Phalaenopsis Care

Commen Name: Moth Orchid

Origin and Features

The Phalaenopsis orchid comes from the tropical regions of South-East Asia. They are Epiphytic plants, which means they grow on the surface of other plants but they do not invade these plants. The Phalaenopsis orchid grows in tree branches and takes its water and nutrients from the air. These orchids have long thick silver roots which dangle in the moist tropical air.

As not many people have trees in their homes we need to put them into pots. So the first rule of care is, do not cut off roots that grow outside the pot.

Growing Conditions

Phalaenopsis grow best in temperatures between 16’C and 30’C. They like bright filtered sunlight.

Watering and feeding

These orchids like to be moist but not water logged, so never leave the roots standing in water. The best way to keep them moist is to create a humid atmosphere around the Orchid. Bathroom and Kitchens are a good place to keep them, showers and boiling Kettles created humidity. But there are other ways this can be achieved.

• Fill a saucer with gravel and fill with water up to the top of the gravel and place the orchid pot on the gravel. The water will evaporate creating a humid atmosphere around the Orchid.
• Place the Orchid in to an orchid pot. Fill with water up to the rim where the orchid sits (so that the pot is above the water level and not in it).

Phalaenopsis also like to be dunked into luke warm water about once a week and misting the leaves and roots ever so often is also a great way to keep humidity up.

Also add some liquid plant food to the water every couple of weeks.

How to cut back flowering stems on Phalaenopsis

Once your orchid’s flowers have died there are 2 ways to cut back the stems

Look at the stem if all the nodes are brown and paper thin then you have to cut the stem back right to the bottom.

New flowering shoots will grow from the next set of new leaves.

By cutting the flower shoot right back you also give the Orchid a rest period.

If the node is green and thick then you can cut just above it and usually the orchid will grow a new shoot from this node .