Saturday, January 24, 2009

Phalaenopsis by the pond


This orchid is another success from my "intensive care orchid unit" - it came to me via friend couple of years ago in a rather poor state. It was all dried up with no flowers or leaves and no visible roots and was destined for the compost bin.

The challenge was to keep it barely alive until it started to grow new roots and from then on, it was just a matter of providing conditions that it liked. I've potted it into small plastic pot in pure moss so that it could start growing roots and was misting it with water regularly. Then the leaves started grow and finally the flower spikes.

Its turned out quite a beautiful color luminous yellow/hot pink/green phalaenopsis of larger size and as you can see in the picture (another picture further down) its growing strongly.  Last summer I've potted it into larger pot and its started showing its true colors. At the moment, in the middle of summer, our weather is quite hot and dry and this plant very happy sitting on the edge of my small water lilly pond, absorbing additional moisture through the leaves and the roots.

These days a lot of phalaenopsis orchids sold as an indoor plants and of course they are beautiful plants and can decorate any room with their magical blooms, however they should never be allowed to dry out. They don't have any bulbs or canes to reserve moisture and once dried up, its difficult to bring them back to flowering state. Difficult, but not impossible since its all about understanding what they need. If ever you come across dried up, shriveled, leafless orchid, give it a go and try to get it growing again - it will reward you for many years to come.

8 comments:

  1. I have a Phalaenopsis in just that state - I thought I should throw it away, but now, after reading this, I might reconsider. I have planted it in pure moss, but nothing has happened yet. But if I give it some time? (It is the darkest time of the year now...)

    I love your blog and all the information you share!
    Have a nice day
    /Helen

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  2. Hi

    What lovely orchids you have .
    I have only two and they have flowers.

    Thank you for the picks of my blog post.

    Greetings
    Gunilla

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  3. Beautiful orchid! You have so much knowledge, and so many orchids! I'm beginning to think I might try to grow one. An easy-to-grow one. Hee hee. Thanks, Klara!

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  4. Did you immerse the pot in the water? Can one do that with orchids? Won't it drown?

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  5. To blossom - no, just misting with water and then orchid absorbs evaporation from the pond.

    Thank you everyone for your comments and for checking out my orchids blog.

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  6. I agree that the phals are some of the hardest to bring back from the other side. I've grown them out from flask before, and sometimes it takes that much patience to get one of them back to health. Congratulations on your success with this one!

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  7. Your Orchid blog is fascinating, I had never thought there were so many. I have only seen them in pots in the stores, usually before Mother's day etc.For anyone interested in growing them you share a lot of advice and information.

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  8. Today the Missouri Botanical Garden held it's annual Orchid Show. I have gone several times and always have admired the variety of sizes and shapes of orchids. For years I researched the growing of orchids and this year I took the leap and bought my first orchid, a Phalaenopsis. I was so pleased to find your blog. It gives me faith.

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