The supermarket orchid is no diva: it likes it as warm as you do, grows in bark instead of soil and flowers for months – with a little skill, again every year.

What it does for you

The moth orchid, also simply called Phalaenopsis after its genus, is the most popular orchid for the home¹. Its flowers often last four months and longer¹, and it copes well with heated rooms². On top of that, it is non-toxic for people, cats and dogs^3,4.

Origin & history

In the wild, the genus grows in tropical and subtropical Asia as far as north-eastern Australia⁶. There it grows on trees as an epiphyte^6,1.

The genus name Phalaenopsis means "moth-like" – the flowers resemble moths in flight^1,7. It is bred mainly in Taiwan and the Netherlands, and more than 34,000 hybrids are registered¹.

Caution

It isn't toxic for cats and dogs³, and for people it's considered harmless⁴.

Care

Light. Bright in winter, a window with morning or evening sun is ideal. No direct sun in summer, it burns the leaves².

Water. In the growing season, water thoroughly with lukewarm water about once a week or dunk briefly and let it drain well. Too wet and the roots rot, too dry and they shrivel up².

Temperature & humidity. 19–30 °C by day, 16–19 °C at night²; the RHS advises keeping it above 16 °C, and Iowa State says to avoid anything below 13 °C⁸. It likes 40–60 % humidity – a tray of wet gravel helps⁸.

Soil, pot & repotting. Only bark-based orchid mix, never potting compost. A clear pot shows whether it's still moist inside. Don't bury aerial roots, or they rot². Repot into fresh bark every two to three years after flowering, not while in bloom^1,7,9.

Feeding. From spring into early autumn⁹, twice a month with orchid fertiliser at half strength¹, every fourth time just water; hardly at all in winter².

Extras

After flowering, cut the stalk above the second node below the faded flowers – a new flower branch often sprouts there². If it goes without flowers for a long time, keep it around 5 °C cooler for about a month².

Its roots are green because they photosynthesise themselves¹. The leaves use water-saving CAM photosynthesis and take in CO₂ mainly at night¹⁰.

By the way, blue orchids are usually dyed. When they flower again, the flowers are white¹.