Tag: Orchids

Our guide to growing orchids has all you need to know to cultivate beautiful flowers at home.

This article focuses on when and how to feed orchid houseplants.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

Let’s get started!

Why Feed Orchids?

The answer is simple: In nature, many of the orchid species we cultivate as houseplants grow on trees and rocks, using them for structural support and taking nothing in return.

Of the remaining species, some grow in organic debris called leaf litter, and the rest live in soil – these are commonly referred to as terrestrial orchids.

When we grow houseplant favorites like moth orchids or Cattleya species in pots, we typically use loose, chunky materials like:

• Bark
• Clay Balls
• Coconut Coir
• Gravel
• Horticultural Charcoal
• Perlite
• Sphagnum Peat Moss

These products, alone or in combination, make excellent growing media for orchids because they give the roots something to grab, and they absorb water and nutrients. However, these substrates do not contain food.

So, the logical question you may ask is, “Why don’t we use nutrient-dense soil?”

Unless the species you are growing is a terrestrial type, the roots would suffocate.

Most houseplant species are tree-dwelling epiphytes or rock-clinging lithophytes. In the wild, they obtain nutrients from the rainwater that washes over them.

At home, in pots, they rely on growers to supply food to sustain them.

Let’s look at some feeding options.

Fertilizer Options

To feed, you can use an all-purpose houseplant food or one specifically formulated for orchids. 

Fast-acting concentrates, powders, and ready-to-spray liquids suit most common houseplant species.

For specimens that are growing in soil, you can also consider using slow-release granules or liquid or solid feeding spikes.

All appropriate fertilizer types contain nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), essential macronutrients that support general health and the development of robust leaves, flowers, and roots.

The ideal N-P-K ratio is evenly balanced, such as 20-20-20. Avoid products that are high in nitrogen, as they may cause an overabundance of foliage and inhibit flower production.

Your choice will likely depend upon the frequency of application and the cost and availability of suitable products in your area.

Here are some products to consider:

Whether you choose an all-purpose houseplant food or an orchid-specific formulation, you should dilute the recommended quantity to one-quarter and apply it as often as the manufacturer recommends.

We are not changing the frequency, but reducing the quantity of food to avoid burning the roots.

Once a month during the growing season, flush the pot thoroughly with water to remove mineral salts that build up from fertilizer applications.

If the buildup is excessive, remove the plant and dispose of the old growing media.

Sanitize the pot with nine parts water to one part household bleach, and rinse it well. Fill the clean pot with fresh growing media and replant.

Repot your orchid when the roots protrude from the bottom of the pot. Even if they don’t, it’s best to discard old media and replace it with fresh every one to two years.

Remember that you’ll be diluting the strength of whatever product you choose.

The quantities of liquids, granules, and powders are easy to adjust, and solid spikes are easily cut.

However, pre-measured liquid spikes may be more difficult to regulate, as you will have to estimate and squeeze out some of the liquid in the vial.

Crown rot is all too common and it seems like most orchid growers encounter it at one point or another.

Don’t panic. It can usually be prevented or, if not, treated if you catch it quickly.

You just need to know what to watch for in your orchids and if you notice signs of infection, take action quickly – and this guide will help you do that.

Here’s what we’ll go over to help make that happen.

What Causes Crown Rot?

Crown rot is a catch-all term for when the aboveground parts of a plant start to rot. In the case of orchids, this might include aerial roots, stems, and leaves.

In many plants it begins at the base of the plant – the crown – where the stems and leaves meet the roots at the soil level. Crown rot is a common problem in landscape trees.

The disease can be caused by bacterial or fungal pathogens including Citrobacter spp., Dickeya spp., Enterobacter spp., Fusarium spp., Klebsiella spp., Pectobacterium spp., Phytophthora cinnamomi, P. nicotianae var. parasitica, P. palmivora, Providencia spp., Pseudomonas spp., Serratia spp., and potentially others.

Or, it might simply be caused by water being in constant contact with an area on the plant.

That’s why it’s extremely common in species where the leaves wrap around the stems, as they do in the case of Phalaenopsis aka moth orchids.

There isn’t much room for the water to drain out of tight areas like this, so it tends to pool and become trapped.

This wrapping, scale-like stack of leaves on the stem is an adaptation that allows for orchids in the wild to capture the water and nutrients from the air. But in your house, where you’re providing plenty of moisture, there can be too much of a good thing.

Any orchid species is susceptible, though, regardless of the leaf structure.

Identification

Symptoms of crown rot start as yellow, brown, or water-soaked spots on the stems or leaves.

That may sound easy to see, but the rot can develop in hidden areas like in the sheathing, sheathing bracts, or parts of the stem underneath the leaves. Usually, the lower leaves are impacted first.

More subtly, impacted orchids might not develop new leaves. Since some orchids, like Phalaenopsis, develop leaves slowly, you might not realize this is happening until it’s too late.

You might also notice a foul smell. You might have to get in close to experience it, but it’s there. That’s the plant tissue rotting.

You could also see the velamen – the silvery coating – of the aerial roots turn bright green and even start to develop rotting spots. The velamen tends to be more green in color when the soil is moist and more silvery when it is dry.

The base of the orchid might turn dark brown or black, and mushy or water-soaked.

Eventually, the entire top part of the orchid will die, with the leaves turning yellow and brown, wilting, and eventually collapsing. Take a close look at the plant and you’ll probably find that the damage starts right at the base, and the roots may be unaffected.

Or in some cases, the base might rot through completely and the top, healthy part of the plant will simply fall off, like someone took a knife and sliced it clean away. When this happens, it’s generally referred to as collar or stem rot.

Rot that is caused by bacteria tends to be much quicker-moving than the other causes. A plant can be killed in just a few days if bacteria is the causal pathogen. In general, once infection takes hold, crown rot can move fast, so act as soon as you see it!

Organic Control Methods

You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again: Prevention is best.

In this case, prevention involves watering at the soil level and not on the foliage. Better yet, this is your chance to practice bottom watering instead of soaking your plants from above.

If you’ve never tried bottom watering before, it’s easy. You place the orchid in a dish or sink filled with a few inches of water and you let the plant absorb all the moisture it wants for 15 minutes or so.

Then, you remove the pot and let it drain for about half an hour. Learn more about bottom watering in our guide.

Mounted plants are far less susceptible to rot, so consider mounting your orchid if you struggle with diseases regularly.

Learn more about proper orchid cultivation in our comprehensive guide.

As soon as you notice something is wrong, remove any symptomatic areas, if possible, using a sterile knife, scalpel, craft knife, or pruners. Be sure to cut a clean margin around the diseased tissue so that all diseased tissue is removed from the plant.

If the damage is throughout the entire base of the stem, you obviously can’t cut that out, so at that point it’s time to break out the organic and chemical fungicides.

Be aware, though, that if the disease has progressed significantly you’re probably fighting a losing battle. If this is a precious orchid, you can try to propagate it via seeds or cuttings to replace it, if possible.

Once you’ve cut out any rot, repot the plant in fresh potting medium into a clean container.

Learn more about how to repot orchids in our guide. And make sure you choose the right type of container for the species you are growing!

Organic Fungicides

Fungicides are useful if you catch the issue early. Once the rot is extensive, fungicide applications can help, but you’ll still need to prune out the damaged tissue.

You’ll often hear people suggest using cinnamon to treat fungal issues, particularly on orchids.

I don’t know how this trend started, but it’s certainly not a method to try in this case. The kind of dried cinnamon that we keep in our spice cabinets has lost the effective compounds that help treat fungal issues.

It can help by drying out material, but otherwise, it isn’t going to be effective enough to tackle a serious problem like crown rot.

You need something a bit stronger.

Sun scorch or sunburn can happen on the aerial roots, flowers, and, most commonly, the leaves.

And the good news is, this condition is totally preventable. We’ll talk about that and more, coming right up. Here are the topics we’ll tackle:

Before we can talk about what to do to fix sunburn, we should go over what the right sun exposure for orchids looks like.

How Much Sun Do Orchids Need?

The right amount of sun exposure varies depending on the species you are growing. Some types are perfectly fine in full sun all day long and others need complete shade.

Some Papilionanthe, Dendrobium, and Epidendrum species require full or part sun. Paphiopedilum and Phaius species prefer full shade or dappled shade.

Most common species that we grow as houseplants, like Cattleya and moth or Phalaenopsis, need bright, indirect light indoors or dappled or partial sunlight outdoors.

Direct light falling on the leaves can cause sunburn, especially if that light is the harsh afternoon sunlight.

Identifying Scorch

Sunburn on the leaves of orchids typically appears as circular, oval, or irregular splotches of discoloration. These lesions are generally tan or yellow in the center with a brown margin.

Less intense cases might just exhibit reddish-brown freckles.

Left in the sun, the overexposed leaves might start to curl or turn entirely yellow. They may also wilt and drop off the plant.

When a flower is overexposed to light, it typically fades, turns brown or yellow, and shrivels up.

Aerial roots will often exhibit brown spots in the most exposed areas.

Treating Sunburn

The first step in treating sunburn is to move your plant to an area with less light exposure.

Again, every species is different, so it’s important to determine what your particular plant needs. You can use a light meter if you’re having trouble figuring out exactly what the right exposure looks like.

Human eyes are very adaptable to different light exposure. We can go into a dark room and after a few minutes of acclimation, it will look much brighter to us. But the plants aren’t fooled, which is why using a light meter is useful.

Next, you’ll need to decide whether you want to remove the burned areas or just live with them.

A leaf, root, or flower that is heavily burned and discolored should be removed. Badly damaged tissue serves no purpose and potentially exposes the plant to pests and diseases.

But a leaf with just a small burned spot can be left in place if it doesn’t bother you.

The burned areas will never recover, so don’t leave them in place hoping that they’ll heal up – they won’t. If you decide to remove a leaf, you should remove the entire leaf, cutting back to the soil or stem. You don’t want to remove just the damaged part.

However, don’t remove more than one third of the total leaves at a time. If you need to allow some damaged ones to remain, that’s fine, just take off the ones that are the most badly affected.

Check out our guide to pruning orchids for more information about the process.

After moving the specimen to a new location and completing any pruning, it’s just a matter of supporting your orchid as it recovers.

Our guide to growing and caring for orchids can help you with that.

In a nutshell, you’ll need to water them appropriately, feed them when necessary, and keep them in the right light exposure.

In our guide to growing orchids we provide an overview of how to grow these unique plants.

Now we’re going to chat about the difference between the varieties that need special containers and those that don’t, as well as give you a few suggestions depending on the type you have.

Here’s what I’ll cover:

To understand what kind of pot to use, we need to know how these plants grow in nature.

Let’s discuss that first.

How Orchids Grow

The orchids that we typically grow at home are either epiphytes, which means in their natural habitat they are attached to other plants, or terrestrial – those that grow in the ground.

Within the orchid world, there are also lithophytes, which grow on rocks, and even a few aquatic species, but they are rarely grown as houseplants or in the home garden.

They are typically only found in specialty stores or botanical gardens, and are grown by experienced hobbyists or experts.

That said, some epiphytes can also be lithophytes, but these are generally categorized as epiphytes to make things simple. For example, the ever-popular moth orchid (Phalaenopsis spp.) can grow on trees or on rocks, depending on the species and environment.

Don’t worry about the distinction between the two. Both lithophytes and epiphytes can be grown in the same type of container.

The real difference is between terrestrial and epiphytic types. An epiphyte will need a different type of container than a terrestrial plant.

The type of container you choose will depend entirely on the plant’s growth habit.

If you’re growing terrestrial types, it can be hard to determine which type you have if you aren’t aware of the species. If you don’t know the species, do some research or chat with an expert to see if they can at least help you narrow down the genus.

To learn more about terrestrial orchids, read our guide.

If you bought your orchid at the grocery store and you are unsure what type it is, the chances are high that it’s a Phalaenopsis – an epiphytic type.

Containers for Terrestrial Orchids

Terrestrial types like bamboo (Arundina spp.), calanthe (Calanthe spp.) corduroy (Eulophia spp.), cymbidium, (Cymbidium spp.), slipper (Cypripedium spp.), jewel (Ludisia spp.), nun’s (Phaius spp.), spathoglotti (Spathoglottis spp.), and urn (Bletilla spp.) orchids can all be grown in the same kind of pots you’d use for most houseplants.

That is, a solid pot with at least one drainage hole in the bottom. Adequate drainage is non-negotiable.

Though terrestrial types aren’t as sensitive to overwatering as epiphytic species, they will still suffer from root rot if they become oversaturated.

If you want a decorative container, and it doesn’t have adequate drainage that’s fine. Just put the plant in a pot with good drainage and then put that inside the decorative container.

It doesn’t really matter whether the pot is deep or shallow because the roots will adapt.

That said, many species grow laterally, with a rhizome that spreads sideways just under the surface of the soil as the plant grows. If you want a full, large plant, give it a wide but shallow pot.

It’s important not to pot up your orchid in a container that is too large, as this can quickly lead to root rot. If the pot is too big, the excess soil retains too much water around the roots. Choose something the same size as the existing container or one size up.

Containers for Epiphytes

Most of the orchids you find at grocery stores and big box stores will be epiphytes.

Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Dendrobium, and Oncidium (syn. Odontoglossum) species are mostly epiphytes, and these are typically the popular ones carried by stores.

These types of orchids need special containers. They require the pot to have lots of holes in the side, not just at the bottom. This helps with drainage and improves air circulation around the roots.

The roots of epiphytic types can’t tolerate any standing water, so they need plenty of air and excellent drainage.

If you’ve ever purchased one at the store, you probably know what the ideal pot looks like.

They are usually made from clear plastic with long slits in the side and bottom. It’s not essential that they are transparent, though it does help you keep an eye on the roots to watch for problems.

It’s almost impossible to overwater a mounted plant and this method recreates the plant’s natural growing environment more closely than growing in any type of container.

Mounted plants have their roots wrapped in moss and are then affixed to a support.

You can mount a plant on wood, bamboo, cork, clay, or any other natural material that won’t disintegrate in water.

I mean, those descriptions aren’t wrong, they certainly don’t look like your typical grocery store option, that’s for sure!

If you have an interest in the strange, funky flowers of this world, or maybe just a curiosity about plants in the Orchidaceae family, this guide will introduce you to these lesser known plants.

Here are the things we’ll discuss:

The most obvious place to start is, of course, a definition of terms.

What Are Bird’s-Nest Orchids?

The bird’s-nest orchid is a plant in the Orchidaceae family in the subfamily Epidendroideae. Its binomial nomenclature is Neottia nidus-avis.

When botanists named this plant, they apparently ran out of creativity. The genus name Neottia is Greek for bird’s nest, and the species name is nidus-avis, which is Latin for bird’s nest.

So we have the bird’s nest bird’s nest orchid, it would seem. A bit repetitive, but hey!

I’m sure you gathered that these plants are part of the same family as other species like slipper (Paphiopedilum parishii), cattleya (Cattleya spp.), and moth orchids (Phalaenopsis spp.).

They don’t look anything like these species, but they’re part of the same Orchidaceae family.

They’re monocarpic, which means they grow a flower stalk, pollinate, set seeds, and die. They won’t come back and grow a new flower stalk. It’s once and done.

These plants grow about one and a half feet tall and produce stalks of sweet-smelling flowers that are self-pollinated or pollinated by flies, thrips, or ants.

These inflorescences can have up to 100 flowers and appear in May or June and last only for a week or two.

If you look closely, the individual flowers have the same characteristic structure of other species in the Orchidaceae family, including five sepals, two petals, and a lip.

The underground roots are comprised of a rhizome and fleshy adventitious roots.

How Do They Feed?

All orchids are bizarre and fascinating, in my opinion. They don’t behave like the more common flowering plants that we typically grow in our gardens.

But bird’s-nest orchids take unusual to the next level. They are known as micro-heterotrophs, which means they have a relationship with mycorrhizal fungi in the soil that helps them feed.

They work hand in hand with fungi in the Sebacinaceae family. Instead of using photosynthesis to produce food, they rely on their fungi friends to provide them with energy.

Scientists aren’t exactly sure if the relationship is symbiotic or if the plant receives all the benefits. We just know it works.

Because these plants don’t photosynthesize, their tissues don’t contain chlorophyll. A lack of chlorophyll means they aren’t green but instead are either entirely beige, white, yellow, or gray, with no leaves.

Interestingly, the plant still contains the enzymes to produce chlorophyll, so I guess if it ever got in a fight with its mycorrhizal pals, it could figure out a new way to survive.

Where Do They Grow?

These plants indigenous to Europe, Russia, the Middle East, western Asia, and North Africa where they grow in woodlands, usually under beech (Fagus spp.), hazel (Corylus spp.), and yew (Taxus spp.) in limestone, calcareous, chalky soil.

The fungi that feed them exist around tree roots, so that’s where these plants are found. As such, they’re part of the terrestrial group of orchids.

In Great Britain, they are relatively rare except in certain parts of southern England.

Elsewhere, deforestation and the shifting composition of the forests has reduced the range of the species considerably.

Can You Cultivate Bird’s-Nest Orchids?

While there are some dedicated orchid experts trying to cultivate these plants, they have a very delicate relationship with their environment which makes it impossible for home growers to replicate.

It’s not possible to transplant them from the wild, so if you see these plants, leave them be. They aren’t plants for home growers to cultivate.

Different Varieties

Within the species, there are only a few named varieties. To clarify, varieties are natural variations that occur in the wild, making the plants slightly different from the species.

They haven’t been cultivated or intentionally manipulated by humans.

N. nidus-avis var. pallida is cream, yellow, or white and is extremely rare, especially as its natural range in Europe and England has been dramatically reduced.

N. nidus-avis var. nivea is snow white and found in Europe.

N. nidus-avis var. sulphurea is also found in Europe and has a sulfur-yellow hue, hence the name.

I understand why Phalaenopsis orchids are so popular as houseplants, but I’m baffled as to why more people aren’t enjoying Calanthe orchids in their homes and yards.

They’re long-blooming, and some are hardier than your more common species. But they’re every bit as beautiful as moth orchids.

Interested in these glorious plants? We’ll help you master the growing process. Here’s what we’ll go over to make that happen:

Because they generally grow in the earth rather than attached to trees and rocks, Calanthe species have some unique characteristics and growing requirements.

Before we talk about those, let’s understand a bit more about what sets these plants apart.

What Are Calanthe Orchids?

Calanthe orchids (ka-LAN-thee) are those in the Calanthe genus, which comprises about 200 species.

They are mostly terrestrial plants that come in two types, defined by the subgenera Eucalanthe and Preptanthe.

Eucalanthe species are evergreen with a basal rosette of leaves and no pseudobulbs, with a flower stem that emerges from the center of the leaves. They grow in tropical to temperate areas.

Preptanthe plants are deciduous and lose their leaves in the cold winter of their preferred environments. The flower stalks form from pseudobulbs that are typically gray-green.

Evergreens include C. alismifolia, C. sylvatica, and C. triplicata, and deciduous species include C. hirsute, C. rosea, and C. vestita

You can’t breed the two different subgenera, which is one reason that botanists are considering separating the two into their own genera.

The difference is important because it impacts how you’ll grow these plants.

Home gardeners tend to prefer the deciduous types because they have long-lasting inflorescences that can stick around for months.

Regardless of the type, they are all sympodial, which means they produce multiple flower stalks rather than a single stalk. All have pleated or corrugated leaves and many have clusters of oval-shaped pseudobulbs.

They can be found growing wild across the globe in tropical climates in Asia, Australia, Mexico and Central America, the West Indies, and the Pacific Islands. The vast majority of species are native to southeast Asia.

Heads up: lots of orchids are known commonly as “Christmas” because it’s the name given to those that flower in the winter. But not all calanthe orchids bloom in the winter, and not all Christmas orchids belong to the Calanthe genus.

C. discolor and C. triplicata are commonly called Christmas orchids and bloom in winter.

Cultivation and History

The Calanthe genus was first described and illustrated by Georg Rumph, a German botanist, in 1750 in his tome “Herbarium Amboinense.” He used a specimen from Indonesia. The genus was formally established in 1821 by Robert Brown, a Scottish botanist.

Back in the 19th century during the Victorian plant craze, Calanthe orchids were a floral status symbol. Over the years, they have taken a backseat to Phalaenopsis and Cattleya, which is a shame. They’re easy to grow, long flowering, and showy.

One of the first orchid hybrids on record was a cross between C. furcata and C. masuca, bred by John Dominihy, a breeder who worked with James Veitch, who founded the famous Veitch Nurseries in England. It was called C. x dominii.

This was followed by a hybrid between C. rosea and C. vestita. 

These days, while they haven’t gained the same level of popularity as their cousins, they are popular in their own right, with lots of hybrids and cultivars on the market.

Calanthe Orchid Propagation

If you’re up for an adventure, it’s possible to propagate orchids from seed.

Note that I said it’s possible, but not easy. It takes some special equipment and a lot of time, but you might be able to breed something exciting and new.

If you’re interested in the challenge, please visit our guide to propagating orchids from seed. Otherwise, let’s talk about division.

By Division

Both types can be divided, but Preptanthe plants actually grow better if you divide them regularly. That’s because two-year-old pseudobulbs die at the end of their second year. When you divide them regularly, you encourage new growth.

To divide, gently dig up a plant or pull it out of the container. Brush away the soil from the roots and locate a natural division in the plant that includes some roots and some pseudobulbs. Use a pair of clean scissors or pruners to sever the largest roots and then tease the plant apart.

If the plant has any back bulbs, which are the older bulbs that no longer have leaves, you can divide these and plant them individually.

Plant half back in the original pot or area of the garden and plant the remaining section in a new area or container.

Epiphytic orchids prefer that their roots be a bit crowded, but you can use larger containers with terrestrial species. Look for a container that’s about twice the size of the rootball.

Transplanting

Most of us purchase our first Calanthe orchids or receive them as a gift.

When you bring your first one home, you don’t need to repot it right away. But if you want to put it in the ground, it’s best to wait until mid-spring.

Prepare the ground by working in some well-rotted compost and making a hole twice as wide and the same depth as the growing container.

Gently remove the plant from its container and loosen up the roots. Lower it into the soil and firm the soil up around it.

The crown should be positioned at soil level or just below it. Don’t plant it more than just slightly below the soil surface or you run the risk of rot.

Gently water and add more soil if it settles too much.

How to Grow Calanthe Orchids

Generally speaking, evergreens should be kept moist to damp year-round, and deciduous types need to be allowed to dry out when the leaves have fallen. Let the medium completely dry out until new growth starts to form.

Both types prefer humidity between 40 and 80 percent.

While this varies by species, most prefer temperatures in the 70s or 80s during the day and around 50°F at night.

Sticking to the cooler end of the spectrum will result in longer-lasting flowers. Evergreens can tolerate cooler temperatures, with most being hardy down to around 5°F.

Most need bright, indirect light indoors, and direct morning light is preferred. Outside, they do best in dappled shade or with an hour or so of direct morning light.

I will say that these plants can tolerate more light than most gardeners realize. Partial sun is perfectly fine for most species, so long as you expose them to the brighter light gradually over the course of a few weeks until they’re acclimated.

As with many houseplants that can tolerate bright light, growers cultivate these orchids in dimmer conditions than what’s ideal in order to acclimate them to the light available in most homes.

Without exception, mine have flowered better when I give them more light. Just avoid afternoon light, which is way too harsh.

Provide Preptanthe species grown indoors with a medium containing sphagnum moss, coconut coir chips, medium-size bark, and perlite. Don’t use a mix that is primarily orchid bark, which is marketed for epiphytes. You want some loam for the terrestrial orchids.

Outdoors, work a lot of well-rotted compost into the soil – the more the better.

The soil must be well-draining. If it isn’t, choose a container or a raised bed so you can control the medium and drainage. Or, if you have heavy clay, work in equal parts compost to the native soil at least two feet down and two feet out.

Either way, these plants prefer neutral soil, but they can tolerate a pH range between 6.0 and 8.0.

If you want to grow Eucalanthe species indoors, they must be exposed to temperatures just above 35°F for cool-growing species and 50°F for tropical species at night for two months to encourage new growth and blooming. That’s why most people grow them outdoors.

Keep in mind that while most Eucalanthe plants can grow as far north as Zone 6, some species are tropical and need warmer climates. Depending on the species, they need to be kept indoors during cold weather outside of Zone 9.

Outdoor plants don’t need a ton of fertilizer. Do a soil test and amend accordingly. Otherwise, you shouldn’t need to add fertilizer.

If you are growing yours in a container, change the soil every few years and fertilize once before flowering with a mild, balanced fertilizer.

Never fertilize a Preptanthe while it’s without leaves.

Growing Tips

• There are two types of Calanthe orchids, so be certain you know which you have to provide the ideal environment.
• Keep the soil moist but not wet, and allow deciduous types to dry out when they’re dormant.
• Provide bright indirect light with direct morning light.

Maintenance

Resist the temptation to remove the leaves when they become crowded and untidy.

They are still providing vital nutrients to the plant, and removing them creates wounds that may expose the plant to viral pathogens. They shouldn’t be removed until they age to yellow and then brown and die off on their own.

Once the leaves turn yellow and collapse, you can remove them. They should just pull away, or you can use scissors to clip them off.

You can remove damaged or diseased leaves at any time.

For tropical types, aim for 50°F at night and 60°F during the day for a month or so to encourage reblooming.

To protect outdoor plants that go dormant, place two inches of mulch over the soil in the fall after the leaves die back. Use an organic mulch like leaf litter, shredded bark, or compost. 

In USDA Hardiness Zones at the low end or even one below the recommended range of growing zones for a given species, it’s possible to keep plants alive with a thick layer of protective mulch. Make the mulch pile about a foot deep, covering the orchid and its root zone.

Remove the mulch in the spring when temperatures are regularly above freezing or if you see new growth emerging.

Container-grown outdoor orchids should be brought into an unheated garage or cold basement to overwinter.

Preptanthe orchids should be dug up and divided regularly. The pseudobulbs die after they’re two years old, so regular dividing will keep the plant going strong. Be extra careful when working with them because the pseudobulbs break easily.

Calanthe Orchid Species and Hybrids to Select

It seems like new cultivars are popping up all the time, but you can’t go wrong with any of the species or their hybrids.

Here are just a few of the prettiest and easiest to grow in home gardens or indoors:

Discolor

A popular evergreen or semi-evergreen in colder areas, the leaves of C. discolor can grow up to 18 inches long and form at the base of tall flower spikes dotted with up to 10 brown, white, green, and pale pink flowers.

This species grows indigenously in Japan, Korea, and China. It has become wildly popular as a house or garden plant and is often used as a parent for hybrids.

Kozu

Kozu hybrids are absolutely well worth seeking out.

These hybrids are a cross of C. discolor and C. izu-insularis, and produce flowers in pink, purple, red, white, and yellow, depending on the cultivar.

‘Kozu Spice,’ for example, is an evergreen indoors or in Zones 7 to 9 or semi-evergreen in Zone 6.

It was bred in 1996 in Japan by K. Karasawa, and has large white and purple blossoms.

Nipponica

Native to Japan and Tibet, this species grows in mountainous regions. It has bright green and light yellow flowers on tall stalks.

Each 15-inch stalk can produce up to 10 flowers. A member of the Preptanthe subgenus, C. nipponica can be grown outdoors as far north as Zone 6.

This species was first described by Japanese botanist Tomitarô Makino in 1898, and it has become a popular option for breeding hybrids.

Reflexa

This Japanese evergreen has underground pseudobulbs bearing two or three leaves up to nine inches long and three inches wide at their largest.

Each plant will only develop four or five flowering spikes at a time. These can reach up to 13 inches in height and initially feature nodding buds that eventually open and face upward.

Plants can exhibit up to 25 white and purple, pure purple, or pure white flowers at a time and they may bloom all together or open sequentially, starting in July and lasting through September.

C. reflexa grows in warm areas in wet woodlands or along stream banks, which tells you that this is a plant that needs lots of moisture.

Sieboldii

Hailing from Japan, this hardy evergreen has 18-inch tall inflorescences with bright yellow blossoms.

C. sieboldii is one of the largest plants in the genus and will survive temperatures down to 10°F.

While the flowers aren’t the showiest, they’re eye-catching in their own right.

Combined with the large, pleated leaves that resemble hostas, C. sieboldii is a beautiful garden option.

Striata

With large, heavily flowered spikes of golden yellow blossoms, this hardy type drops its leaves in late summer and perks back up in early spring.

C. striata is a good option for beginner growers because it’s adaptable and tolerant of a wide range of conditions. Those masses of pretty blossoms don’t hurt, either.

Takane

A hybrid cross of C. striata and C. discolor, C. takane is one tough orchid.

It can tolerate cold conditions and will still produce abundant cream, yellow, apricot, and pink blossoms on 18-inch spikes. It’s hardy to Zone 7, with pleated leaves similar to a broadleaf plantain.

This hybrid is a good option if you want something that will gently spread around the garden without becoming invasive.

Tricarinata

This popular, semi-evergreen species has lime-green and brown flowers on upright inflorescences that grow up to 12 inches tall.

Provide C. tricarinata with loamy, rich, loose soil and keep it consistently damp. It should be placed in shade, but a little morning or dappled light is fine.

Vestita

This beautiful species hails from the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Java, and Malaysia, where it is a deciduous epiphyte.

C. vestita requires dappled shade or morning sunlight and a humus-rich, loose, moist growing medium.

Each pseudobulb produces three or four oval-shaped leaves that drop from the plant each fall and regrow in the spring.

One inflorescence with up to 20 three-inch-wide white and yellow or red – depending on the climate and light – flowers emerge in July from each pseudobulb.

Managing Pests and Disease

Christmas orchids are surprisingly tough for such delicate-looking plants. The main problems to watch for are spider mites and root rot.

Pests

There’s one type of pest that plagues these orchids, whether indoors or out, and that’s the spider mite.

Spider mites are itty-bitty tick relatives that use their sucking mouthparts to draw out the sap of plants.

They can cause serious damage to the leaves of these plants, and can eventually kill them, especially young specimens.

Spider mites are so small that you might not notice them at first. You’ll probably see the fine webbing they create, often filled with small black flecks, or the splotchy, yellow leaves they cause.

The first step with eradicating spider mites is to isolate the plant if you can. Then, spray down the plant once a week with a gentle stream of water to knock the pests loose.

If that’s not working, read our guide for more tips on how to control spider mites.

Disease

Spots on the leaves are one of the most common signs of disease.

The Erwinia and Acidovorax species of bacteria cause leaf spots, as do species of fungi in the Cercospora genus.

Anthracnose, caused by fungi in the Colletotrichum genus, can also cause spots with tan centers and a black margin to form.

These pathogens spread by hitching a ride in splashing water, or in crowded conditions and high humidity. That’s why it’s important to water the soil rather than sprinkling the leaves, and keep plants well-spaced.

If you see unusual patterns and colors on leaves, it’s usually a sign that viruses like Odontoglossum ringspot virus (ORSV) and Cymbidium mosaic virus (CyMV) have made their way into your plants.

There’s no known cure, so you must either dispose of the plant or accept the unusual appearance. If you decide to live with it, know that the virus might spread to other orchids.

Learn more about these and other diseases in our guide to orchid problems.

Best Uses for Calanthe Orchids

Indoors, plants of either subgenus can be potted up and enjoyed. Some gardeners grow Preptanthe species in shallow trays or bonsai pots to highlight the unusual pseudobulbs.

In the winter, when the leaves are gone and just the long pseudobulbs and tall flower stalks remain, species like C. vestita will make a centerpiece that draws comments.

Outdoors, they work well in groups, borders, specimens, or rock gardens, depending on the species.

Combine them with partial shade lovers like aralias, astilbe, bleeding hearts, ferns, hellebores, hostas, and trilliums.

Because these species are mostly terrestrial, you can’t mount them unless you’re growing one of the few epiphytic types.

Don’t let that intimidate you, though, it’s not impossible and imagine how good you’ll feel when your orchid is in full bloom in all its glory.

Additionally breeders have created a number of adaptable hybrids and cultivars that are much easier to care for.

By the time you finish this guide, you’ll be an expert. Here’s what we’ll go over to make that happen:

Before we talk about how to cultivate these orchids, we need to clear up some terminology.

I know we often call them Odontoglossum, but that’s not quite accurate. They might be classified that way, but they might not. Weird, right? Let’s discuss.

What Are Odontoglossum or Oncidium Orchids?

Odontoglossum is a mouthful, so it helps to break it down.

Odonto is Greek for tooth, and glossa is Greek for tongue. Put them together, and you have “tooth-tongue.”

This is a reference to the fleshy little lumps found on the upper surface of the lowermost petal, which is known as the labellum.

Now that you know what the name means, you can forget about it.

Orchidists and botanists have been engaged for years in a fiery debate over how to classify these plants. Well, fiery for botanists, which is probably more like a polite conversation backed by scientific research and excellent reasoning than an all-out argument.

For decades, many orchidists have been campaigning for the reclassification of the Odontoglossum genus.

Since the early 2000s and as recently as 2016, the genus has been undergoing significant reorganization. It used to be that Odontoglossum species and Oncidium species were separate genera, despite the plants looking similar.

The former grows in cold regions at higher elevations, while the latter grows in warmer regions at lower elevations.

Now, they’re all classified together in the Oncidium genus, and those formerly classified as Odontoglossum are simply referred to as cool-weather or cool-growing Oncidium.

You might also see the new grouping referred to as the Odontoglossum alliance or the Oncidium alliance. The original species in the Oncidium genus are referred to as lowland or warm-growing Oncidium.

It seems like sellers haven’t caught up with the update, so you’ll sometimes find these sold under their original name, and a lot of people continue to refer to them that way. Even some orchidists refuse to accept the reclassification.

These orchids are sympodial, which means that the growth emerges from a horizontal rhizome in the soil rather than a single vertical stem like a Phalaenopsis.

They have flat, oval pseudobulbs from which one to three leaves emerge. As you might have guessed, they can grow as terrestrial orchids, but they’re typically epiphytes.

The showy flowers, which can be white, pink, red, purple, or any combination of those colors, typically emerge in the fall or winter, though a few species bloom in spring. Most species have dark speckling on the flowers, which can resemble the stripes on a tiger’s coat.

The blossoms are held on a flower stem that extends from the pseudobulbs, and each pseudobulb will form just one flower stem.

At the top of the stem are multiple flowers, each with three sepals, two petals, and a column and lip at the center. After the blossoms drop, that pseudobulb will never flower again, but new ones will form to take its place.

If you’ve never heard of pseudobulbs before, you can learn all about them in our guide.

In a nutshell, a pseudobulb is a stem-like growth at the base of the plant that stores water and nutrients.

Cool-growing Oncidium orchids are generally between one to four feet tall, depending on the species, though there are more compact hybrids available.

Cultivation and History

These plants grow indigenously across Central America and western South America from sea level to well over 8,000 feet.

They are generally hardy in Zones 7 to 10, depending on the species.

The plant was first identified by Westerners when German naturalist and explorer Friedrich Heinrich Alexander Baron von Humboldt found a specimen in Venezuela in 1799 that we now know as O. epidendroides.

It was sent to England for identification, and many other new species followed, as they were discovered by other explorers in the region.

The genus was named in 1816 by German botanist Karl Sigismund Kunth, who explored and studied the indigenous plants in the Americas.

In 1835, the first Odontoglossum bloomed in England to much fanfare when a specimen from Guatemala of the species O. bictoniense burst forth. This species rapidly became a favorite among collectors and plant breeders.

Breeders and home growers also focused on O. cordatum, O. crispum, O. harryanum, O. pulchellum, O. rossii. Today, many hybrids are cultivated from O. crispum and O. rossii.

Oncidium Propagation

It’s entirely possible to propagate orchids from seed if you’re adventurous. Our guide explains the process.

Division is also technically possible, but it’s challenging and best left to those with a lot of experience. Most of us will take the easy road and purchase our first plants.

When you bring your plant home, resist the urge to put it in a larger container.

Over-potting is a quick way to kill tiger orchids because they are extremely sensitive to growing in an overly large pot, which can contribute to root rot.

When you bring yours home, you can leave it in the existing container for another year or two.

How to Grow Oncidium Orchids

As I mentioned, these orchids have a reputation for being a little bit of a challenge to grow.

But, honestly, if you were used to the perfect climate of perpetual spring, you’d probably be a little annoyed if someone tried to make you live anywhere less idyllic.

The first matter you need to sort out is location. Cool-weather Oncidium plants need bright light, but they absolutely must stay cool, which can be tricky because often brightly lit areas in the home are also the warmest.

Avoid west-facing windows because of the amount of heat. East-facing windows will work, as will south-facing windows covered with light-filtering curtains – not sheer curtains – assuming you’re not in a very hot climate.

Try to keep this in mind when choosing supplemental lighting or picking a spot in your home.

As I have mentioned, one of the main challenges of growing these orchids is that they require cool temperatures.

These plants should be kept consistently under 75°F. Healthy plants can tolerate brief periods warmer than this, but not for long.

At night, temperatures should drop to around 55°F. Any warmer than this, the plant will probably not thrive.

Most species can tolerate temperatures a bit below this range but will die in temperatures above 75°F. They also can’t tolerate freezing temperatures, so you need to keep the plants right in that sweet zone.

When you repot your orchid, note whether it’s an epiphyte or terrestrial.

With some orchids, you can get away with growing them in a standard pot, but you need to use a slotted orchid pot with cold-weather Oncidium.

Feel free to place the pot inside a more decorative one, but a slotted container is essential when growing sensitive plants like these.

You can also opt to mount them on wood, wire, or something similar. In fact, I would recommend you mount your plants if you’re familiar with this growing method.

It’s hard to overwater them this way, and it more closely mimics their natural habitat. Your only concern is keeping the substrate as moist as a well-wrung-out sponge.

Next, we need to talk about water. These plants like lots of water, but the substrate must drain quickly and thoroughly.

They also need good quality water. That doesn’t mean you need to buy them the premium bottled stuff, though it wouldn’t hurt, but don’t use municipal water.

You can use filtered water, rainwater, or buy distilled water – ideally you want it to have a pH between 6.0 and 6.8.

The substrate should never be allowed to dry out, but it shouldn’t stay soggy and wet, either. In their natural habitat, these orchids receive consistent moisture year-round.

Once the pseudobulbs start to shrivel and wrinkle a little, they’re telling you they need moisture. You can learn more about watering orchids in our guide.

These orchids like a humidity level of between 55 and 80 percent. A lot of homes are drier than this, so use a humidifier or keep plants in the bathroom if it has the right light and temperature.

You can also group plants together to increase the ambient humidity around them.

Most new orchids you purchase from the store come in a four- or five-inch pot. Leave your specimen in this for the first year.

Then, you’ll need to replace the substrate every year and repot into a larger container when necessary.

The best time to repot or change the substrate is in the spring or fall.

Remove the plant from its pot and gently knock out all of the substrate. Examine the roots and clip off any that are mushy, broken, or dead.

Hold the roots in the new pot and gently fill in around them with fresh substrate. Firm the substrate around the roots so that they are packed enough that you can lift the plant by the stem, and the pot won’t fall away.

When you start to see a lot of roots coming out of the slots in the pot, this is a signal that it’s time to go up a pot size. 

If you have the plant mounted, you will need to remove the old substrate every year or two and replace it, increasing the size of the base slightly.

If your plant is mounted, it will typically be in a moss or bark substrate that is held together with mesh, string, or similar. You will need to replace this every few years as it breaks down, as well.

You need to replace the substrate periodically for potted plants, as well, because salts will build up from municipal water and fertilizer, and the substrate will break down over time.

You don’t need to repot the orchid, just remove the old substrate and replace it with new.

Some species will rebloom regularly every 10 months or so, regardless of what you do.

Others need to be exposed to temperatures about 10 degrees lower than normal for a month or so to encourage flowering. For more tips and the full run-down, check out our guide.

Oncidium Hybrids and Species to Select

As I mentioned, there are a number of modern cultivars and hybrids that are a bit less fussy than the species plants. Let’s look at a few stand-outs.

Cambria Hybrids

If taking care of Odontoglossum orchids feels overwhelming, look for O. x cambria hybrids.

They’re a little easier to grow in that they won’t give up the ghost if you don’t keep their growing environment just perfect.

Cambria is the name for various hybrid crosses between plants in the former Cochlioda, the former Miltonia, the former Odontoglossum, and Oncidium genera.

While they weren’t included in the original hybrids, modern Cambrias can also include plants in the Brassia genus.

Charles Vuylsteke, a grower in Lochristi, Belgium, bred the first Cambria out of Cochlioda, Miltonia, and cool weather Oncidium in 1911. The resulting bright red and white flowered plant was named O. x vuylstekeara in honor of the breeder.

Unlike other cool-weather Oncidium varieties, many of these hybrids bloom every nine months rather than annually.

The appearance of the plants is very diverse – with a variety of different leaf sizes and shapes, and flower colors and sizes.

Some people refer to any Oncidium alliance hybrids as Cambria, but now you know better.

Equitant

Equitant or O. x tolumnia orchids are smaller than your typical Oncidium alliance specimen.

They rarely grow more than eight inches tall and may never need anything larger than a four-inch pot.

The spring flower spike can be up to 18 inches long and come in colors that are unusual for orchids such as lavender, orange, pink, brown, burgundy, white, cream, and yellow.

These orchids tolerate warmer temperatures – up to the high 80s during the day and mid-60s at night.

Nobile

O. nobile is a fairly common species on the market, and that’s surely because of its flower stalks, which have clusters of up to 100 highly fragrant blooms.

They flower in the spring for weeks and weeks with blossoms in a wide range of colors from white to deep purple or red.

Managing Pests and Disease

Despite their fussy reputation, these orchids aren’t particularly troubled by pests.

You might see aphids or spider mites. Both of these sap-suckers use their mouthparts to extract the sap of orchids and many other houseplants.

Both can be eliminated by spraying them off with a strong stream of water and then treating plants with insecticidal soap.

The only disease to worry about is root rot. It can be caused by the fungus Rhizoctonia solani, but it’s usually caused by drowning the roots in too much water.

Orchids are notorious for being susceptible to root rot, and Oncidium species are even more so. You absolutely must ensure you don’t overwater, and you must grow your plant in a well-draining medium, like bark in a pot with drainage holes.

You should also be sure to regularly replace the growing medium because it will break down over time, reducing the amount of oxygen that can reach the roots.

Learn more about potential orchid problems and how to deal with them in our guide.

Best Uses for Oncidium Orchids

Most people opt to grow their orchids in pots, and they look lovely that way.

The long-lasting flowers and low-light tolerance make them perfect as a display on dining tables, bookshelves, coffee tables, and desks.

But they also grow well mounted on something like wood or mesh. Not only does it make for an interesting display, but it reduces the chance of the plant contracting root rot.

There are over 200 terrestrial orchid species, providing lots of variety and opportunities to enjoy them in our homes and gardens.

Many of them are every bit as beautiful as those that fill the shelves of stores and stylish hotel lobbies. Plus, many can be grown in the ground as ornamentals, even in locations where the temperatures drop below freezing.

If you’d like to understand more about this group of plants, this guide can help.

Here’s what we will discuss:

Before we jump in, a note of caution. Orchids are so diverse that there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to their cultivation and care – and that’s especially true in the case of terrestrial types.

We will give you general growing advice in this guide, but you will need to research the care requirements of the specific species, or, better yet, the cultivar or hybrid that you’re working with.

With that said, most of those that you’ll find on the market can be cared for in a similar way. We’ll discuss all that coming up:

What Are Terrestrial Orchids?

There are three broad groupings of orchids, based on their growth habits: they can be epiphytes or lithophytes, climbers, or terrestrial.

Epiphytes and lithophytes spend their lives attached to trees or rocks, as do climbers, but climbers have rhizomes in the soil below and extremely long stems that spread further than the more compact epiphytes do.

Terrestrial orchids are those that grow in the soil with their roots anchored in the earth.

Epiphytes make up the largest group of orchids that we grow in our homes, while terrestrial types are far less common.

Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium, and Cattleya species are all mostly epiphytes. Actually, most orchid species are epiphytes, with about 70 percent fitting that category.

Terrestrial, or ground orchids as they’re also known, are far less popular with home growers. They are, however, the most common types found growing natively in Europe and North America.

In the wild, these plants can be found as far north as the Arctic Circle and as far south as the southern tip of Patagonia. They grow on every continent except Antarctica, though there are sub-Antarctic species.

They grow in environments as varied as deserts, frozen tundras, and wooded forests.

Some terrestrial species have the ability to adapt to their local environment and become lithophytes, climbing on rocks.

The one thing they all have in common is that they typically grow in the earth and not anchored on other plants or natural structures. They can grow in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 12, depending on the species.

Most terrestrial types have what are known as pseudobulbs, which are storage structures that can form below or above ground. Some species have horizontal rhizomes, tubers, or corms, and others have fibrous roots. None of them have aerial roots.

The flowers may be teeny-tiny or massive, and can be pretty much any color except true blue. The same applies to the plant sizes. Some are miniature, just a few inches high, and others can grow several feet tall.

The only thing that unites them is that they grow in the ground.

Cultivation and History

Orchids have been a part of human culture for a very long time.

Cypripedium is a genus of terrestrial orchids found across the Northern Hemisphere that have been used medicinally by native North American people and in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years.

These days, species in this genus are cultivated both as houseplants and garden options, and you can find a variety of different hybrids and cultivars.

Many other species have become important commercially, initially catching on as ornamentals in the early 1800s during the exploration craze of the 1700s and 1800s Age of Enlightenment.

For example, Calanthe orchids were first described by George Rumph (Rumphius) in 1750 using a specimen brought from Indonesia. It was formally named in 1821 by Robert Brown.

Phaius tankervilliae was brought to England in 1778 by plant collector and botanist James Fothergill.

It became known as the first tropical orchid to flower in England when Fothergill’s botanist friends Sarah Hird and Peter Collinson successfully encouraged their specimen to bloom in 1778.

The Ludisia genus was first described in 1818 by English botanist John Bellenden Ker Gawler, though he first called it Goodyera. It was changed in 1825 by French botanist Achille Richard.

The flood kept coming, with Dutch-German botanist Carl Ludwig Blume describing Spathoglottis in 1825, and Bletilla was identified by German botanist Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach in 1853.

Of course, botanists, researchers, and enthusiasts are still discovering new species like Eulophia graminea, which was identified in 2018 in Puerto Rico by Adolfo Rodríguez Velázquez, a graduate student at the University of Puerto Rico.

In their native ranges across the globe, many species are endangered as a result of poaching both for medicinal use and to sell as ornamentals and houseplants. Ludisia, for instance, is hard to find in its native Malaysia because of poaching.

On the other end of the spectrum some, like Arundina graminifolia, have become a little too widespread. This species is considered invasive in Hawaii and is smothering out native plants.

Some species, like Spiranthes sinesis, are described as “weedy,” taking over disturbed areas, fields, and grassy areas in colonies made up of thousands of plants.

Terrestrial Orchid Propagation

Propagating orchids from seed is a daunting proposition, but it’s certainly possible. We have a guide that will talk you through the whole process if this is something you’re interested in.

Dividing existing plants is an easier propagation method or you can purchase a potted plant for transplanting.

From Division

The easiest and most consistent way to produce more plants is to divide an existing specimen. Other methods are less successful for the home grower, so this is the one I recommend.

If the plant is in a pot, remove it. If it’s in the ground, dig it up, digging about a foot down and around the circumference of the plant at least six inches out from the base of the outermost leaves.

Gently brush away as much of the soil or potting medium as you can from around the roots.

Find a natural separation in the plant with both roots and pseudobulbs or stems attached. Tease the plant apart at this point, and use a clean pair of pruners, if needed, to sever the root.

Many terrestrial orchids have a large horizontal root that will need to be cut into sections. Take as many sections as you want so long as each has a stem or pseudobulb attached.

Replant the main plant back in the hole or pot you took it from, filling in around it with soil. Place the division in a new pot or prepared area in the garden.

Transplanting

If you have a potted plant that you want to repot or transplant outdoors, the first step is to prepare the new location.

If you’re using a new container, choose one that is just one size up from the existing container. Fill the bottom quarter or so with an extremely loose, well-draining potting mix.

A product containing a mix of compost, pumice, coconut coir, fine bark, sphagnum moss, and worm castings would be ideal.

Plant the orchid in the pot or ground and fill in around it with more soil or potting medium. It should be sitting at the same height it was initially. Water well and add a bit more soil, if necessary.

How to Grow Terrestrial Orchids

What I’ve noticed is that most people start their orchid-growing journey with epiphytic types and become familiar with the needs of these plants, and assume that terrestrial types are the same.

Terrestrial orchids are different. Usually, they need much less frequent watering than the epiphytes, and the top inch or two of soil should be allowed to dry out. Soil retains moisture longer than orchid bark does.

Most have similar light requirements to epiphytes, but not all. Most species need loamy, water-retentive, well-draining soil, but again, not all.

Is all this sounding vague? This is a huge range of plants with vastly variable soil, sun, and moisture preferences.

Understanding the natural environment of the species you’re working with is critical. Ground orchids are found growing natively in sand dunes, mossy bogs, moist forest beds, and everywhere in between, depending on the species.

In my neck of the woods, California lady’s slipper (Cypripedium californium) grows in shady, mineral-heavy seepages and river banks.

In southern Africa, the desert orchid (Eulophia petersii) lives in rocky, sandy soil in full sun.

Species in the Orchis genus grow throughout Europe and south through northwest Africa in tropical rainforests and semi-arid regions.

They grow in environments as wide-ranging as tundras and sandy ocean beaches, which illustrates how important it is to know the needs of the species you want to grow.

The vast majority of terrestrial orchids need consistently moist but not wet soil – of course, with the exception of the desert-dwelling species.

Most terrestrial orchids have deep roots that can stretch a foot or more down, so in general, you need to water deeply but infrequently. Allow the top inch or two of soil to dry out in the garden or the top fifth of the medium to dry out for potted plants.

They generally need rich, loamy potting soil with lots of pumice or other material mixed in to improve drainage and water retention.

Or mix one part bark, two parts sphagnum moss, and one part perlite with a dash of worm castings. Garden soil should be amended with bark and compost, as mentioned above. But there are exceptions.

Most Eulophia species are succulents and need somewhat sandy, rocky, or pumice-heavy soil that should be allowed to almost completely dry out before watering.

Most species want dappled shade, morning light, or bright, indirect light indoors with morning light, but again, check to be sure.

They can usually handle a bit more light than you might expect. But if you want to increase the light, do it gradually over several weeks.

They also like moderate to high humidity. A minimum of about 50 percent is about right for most species.

Don’t fertilize plants in the ground. For those in containers, feed them a 1-1-1 or 2-2-2 (NPK) fertilizer once a month from spring through fall.

Growing Tips

• Know the needs of the specific species you wish to grow.
• Most species require consistently moist soil and dappled or bright, indirect light with direct morning light.
• Well-draining soil is a must.

Maintenance

To tidy up the plant and encourage new blossoms, trim back the flowering stalk once all of the flowers have dropped from the plant. Leave about an inch of stalk behind.

Learn more in our guide to encouraging an orchid to rebloom.

Any branches or stems that are brown, broken, or yellow should be trimmed off. You can also remove any foliage that looks crowded or any stems that are crossing.

When you prune your plant, be sure to use a clean pair of clippers and clean them between plants.

For more details, read our guide to pruning orchids.

You will also need to repot your orchid every few years. As plants age, they need more room to accommodate their new size.

Even if you aren’t going up in pot size, you should replace the potting medium every few years because it will break down, reducing the amount of air reaching the roots.

Our guide to repotting orchids will walk you through the details.

For deciduous types grown outdoors, remove any dead foliage at the end of the growing season. You can also heap some straw or leaf matter over the roots to provide some insulation.

Terrestrial Orchid Species to Select

The best species for you to grow is going to be the one that fits in your environment, so it never hurts to ask local sellers if they have a particular type they’d recommend.

When it comes to good houseplant options, any one of these will work well:

Bamboo

Bamboo orchids (Arundina spp.) have strap-like leaves that resemble grass. The showy, fragrant flowers appear on long stems that are perfect for cutting.

The flowers vary from pink to purple and deep violet. Most contain some amount of white and some even have pure white petals.

Even better, the blossoms appear all year long, though they’re particularly prolific during the spring and fall.

These plants are native to Asia and have become a popular garden option in the Pacific Islands. As heat lovers, they grow best in Zones 10b and up.

While most remain smaller, some species can grow up to six feet tall.

Corduroy

Eulophia species, commonly known as corduroy orchids, inhabit Africa and Asia, where they grow in shady forests.

The leaves are held at the end of fleshy stems and the thin flower spike produces colorful flowers with large sepals and small petals.

They come in the full range of orchid colors, like pure white, yellow, pink, red, purple, and orange.

This genus is popular as a landscaping plant in warm areas like California, Florida, and Hawaii in Zones 9b to 11b.

Most species are succulents that can tolerate some drought, but they prefer sandy soil with regular moisture. While it can vary, most species grow about a foot tall.

Slipper

Even non-orchidists have usually heard of slipper or lady’s slipper orchids (Cypripedium spp.).

These can be found growing natively across the Northern Hemisphere in temperate and subtropical regions.

There are even a few tough species that grow in Alaskan and Siberian tundras. You can find species that will grow in Zones 2 to 10.

The flower stems typically extend well beyond the oblong leaves, and the inflorescence may consist of one single flower or up to a dozen. Colors include pink, purple, yellow, and white.

The often hairy leaves grow from a central stem that emerges from the underground rhizomes.

One of the reasons slipper orchids are so popular is because they’re pretty easy to grow and they can usually tolerate a good amount of shade.

Jewel

Jewel orchids (Ludisia spp.) do have petite, white flowers, but they are mostly appreciated for their pretty foliage.

The rhomboid leaves are typically dark green with some burgundy and have pale vertical stripes.

Did I say pretty? Let me be more clear. The foliage is stunning. The veins of the leaves sparkle in the light like jewels. You honestly won’t even notice the flowers.

These are native to Asia but have found a home in gardens across the globe in the equivalent of Zones 10 and 11.

Ludisia species should be allowed to dry out a little between watering, but the roots should never be allowed to become completely dry.

Most species are low-growing ground covers but some grow up to a foot or so tall.

Nun’s

Nun’s orchids (Phaius tankervilliae) have narrow, pleated leaves and the plants can reach about three feet tall.

Each pseudobulb grows a single stalk of large, colorful, and fragrant blossoms in the winter and early spring. Flowers typically have bronze or brown coloration, along with white, pink, or purple.

This species can tolerate cool temperatures down to just above freezing, but it isn’t a fan of wet roots.

It’s native to islands across the Pacific from Asia to North America, which should tip you off to their temperature tolerance. Grow them outdoors in Zones 9 to 11.

Spathoglottis

Often known as purple orchids (Spathoglottis spp.), these usually have, you guessed it, purple flowers.

The hues can range from pale lavender to deep reddish purple. There are even some with white, yellow, and pink hues and these are – confusingly – referred to as “purple” orchids as well.

S. plicata is the most common species found in cultivation and it always has some purple in the flowers.

They bloom on nearly two-foot-tall stalks with fragrant flowers all year long.

While they can survive freezing temperatures, they really need to be cultivated somewhere that stays above 50°F. Below that, they will go dormant and drop their leaves.

They hail from eastern and southeastern Asia, Australia, and some Pacific Islands and are hardy in Zones 10 and 11.

Urn

Bletilla species are commonly grown as houseplants and outdoors in Zones 5 to 9.

Hailing from across Asia, the long, narrow, pleated leaves emerge from corm-like pseudobulbs that sit at the soil level.

The long flower stalks can reach up to two feet tall and produce cattleya-like flowers in a variety of colors from white to deep purple.

The most common species found in nurseries is B. striata, which is often called “hardy orchid” because it can tolerate temperatures down to 25°F, though the plant will go dormant and lose its leaves once temperatures drop below freezing.

Urn orchids are pretty easygoing, they’ll tolerate drought, overwatering, shade, and sun, to a certain degree.

Managing Pests and Disease

Pests don’t seem to be the biggest problem when growing terrestrial types, but diseases, particularly fungal ones, can be an issue.

Insects

Aphids, mealybugs, scale, and spider mites are all common houseplant pests, and that applies to orchids, too. You might see them on outdoor plants, but much less often.

As a first line of defense, whenever you bring a new plant into your home, isolate and monitor it for a week.

Spots on the leaves may be caused by bacteria or fungi. Bacteria in the Erwinia and Acidovorax genera cause spotting, as does fungi in the Cercospora genus.

All are spread by splashing water, crowded conditions, and high humidity.

Anthracnose (Colletotrichum spp.) can also cause spotting, often with a tan center.

There’s not much you can do about bacterial leaf spot except remove the symptomatic leaves or take out the plants entirely.

Rot can be caused by fungi, as well, including those in the Pythium and Phytophthora genera.

This can cause black, soft spots on the leaves or roots. Root rot can also be caused by overwatering, which drowns the roots.

To learn more about potential orchid problems, check out our guide.

Best Uses for Terrestrial Orchids

Terrestrial orchids are versatile and diverse. They can grow as potted houseplants or in the garden in borders, as mass plantings, in rock gardens, containers, or to fill shaded areas under trees.

Depending on the species, they can thrive in frigid regions – or they might require tropical conditions, making them better suited for houseplant life.

You could cultivate orchids successfully without knowing what pseudobulbs are, but understanding what purpose they serve and how to care for them will result in healthier, more robust plants.

If you’re new to these plants in general, you might want to read our beginner’s guide to growing orchids. Then, come back here, and we’ll dive in.

Coming up, we’re going to talk about what pseudobulbs are, what they do, the different types, and how to maintain them.

Here’s the lineup:

To start, let’s figure out what the heck these things are.

What Is a Pseudobulb?

First of all, despite the “bulb” part of the name, these structures don’t grow underground. They are located above the soil and grow from rhizomes.

These aren’t true bulbs, as you might have guessed from the “pseudo” part of the name.

True bulbs are fleshy structures that grow underground and store all the components needed to complete the plant’s life cycle.

Pseudobulbs don’t do this. They only store water and nutrients, and don’t have the necessary elements like buds and shoots for growth, as we’ll discuss in a bit. They are actually modified, succulent stems that are larger than the typical orchid stem.

You can usually identify them by looking for a part of the stem that appears to be on steroids. It will be the larger section of the stem right above the soil at the base of the orchid.

Experts defined what differentiates a pseudobulb from a stem in the International Journal of Plant Sciences, Volume 181, Number 7.

Chrissy Y. Gobel in the Biology and Chemistry department at the University of Bremen, Boris O. Schlumpberger at Herrenhausen Garden, and Gerhard Zotz at Oldenburg University’s Institute of Biology and Environmental Science determined that all pseudobulbs are succulent and store more water than the stem.

The shape and size varies, they can be just slightly larger than the stem, or as big and round as a hen’s egg. They might be flat and oval or perfectly spherical.

Each fleshy modified stem is partially covered by a sheath, which is green when it’s young and turns brown as it ages.

Pseudobulbs appear in both epiphytic species (Cattleya, Miltonia, Oncidium) and terrestrial species (Cymbidium, Eulophia, Spathoglottis), though they’re more commonly found on terrestrial species.

Learn more about the different types of orchids in our guide.

These structures have a much shorter lifespan than the plant itself. They might die off and be replaced every few years.

What Purpose Do They Serve?

These structures store water that the plant can tap into during times of scarcity.

If you picture the environment where many orchids grow natively, they are generally characterized by times of abundance and times of drought.

They also store minerals and photosynthesize. When a plant needs nitrogen, it can move it from the pseudobulb to the leaves, and vice versa.

Types of Pseudobulbs

There are two kinds of pseudobulbs: heteroblastic and homoblastic.

Heteroblastic types have one internode, and homoblastic kinds have two or more. Basically, “homoblastic” is a fancy way of saying that the pseudobulb is made up of one single segment, and “heteroblastic” means it is made up of two or more segments.

Among these, there are two types of pseudobulbs on each orchid: backbulbs and green bulbs. Backbulbs are those with no leaves, and green bulbs have leaves.

In other words, backbulbs are mature modified stems that have grown, aged, and lost their foliage. Remember, pseudobulbs don’t live as long as the plant, and they will mature and die in a few years.

Green bulbs are younger modified stems that haven’t fully matured and that still have leaves.

Problems and Maintenance

The pseudobulbs of many species, especially Oncidium, will wrinkle when deprived of water.

Sometimes providing them water will plump them back up again, and other times it won’t. Older growths will naturally wrinkle over time, so it’s not something you can avoid.

I know lots of people who see wrinkling as a sign that they’ve failed to care for their orchids. Try to see the wrinkling as all part of the process of growing orchids, because it’s likely to happen.

You are trying to raise a plant in an environment vastly different than the one it grows in naturally. There’s bound to be some stress for both you and the plant.

Stay on top of your watering, and don’t fret too much if wrinkles form.

If the pseudobulb appears to be turning brown, it’s likely that the protective sheath has become old and papery. This is a normal part of aging.

Remove the dead sheath because it provides a place for pests to hide, and it can trap moisture.

Wait until the sheath is totally brown and papery, and then peel it off with your fingers. You can also use a damp sponge or a washcloth to gently rub the sheath off.

In rare instances, the pseudobulb itself might turn brown. If that’s the case, it’s likely that the roots are in too much water.

Remove the plant from its pot and brush away all of the substrate.

Clean out the container with a 10 percent bleach and water solution. Spray the roots with copper fungicide and then repot in fresh substrate.

Remove any dead backbulbs by cutting them off at the soil level or gently pulling them off the plant.

Finally, pseudobulbs can be propagated through a process called “striking.” Striking is the process of removing old backbulbs to encourage new growth.

Once they lose their leaves, remove the backbulbs by gently twisting them off of the plant.

You can then replant these in the same or a different pot by burying them two-thirds deep and watering them as usual. It can take up to six months for new growth in the form of leaf and flower stems to develop, so don’t give up if you don’t see growth right away. 

Sadly, orchids can be a bit temperamental. No wonder a lot of people just enjoy them while they bloom and then toss them when they’re done.

But if you want to keep your orchid for years to come, then you’ll need to know what to watch for and how to address it if a problem happens.

If something doesn’t look right with your orchid, do your absolute best to figure it out right away.

Without exception, the faster you identify a problem and start addressing it, the better your chances of fixing your orchid.

Let’s start with the one issue you can identify solely with your nose:

1. Bad Smell

If your orchid has brown spots on the leaves accompanied by a bad smell that might remind you of fish left out on the counter for too long, it’s likely suffering from bacterial spot.

If the smell is accompanied by water-soaked lesions on the foliage, you can be sure.

Bacterial spot is caused by Erwinia spp. and Acidovorax spp., and spreads far too easily.

It can be carried on tools, your skin, your gloves, in splashing water or rain, or even in the droplets of a humid environment.

Unfortunately, once the orchid is infected, there is no cure, and the bacteria is in the plant’s system – it’s systemic – so you can’t just cut off the symptomatic areas and hope it will go away.

You’ll need to dispose of the orchid so the disease doesn’t spread, and then, in the future, be super careful about gardening hygiene and watering practices.

2. Brown Leaf Tips

If just the ends of your orchid’s foliage are brown and crispy, it’s likely that you’ve either overfed your plant or you’ve been using municipal water, which contains minerals that can build up in the soil and burn the roots.

It’s best to fertilize frequently with diluted, low-strength fertilizer than to feed less often with a strong fertilizer.

Most species can be fed biweekly at quarter strength with a standard liquid 3-3-3 or 4-4-4 NPK fertilizer.

You should also try to use rainwater, distilled water, or filtered water if you can. If not, flush the potting medium every few months to remove the mineral buildup.

Sometimes, you can tell that salt has built up in the medium by the whitish, cream, or brownish crust that can develop on the surface of the substrate.

If you see this crust in the drainage pot, you can be sure your water has minerals in it.

Learn more about watering orchids in our guide.

3. Brown Leaves and Pseudobulbs

Even brief exposure to temperatures in the 30s can cause cold injury, and even if the leaves aren’t covered in frost, low temperatures can harm orchids.

Some species can tolerate some cold stress, but others can’t abide even a whiff of a chill.

The leaves and pseudobulbs will look dark, dry, or might have water-soaked spots. Most often, the symptoms start developing during the cold exposure, but some might not show up until after temperatures have warmed up.

Don’t assume that because your orchid is growing indoors that cold injury can’t happen.

If you keep your plant near an exterior door or a single-pane window, the temperatures can become cold enough to damage your orchid. That’s because single-pane windows don’t provide much insulation, so cold air can seep in and harm nearby plants.

Orchids kept outdoors should be covered during a cold snap, and those indoors should be kept away from drafty windows or doors.

Any dead or severely damaged areas need to be pruned off because they won’t recover. But so long as the roots weren’t harmed, the orchid will send out fresh, new growth.

4. Brown Sunken Splotches

When your plants are exposed to low temperatures, it causes something called mesophyll cell collapse. I hear you. You keep your orchids indoors, so there is no way this is the problem.

But if you’re one of those people who follow the advice to water your orchid with an ice cube, it could be causing the problem if the ice touches the foliage.

Anytime the orchid is exposed to temperatures below 45°F, or temperatures significantly lower than it can tolerate, for too long, you risk this problem. The result is sunken brown areas on the leaves.

The brown, sunken spots can also be caused by a disease called anthracnose, caused by fungi in the genus Colletotrichum.

You can’t fix the damage; all you can do is avoid it. If you use the ice cube watering method, make sure to keep the ice away from the leaves. If your orchids are growing outside, bring them in or protect them with thick blankets during any unseasonal cold snaps.

These symptoms can also be caused by wiping a plant with alcohol. Isopropyl alcohol is sometimes used to kill pests like mealybugs. But alcohol evaporates rapidly, cooling the plant quickly.

If you opt to use alcohol to kill pests, don’t wipe it on the plant itself. Apply it directly onto the pests.

Buds can fall when they’re just starting to form on the stem or as new buds form beyond existing flowers.

The other reason bud blast sucks so much is because there are a large number of different causes.

If environmental conditions stress the plants, they’ll toss their buds because they’re the most expendable part. That way, they can focus their energy on more important things like leaves and roots.

Over- or underwatering is a common cause, as is too little light or low humidity. If the orchid is exposed to extreme changes in temperature, that can cause it too. Even exposure to gasses like ethylene or methane can trigger bud blast.

Overfertilization, pest infestations, disease, or even orchids with bad genetic backgrounds can cause bud blast as well.

In other words, if this happens to your orchids, all you can do is try to support them and give them the appropriate growing conditions for the species.

6. Curling Leaves

Leaves that twist and curl in on themselves are stressed. Most often, this is caused by chronic underwatering.

There are some orchids, particularly cattleyas, that tend to curl for no good reason, possibly indicating that it’s genetic.

So long as the orchid is cared for properly, and you can tell for sure that the medium is appropriately moist, don’t worry about it.

The leaves might also twist to stretch toward a bright light source, which is another reason to always rotate your plants.

But in this case, the leaves won’t be curling in on themselves; they’ll merely be arcing toward the light.

7. Dropping Foliage

Generally, if the foliage starts to turn pale or yellow and drops from the plant, it’s likely that your orchid needs more nutrients.

Orchid medium can compact, break down, and become depleted over time – or maybe you forgot to fertilize your plants.

Dropping foliage can also be caused by overwatering and root rot.

Remember that some species are deciduous and drop their leaves in the fall – this is nothing to worry about as they will develop new growth in the spring.

If you’re unsure of the cause, check the roots. If they’re black and mushy, then the problem is probably root rot. Otherwise, you can assume your orchid is hungry and give it some fertilizer.

8. Pleated Leaves

When your orchid’s leaves start to look a bit like the bellows of an accordion, it’s perplexing. Has some origami-loving gnome been secretly visiting your plant in the wee hours of the night?

Maybe.

But it’s more likely that the horizontal pleating is caused by a lack of moisture. This phenomenon is common in orchids from the Oncidium genus, which tend to have quite thin leaves.

Species with thick, fleshy leaves, like Phalaenopsis, are less commonly impacted by this problem.

When the plant doesn’t receive enough humidity, or there is a lack of moisture in the medium, or the roots can’t take up water for some reason, the pleating may follow.

Check the roots for rot, and if you see any, trim off the rotten roots. Then, repot your orchid in fresh medium.

Learn more about how to repot orchids in our guide.

Even if you don’t see rotten roots, repot in fresh medium, since potting medium tends to compact over time, reducing the root’s access to moisture.

Either way, try to increase the humidity around the plant by using a humidifier, grouping your houseplants together, or putting the orchid in the bathroom or near the kitchen sink.

Then, increase how often you water, but be sure to let the water fully drain out. Orchids should never sit in standing water.

Keep in mind that keeping your plant under lights can also deplete moisture, causing pleated foliage.

The wrinkled leaves won’t ever straighten out, and it’s important not to try to force them, or they’ll just break. But new foliage will emerge nice and straight.

9. Spotting

Spots can appear on the leaves, buds, or flowers.

When they only appear on flowers, especially if the flowers are white or a pale hue, it’s likely botrytis (Botrytis spp.). This disease thrives in cool, humid conditions, and is especially common in greenhouses.

Good air circulation is key to preventing this disease, as is watering at the soil level rather than splashing the foliage or flowers. Once the disease is present, you can’t eliminate it, but you can prevent new growth from being infected.

Remove the symptomatic flowers and spray the plant with copper fungicide once a month for six months.

Phyllosticta leaf spot is caused by the fungus P. capitalensis and spreads in warm, humid weather. It causes elongated purple or black spots on the leaves. As these mature, the inside of the spot turns tan.

Spotting can also be caused by bacterial spot as mentioned above, but this disease is usually accompanied by a bad smell.

Finally, spots can appear as the result of mechanical damage. These will usually be indented rather than smooth.

I’ve damaged more than one orchid leaf by accidentally knocking it against a stack of books or a cupboard as I move it back and forth to the sink for watering.

The solution here is easy: I should just become a less clumsy person!

10. Strange Patterns

Orchids can be infected with dozens of different viruses, each of which causes unique symptoms.

Odontoglossum ringspot virus (ORSV) and Cymbidium mosaic virus (CyMV) are the most common, but it doesn’t really matter which one (or more) viruses your plant is infected with.

Sometimes, a plant might just seem a bit sad, growing slowly or flowering poorly. Other symptoms can include necrotic spots on the foliage or curled leaves.

But the most obvious symptom of a viral infection is strange patterns on the leaves or flowers. The petals might have broken patches of color or spots and swirls. The foliage can exhibit rainbow-like arches, rings, circles, lines, or splotches of yellow or white.

There is no cure, and the virus can spread to other orchids, so you should either isolate the plant or dispose of it.

11. Wilting

Wilting usually goes hand-in-hand with wrinkling foliage. When it happens, you can be confident that your plant has been chronically over- or underwatered.

Not only is the plant suffering aboveground, but it’s highly likely that things aren’t looking so good below ground, either. Usually, when the leaves are drooping, there is some amount of root involvement.

Regardless of the cause, the problem is the same: the plant can’t take up enough water. Either because there isn’t enough water in the soil, or the roots have been left in too much water for too long, causing them to suffocate.

Remove the plant from the pot and knock away the substrate from the roots.

Take a close look at the roots and see what’s going on. If the roots are brown or black and soft, this indicates the plant is being overwatered, and the roots are dying.

If the roots are gray and wrinkled, it means the roots are dry and haven’t had enough water.

If the roots are soggy, trim those all off with a sharp, clean pair of scissors or pruners. Spray the roots with copper fungicide diluted to half strength and repot the plant in a container one size down. Make sure to use a fresh potting medium.

Because the roots are struggling, mist the plant every day for the first two weeks after repotting.

Then, withhold watering at first while continuing to mist to encourage new roots to form and seek out moisture.

After a week, resume regular watering, but be sure to empty any catchment container after 30 minutes and reduce the amount of water you’ve been giving.

If the cause is underwatering, this is a fairly easy fix. Place the slotted inner pot or a container with a drainage hole in room temperature water and allow the plant to soak up all it can for 15 minutes. Then, repot it and start watering more often.

Regardless of which problem caused the drooping leaves, they won’t perk back up once you fix the problem.

With other popular houseplant species, the foliage usually recovers when they have the water they need, but orchids don’t work like that. You’ll have to wait for new growth to form.

12. Wrinkled Leaves

When you see wrinkled leaves, your first thought would logically be that the plant doesn’t have enough moisture, and that might be the case. But it can also be a sign of too much water or symptom of a disease, so don’t jump to conclusions.

The most common cause, absolutely, is underwatering. Wrinkles happen when the tissue doesn’t have enough moisture to plump up the cells. It happens in our skin and it happens in plants.

If you lift up the plant, pot and all, and it feels light, it doesn’t have enough moisture. If you touch the substrate and it feels bone dry, again, it’s too dry.

If your orchid is in a clear pot, examine the roots carefully. If they look healthy, wrinkled leaves are probably indicative of a lack of water.

But if you see black or soggy roots, it’s likely they have rot, and the plant can’t take up water. This is common when a plant is overwatered.

It can also happen when the medium starts to break down, reducing the amount of oxygen the roots can access.

If the plant has root rot, trim off all the sick roots and keep a humidifier next to the plant so that it can gain moisture through the foliage.

Be cautious about maintaining the correct water in the medium as the plant develops new roots.

13. Yellow Splotches

Did you recently move your plant into a brighter location? Or maybe the sun is reflecting off of something and hitting your plant? Yellow splotches on the leaves can point to direct sun exposure.

If you leave the plant in the bright light, the yellow parts might even start to develop dark brown areas. It’s as if the leaf is literally being burned.

The fix is easy enough. Move the plant into a location with less light. The affected leaves won’t heal, but new ones will emerge healthy.

How and when to prune your plant will vary according to which orchid species you are growing – some shouldn’t ever be pruned and others need specific maintenance if you want them to rebloom.

This guide will lay it all out in an easy-to-understand way so that you can figure out when and how to prune your particular type of orchid.

Not sure what type of orchid you are growing? Check out our guide to the different types.

Here’s what’s on the agenda:

Before you even think about pruning your orchid, it’s important that whenever you’re trimming your plants, you must use clean tools. Wipe your clippers or scissors thoroughly with isopropyl alcohol.

With all the species on this list, only remove leaves if they’re diseased, dead, dying, or deformed, otherwise leave them in place. If you need to, cut them off right at the base.

Let’s start with the most popular genus: the Phalaenopsis.

Phalaenopsis

The Phalaenopsis species aka moth orchid is always the belle of the ball. It’s the most popular genus commercially thanks to its massive blossoms in a rainbow of colors that bloom for months at a time.

Once those beautiful flowers fade, it’s time to get out those pruners, wipe them down with isopropyl alcohol, and start the work.

Prune the flower stem off as close to the base as you can. It can be a challenge because the stem emerges from right between the leaves. If you find it difficult and it drives you nuts, you can use a clean precision craft knife to slice it off.

Some experts say you should allow at least one inch of flower stem to remain to reduce the chance of injuring the main stalk. I’ve never run into problems either way, so choose your level of risk versus how much you can’t stand the ugly stumps.

The exception here is that if the flower stem stays green after the blossoms drop off, there’s a good chance you’ll see new flowers growing in a few weeks. It’s rare the stem will be alive if all the flowers have fallen, however.

The flowers typically start to fall from the top of the stem first. If you want, once one falls, cut the stem back to just in front of the node where the flower emerged from. The stem might send out some new flowering branches in a few weeks.

After removing the flower stalk, take the plant out of its pot and examine the roots. If you see any black or mushy roots, those should be removed as well.

There is no need to prune any leaves unless they are yellow, brown, rotten, or symptomatic of a disease. If so, use scissors or pruners to carefully cut off the leaf at the base. Then, figure out what was causing the problem and solve it.

But if the stem turns brown or black, it won’t rebloom.

Dendrobium

Dendrobium species aren’t as popular as their Phalaenopsis cousins, and I have to assume that’s partly because the flowers don’t last nearly as long. But regular pruning can extend the blossoming period.

Each time a flower starts to droop, snip it off at the base where it meets the stalk with some scissors or your fingernails. That will encourage the plant to keep producing more blossoms.

Once the flower stem is completely bare, wait a few weeks or months, and it will likely put out a second flush of blossoms.

The only time you should cut the flowering stem of a Dendrobium is if it turns brown and dies. Then, cut it off and check the roots, as described above under Phalaenopsis pruning.

Brassavola, Cattleya, Cymbidium, and Oncidium

Unlike Phalaenopsis, which generally have one main stalk from which the stems and flowers emerge, Brassavola, Cattleya, Cymbidium, and Oncidium species form multiple pseudobulbs from which flower spikes emerge.

These pseudobulbs grow from the horizontal rhizome underground.

At first, the flower spikes resemble the pseudobulbs from which the leaves emerge, but as they mature, they grow a narrow stalk with flowers.

Some species only grow one flower stalk per pseudobulb, but others can grow several. Some have a single flowering stalk and others have ones that branch.

In case you’re wondering how to tell which from which, the flowering bulbs will be pointed, and the leaf bulbs will be blunt.

These types won’t rebloom from a stalk that has already flowered. You need to remove the flower stem once the blossoms are gone.

Cut the stalks at the base as close to the surface of the potting medium as possible.

Remove any leaves that are dead, dying, diseased, or deformed, and feel free to take out a few in the middle of the plant to open it up a bit. It’s not necessary, but it can improve air circulation.

Learn more about growing Cattleya species in our guide.

Calanthe, Zygopetalum, and Hybrids

Calanthe and Zygopetalum species, and hybrids, offer up blooms in the winter and early spring when many other plants are taking a nap.

The often leopard-spotted petals give you something exciting to look at during the gray days.

After the flowers drop, it’s time to remove the flower stalk back to the first “notch” you see. These notches are the nodes and a new stalk with regrow from this area.

At the same time, remove any dead, dying, diseased, or deformed leaves and check those roots for any that are dead or damaged.

Cycnoches

Cychnoches species go dormant during the winter and drop their leaves. Just because the leaves drop, that doesn’t mean the plant is dead. Like deciduous trees, it will grow new foliage next spring.

Don’t cut off any stems in the winter after the leaves drop. Wait until the summer after the new growth has developed.

Then, look for any bare areas and prune those away. As the plants age, the older pseudobulbs will shrivel up and die. You can safely remove these with a sharp, clean pair of scissors or pruners.

The only other time you should prune is in the winter after all the leaves have dropped. Remove the plant from its pot and trim off any dead roots.

Additional Considerations for Sympodial Species

Sympodial orchids refer those that produce pseudobulbs from which the flowers and leaves sprout. Some, like Cattleya species, can be underwhelming bloomers or some of the most prolific bloomers out there, depending on your pruning techniques.

Each pseudobulb will produce one flower stalk, so a small plant with one pseudobulb will have just one flower stalk. But if you prune regularly to encourage the formation of multiple pseudobulbs, you can encourage lots of flower stalks.

By the way, this technique also works for Cymbidium, Dendrobium, Oncidium orchids, and any other sympodial species.

Sympodial types are those that have a horizontal rhizome underground from which the pseudobulbs emerge – rather than a single vertical stalk.

Dig up the plant and remove the soil from around the roots. Locate the main rhizome, which is the largest root and the one that is growing horizontally.

It’s usually buried in the middle of all the roots. From this rhizome pseudobulbs will emerge with swollen bases. Some eyes will have a pseudobulb emerging from it already, and others won’t.

Find the youngest, smallest pseudobulb on the rhizome. It will have the most eyes, but these eyes won’t have grown any bulbs yet.

In other words, look for a rhizome with lots of eyes that haven’t developed pseudobulbs rather than empty eyes that have already developed pseudobulbs that have died.

Take a clean, sterile razor and cut halfway through the rhizome from the nearest pseudobulb and the closest eye. Repeat this between any other eyes where new pseudobulbs will start to grow.

Don’t cut all the way through the rhizome, just halfway. Spray the rhizome with copper fungicide and replant it.

Now, your plant should send out more pseudobulbs, and thus flowers, wherever you made a cut.

Trimming Aerial Roots

The roots that develop on the plant parts above the soil are known as aerial roots, and some people don’t like the look of them.

If that sounds like you, feel free to remove them. Well, at least, some of them.

Aerial roots that are plump and white, silver, gray, or green should be left alone.

They’re healthy parts of the growing plant and they serve the purpose of anchoring the specimen and taking in air, water, and nutrients. But any that turn brown or yellow, are soft or mushy, or that shrivel up can safely be removed.

Cut them back as close to the stem as possible, using clean pruners.

You can learn more about aerial roots in our guide.

Just because a plant has some roots coming out of the surface of the soil, that doesn’t mean it needs repotting. But a healthy, happy specimen will require repotting at some point.

As the plants mature, they need more room. In this guide we’ll talk about when and how to repot your orchids. Here’s what I’ll cover:

Here we go:

Before you start your work, be sure to collect your tools so that your plant is disturbed for the shortest amount of time possible.

You’ll need a new container, a pair of sharp scissors, and fresh, clean potting medium. Be sure to wash your scissors in soapy water and wipe them with isopropyl alcohol so you don’t transmit pathogens between plants.

For most species, a commercial orchid bark works well. You can buy premade bark at most specialty nurseries or garden suppliers.

You can also make your own. You’ll need a finely textured fir bark and coarse sphagnum moss, coco coir, or perlite for water retention. Combine three parts of bark to one part whichever water-retentive material you choose.

I recommend that people repot their newly purchased specimens just as soon as they’re done blooming. You never know what media the growers have used to pot your plant.

Some are potted in a bark mixture, which is ideal, but others are grown in sphagnum moss, which is less than ideal because it retains too much water.

If you’re repotting a newly-purchased specimen, you don’t need to increase the size of the container. You can use the same container, but wipe it out with soapy water first.

You will also know it’s time to change things up when the bark starts to break down.

As the bark crumbles and decomposes, it closes up all those lovely air pockets in the substrate that orchids love so much. If you poke at the bark and it feels soft, starts breaking apart, or is visibly decomposing, it’s time to repot.

If the stem, aerial roots, and leaves start to grow over the side of the pot, it’s probably time to upgrade, as well.

Finally, check out that rootball. If you’re growing in a pot with holes in it, your plant will likely start growing roots out of those holes. They’ll also grow roots out of the surface of the potting media.

These aren’t necessarily a sign that it’s time to repot. However, if the rootball becomes crowded and there isn’t much room between the roots, this is a good indication that it’s time to act.

The Process of Repotting Orchids

The first step is to remove the plant from its container. If you’re growing in a slotted pot, some roots might have grown out of the holes.

If those roots seem to be stuck, just trim them off with your scissors and then ease the plant out of the pot.

Once you have the plant out of the pot, use your thumbs and fingers to remove the existing potting material from around the roots. Now, examine the rootball.

Healthy roots should be stiff and green, gray, white, or light brown. Soggy or soft growth should be removed, as should any black areas.

You can learn more about orchid roots in our guide.

Rub off any dry paper sheaths that might be growing along the bulbs to look for pests. They like to cluster in these areas. If you notice anything moving, spray the roots with insecticidal soap.

Now, you’re ready to place the plant in the new pot. Place the root ball in the pot but hold the plant itself so that it will sit with the uppermost roots just above the medium.

Fill in the pot around the plant with the medium and press it in.

The bark should be fairly well-packed, though you want to be careful not to smash the roots. If you lift the plant at the base without supporting the pot, it should stay in place.

Moisten the medium and put your plant back in its usual spot. If you want to place it somewhere else, wait a few days for the plant to acclimate to the change before introducing it to a different environment.