In the native rain forests, the orchid always looks for a place under the protective leaf canopy of jungle giants, so as not to be at the mercy of the blazing sunlight. In fact, the exotic flower diva can suffer sunburn, severely damaging leaves and aerial roots. You can read here which symptoms you can use to recognize the dilemma and tips for the right sun protection.
The orchid does not tolerate too much sun
These symptoms indicate sunburn
If spots, stripes and pustules appear on the lush green leaves of an orchid, we immediately suspect a disease or an infestation by pests. It is less well known that the sun can be responsible for the damage to the leaves in an unsuitable location. In fact, the symptoms of sunburn are clearly identifiable:
- Large, light brown spots with a dark brown border form
- The damaged areas do not spread further
- The surrounding tissue remains green
If it is an infection with fungi or bacteria, this is always associated with a progressive course. It is typical of sunburn that the affected region of the foliage shows no further changes.
Do not cut off sunburned leaves
Sunburn undoubtedly affects the appearance of an orchid significantly. However, do not cut the sheet. The green areas of the foliage continue to carry out the photosynthesis necessary for life. Only when an orchid leaf with burn marks has completely retracted and died should you pluck or cut it out.
How to properly protect orchids from sunburn
The perfect choice of location is made taking various criteria into account. While the requirements of the orchid species differ in terms of temperature and humidity, the beauties of the flowers are unanimous when it comes to the sun: they do not want to be confronted with direct sunlight. How to prevent sunburn:
- Cover the window pane with film in a frosted glass look as an inexpensive solution
- Fasten sliding curtains to the window frame
- Hang semi-transparent curtains that soften the sunlight
In order not to block the view of the decorative orchids behind the window pane, awnings mounted on the house wall keep out the blazing sunshine. These can be retracted and extended as required.
Gradually acclimatize on the balcony
Some of the most beautiful types of orchids attract everyone's attention on the balcony in summer. So that the leaves do not get sunburned after moving out of the house, we recommend a period of acclimatization.
tips
Does your orchid show symptoms of sunburn without the flower being in direct sunlight? Then check to see if the leaves are touching a window pane. On hot summer days, the glass can heat up so much that the orchid leaves on the windowsill get burned.