Hello! My name is Hanna and I welcome you to our Orchid Care.org website. It is absolutely wonderful that you have landed here because this is where you will find the most up-to-date information as well as incredibly valuable resources, tips and guidelines relating to growing, cultivating and nurturing the world’s most beautifully flavorful flowering plants — orchids!

 

I have created this site in honor of my father who has been for the past 20 or so years passionately growing, nurturing and caring for many varied species of orchids. I guess that his enthusiasm has, somehow, rubbed off on me because I too have become quite excited about these amazing plants that product such breathtaking blooms so very generously.

Through the years, my father has amassed impressive knowledge about orchids and orchid care. His vast experience combined with many hours of research has resulted in the expertise he currently owns and passes on to me. But my father is certainly not my only source for knowledge about how to care for orchids because since early childhood I have been rubbing elbows with many other orchid growers and picking the brains of countless highly informed orchid experts (orchid book authors, lecturers, researchers, etc.) some of whom are professionals while others merely enthusiastic hobbyists.

At this time, we, my father and I, want to share all that we know about orchids and how to grow them successful with you and the rest of the world. So please take your time to browse through this Orchid Care.org site and absorb all that you possibly can. Be sure to come back often because we continually update by posting additional articles which will most likely be of interest and please know that we welcome your comments, your questions and your valuable suggestions which may improve or enhance your experience on this website and encourage more orchid lovers to join us, whether they’re already experienced or this would be their first orchid encounter.

As beautiful and delicate as they look, many orchids are quite hardy and can therefore brilliantly thrive as indoor, greenhouse & outdoor plants for which the orchid care requirement would be just a little work, the right kind of orchid supplies, a conglomeration of good information and a whole lot of love.

Variety of Orchids

Variety of Orchids is enormous!  The orchid family which is known in the scientific world as Orchidaceae, is hugely diverse and consists of roughly 26,000 identified species categorized in 880 genera, it is said to be the largest family of blooming plants found around the globe. So, it would be virtually impossible to name them all on one page but some of the most common species of orchids and those which are most readily recognized are provided below in alphabetical order. Also below, you will find links leading to posts that talk about the specific orchid care, how to take care of orchids and a whole lot more:

Anguloa Orchid Care

Because its bloom’s unique shape and bright yellow color, the Anguloa
orchid is often also called the Yellow Tulip orchid. However, it’s also
found in other colors such as soft rose and white.

Brassavola Orchid Care

A close relative to the Laelia and Cattleya orchids, the exquisite
Brassavola orchid has been often used for cross pollinating with
other orchid species.

Brassia Orchid Care

Brassia Orchids feature very uncharacteristic flowers that include tepals
that can extend over 20 inches. Thus these are often referred to as Spider
Orchids.

Bulbophyllum Orchid Care

Commonly known as the Bulb orchid, the Bulbophyllum orchid comprises
the largest family of orchids and nearly the largest family in the world
of plants.

Catasetum Orchid Care

Originating in South America’s Mexico and Brazil,
the Catasetum orchid has one of the most spectacular
blooms.

Cattleya Orchid Care

Because of it extravagant display of large fragrant flowers, the Cattleya
orchid is also called the Queen of Orchid and it is often used as a cut flower
within bouquets or flower arrangement.

Cymbidium Orchid Care

Tolerant to lower temperatures than most other orchids, the Cymbidium orchid
or the Boat orchid, as it’s often called, grow mostly in the tropics and subtropics
of the orient as well as Northern parts of Australia.

Cypripedium Orchid Care

The stunning yet unusually shaped Cypripedium orchid carries a variety of descriptive
names such as Lady Slippers, Steeple Cap, Venus’ Shoes, Whippoorwill Shoes, Camel’s
Foot or Moccasin Flowers.

Dendrobium Orchid Care

The highly prolific Dendrobium orchids include over
1,500 distinct species of orchids plus several thousands
of hybrids.

Encyclia Orchid Care

Commonly known as the Butterfly orchid, the Encyclia comes
in a variety of colors (yellow, orange, green, brown, pink) and
originates in the Florida peninsula, Cuba and the Bahamas.

Epidendrum Orchid Care

The Epidendrum orchid answers to many names including; Star Orchid,
Reed-Stem, Sun Orchid, Poor Man’s Orchid and the Crucifix Orchid.
Also, the Epidendrum orchid is hugely diverse and very easy to grow.

Laelia Orchid Care

Due to the fact that they are so easy to propagate and grow
and due to their sweet fragrance, Laelia orchids are among
the most popular.

Mexipedium Orchid Care

As its name alludes, the Mexipedium orchid origins from
Mexico. Being shapes to resemble a lady’s slipper, it is also
known as the Lady Slipper orchid.

Miltonia Orchid Care

Easy to grow and producing huge blooms that can last
for months, the Miltonia orchid is a favorite among
professional growers and novice collectors.

Mokara Orchid Care

Having long stems, the Mokara orchids are popular
in the cut flower industry as they are incorporated
in flower arrangements and bouquets.

Odontoglossum Orchid Care

Known at times as the Curled Orchid, the Odontoglossum orchid
is considered by many to be the most beautiful while also being
quite hard to grow outside of its own native environment.

Oncidium Orchid Care

The Oncidium orchids originate in the tropical and subtropical
regions of the Americas where they grow across the ground, on
barks of tree or rocks.

Paphiopedilum Orchid Care

Tremendously popular among cultivated orchids, the
Paphiopedilum orchid is also known as the Paph or
Asiatic Lady Slipper.

Phaius Orchid Care

Also commonly referred to as Nun’s, Veiled, Greater Swamp
and Swamp Lily orchid; the Phaius orchid is native to lands
of the far east as well as Africa and Australia.

Phalaenopsis Orchid Care

Also known as the Moth orchid, the Phalaenopsis orchid
is very popular and is, therefore, among the most commonly
potted orchids found in nurseries and households around the world.

Phragmipedium Orchid Care

Native to south western regions of Mexico, the Phragmipedium
orchids appear to be very similar to the Lady Slipper orchid. Sadly,
they are currently on the endangered species list.

Selenipedium Orchid Care

Originally haling from the Amazon Basin of Brazil and
Venezuela, the Selenipedium orchids is often also call
the Moon Slipper orchid.

Sophronitis Orchid Care

The Sophronitis orchids are dwarf epiphytes from
the Orchidaceae family and are known for their vividly
colorful bloom.

Vanda Orchid Care

Have approximately 70 species and many more hybrids, Vanda orchids
have, sadly, made it to the endangered species list. Currently, there are
international laws prohibit exporting or importing its blue varieties.

Vandaceous Orchid Care

Usually called by its abbreviated name Vanda, the Vandaceous orchids are
very similar to the Moth, Asococenda and Phalaenopsis orchids although
their care requirements are somewhat different.

Vanilla Orchid Care

The Vanilla orchid is the natural supplier of the ever favored vanilla flavor
and scent used in the food and cosmetic industry.  If that surprises you,
know that you are in good company because it surprises many others as well.

How to Care for Orchids

Seeing my rather impressive orchid collections makes too many people exclaim with amazement which is not necessarily directed at the beauty of blooming plants but rather at the fact that I’ve “managed to grow them so successfully!” That stems from the sad misnomer that orchids are very hard to cultivate.

The truth is that many orchid plants are no more difficult to grow than any other plants and some are even less demanding. To once and for all eradicate that misconception about them, here are a few easy to follow step by step directions about how to care for orchid plants in general and more specifically how to care for Phalaenopsis orchids which are among the most common of the species.

So, here are the basic care requirements for orchid plant care when you’re at home as well as caring for orchids when you’re away:

Watering Orchid Plants

Every plant needs to be hydrated in one way or another and so do orchids. Be sure to water your orchid plants when their media becomes dry by soaking is thoroughly then waiting for it to partially dry out before repeating the process. When watering with a watering can, a hose or the faucet; it is important to let the excess water completely run out rather than allowing the plant to stand in a puddle which will rot its roots and kill the plant.

The frequency depends on a variety of factors such as:

  • What the plant is doing. When orchids are in bloom they require more water then when they’re dormant.
  • The air quality. If the air is cold and dry, more watering is required then when the air is warm and humid.

The Perfect Temperature for Orchid Plants

Although orchid plants can occasionally tolerate extreme cold and heat, their ideal temperature range is between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit or between 18 and 30 degrees Centigrade. However, just like you and me and the rest of the plant world, they do not like drastic fluctuations.

Orchid Potting Media

Unlike many plants which you might be familiar with, orchids will not survive in regular potting soil because they need their own type of media that allows for good air circulation through their root systems and which drainage of access water. Orchid potting media might include any of the following: Perlite, tree bark, coconut fiber, coconut husk chips, cork, volcanic stone, charcoal and tree fern fiber.

Because orchid potting media deteriorates over time, it is advisable to replace it every other season by first gently cleaning away the old media from the orchid plant roots.

Feeding Orchid Plants

Feeding orchid plants with orchid fertilizer is of utmost importance for maintaining its needed nutrients and essential minerals. However, over feeding may kill them. So it’s best to keep in mind the following:

  • Orchid plants should never be fed or fertilized during the cold of winter.
  • Always use an orchid plant fertilizer that is specifically balanced for your particular orchid species.
  • Commercial orchid fertilizers indicate when and how often to use and those instructions should be adhered to.

Orchid Pots

Orchid plants will do just fine in either plastic, clay or ceramic container pots but those must have large enough openings at the sides to ensure sufficient aeration to the plants’ root systems and also good size holes at the bottom to enable access water to drain out.

It is advisable to repot your orchid plants into slightly larger containers every other season to allow more room for the roots and to replace the old potting soil with fresh.

Orchid Supplies

To successfully grow healthy and vibrant orchid plants that produce stunning bloom every season, you should equip yourself with the following healthy orchid supplies:

  • Watering cans. You could water your orchid plants with a hose or directly at the faucet but watering cans could prove to be much easier solutions.
  • Moisture meters. These help maintain the levels of moisture your orchids love.
  • Humidity trays. Being tropical plants, orchids love humidity and these trays are the perfect solution.
  • Spray bottles. To augment humidity trays and watering, occasional spraying or misting the leaves of your orchid plants will further help keep them properly hydrated.
  • Orchid tie up strings. Healthy orchids will grow tall stalks on which they produce heavy blooms and you will need to tie them up supports in order to prevent drooping and even breaking.
  • Pruning shears. You will need to occasionally prune off dead leaves, roots, of stems and shears which have been designed specifically for that purpose work much better than scissors.
  • Growing lights. Some orchid species require more lighting than others. If there is not enough natural lighting, you should consider growing lights.

 

Indoor Orchid Care

As you might already have guessed, in this section I will be talking about indoor orchid care and how to take care of orchid plants indoor. If you are planning to grow orchids indoor or out, you should have a clear understanding about these magnificent plants.

So, here it comes.

Being a member of the Orchidaceae family of flowering plants, orchids are extraordinarily diverse and widely spread through the world as they thrive in just about any habitat except desert and glacier but including the arctic and Antarctic circles. Many orchid species which are found in the tropics and subtropics attach themselves to trees and shrubs while many other species grow on rocks and very rocky soil.

As a matter of fact, the Orchidaceae is the second largest family of flowering plants with Asteraceae (asters, daisies, sunflowers, etc.) being the first. So, it is estimated that there are up to 34,000 species of orchids in existence today. To add to this incredibly large number of orchid species, hundreds of thousands of hybrids have been produced since the 19th century and that number seems to be continually growing.

To put it in perspective, the number of orchid species includes roughly 11% of all seed plants and their numbers are twice that of bird species and four time that of mammal species.

The orchid’s highly complex system of evolution through cross pollination attracted the attention of Charles Darwin who described his finding in Fertilisation of Orchids, a book published in the early years of the 1860s.

The name “orchid” originates from the Greek word “órkhis” which meaning “testicle” because that is because the root of an orchid actually does look like a testicle and it was first presented in School Botanty, a scholarly paper written by John Lindley in 1845. Another interesting and perhaps surprising characteristic of orchids is that they are all perennial herbs (Vanilla) and they either grow when their stems develop additional buds or when producing additional roots.

As a family of plants, orchids date back approximately 20 million years and that was realized when a fossilized orchid was found with a bee still trapped in its flower. However, there are other indications that ancient orchids may have existed during the dinosaur era dating back 84 million years. Still another finding by M. W. Chase claims that the Orchidaceae family began 100 million years ago.

Now that I’ve provided good background information I would like to impress upon you that the great majority of orchid varieties are cultivated by most growers in containers because it’s easier to control the media in pots. You should also know that Phalaenopsis orchids are the most popular species and that learning how to care for orchids does not need to be a mystery. Just browse through this Orchid Care site and you’ll do just fine.

Outdoor Orchid Care

As I’ve mentioned before, most growers care for their orchid plants indoors because it’s much easier to control the media and the environment (temperature, humidity, lighting, etc.) within a greenhouse or a home. Having said that, it is entirely possible to grow orchid plants successfully outdoors and exposed to the natural elements.

Needless to say, the process of outdoor orchid care differs from that of indoor orchid care in a number of ways. So, here are the basic care requirements for orchid plants grown outside:

Selecting the Right Orchid Species

Whether it’s your first orchid plant or not, to grow orchids outdoors, you should be sure to buy the orchids that will survive exposure to harsher surroundings of your specific area and here are the general rules –

  • Epidendrums can tolerate temperature fluctuations pretty well and they prefer goodly amounts of sunshine.
  • Cymbidiums don’t mind the heat of the day and full sunshine but they prefer that it cools down at night.
  • Oncidiums do best at higher elevations and they like bright shades or partial sunlight.
  • Phaius like bright shade or partial sun but need more moisture than the others.
  • Spathoglottis will thrive in bright shade or partial sun.

Temperature

Orchids grown out of doors in geographic locations where temperatures do not drop below 40 degrees Fahrenheit for extended periods of time, should pose no particular problems. Where the very low temperatures persist, outdoor orchids can be planted in pots or some other type of containers which can then be brought indoors until the frigid spells subside.

You might also cover your orchid plants with plastic sheets or containers when temperatures fall dangerously low.

Planting Outdoor Orchids

To ensure your success at with outdoor orchids, avoid starting out with seeds and be sure that you plant them in richly fertile orchid soil.

Water

Standing water will rot the root systems of your orchids and will surely kill them. Be sure that there is plenty of drainage between watering.

Feeding

To retain nutrients and essential minerals in the soil, be sure to acquire the right type of orchid fertilizer and then us it every two or three weeks.

Caring for Orchids after Flowering

Whether they are amateur enthusiasts or professionals, orchid growers strive for their plants to produce those magnificent blooms or flowers for which they are so famous for. And if treated well and depending on the species, orchid blooms can last for weeks and even months.

As it is true for all flowering plants, orchids go through life cycles of blooming and then resting, blooming and resting and so on and on. In order to obtain a display of stunning orchid flowers, the plants must be cared for during their none-flowering stage of rest between blooms.

During their rest period, orchid plants may look like they are doing nothing but they are in fact storing the energy they would need for growing new leaves, increase their root system and sprouting new spikes on which to display their flowers.

Yes, orchids after flowering need their rest and orchid growers need to help out by doing the following:

Water Orchids after Blooming

Although your orchid plants will require less of it, you will still need to be water your orchid plants every so often. Be sure to allow access water to drain out completely or the roots will rot and kill the plant.

Repotting Orchids after Flowering

Between blooms is the perfect time to repot your orchid plants in slightly larger orchid pots or some other appropriate containers and in fresh orchid media.

Pruning Orchids after Flowering

When the blooms of your orchid plants have fallen off their spike, it is time for grabbing your pruning shears and cutting the spike down. You might also cut away any damaged leaves or dried up roots which are exposed.

Humidify Orchids after Blooming

Your resting orchid plants still need ample of humidity with humidity trays and spray bottles. So, continue to provide that as you had done when they were in bloom.

Check for Disease

Your orchid plants are most vulnerable to disease and other mishaps as well as harmful orchid pest at this time of their growth cycle and should be treated with appropriate pesticide and/or insecticides if need be.

Moving Air

Orchid plants love moving air at all stages of their cycle. So, keep that going.

Lighting

Providing the right amount of lighting, whether natural from the sun or artificial from orchid growing lights, will encourage your orchid plants to reward you with their breathtaking blooms. In other words, give your orchid plants the sufficient lighting they want and like and you will be triggering new orchid bloom.

Feeding

Some orchid experts claim that feeding orchid plants during the rest period is unnecessary and could even prove to be harmful, while others suggest light feeding.  I’ve read in a number of orchid books and found from my own personal experience that feeding orchids with extremely diluted orchid plant fertilizers while they are resting is quite helpful.

 

Do take a few moments of your time to view the following video
which will inspire you along on your venture as an orchid grower:

Having become as popular and high sought as indoor plants and outdoor plants as well as cut flowers, orchids are now housed in countless botanical gardens through the world. Open to the public and considered the most comprehensive orchid collections and holding the finest species are the Taiwan Orchid Nursery in Pingtung, Taiwan and the National Orchid Garden in the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

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