This orchid is also known as the queen of the living room. The Phalaenopsis originates in Asia: the plants can be found in India, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia etc. It owes its name to 'Phalaina', meaning 'moth' and 'opsis' which means 'resembling'. In other words, the plant looks like a moth.
The phalaenopsis is available in many different colours and sizes. For instance, we grow multiflora varieties in pot sizes 9cm and 12cm, which are compact and guarantee lots of spikes and flowers.
In addition, we grow Phalaenopsis with larger heads in our nurseries. The plants are larger and they have thicker spikes. We give all our orchids more rest and take longer over the growing process, keeping the plants in our greenhouses for a year. This results in the plants being of excellent quality with longer lifespans.
The Phalaenopsis is an ideal plant for keeping in the house. The plant blooms slowly so the flowers in the buds appear only gradually. It requires a lot of light but prefers not to be in direct sunlight. In terms of temperature, it likes to be kept nice and warm; above 16 degrees is ideal. With just one or two shots of water a week, you can enjoy months of flower spikes. Around once a month add a little plant food to the water.
When the flowers are spent they will eventually dry out and drop off. Watch what the Phalaenopsis does. If the spike has dried out, cut it off just above the second eye (second bobble in the spike, counting from below). After a period of rest, the Phalaenopsis can grow a new spike.
If the old flower spike has not dried out and a new shoot can be seen on it, only cut the part above the new spike. Above all, just look at your plant!
