Exotic long-lasting flowers, they are very easy to look after and very Affordable offering great value for money.
Orchids once very expensive and rare, they are available all year round. Some well-known ones would be Phalaenopsis, Cambria and Oncidium.
Habit
A wide range of shapes and sizes, all sold in flower all you need to do is look after them.
Slow growing, you can fit a nice collection in your house.
They have thick fleshy roots, that store water, normally they would grow attached to trees and the roots are usually green, if they turn papery white they are too dry.
They are grown under very precise conditions on the nursery to make the flowers appear, you will find it difficult but not impossible to do at home.
When your orchid has finished flowering, don’t cut back the stem to the pot, look for a small scale on the stem near the finished flowers, if you cut just above it a new flower stem often appears 3 or 4 weeks later.
Temperature
They are happy at room temperature, but they don’t like draughts or fluctuating temperatures.
They also don’t like the ethylene given off by fruit so keep them away from the fruit bowl
Watering
In warm conditions, especially through the summer water every week. Submerge the roots in water for 10 minutes then allow the water to drain away. Orchid hate wet feet, often caused by watering them in a decorative pot.
Positon
Happy in a bright spot, but avoid direct sunlight in the summer months (April to August). Otherwise, the leaves may turn yellow. The shedding of buds and leaves is often caused by a lack of light.
Exotic flowers but easy to look after, now very cheap to buy.
Difficult to get into flower again, not happy with cold or draughts.
