Phalaenopsis-Orchids-growing-beautiful-colorful-flowers !!

Phalaenopsis orchids have captured the hearts and minds of growers, collectors and breeders for generations.  Also known as "Moth Orchids" or Phals.., they come in a wide spectrum of color and petal design variation..

Phalaenopsis Orchids are very popular due to their incredibly beautiful flowers with an almost limitless variety of colors, patterns and designs on their petals, Phalaenopsis flowers are the most sought after of all and they make wonderful gifts. It's no wonder that growing orchids has become such a passion.

No other family of plants in nature produce such a wide range of color as do orchids.  They are relatively easy to propagate and are able to flower under artificial conditions and they do well in greenhouses and solariums in colder climates.  In the tropics, they flourish outdoors but must be sheltered from rain and direct sunlight.

The other interesting feature of Phalaenopsis Orchids is that under ideal conditions, the they will produce new flower spikes continuously; at about the time the when the flowers of the older spike has begun to fade, the new spike emerges.  Since their flowers last almost three months, the some species of orchid, like the Phalaenopsis, appears to be almost 'ever flowering', making them so rewarding for collectors.  Click here to significantly improve your orchid growing skills.

Phalaenopsis Orchids come in a diverse range of beautiful colors.

Phalaenopsis Orchids were among the first tropical orchids in the Victorian collections. and since then, their commercial production has become a vibrant industry.

Orchid Brunch

Typically in nature, they are found growing in warm temperatures of between 20°C to 35°C (68°F to 95°F), but are adaptable to conditions more comfortable for human habitation in temperate zones (15°C to 30°C or 59 °F to 86°F).

Below, a mixed Phalaenopsis arrangement, fit for a royal wedding..

From seedlings to mature plants, they spend their early days in greenhouses until the first flower spikes appear and are then moved to display areas for sale.

Below, a few examples of tiny varieties and as you can see, the petal and leaf shapes are definitely Phalaenopsis.

Mini Phalaenopsis 2nd flowering

Phals add beauty and color wherever they are displayed.  Although "raised" in greenhouses, orchids are relatively easy to maintain.  In the "wild", orchids grow on trees and so bark is generally the potting medium of choice and watering thoroughly once per week is usually sufficient.  This does depend on where you keep your plant and the climate where you live. If your plant is potted in moss, water when the top feels dry. The amount of light and heat your plant receives will determine the watering frequency. E.g., in summer your plants will need more frequent watering and less during winter. 

Here are a few general guidelines to growing healthy, vibrant phalaenopsis orchids:

1. They grow best in bark, in small pots but some don't need pots, like Vandas.
2. Water once per week and avoid pouring water in the crown (where the leaves join in the center) to avoid crown rot. After watering, pour out any access water that settles in the saucer - Never let your orchids sit in water!!
3. Place your orchids in a brightly lit room or area but NOT in direct sunlight. In the garden, some orchids thrive under tree canopy but keep your Phals sheltered from rain and direct tropical sunlight.

Orchids in the mirror

Placing your orchids next to a mirror is a clever way to "double your yield".

Below are a fine spike of beautiful pink Phalaenopsis orchids blooming majestically on Mothers Day, 2014.  It is interesting that these awesome plants can thrive in a solarium in the "snow belt" region of Canada and in a garden in Malindi, on the east coast of Kenya.

Beautiful Pink Phalaenopsis Blooms

I would like to say a very sincere and heart-felt thank you to Gail, Cindy, Menora, Debs, Mary, Just Add Ice Orchids and Gigi, for all their support, pictures and feedback.


For more information on orchid growing, here is something that will dramatically help your orchid growing skills:  "Orchid Secrets Revealed"

Beautiful-blooms-in-2014 !!

Happy New Year, I would like to wish you all lots of blessings, great health, prosperity, success and tons of blooms in 2014

As usual, the delightful Christmas cacti burst into bloom with beautiful flowers during the holidays and what's more is that they're still in bloom  ;-) 

Brilliant white and shocking pink flowers.

Red and white flowers.

Pail pink variety.

Baby Christmas cactus.

This is how most plants start out, fresh from the nursery, in tiny little pots, baby plants are small and very cute.

After some time, plants out-grow their pots and so, below are a few tips and tricks to re-potting your plants and getting them flowering again and looking even more beautiful:

1. Choose an appropriate sized, bowl shaped pot.
2. This is the potting mix that I have been having great success year after year: 70% regular potting soil, 10% red soil, 10% charcoal and 10% crushed egg shells.
3. Ensure that there are enough holes at the bottom of the pot, to allow good drainage.
4. Line the bottom of the pot with gravel - this assists with drainage.
5. Position the plant above the gravel and add the new potting mix.
6. Holding the pot and plant, dunk it in a basin of (rain) water for a few moments, long enough to drench the soil and then remove the plant and place it on a saucer and presto, you're done.
7. After a while, discard any extra water in the saucer.

In time, your plant will resemble this beauty below.

Mature plant

If your Christmas cactus looks healthy and robust but yet, does not produce flowers, there is a simple remedy that will bring about blooms in 2 to 3 weeks (in the season).  If you seem to have this problem, please feel free to send me a message using the contact form on the page and I will be happy to let you in on the secret.

Orchids-Live-Forever

A borrowed picture of a Clipper ..

When the early Dutch explorers navigated the great oceans of the world in Clippers, in search of great fortunes during the early 17th and 18th Centuries, no-one really expected Orchids to be part of their bounty.  That was to be the beginning of a new hobby that has grown to be a passion and craze..  Surviving the journey back "home", gives you an idea of just how durable orchids really are.  Interestingly, orchid plantations have been handed down from one family generation to another.

There are over 50,000 known species of orchids growing in almost every climatic region in the world.  These amazing and varied plants produce some of the most spectacular and wildly beautiful flowers known to man.  Orchids are known for their wide variety of colors, petal formations and arrangements and so, it is no surprise that orchid collecting and growing has reached epic proportions.

Table top variety of a "leopard orchid".

A variety of Cattleya Orchid

Some free info if you wish to start collecting orchids:

• Begin with varieties native to your geographical region. They will flourish better and flower more easily. If you live in the tropics, several species of cymbidium, oncidium and vanda, flourish very well and there are loads of fascinating forest varieties.
• Water them or spray them sparingly - don't flood them!!
• Avoid interrupting their flowering cycle; meaning that if you see a flower spike beginning, don't re-pot the plant at that moment, allow the flowers to finish their cycle, allow the plant to rest and when you see new roots emerging, then re-pot your plant.  If it doesn't need re-potting, leave it alone.

 Click here to significantly improve your orchid growing skills.

Two warnings - 1. Once you get into orchids that's it, you're hooked, you can find yourself dropping everything and everyone and running to an orchid show and 2. Don't try to collect them all, it's impossible and you'll go "potty"!!