Orchids, with their cascading sprays and delicate beauty, are the quintessential flower of the tropics. But, as indoor gardeners know, they have the reputation of being difficult prima donnas. In reality, they are easy to grow. Each type of orchid has its own requirements, and once you know which type of orchid you have, you can easily meet its needs and keep it happy and blooming for years to come.
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| The Orchid Show at Longwood Gardens, March 27, 2011 |
Some of the showiest orchids are the Dendrobium, or Singapore orchid, and the Phalaenopsis, or Moth orchid. Both the Dendrobium and Phalaenopsis orchids are among the easiest orchids to grow as potted plants, and boast sprays of up to a dozen dainty flowers. Some have the extraordinary orchid shape, while others may look like daffodils. They come in a variety of colors, such as cream, magenta, pink, green or red, and bi-colors abound. Choose your favorite color, or one to match your décor.
The Dendrobium, or Singapore Orchid
Dendrobuims are often the first orchids grown by gardeners new to orchids, and with good reason. A single plant can have hundreds of delicate blooms covering the stems every year for years to come.
There are two types of Dendrobium orchid - nobile types and non-nobile types, the difference being their native temperature range. The nobile type orchids mostly come from South East Asia and the Himalayas and live at fairly high altitudes. They thrive in temperatures ranging from forty to eighty degrees F. Non-nobile orchids mostly come from New Guinea and Australia and generally require more water than their cooler growing cousins. They like things a bit warmer, from fifty-three to eighty-two degrees F.
Both nobile and non-nobile Dendrobiums like good light at all times but they should not be kept in full sun or they may scorch. Choose an east, west, or lightly shaded south window out of direct sunlight. Keep them in the brightest position during the winter months to help ripen the current years stems, called canes.
These plants both love being pot-bound, so they don't need repotting often. When it is time to repot your Dendrobium orchid, do it in the spring, either right after flowering or as new growth starts. Use potting mix made specifically for orchids. Orchid mix is loose and friable, and drains well to prevent "wet feet".
Nobile Dendrobiums have special watering needs. A watering schedule is one of the key elements to getting your nobile Dendrobium orchid to re-flower. Do not water it from mid November until February. If your home tends to be dry, you can mist your plant once a month to avoid over-drying it. Or, give it one good soak every eight weeks. Nobile Dendrobiums must have a rest from water during the winter months in order to re-flower. In February, as new growth begins, water sparingly until roots are visibly growing from the new shoots. Then water twice a week between June and November. This watering regime mimics the plant's native environment in where the winters are cool and dry, and where summer brings monsoon-type downpours and higher temperatures and humidity.
Non-nobile Dendrobiums vary widely depending on where they naturally come from. They vary in size from a few inches to several feet tall and have blossoms ranging from tiny half-inch flowers to whopping four inch blooms in a wide variety of colors. They come in two types - deciduous and evergreen. The deciduous types will begin to lose their leaves after the top leaf is fully formed, usually in November. Give deciduous orchids a rest period in January, moving them to a cool area (fifty degrees F) for a month or so. This will encourage flowers to form instead of young plants where flowers would have been.
Water both evergreen and deciduous non-nobile Dendrobiums once a week from April to October when they are actively growing. From October through March, water twice a month to keep the plant alive but not to encourage new growth.
The Phalaenopsis, or Moth Orchid
The Phalaenopsis orchid is commonly known as the moth orchid as the flowers are borne on slender arching stems and the white ones do look like moths in mid flight. This is a warm growing orchid and needs temperatures of at least 60 degrees F during the winter and up to 82 degrees F during the summer.
Phalaenopsis make excellent houseplants and will thrive in a centrally heated house with some basic care. Misting with clean water several times a week during the summer or standing the pot on a large plate of wet pebbles will provide adequate humidity. The best time to spray the plants is mid morning to allow the water to evaporate before nighttime. Do not allow water to remain in the center of the plant overnight. This may cause the plant to rot, and it can happen quickly.
Like Dendrobium orchids, Phalaenopsis orchids like lots of light, but not direct sun, as they will scorch. An east, west, or lightly shaded south window out of direct sunlight is best. They will also tolerate some shade during the growing season, but be sure to give them good light during the winter months.
Phalaenopsis like plenty of water but they don't like wet feet. Be sure to use potting mix specifically made for orchids for best results. Water them once every ten to fourteen days during the winter months, (more often if it is warm and dry in the house), and at least once a week during the summer.
These orchids will strive to get out of their pots - this is due to the way they grow in their natural habitat in Southeast Asia where they cling at an angle to the branches of large tropical trees. When the plant looks untidy and is angled in its pot, it's time for repotting. Since they like being pot bound, you can repot your Phalaenopsis orchid during the spring months right back into the same pot, or a pot that is one size larger, using orchid potting mix.
Phalaenopsis are one of the easiest orchids to get to re-flower because they thrive in modern houses. Typically, a plant will be in bloom for about three months. When the flowering stem turns brown, remove it as close to the bottom of the plant as possible. A new flower stem should start to form in about six months. Or, if the stem is still green or half brown, cut it to about four inches tall, just above a node. A node looks like a tiny leaf that lays flat to the stem. New growth will start from this node after about a month and flowers will develop in about three months. A stem that re-flowers in this way may have fewer and smaller flowers than stems that grow fresh from the plant, but it's worth a try, as there is nothing quite as beautiful as an orchid in flower.
Potted orchids are stylish, and make unique gifts that have lovely, long lasting blooms. When giving one to a friend, or to yourself, choose an easy-to-grow Dendrobium or Phalaenopsis. Knowing your orchid's ancestry will ensure that you get the right information to help it grow and thrive in its new home. And, don't forget, orchid flowers also make a stunning addition to tropical bouquets. Just clip the stems, change the water every three days, and mist the flower heads daily to enjoy their long-lasting beauty in the vase for weeks and weeks.
There are tens of thousands of species of orchids, the largest group of flowering plants on earth, with one out of seven flowering plants being an orchid. This enormous family of flowering plants can be grouped by the way they receive nutrients:
Terrestrials grow in or on the soil's surface and obtain their nutrients from the soil. They prefer woodland shade, and bloom with delicate flowers. This group includes orchids such as Lady Slippers, many of which are protected species.
Epiphytes (also known as aerophytes) grow above the ground, are supported by another plant or object, and derive nutrients and water from rain, the air, dust, etc. There are no known parasites among the epiphyte orchids, as they do not rely on their host for food, only support. Most orchids grown as house plants are in the epiphyte division, including Phalaenopsis and Dendrobium.
Lithophytes grow naturally on rocks or on very rocky soil. They derive their nutrients from the atmosphere, rainwater, humus, and even their own dead tissue. Some Dendrobiums, such as Dendrobium kingianum, are lithophytes.
Epiparasites are parasites that feed on another parasite. They depend on parasitic fungi that feed on tree roots, etc. to provide them with nutrients. Scientists don't know whether the fungus gains anything from its attachment to the epiparasite; it seems to serve only as a conduit between the tree root and the plant. The Bird's-nest orchid is an epiparasite.
Saprophytes are plants that depend on dead plant or animal tissue for nutrition. Saprophytes can be parasitic or semi-parasitic on the roots of the oaks, birches, and other trees under which they grow. These orchids, such as the Coral-root orchid, are not usually seen in cultivation.
When purchasing an orchid to grow in your home, you can rest assured that it will not be a parasite, especially an orchid that will thrive indoors.
