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Phalaenopsis Orchids are our absolute favourites at the moment, and while they may have a difficult name to pronounce (fell-ay-nop-sis) they are easy to look after! By following just a few simple steps they’ll flower beautifully for up to 6 months.
This elegant flower makes a gorgeous addition to any home or office, with its long stem, dainty moth-like flowers and deep green foliage. As they are often long-lasting when cared for, Phalaenopsis Orchids are a very popular gift, or as you may have noticed will show up as a feature flower in bouquets - especially from us at Flowers Gold Coast!
Most of our Flowers last for up to two or three weeks with the right care. If you want something that lasts longer then you can’t go past a graceful Phalaenopsis Orchid. With one of the smallest levels of care & maintenance needed, recipients can expect to enjoy this plant for many months.
Here are some tricks to keep your orchid alive & healthy for an extended period of time, we've also included some care tips for Fresh-Cut Orchids for those receiving them in their bouquets also!
1. Don’t water it too much!
Orchid roots like to be watered, but then left to almost dry out before you water them again. Typically 7-10 days in average temperatures will be enough for your plant. If your orchid is watered constantly they become susceptible to rot. Given we have higher temperatures in the summer, it may pay to water slightly more often.
A good way to tell when it’s time to water your orchid is by sticking your finger into the pot. If it feels wet, don’t water it just yet!
2. Keep warm, but out of direct hot sunlight!
Phalaenopsis Orchids are indoor plants and are known for being a windowsill plant – love medium to warm temperatures, between 24°C and 29°C. If you like to keep your house warm, you’ll make an excellent orchid owner!
However, orchids may love the heat, but too much sun isn’t good for the sensitive leaves and will burn! Keep your plant out of direct sunlight to avoid the burn.
3. Humidity is key
While they don’t like to be watered too much, a humid atmosphere is perfect, as it keeps them hydrated without being wet. If you're a Queenslander you should be used to humidity, while we may not like it, the orchids love it!
Position your Phalaenopsis away from air conditioning, as this can dry it out. Hot, dry conditions can cause unopened buds to drop.
To give the plant the humidity it needs, a good trick is to stand the pot on a tray of pebbles and fill the tray with water, being careful not to allow the water to enter the pot. The pebbles will stop the roots from sitting within the pool of water, but will provide a humid zone where the plant needs it most. You can also try misting the pot on very hot, dry days. A spray bottle does the trick nicely!
4. Feed your Phalaenopsis well
Like you - you want to be fed nice and yummy foods to be kept happy (we know we do!). However, unlike us use a high-potassium liquid plant food to encourage flowering. Apply the every two weeks or according to instructions on the container. If you're in the winter months you won't need to so frequently until it warms up again.
5. Keep bugs away
Keep those insect screen doors shut! Unfortunately, bugs are a big fan of the orchids! Mealy bug is the most common pest found on the plant, but to keep them away, simply spray or wipe some olive oil or white oil onto both sides of the leaves will suffocate the bugs and let them slide straight off!
6. When to trim the roots
It is strictly told that you should not remove the roots as there is a high chance you’ll harm the plant or introduce a potentially dangerous nasties to the plant such as virus or bacteria (use your social distancing and QR codes!). You only need to trim an orchid root or stem if it’s dry and you’re certain it is dead, but trim carefully - you don't want to cut too deep as that can harm the plant.
7. Things to note!
Cut the stem to get flowers again! - When your orchid finally finishes flowering, and you’re left with just the stem, it'll feel like the plant is on it's way out, but don't stress! You can encourage new flowers to appear, simply by cutting the stem.
Notice the small triangular nodes on the stem? The higher ones will have been where your flowers have been growing from, so once they have flowered, they can’t flower again, all you need to do is find the lowest one on the stem and cut the stem about 1 cm above the node.
This will let your orchid to begin and start re-flowering again! Now, this is when you need to tell the flower its winter and to get ready for spring, so place the Phalaenopsis in a cooler part of the house while you wait for flowers to grow again.
Where to buy Phalaenopsis Orchids?
Flowers Gold Coast has a range of Phalaenopsis Orchids that are available for purchase in our Fresh Flowers collection, you may even find them in our Signature Range while they are in season! We also sell Orchids as plants - you've read how to care for them, now you can have one!