The bird flower from the tropics belongs to the genus of orchids. Here's an explanation of how you should plant and care for birdflowers.
The bird flower can visually enhance garden beds as well as balconies and terraces with its magnificent blooms. Because the garden trade not only offers the original type of bird flower, which is by no means suitable for outdoor keeping, but rather a cultivated form that is far more robust. Partly also in the form of bulbs, which you then have to pre-cultivate in spring on a flower window.
However, originally imported plants are sometimes also offered for indoor keeping, which can be placed excellently in a conservatory, among other things. In principle, however, you should always observe the following planting and care tips for each bird flower species.
Planting Birdflowers
You should not place or plant the bird flowers, which grow up to 30 centimeters high, outdoors before the end of May (use potting soil). When planting, you should also note that the planting distance to other perennials is about 10 to 20 centimeters. A nice picture also emerges if you plant several birdflowers in the garden bed. The planting distance should then be about 5 to 10 centimeters.
Sometimes the bird flowers are only offered as small flower bulbs - these are about the size of an apple seed. You should place these onions in water for about 15 minutes from the beginning of March and then plant them with the tip upwards about 2 centimeters deep in a pot filled with potting soil. The germination time at room temperature is then about 5 weeks.
Of course, you can also plant the well-established birdflowers in tubs and also place them on balconies and terraces from May. The use of special orchid soil is very suitable for planting in tubs.
Important:
Birdflowers always need a wind-protected, partially shaded, but light-flooded location. East to south-east sides with morning sun are ideal.
In the period from the end of June to September they ignitetrue flower fireworks. The shape of the filigree-looking, white flowers resembles a bird, which is where the plant got its name from.
Care for bird flowers properly
» casting:
Birdflowers require minimal watering. However, you should keep the potting soil moist throughout.
» Fertilize:
During the outdoor phase or from May to September you should provide the birdflower with a complete fertilizer about every 4 to 6 weeks.
» Overwintering:
The birdflower is not hardy, which is why you have to store it in a frost-free room (at room temperature if possible) every year from autumn (around the end of September). A dark location is ideal for this so that it can enter a kind of resting phase. During this time, you should only water the birdflower sparingly from time to time.
From March, the phase of pre-cultivation begins in the bright window seat, when the birdflower wakes up from its hibernation and starts sprouting again. From this point on you should keep the flower moist again.