Decorating your home with beautiful plants can be a pleasant yet challenging task. This happens because a lot of time is spent looking for the ideal houseplant for your floral display. So, let’s talk about one such plant that would be a great addition to your home. Orchids are lovely houseplants and an excellent choice to decorate your homes with. Orchid flowers come in a variety of colours, ranging from delicate white to beautiful blue. Apart from these aesthetic values, the Orchid plant offers a sweet fragrance filling your home with a naturally pleasant smell. Moreover, every part of an Orchid such as petals, leaves, roots, etc., has endless benefits.
In this article, we have provided detailed information about Orchids. From growing and caring to buying and decorating, this guide covers everything you need to know about this magnificent indoor plant.
Contents
- 1 Types of Orchids that make great houseplants
- 2 How to grow and care for Orchids?
- 3 Buy an exquisite Orchid to fill your home with joy!
- 3.1 Nestasia Colourful Orchid Stem
- 3.2 WallMantra Purple Orchid
- 3.3 Ikea Smycka
- 3.4 The Affordable Organic Store Dendrobium Sapling
- 3.5 Pots and Petals Dendrobium Sanderae
- 3.6 Blooms Villa Premium Orchid Gift For Grandparents
- 3.7 My Flower Tree Blue Orchid Jumbo
- 3.8 Ferns N Petals Gorgeous Blue Orchid Flower
- 3.9 Nursery Nisarg Phalaenopsis
- 3.10 Tata Cliq Westside Home
- 4 Get inspired to adorn your home with Orchid flowers (Image gallery)
- 5 Conclusion
Types of Orchids that make great houseplants
Tiger-Stripe
Scientific name: Cymbidium Iridioides
Image Source: Nikkei Asia
This Orchid plant has grass-like leaf blades with a yellowish base and long-lasting flowers. The edges of the flowers are ruffled and have huge, irregular crimson dots; it comes with a mild fragrance. This species is an epiphyte that thrives on mossy trees, rocks, and limestone cliffs in moist woodlands. It belongs to the Epidendroideae subfamily and is native to the Himalayas.
Noble Rock
Scientific name: Dendrobium Nobile
Image Source: powo.science.kew.org
One of the most stunning Orchid varieties, Noble Rock Orchids are a popular home decor element. These flowers are aromatic and have white petals with purple tips. They thrive in mild to moderate temperatures and grow up to 2 ⅜ to 3 inches tall.
Scarlet Cattleya
Scientific name: Sophronitis Coccinea
Image Source: Flickr
Scarlet Cattleya is a small Orchid with large flowers that form a cluster of pseudobulbs. The midveins of the leaves are red and each leaf produces a solitary, long-lasting scarlet flower. This species is widely used in hybridization to produce huge, vivid red flower variants. It prefers warm temperatures and a humid environment with bright light.
Also see: Bonsai tree: Guide to grow top 12 plant species (+Buying options) |
Fried-Egg
Scientific name: Dendrobium Chrysotoxum
Image Source: Wikimedia
These Orchids are adapted to regions with heavy rainfall in the spring and summer. The flowers, however, only survive 7 to 10 days (about 1 and a half weeks). They vary in colour but are usually found in beautiful yellow-orange or darker orange with a reddish-brown patch on the centre of the lip.
Christmas
Scientific name: Cattleya Trianae
Image Source: Wikimedia
It has beautiful lavender, blue, yellow or stunning red coloured flowers. This species blooms 3 to 14 flowers on each spike during winter and early spring. It grows up to 8 inches tall and thrives in bright indirect light.
Also see: Spider Plant: Guide to style, care for & grow indoors (Buy online) |
Pink Foxtail
Scientific name: Cattleya Trianae
Image Source: Wikimedia
This stunning Orchid has a long inflorescence with 25–50 white flowers, some of which have white petals with pinkish dots while others are entirely rosy-lavender. In addition, the flowers have a long-lasting fragrance. This Orchid plant requires a lot of water and thrives in bright light.
Foul Giant
Scientific name: Bulbophyllum Grandiflorum
Image Source: Orchids forum
It is one of the largest Orchid genera, with egg-shaped pseudobulbs and one oblong leaf. The shape of this plant resembles a duck’s head. It has unique flowers with cream-to-tan sepals and reddish-purple dots extending forward to cover them. Furthermore, these flowers have a strong odour that attracts flies for pollination.
Also see: How to grow, care for & decorate with Areca Palm? (+Buying options) |
Cymbidium
Scientific name: Cymbidium spp.
Image Source: Wikipedia.org on Pinterest
The Cymbidium Orchid, sometimes known as the Boat Orchid, is appreciated for its long-lasting blossoms, which are frequently used as cut flowers. This Asian species is well-known for its fragrance and visual appeal. It grows well in bright yet cool environments.
White Egret
Scientific name: Pecteilis Radiata
Images Source: Bakker.com
These gorgeous flowers are named after the silver heron (or Egret) because of their attractively fringed and feathery lips. These white flowers have a nighttime scent and bloom in groups of two or three from a single stem. Commonly found in Asia, this Orchid plant is a good choice for a beginner’s windowsill.
Cinnamon
Scientific name: Lycaste Aromatica
Image Source: Wikimedia
It is one of the most spectacular species in the genus. It is a dormant, leafless shrub that produces a profusion of bright yellow flowers that smell like cinnamon in the spring. The flowering season of this variety lasts from late spring until summer.
Queen Victoria Blue Orchid
Scientific name: Dendrobium Victoriae-Reginae
Image Source: Lynn Liebers on Behance
Blue Orchid prefers hot days and cool nights as well as high humidity. It belongs to the Pedilonum genus and is known for its bright colours. This Orchid has distinctive lilac blue coloured flowers on the inflorescence that resembles beautiful shrubs.
Cattleya
Scientific name: Cattleya spp.
Image Source: Freerange stock
This variety is often referred to as the “Queen of the Orchids.” The flowers are magnificent and are available in practically every colour (except blue). Due to their small size and ease of growth on windowsills, Miniature Cattleyas, also known as “minicatts,” are becoming increasingly popular. They are grown almost everywhere in the world because of their modest growth requirements.
Bamboo
Scientific name: Arundina Graminifolia
Image Source: Kanoahawaii
Bamboo Orchid gets its name from its tall stems that look like bamboo. Its flowers have a vibrant purple colour with a trumpet-shaped lip and a yellow centre. The petals of this Orchid variety are beautiful and wide. It is naturally found in exposed areas, rocks, and meadows.
Moth
Scientific name: Phalaenopsis spp.
Image Source: Ben Lande on Unsplash
Moth Orchids, also popularly known as Moon Orchids, are one of the most widely grown varieties. These Orchid plants have a lovely scent, and the flowers are usually long-lasting which is why they are so popular. Moreover, these flowers are available in different patterns as well as a variety of colours, including green, pink, lavender, and white.
How to grow and care for Orchids?
Lighting
Orchids should stay out of direct sunlight. So, give them bright, indirect light if you want to meet their lighting needs. Cattleya and Vanda are two common species that thrive in bright light, while Phalaenopsis and Paphiopedilum, among others, need dim light. Varieties with thicker, more erect leaves can tolerate more light than those with thinner, horizontal leaves.
Temperature
Generally, Orchids thrive when the daytime temperature remains between 70 and 80°F. Furthermore, most Orchid plants prefer the temperature to be 10-15 degrees cooler at night, in order to encourage flowering. Beyond that sweet spot, the minimum temperature that most varieties will bear is 50°F, and the maximum temperature that is normally recommended is 95°F. Although temperatures outside of this range won’t necessarily cause your plants to die, it will increase their susceptibility to disease and insects and reduce their likelihood of flowering.
Humidity
Most Orchids prefer an atmosphere with a humidity level of over 70%, which is higher than the average home. Therefore, you must try to provide your plants with more humidity. Most Orchids enjoy being misted with a spray bottle.
Soil
Do not place your Orchids in potting soil. Potting soil will keep the plant’s roots excessively damp and prevent them from getting enough air. These flowers grow with rare exceptions such as in shallow, nutrient-poor organic materials on the forest floor, on rocks, or in slightly acidic environments in the cracks of trees. Therefore, selecting a high-quality, growing medium is important to recreate these natural growing circumstances; potting soil is not an appropriate option.
Water
Overwatering is significantly more harmful to Orchids than underwatering. The potting mix also influences how frequently these plants need to be watered. Most Orchids are sold in mixes that allow for weekly watering. Do not water them until the soil is nearly dry. To water them, just dip the pot in a bucket for a few seconds before lifting it out and allowing the extra water to drain.
Pruning
Old flower stems that have turned brown should be trimmed. If they are still green, they may bloom again, either from the tip or by branching further back on the stem. Only remove leaves, roots, or flower stalks from Orchids if they have already perished or become brown. To prevent spreading infections among plants, you must sterilize your cutting instruments or use disposable ones. Repotting should be done as soon as new roots begin to appear.
Watch the following video to learn how to care for your Orchid plants!
Buy an exquisite Orchid to fill your home with joy!
Nestasia Colourful Orchid Stem
B U Y H E R E |
WallMantra Purple Orchid
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Ikea Smycka
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The Affordable Organic Store Dendrobium Sapling
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Pots and Petals Dendrobium Sanderae
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Blooms Villa Premium Orchid Gift For Grandparents
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My Flower Tree Blue Orchid Jumbo
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Ferns N Petals Gorgeous Blue Orchid Flower
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Nursery Nisarg Phalaenopsis
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Tata Cliq Westside Home
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Get inspired to adorn your home with Orchid flowers (Image gallery)
Conclusion
Orchids have a unique way of bringing freshness into a room and creating a peaceful atmosphere. Being a popular choice for decor, these can also be found in different indoor settings such as a sunny windowsill, a hanging basket under the porch, or even in a greenhouse. There are different varieties of Orchid flowers, each with its distinct appearance. So, in order to get the best match for your taste and style, you must be aware of the various types of Orchid flowers available in numerous colours. Whether you want a graceful white, a vibrant red, or a calm blue flower bunch, you can find an Orchid to suit your needs.
So, based on the above information on the different varieties of this plant and how to grow and care for Orchids, you can buy and adorn your home with the lovely Orchid plants as shown in the exclusive image gallery above to enhance your space immediately!
*The featured image used in this article is from foreverflowering.com