Herself’s Houseplants

Orchids are about the easiest flowering house plants to grow you’ll find.

If you read the house plant forums you’d think that every orchid needed its own private special micro environment. But that just isn’t true.

The orchids you are most likely to find for sale as house plants include: Cattelya, Dendrobium, Oncidium, Paphiopedilum, Phalaenopsis, and Phragmipedium.

Cattelya, Dendrobium, Oncidium and Paphiopedilum are epiphytic and should be grown in sphagnum moss or wood chips.

Paphiopedilum, Phalaenopsis and Phragmipedium orchids are terrestrial and should be planted in dirt.

Cattelya and Oncidiums need the most sun, Phalaenopsis the least. None of these want to be in a bright sunny window. You want east and west windows for most orchids. Phalaenopsis can also do well in a north window.

If your orchids leaves become darker, or it doesn’t re-flower for you move it to a sunnier window.

If the leaves get white and bleached or lighten in color, move it to a less sunny window.

Orchids do not like to be dry, but will quickly rot if left standing in water. So check them often. I find mine need watering every 7-14 days depending on the time of year. If the leaves split, wrinkle or fold you are not watering them enough.  If you have your plants planted in moss and they are not drying out every 7-10 days you should plant them in bark instead.  If you plant them in bark you will need to water them 1-3 times a week depending on how humid your home is.  Put a finger in the bark or mulch.  If it is dry water, if not don’t.

Do not get water in the folds of the leaves of the Phalaenopsis, it will rot in as little as one day if water is left sitting there.

Common problems with orchids usually involve bugs, scale being the most common problem. If your plants are sticky you’ve likely got an insect problem. Put the plant in the sink, gently remove any bugs or reside and wash the plant with a little dish soap and water. If it is still sticky a little rubbing alcohol will remove the stickiness. Usually that is all you need to do. But you might have to do this a couple of times to totally be free of bugs.

If the orchid has no roots, it will still usually do fine for you. Plant it in sphagnum moss, give it a little fertilizer and it will likely grow a new set of roots.

Orchids planted in bark do not do well in dry households. They may grow that way in the wild but unless your home is as humid as a jungle and it rains in there several times a day your orchid will quickly dry out.  If you plant your home orchids in bark, be sure to check them every other day to see if they need water.

See also:
Use sphagnum moss to make your plants easier to care for