Foxtail Orchid - The most detailed planting and care techniques

Foxtail orchid (also known as squirrel orchid) is a wild orchid species originating from Asia, possessing long, long flower clusters, with a pleasant fragrance, very popular in Vietnam.

Foxtail orchid retusa is one of the most popular wild orchids in Vietnam. Not only does it have an impressive beauty with long, thick flower clusters in many bright colors, it also has an extremely pleasant scent, bringing a feeling of relaxation to the grower .

If you want to learn more about foxtail orchids from their origin, characteristics to planting techniques and how to stimulate orchids to bloom, follow the article below from wild orchid . We guarantee you will have a lot of interesting experiences.

Origin and distribution of foxtail orchid

Foxtail orchid is a wild orchid species originating from Asia.

Rhynchostylis retusa, also known as Rhynchostylis retusa, is a species of wild orchid native to Asia that has existed for a long time. In nature, this orchid species has a wide distribution range, typically in the following countries:

• Southeast Asia: Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar,...
• South Asia: India, Nepal, Bangladesh,...
• China
• Some islands of Indonesia

In Vietnam, foxtail orchids often grow naturally on large tree trunks at an altitude of 500 - 1500m in forests with a cool, humid climate all year round such as Hoa Binh, Son La, Nghe An, Gia Lai, Lam Dong and a few in Dong Nai and Binh Phuoc.

Because of their unique beauty and pleasant fragrance, the number of foxtail orchids in nature has been overexploited, leading to a sharp decline. Some localities have even put this orchid species on the list of protected species. However, thanks to successful artificial propagation, it has helped preserve and supply a large number of foxtail orchids to the market.

What does a foxtail orchid look like?

A foxtail orchid with long, beautiful flower clusters.

Foxtail orchid is known as one of the wild orchid species with impressive beauty with long, thick flower clusters and pleasant fragrance, so it is very popular. Let's learn more about the morphological characteristics of this orchid species.

Close :

• Single, short stem, no pseudobulbs
• Stems grow straight with a height of 20 - 40 cm

Roots :

• Wind root, large, silvery white, slightly green root tip
• The roots cling very firmly to the substrate.

Leaves :

• Leaves are thick, slightly curved down, 2 - 4 cm wide, 20 - 40 cm long, with slightly wavy edges.
• The leaf tip will split in two.
• Leaves are dark green, glossy, and grooved.

Flower :

• Flowers grow in long, drooping clusters, 30 - 70 cm long, with about 100 - 150 small flowers.
• Flowers are usually white mixed with pink or light purple, with small, round petals and a dark purple lip.
• The flowers have a pleasant fragrance, most evident in the early morning.
• Flowers can bloom for 2 - 3 weeks depending on weather conditions.
• Blooms around April - June every year.

Growth habits :

• It is an epiphytic orchid, does not live in the soil but clings to tree trunks and substrates.
• Growth rate is very slow but vitality is quite "buffalo"
• This is an orchid that likes open space, humidity and diffused light.

Techniques for planting and caring for foxtail orchids

The foxtail orchid pots are planted high up and covered with black nets.

Because the foxtail orchid originates from Asia, it is very suitable for the hot and humid tropical climate of Vietnam, easy to grow and easy to care for. However, if you want your orchid to grow quickly, bloom beautifully, and in season, please note some of the following basic techniques.

How to choose and process foxtail orchid seeds

This is an extremely important step that determines the growth ability of the orchid. Please pay attention to the following.

How to choose breed :

• If buying acclimatized seedlings, choose large, healthy plants with strong stems, many roots, shiny green leaves, and no signs of fungus or disease.
• If buying peeled or wild orchids, choose plants that are not crushed, have rotten tips or roots, and are straight and not crooked.

How to handle it like when you first bought it :

• When you buy seedlings, you should hang them in a cool place, stop watering them for 1-2 days before planting.
• Peeled poles need to be soaked in lime water to treat fungus, then dipped in root stimulant, hung in a cool place, waiting for the tree to grow young roots before grafting onto the substrate.

Prepare suitable substrate

As shared above, foxtail orchids are epiphytic orchids so you can only grow them in substrates. You can choose some of the following substrates:

• Driftwood, star apple tree, longan tree,...
• Planting in terracotta pots requires lining with charcoal and treated coconut shells.

How to grow foxtail orchid

After preparing the seeds and growing medium, you should proceed to plant the foxtail orchid according to the following instructions.

Planting Cymbidium orchids in pots :

• Line the bottom of the pot with a layer of rocks, charcoal or pine bark.
• Secure the foxtail orchid with a clip or soft wire.
• Spread another layer of pine bark + compost and can cover with a layer of coconut fiber to help the tree retain moisture better.
• When filling the base, do not fill too deep and leave space for the roots to "breathe".

Grafting foxtail orchid onto wood :

• keep the roots close to the wood surface
• Use nylon string or zip ties to secure the orchid to the tree.
• Cover the orchid roots with a layer of coconut husk.
• Hang in a cool place, water and fertilize regularly.

Location of planting foxtail orchid

To help the orchid take root soon, grow best and bloom in season, you need to pay attention to the location and conditions of the orchid. Try to maintain the following basic criteria:

• Light : Scattered about 60 - 70%, should use a layer of black net to cover the harsh sunlight.
• Temperature : Ideal from 20 - 30 degrees Celsius, cool, not stuffy
• Humidity : 60 - 80%, not too dry or hot, not too humid.

How to care for foxtail orchids

Right below is the basic orchid care technique with watering, fertilizing as well as pest control, let's find out now.

Watering properly :

• In the dry season, water once a day or twice a day if it is too hot and dry.
• During rainy season, only water when the growing medium feels dry.
• Do not water in the hot midday sun, do not let water stagnate at the base for long because it can easily rot the base and roots.

Fertilizer :

• New planting stage: Fertilize with NPK 30-10-10 + B1 + organic microorganisms once a week
• Mature plant stage: Fertilize with NPK 20-20-20 + TE every 10 - 15 days
• Flowering stage: Fertilize with NPK 6-30-30 + TE every 10 days.
• Note to only fertilize/spray: Diluted fertilizer at ¼ of the recommended dose to avoid burning the roots.

Spraying medicine to prevent disease :

• Spray fungicides such as Physan, Ridomil,... to prevent fungus, leaf spots, leaf burn,...
• Spray insecticide to kill red spiders and aphids once a month according to recommended dosage.

Secret to stimulate flowering of foxtail orchids

Cymbidium orchids will bloom profusely when properly cared for.

If you want your orchid to bloom on time, please refer to the super effective flower stimulation tips shared below.

• Step 1 : Determine the time to stimulate flowering, the season when the foxtail orchid blooms naturally is from April to June, so you need to stimulate flowering 6 - 8 weeks in advance, that is, around the end of February - March in the North and from the end of January - early February in the South.
• Step 2 : Create a fake dry season by reducing watering, not fertilizing, keeping the plant in a cool place. After about 2 weeks, you will see flower buds sprouting from the leaf axils near the base.
• Step 3 : Stimulate flowering with fertilizer, use diluted NPK 6-30-30 fertilizer and spray once a week, spray vitamin B1 + Atonik in between.
• Step 4 : Water again normally, maintain diffused light, when the flower buds are about 5 cm long, stop fertilizing with NPK and only use B1 or organic fertilizer.

Stimulating flowering of foxtail orchids is not difficult but requires patience and technique. You should not force the plant to flower when it is not mature or weak because it will easily kill the plant or the flowers will not be beautiful or of poor quality.

Distinguishing between foxtail orchid and foxtail orchid

Pictures of foxtail orchid and foxtail orchid

Nowadays, many people are confused that the foxtail orchid and the foxtail orchid are the same because both have flowers that grow in long drooping clusters and have similar colors. However, in fact, these are two completely different species of wild orchids. Specifically as follows:

Foxtail orchid price list

Currently, foxtail orchids are sold very popularly in the Vietnamese market at many prices and through many different platforms, from online to offline, specifically as follows:

• Price of small foxtail orchid : 120,000 - 170,000 VND/plant.
• Mature foxtail orchid : 400,000 - 550,000 VND/pot.

Note when buying foxtail orchid :

• You should buy foxtail orchids from reputable sources to ensure quality.
• If you want the plant to flower quickly, you should choose a mature foxtail to shorten the care time.

Questions and answers about foxtail orchid?

Are foxtail orchids easy to grow?

Foxtail orchids are quite easy to grow because they are suitable for the climate in Vietnam, but you also need to grasp the basic principles that we shared above to be able to take the best care of the flowers.

What month do foxtail orchids usually bloom?

Cymbidium orchids usually bloom from April to June.

Are foxtail orchids fragrant?

Yes, the foxglove has a mild, light and extremely pleasant fragrance that resembles vanilla mixed with grass.

Beautiful foxtail orchid pictures

We invite you to admire the collection of super beautiful foxtail orchids with impressive long, thick flower clusters that we have collected below. We guarantee that everyone will be fascinated by the unique beauty of this wild orchid species.

Thai orchid pots with super beautiful light purple color.

Image of a pure white foxtail orchid pillar.

Red foxtail orchid with colorful, impressive colors.

Foxtail orchid pots with characteristic long flower clusters.

The charming beauty of white foxtail orchid pots.

Through the content that orchid-vn.com shares on the tree, hopefully you have learned more about the foxtail orchid - a wild orchid with unique and impressive beauty. If you want to grow an orchid that is beautiful, fragrant, and easy to care for, the foxtail orchid is an optimal choice.

Don't forget to visit our Blog section to learn more about other beautiful and famous wild orchids and hybrid orchids. Goodbye and see you soon!