrhizal fungi, and a unique flower structure consisting of three sepals and three petals, one of which is modified into a labellum for pollination.

Agronomic requirements depend on the species, but common needs include high demand for diffused light, maintaining air humidity at 60-80%, and the use of specialized substrates based on coniferous bark, sphagnum, or coconut fiber to ensure root system aeration.

  • Regular irrigation with soft water without moisture stagnation.
  • Temperature regime control based on the species' origin.
  • Timely fertilization with specialized mineral fertilizers.
  • Infection prevention during high humidity conditions.

Major diseases include fusarium wilt, bacterial rot, and anthracnose caused by poor agronomic practices. Among the pests, spider mites, scale insects, mealybugs, and thrips are the most dangerous, requiring the application of systemic insecticides and acaricides to maintain the commercial quality of the produce.