Moth orchids (phalaenopsis) are one of the most popular indoor plants, and for good reason. They have beautiful flowers, as you can see in the photo, that receive their name from their moth-like look. When you combine that with the fact that they are really easy to care for, you have the perfect houseplant.
What is the average lifespan of phalaenopsis orchids? People frequently discard them once they have completed their flowering cycle due to their popularity and low cost. This normally lasts 2 to 3 months. However, some have been said to have lived for almost a century. So, with proper care and attention, you should be able to retain your orchid for several decades.
Because many individuals discard their orchids after the first bloom, they are often unaware that the plant is actually resting in preparation for the next bloom.
This is where it will store the energy needed to create such lovely or adorable blossoms as the monkey face orchid. You may expect a phalaenopsis orchid to bloom anywhere from once to three times per year. If you’re lucky and take excellent care of it, the latter.
A careful grower will be required to keep this plant alive for several decades. However, there are a few simple steps you can take to help it last longer.
How long does an orchid plant live indoors?
“Orchids can live for a long time if properly cared for, and they usually bloom twice a year. When the blossoms fade, many people believe the flower has perished, however this isn’t the case! This is quite natural, and if you stay patient, you’ll see them blossom again in about six months,” said VJ Mkrtchian, owner of Palm Springs Flower Mart.
Orchid blooms are extremely stunning, and depending on the variety of orchid, they can last anywhere from 6-8 weeks to several months. If you cut orchid stems, they won’t last as long as they would if they were still attached to the plant, but their longevity is still outstanding.
“Individual blooms can still outlast many other popular cut flower kinds. According to Tim Farrell, Teleflora teaching specialist and owner of Farrell’s Florist in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, “some dendrobium and phalaenopsis orchid stems can endure 14 to 21 days with adequate care.”
A well-kept phalaenopsis orchid (one of the most common varieties) can bloom for up to four months if properly cared for. At the end of the day, patience is the word of the game when it comes to orchids.
How long can an orchid plant live?
Orchid plants do not have a set lifespan, however after 15 to 20 years, the plants get weaker and produce fewer flowers. Plants have a natural immune system, which is worn down over time by bacteria and fungi in the environment. Orchids should be repotted every two or three years to avoid disease. You may want to consider replacing an aging orchid as it becomes more problematic and susceptible to disease.
What do you do with an orchid after the blooms fall off?
You have three options when the orchid’s blooms have dropped: leave the flower spike (or stem) intact, trim it down to a node, or remove it completely. By trimming the flower spike off at the plant’s base, you can completely remove it. If the existing stem begins to turn brown or yellow, this is the path to take.
Do orchids like bathrooms?
Your bathroom is probably not top on your list of décor priorities in your home. Even if it isn’t a common area where guests spend a lot of time, it is nevertheless a room you utilize on a regular basis. While you may not want to spend a lot of money to make it look nice, a few modest and bright additions can make a big difference.
In fact, using orchids to decorate your bathroom is a win-win situation for both you and your plants. Not only would having an orchid in your bathroom brighten the atmosphere, but it will also make it easier to keep your plants healthy. Because a bathroom is naturally warm and humid due to steamy showers, and most bathroom windows don’t let in much direct sunshine, your bathroom is the ideal habitat for your orchids to grow.
But how can you be creative with bathroom décor in such a limited space? Use an orchid in one of these three ways to brighten up your bathroom.
Make a Countertop Display
Although placing your orchid on a mirrored tray or among beautiful soaps is likely to be your first inclination, you may take the presentation to the next level by arranging it on a mirrored tray or alongside decorative soaps.
Dress Up Your Windowsill
If you don’t have enough counter space in your bathroom, a windowsill is another fantastic place to put an orchid. You won’t have to worry about your orchid getting too much direct sunlight on the windowsill because bathroom window blinds tend to stay closed even during the day. In one corner, place a small cluster of mini orchids or paint a vase to match your shower curtain.
Create Your Own Vertical Garden
Even in the shower, you can’t get enough of your orchids? With this vertical garden guide, you might transform your shower into a rainforest refuge. This is a particularly good option for bathrooms with glass shower doors, as the orchid will be prominently visible.
It’s true: your bathroom doesn’t have to be uninteresting. With only one orchid, you can transform even the most mundane area in your house into a tropical haven.
Are you looking for more orchid decoration inspiration? See how to construct a gorgeous orchid planter in this video.
Do orchids like small pots?
Watering is one of the most difficult aspects of orchid cultivation. Orchids that receive too much water, sit in water, or are kept in a consistently wet potting mix are prone to root rot. Water orchids until the water drains out the bottom of the container and the potting mix is evenly hydrated, which is the ideal technique. In 7-10 days, the plant should require more water, if not less. Even after a week, two weeks, or even longer, many orchids are still damp. Some people recommend restricting the amount of water given, and even utilizing ice cubes for watering as a method to reduce the amount of water offered.
It’s just as probable that an orchid is overpotted as it is overwatered if it stays moist in its pot for an extended period of time. Orchids prefer to be snug in their pots, thus the root-to-potting-mix ratio should be roughly equal. When an orchid is placed in a pot that is too large for it, there aren’t enough roots to absorb the moisture contained by the potting mix, which causes the mix to stay wet for too long. The roots stay damp, the potting mix stays soggy, and the orchid’s health deteriorates instead of producing more roots to fill the space. An orchid in the appropriate container size should dry out every 7-10 days, if not sooner. It’s almost certainly overpotted if the plant remains damp for two weeks after watering.
It is not a certainty that a newly acquired orchid will be in the right size pot. In the potted plant industry, there is a belief that an orchid in a 6 inch container will sell for more than one in a 4 or 5 inch pot. As a result, we occasionally discover that the orchids we purchase have been placed in larger pots for marketing purposes. As a result, it’s not unusual for a newly acquired orchid to require a smaller pot during its first repotting. Yet, while it is normal to anticipate to repot a plant up a pot size (as we would with most houseplants), doing so with one that is already overpotted exacerbates the problem. The best advise we can give is to place your orchid in the appropriate size container based on its root mass. Give it lots of room to flourish instead of trying to do it a favor.
The top of the pot is measured to determine the size. Most orchids require a pot that is 4 to 6 inches in diameter. Seedlings and miniatures require smaller pots, as do older specimen plants and some genera (Cymbidium, Phaius, huge Cattleya…), however the bulk of orchids sold in grocery stores, box stores, florists, and the like do not. When you repot your orchid, you’ll have the option of putting it in the right size pot based on its root mass, as demonstrated in our repotting videos. Packing peanuts can be used to effectively reduce the size of a pot by taking up space without holding water if you are concerned that it is a touch too large.
Do orchids need sun?
The location of your plant might make all the difference in whether it thrives or withers. Because lighting changes from season to season, the ideal places to store your orchids when there is enough of sunshine may differ from those when there isn’t. This spring, here are the ideal places to keep your orchid:
Living Room
Orchids flourish in direct sunlight, and your living room is likely to get the most. The best light is indirect sunlight. So, near a north- or east-facing window is one of the greatest places to maintain your orchid. If your living room has west-facing windows, it’s better to put it on a table or shelf away from the window.
If you want your plant to be closer to the window, make sure the window is draped with a sheer curtain to keep the sun’s direct rays out.
Bathroom
Phalaenopsis orchids are tropical orchids that thrive in humid environments. Which room in your house is the most humid? The restroom. Your bathroom shower’s steam and heat will keep your plant hydrated and toasty.
If you don’t have any windows in your bathroom, you should take your plant out for part of the day. It should be placed in a room with indirect sunlight. Mold growth is also discouraged by rotating your plant between the bathroom and another part of your home.
Dining Room
An orchid is a simple but beautiful way to add color to your dining room. Because dining rooms are often connected to kitchens, your plant can benefit from the warmth of your kitchen. The afternoon light will warm your kitchen if your windows face south or west. Without the sudden warm blasts from opening and closing the oven door, your orchid will benefit.
Keep your orchid away from any fruit bowls you may have in the area while determining where to put it in the dining room. The ethylene gas released by ripening fruit can cause buds to drop prematurely.
How can you tell how old an orchid is?
Phalaenopsis orchids are lovely plants that produce spectacular blooms with little effort. The exotic-looking plants can be found in a variety of nations and can be found on coffee tables all around the United States. In the fall and spring, the Phalaenopsis orchid bursts with months of lovely flowers. When it comes to caring for a Phalaenopsis orchid, however, there are some guidelines to follow. Yellowing leaves on the Phalaenopsis orchid are one of the most prevalent issues that people have with the plant.
Here are some reasons why the leaves on a Phalaenopsis orchid will yellow:
- Yellowing leaves, like those of other plants, can be caused by age. It’s normal for old leaves to turn yellow and fall off over time. Check to see whether new roots are growing from the stem where the leaves originally were to determine if the leaves are older. Those roots will eventually join together to form a noticeable root mass.
- Yellow leaves on the top of the plant, on the other hand, indicate that there is an issue with the plant that must be handled. Yellowing leaves that are still firm and plump are most likely exposed to too much light, which will gradually fade the color of a Phalaenopsis orchid’s leaves. Orchids are picky when it comes to how much light they get. Because direct sunlight can cause sunburn and dryness, it’s crucial to select a spot for your orchid where it can get plenty of sun without becoming overheated. A Phalaenopsis orchid thrives in indirect light in the home or office.
Check out some of our other blog posts for even more helpful advice on how to care for Phalaenopsis orchids.
What does a dying orchid look like?
When flowers and buds begin to dry out, turn brown, and fall off the plant after months of lovely blooms, it’s understandable that Phalaenopsis owners become angry and worried that their orchid is dying. When the orchid’s spike shrivels and goes brown, and the previously lustrous leaves fade and flatten, frustrated orchid owners sometimes assume their orchid has perished and toss out a perfectly healthy plant. Your orchid may appear to be dead, but with appropriate orchid care, it may bloom once again and even for several years. All you need is faith and patience!
Orchid Life Cycle
Phalaenopsis orchids, like other flowers, go through an annual cycle of growth, bloom, rest, and “rebirth,” with the cycle starting afresh each year. The beginning of the latent stage of a Phalaenopsis orchid is sometimes mistook for death by new owners. Dormancy is the orchid’s natural resting time and is part of its normal life cycle. Phalaenopsis orchids devote their energy to strengthening their root systems, producing leaves, replenishing energy supplies drained by flowering, and storing nutrients for the next growth and bloom period during dormancy.
A well-cared-for Phalaenopsis orchid has an eight- to twelve-month life cycle, with flowering periods averaging two to three months, while some Phalaenopsis owners have reported blooming periods as long as five or six months, and even longer! Phalaenopsis hybrids can bloom for four seasons, sometimes more, if properly cared for.
Signs of Dormancy
Look for the following signals that your Phalaenopsis orchid is about to enter its resting period:
- As the orchid discards adult leaves, the bottom leaves may yellow or turn crimson.
Download our FREE guide to understand How to Trigger Reblooming if your orchid has gone dormant.