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Phalaenopsis orchid plant care

The Phalaenopsis or 'Moth Orchid' is the most common orchid due to its ease of production and the ability of nurseries to force them into bloom year-round. Phalaenopsis are easily grown in the home and stay in bloom for a very long time. A mature phal will be in bloom much of the year with graceful inflorences loaded with good-sized blooms. From whites to unusual spotted harlequins, phals are sure to please. Unlike other orchids, phals can be repotted anytime, though it is usually best to do so when not in bloom.

Phalaenopsis are native to Southeast Asia including the Philippines, Taiwan, and many islands in that region. They live in the shady moist undergrowth of the forest. Phalaenopsis orchids are monopodial which means that they grow leaves from a central stem. These leaves do not have the same kind of water holding ability that the pseudobulbs on a sympodial orchid have and as a result Phalaenopsis don't like to stay dry for long.

The culture of Phalaenopsis involves windowsill light and consistent moisture. Phals do very well as housplants and will grow and flower in the same conditions that african violets prefer. Each year a Phalaenopsis will grow one or two new leaves. Once the growth phase is complete, usually in the autumn, a bloom spike will emerge from the stem beneath the second or third leaf from the top. Sometimes we have to help a Phalaenopsis that is grown in a consistently warm home to realize it is autumn by allowing it to experience lower temperatures (below 15˚C) for several nights in order to set a bloom spike. Phalaenopsis bloom in the late winter through the spring.

We are often asked about cutting back flower spikes as orchids go out of bloom. For most orchid genera the flower spike should be cut back after the bloom. This is usually indicated by the plant as the spike turns brown. For Phalaenopsis it can be a bit tricky to know what to do and to make matters more confusing there are differing schools of thought on the issue.

On most Phalaenopsis the bloom spike will turn brown after the plant is finished bearing flowers on a spike. It may not turn brown all the way down, however. One school of thought says to cut the spike above a node on the stem and allow the plant to rebloom again as a branch off the existing spike. The other school of thought says to always cut the flower spike off at the base when the blooms drop. Blooms take energy from the plant so cutting the spike entirely off allows the plant to gather its energy for an even more spectacular bloom in the future. Allowing the spike to branch results in more blooms sooner but takes energy from the plant resulting in often smaller blooms. In our collection we take the middle ground. For large plants with large root systems we will sometimes allow the plant to branch off an existing spike. For younger plants or those with less vigour we will cut the bloom stem at the base when the flowers drop.

Phalaenopsis that has lost its blooms.

It seems in orchid culture there are exceptions to every rule. Some Phalaenopsis should NOT have their bloom spikes cut. These Phals have in their parentage species such as violacia, amboninsis, cornu-cervi, etc. These Phals usually bear only a few blooms at the end of a spike and will bear blooms sequentially on the same spike for a very long time, seemingly forever. The primary reason to cut these spikes is if the plant becomes too unruly.

First off, do not be dismayed by the (often sudden) dropping of Phalaenopsis blooms as spring turns to Summer. This is the time of year we expect Phalaenopsis to drop their blooms and begin their growth season. We expect them to spike again when they notice the chill of early autumn.

In late December January the Phalaenopsis in our collection finally lose their blooms. Some will remain in bloom for awhile longer. The ideal time to repot orchids is when they go out of bloom and Phalaenopsis is no exception. Once it has finished blooming the orchid will focus on growing new roots and leaves in preparation for new flower spikes. Since Phalaenopsis remain in bloom for a large percentage of the year it is best to seize the opportunity to repot them now. Phalaenopsis, especially the younger ones, thrive on repotting. Fresh potting mix is ideal for fresh new growth. 

 Phalaenopsis Spike - To Be Cut This is an example of a Phalaenopsis spike dying back after blooming.

This spike should be cut. We will choose to cut this spike off at the base. The orchid in the photo is a first bloom seedling that we have raised from flask. It is potted in the same pot with another of its siblings. As shown in the photo the spike has only turned brown halfway down. This plant is indicating that it would like to branch from the green node below the brown but it is too young to be expected to branch from the same spike. We will cut the spike at the base and repot.
 

Node on a Phalaenopsis Spike
Each spike on a Phalaeno psis will have at least a few nodes going up the spike prior to the blooms. Each of these nodes bears the potential to branch either during or after the initial bloom. If the decision is made to allow the orchid to branch on a spike, cut the spike off directly above a node.

Phalaenopsis Spike - Do Not Cut.
This orchid is a violacea species that will bloom sequentially from the same flower spike. One distinguishing characteristic of this type of Phalaenopsis is that they stubbornly prefer to grow horizontally and bear horizontal spikes. This plant has sent off three separate spikes at different times and they will each bear one or two blooms at a time. The best way to know whether to cut the spike or not is to know the parentage of the orchid. Another way to know is to observe the plant. If the spike remains green, leave it alone. 

Phalaenopsis Spike - Time to Cut?
This orchid has been in sequential bloom for a very long time. At this point the bloom spike is long and unruly. During the time that the longest spike has been blooming this plant has sent up two other spikes. We will choose to cut this spike in the spring to give the  plant the summer growth cycle to focus on new leaves and hopefully another new spike.

New leaves on a Phalaenopsis.
We are looking forward to new leaves from our Phalaenopsis at this time of year. After repotting and a brief rest we will be increasing our fertilizing to give these orchids the strongest summer growth period that we can. Once the summer is over and the kids head back to school we need to make sure that our Phalaenopsis realize the autumn is here and that it is time to set a bloom spike. For orchids grown in the home this can be a bit tricky as constant temperatures are often maintained. A good chill from a window left open a crack on several cool evenings helps Phals to set their spikes.
Is it a Spike? Is it a Root?

We hope to have most of our Phalaenopsis showing spikes by Easter. Spikes emerge from the same area of the plant as the roots and there are anxious moments awaiting a verdict of "is it a spike?". Spikes look like "mitten s" or little hands and are not purely round like roots. Look for this characteristic shape.