Phalaenopsis Care Guide

Growing Phalaenopsis Orchids

Phalaenopsis - Moth Orchid

Warm Growing Types
15 - 28 C (60 - 82F)

The Phalaenopsis orchid is commonly known as the moth orchid as the flowers are borne on slender arching stems and the the white ones do look like moths in mid flight. This is a warm growing orchid and needs temperatures of at least 15C (60F) during the winter and can be allowed to rise up to 28C (82F) during the summer - 20C - 22C being the optimum.

Phalaenopsis make excellent house plants and will thrive in a centrally heated house providing some basic care is given. Simple misting with clean water several times a week during the summer or standing the plant pot on a large plate of wet pebbles will provide adequate humidity. The best time to spray the plants is mid morning as this will allow the water to evaporate before night time. You should NOT allow water to rest in the centre of the plant overnight or rot may occur with lighting speed! - and we are talking OVERNIGHT in some cases if it's cold too.

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Phalaenopsis are usually supplied in 12cm translucent pots, this is the ideal size for a single plant and should last it for 12 - 18 months. These orchids will strive to get out of their pots and want to adopt a more horizontal position, this is due to the way they grow in their natural habitat of S E Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines etc) where they cling at an angle to the branches of large tropical trees up in the forest canopy.

Light requirements

Phalaenopsis like good light but not direct full sun as they will scorch, they will also tolerate some shade during the growing season. Keep them in a well lit position during the winter months but again, not in direct full sun.

Watering requirements

Phalaenopsis do actually like plenty of water but they don't like sitting in damp situations so a very open mixture of compost of required to grow them successfully. Water these plants once every 10 - 14 days during the winter months (depending on temperature, warmer - more often, cooler less often) and weekly or more during the summer.

Phalaenopsis 'Brother Pico Sweetheart' has lots of fantastic small white flowers (1.5 - 2 inch) with a pink centre and deep red lip!

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL RANGE OF PHALAENOPSIS ORCHIDS

Feeding requirements

Feed every two weeks during the summer months with an all purpose plant food at half the strength the pack recommends, feed no more than once every month with quarter strength food during the winter.

Re-potting schedule

Re potting should be undertaken during the spring months if grown in pots and should be done annually or when the plant is untidy and angled in its pot, use a large grade bark or compost, if you grow on cork bark (mounted) then repotting or re mounting need not be done until the plant is unmanageable.

Phalaenopsis can be induced to flower again on finishing flower spikes by cutting the flower stem off just above a node on the stem - this looks like a tiny leaf that lays flat to the stem. New growth will start from this node after about a month or so and flowers will develop after 2 to 3months. (see below)

Right: Phalaenopsis 'Mystic Golden Leopard' has beautiful deep golden flowers with tiny spots - superb!

Phalaenopsis 'Butterfly' has beautiful pale yellow flowers with an orange lip, very refreshing and bright

For more information on re potting Phalaenopsis orchids take a look at the Repotting Phals page

Re-Flowering Phalaenopsis

Something I'm often asked is "are they easy to get to re flower?" The answer is yes.

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 around 3 - 4 months after which you can remove the old flowering stem (known as a spike) right to the bottom, this will allow the plant to build up strength to throw out another spike in around 9 months. If the old flowering spike is brown then this is the best option and the plant should start to throw out a new spike in 5 - 9 months or sooner depending on environment.

Alternatively, if the spike is still green or half brown then cut the old stem just above a 'node' (see right), the plant should be left with around 4 - 5 inches of stem ending in a 'node'. This method will allow the plant to throw out a new spike from the 'node' in only a few weeks but they will be smaller than the 'full fat' flower and possibly fewer in number.

The last method is only suitable for plants in very good health as it does tend to sap energy from the plant.

This Phalaenopsis refused to grow in a pot and so it was mounted on to a piece of cork bark, 12 months later it flowered for the first time and continued to bloom for over 18 months! FANTASTIC.

Note the aerial roots taking hold of the bubble wrap in all directions, this gives the plant a very strong anchor to the tree or in this case chunk of cork.

If you mount your orchid on Bark then you will need to water or spray the roots daily otherwise dehydration may occur.

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