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Orchids Are Elegant Houseplants

September 16, 2000

Sandra Mason  Unit Educator, Horticulture & Environment  Champaign County Unit slmason@illinois.edu

Orchids are not just the giant Mother's Day corsage, or the jungle flower Tarzan gave to Jane. Orchids are a diverse plant family growing in deserts, mountains, marshes, northern woods and even in Illinois. They can also make wonderful houseplants. Most houseplant orchids don't require special equipment and can be as easy to grow as African violets. Now if you have killed off the last five African violets that you have owned, you may want to start with a couple of the easier orchids to grow. The Phalaenopsis or moth orchid is great for beginners. Moth orchids are showy flowers of pink, white or yellow held on arching sprays that look like a flock of fluttering moths. One more aspect of "phals" is their delightful habit of reblooming off older flowering spikes. Do not remove old flower spikes and most often, one or even two branches will appear, with the promise of more blooms in eight to 12 weeks. No other orchid is easier to maintain and to rebloom. 'Sussex Pearl', 'Femme Fatale' or 'Southern Ruby' are just some of the 12,000 hybrid "phals" available. The flowers will last an amazing two to five months. Moth orchids are native to Asian jungles where they cling with long thick roots to rocks and trees. They get their moisture from rain, dew and humidity and their nutrients from decaying leaves and other debris that accumulate among their roots. This may not sound like your living room, but the conditions are fairly easy to reproduce indoors. The American Orchid Society has outlined five simple criteria for growing orchids as houseplants. Orchids require bright light to bloom such as an east, west or south window but they should be protected from direct sun. Too much light will burn the foliage and too little light will result in little growth or no blooms. Orchids taken outdoors in the summer should be placed in the shade of a tree or patio and should be moved indoors before the temperature drops below 50°F. Lady slipper orchids and moth orchids can be grown under fluorescent lights also. Generally blooms will occur when the night temperatures are 10 to 20 degrees colder than the day temperatures. Generally temperatures between 55 and 90°F during the day and between 50 and 70°F at night. Moth orchids prefer 70 to 80°F day and 65 to 70°F night. Orchids require a high humidity of between 40 to 85 percent by using humidifiers or by filling a tray with pebbles, saturating the pebbles with water and placing the pot on the pebbles. Orchids appreciate good air circulation from small portable fans or ceiling fans. The potting mix should provide good air penetration and fast water drainage. Commercially prepared orchid mixes are available. Most mixes are a combination of shredded fir bark, peat moss, perlite or sand. Orchids which naturally grow in trees can be grown on slabs of wood. Orchids should never be dug from the wild. Nineteen members of the orchid family are listed on the endangered and threatened species plant list in Illinois due to loss of habitat, over grazing and plant harvesting even in protected areas Look for a reputable grower who sells only nursery propagated plants. With the advent of tissue culture propagation, orchids are more available and less expensive. For more information contact the American Orchid Society, 6000 South Olive Ave West, Palm Beach, Florida 33405. Please join us at the Idea Garden on south Lincoln for the fall Saturday workshops at 10:00 am. No fee or registration is required.