Basic Orchid Information Anybody Could Use

For those enchanted by orchids, here is some useful information. Orchids exhibit a great degree of variation, best exemplified by more than 30,000 species found in nature globally. More than 800 genera comprise the orchid familiy of Orchidaceae alone! Today, there exists roughly 25,000 known species and more than 110,000 registered hybrids, and those numbers are constantly rising. Orchids jazz up any area and demand attention with their exotic, colorful, and captivating traits.

How to grow Orchids at home:

Many orchids are rewarding indoor plants. Contrary to popular belief, orchids are suprisingly resilient and can adapt to environments quite well. Most orchids aren't terrestrial and don't grow in soil. Potting an orchid in soil may very well kill it. Orchids naturally are not rooted in the ground, but attached by thick roots to the sides of trees and on branches. When clinging to the bark, benefits the orchids derive are increased water and nutrient absorption from the air, rain, and the tree. As a survival mechanism when water is scarce, orchids tend to hoard water in thick leaves, stems, and roots.

Water Requirements for Orchids:

It's recommended to water orchids weekly, and to wait for the them to almost dry out before water again. Orchids can deal with short periods of water neglect, but not over watering.

Temperature Requirements for Orchids:

In the wild, orchids natually experience great changes in temperature from day to night. Warm-growing orchids like phalaenopsis require temperatures above 60 F. Intermediate growers such as cattleyas, prefer winter nights around 55 F. Cool-growing orchids such as cymbidiums prefer winter nights of about 50 F.

Light Requirements for Orchids:

Further orchid classification of orchids arises from the amount of light needed. There are orchids which are high (3,000 foot-candles), medium (2,000 foot-candles) and low (1,000 to 1,500 foot-candles). Generally, orchids require an abundance of light. Some orchids, such as phalaenopsis and paphiopedilums require less light. Orchids requiring more light, such as vandas and cymbidiums are more high maintenance and need natural sunlight or high-intensity discharge lights to bloom. Orchids that do not bloom often require more light to facilitate flowering.

Fertilizing Orchids:

Orchids don't need much fertilizer, but a weekly dose of weak solution fertilizer goes far in maintaining healthy plants and regular blooming. You should water the orchid with plain water monthly to flush out accumulated fertilizer salts. Use a blossom-booster fertilizer during autumn, when many orchids sprout flower buds.

Humidity Requirements:

Humidity is quite possibly an orchid's best friend. Speedier and increased flowering result from increased humidity levels. To increase humidity, operate a humidifier near the orchids or place the pots on flat, black pebbles set in a tray in which water is added until it almost covers the stones.

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