The Perfect Orchid

They are hands down one of the most beautiful flowers with one of the toughest reputations. This flower is known as diva-extradinaire as it addicting and frustrating at the same time. They are beautiful and a true accomplishment to grow.

The most popular orchids are cattleya, phalaenopsis, dendrobiums, epidendrum, paphiopedilums, miltonias, miltoniopsis, odontoglossum, oncidium and vanda. And these are just a few of 30,000 to 40,000 species of orchids. All will take a little bit of effort to know them and grow them, especially getting them to bloom again once the flowers are spent, but growers consider the cattleyas, phalaenopsis and dendrobiums among the easiest to force a bloom.

Growing tips on these more popular orchids are as follows;

• Cattleya - Prefer four hours of direct east or west sun. Dry them out between watering. Preferred daytime temperature is 75 to 95 degrees; 55 to 60 nighttime temperature.
• Phalaenopsis - Two or three hours of bright but indirect morning sun. Water every four to seven days if they're in bark medium, less if in a moss mixture. They don't like to dry out and like 50 to 80 percent humidity. Preferred daytime temperature is 70 degrees during the day, 62 to 70 degrees at night.
• Dendrobiums - Prefers bright, filtered morning sun coming from south- or east-facing window. Dry out between waterings. Nighttime temperatures above 55 degrees. Day temperatures below 90 degrees.
• Paphiopediulums - Similar to phalaenopsis but they prefer their temperatures a little warmer; 75 to 85 degrees during the day.
• Miltonia and Miltoniopsis - Same as phalaenopsis with maybe a little less humidity requirements, 50 to 60 percent. Don't allow them to dry out completely.
• Oncidiums - Similar to cattleyas. They like to dry out between waterings. Give them humidity between 50 and 60 percent.

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