Orchids are probably among the most popular luxurious flowering plants. Phalaenopsis orchids, moth orchids or phals, are really lovely house plants native to Australia and southeastern Asia. These beautiful decorative plants usually have several quite broad, floppy, alternating leaves, and one or more flower spikes carrying luxurious large flowers.
The flowers can be of any color, and they can also be striped. These astonishing, decorative flowers are usually up to 4 inches in diameter and bloom on one long, elegant spike. There can be a few spikes on some larger plant, with several flowers on each, although there is mostly one spike with maybe six flowers on, but, since they are quite large, the plant looks really attractive with only a few flowers on.
There are so many species of orchids, and the problem is that each requires different type of care. Phals prefer diffuse light, preferably morning light, indirect by all means, and temperatures around seventy degrees F. Make sure your plant is really a phal first, before finding a right place for it. If you choose the east window, you probably won't make a mistake.
Moths prefer indirect or diffused light. Direct light can be quite dangerous for them, and it might burn their leaves. Early morning sun is the best for them. On the other hand, if your orchid doesn't receive enough light, it probably won't re-bloom soon enough. If it doesn't re-bloom for six months or so, it's probably because it doesn't get enough natural light.
You can use plastic or ceramic pot, filled with orchid bark mix. The important thing is not to use potting soil here, because orchid's roots need to be adequately aerated, and they should never stay in water. This means that substrates that dry easily are the best option, and, since there are some designed especially for orchids, you should choose such. Pot should have large holes on the bottom.
Water your plant once a week, but make sure that it is really needed. If the soil is still wet, skip the watering. Over-watering is more dangerous for this lovely plant than under-watering, so keep that in mind. Water it until water comes out of the holes in the pot, but not over or in between the leaves. Use room temperature water only.
Feed your plant once a month with orchid fertilizer diluted in water. When choosing the fertilizer, avoid these that use urea as the nitrogen source, because it can burn the root tips. It is better to use maybe one half of the recommended amount of fertilizer, and be careful not to get any on the leaves or in between them, just in the substrate.
The best temperature is in between 70 and 80 degrees during day, and over 60 during nights. If you are buying the plant, check the roots first. Healthy roots should be silver-green with green tops. If they are brown, the plant was probably over-watered, and if they are hard and brittle, under-watered. The plant may be saved if you trim those squishy roots and re-pot the phal, but the one with brittle roots might not be saved.
The flowers can be of any color, and they can also be striped. These astonishing, decorative flowers are usually up to 4 inches in diameter and bloom on one long, elegant spike. There can be a few spikes on some larger plant, with several flowers on each, although there is mostly one spike with maybe six flowers on, but, since they are quite large, the plant looks really attractive with only a few flowers on.
There are so many species of orchids, and the problem is that each requires different type of care. Phals prefer diffuse light, preferably morning light, indirect by all means, and temperatures around seventy degrees F. Make sure your plant is really a phal first, before finding a right place for it. If you choose the east window, you probably won't make a mistake.
Moths prefer indirect or diffused light. Direct light can be quite dangerous for them, and it might burn their leaves. Early morning sun is the best for them. On the other hand, if your orchid doesn't receive enough light, it probably won't re-bloom soon enough. If it doesn't re-bloom for six months or so, it's probably because it doesn't get enough natural light.
You can use plastic or ceramic pot, filled with orchid bark mix. The important thing is not to use potting soil here, because orchid's roots need to be adequately aerated, and they should never stay in water. This means that substrates that dry easily are the best option, and, since there are some designed especially for orchids, you should choose such. Pot should have large holes on the bottom.
Water your plant once a week, but make sure that it is really needed. If the soil is still wet, skip the watering. Over-watering is more dangerous for this lovely plant than under-watering, so keep that in mind. Water it until water comes out of the holes in the pot, but not over or in between the leaves. Use room temperature water only.
Feed your plant once a month with orchid fertilizer diluted in water. When choosing the fertilizer, avoid these that use urea as the nitrogen source, because it can burn the root tips. It is better to use maybe one half of the recommended amount of fertilizer, and be careful not to get any on the leaves or in between them, just in the substrate.
The best temperature is in between 70 and 80 degrees during day, and over 60 during nights. If you are buying the plant, check the roots first. Healthy roots should be silver-green with green tops. If they are brown, the plant was probably over-watered, and if they are hard and brittle, under-watered. The plant may be saved if you trim those squishy roots and re-pot the phal, but the one with brittle roots might not be saved.
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You can find details about different types of moth orchids and more info about a reputable orchid company at http://www.justourorchids.com/about right now.
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