The Orchid Garden

Please help identifying my orchids

Question:

Hi, I received two orchids this year as gifts. Neither of them had any tags, but I would like to find out what they are in order to care for them properly. Orchid #1: It has two leaves at the base, oval,  about 6 " long and about 3,5 " wide. The flowers were light purple with a lighter center, about 2"x2". Leaves are dark green. Orchid #2: This one has a bulbous looking base from which grow 4-5 leaves. The leaves are about 1,5" wide and 10" long, light green. The flowers were yelllowish with brown tiger stripes and spots, 5 per stem and they were also about 2"x2". The tips of the leaves have started drying and I tried to take the plant outside. It did not seem to like the hot weather (I am in Dallas) and the base started to shrivel. I brought it back into the airconditioned house and I hope for the best. A couple of questions: 1.Can anyone identify these plants? 2.What  can I do to keep these orchids happy ?  Should I keep them outside? Inside? It is hard to find a cool bright spot inside in my house,  so do I need to set up a flourescent light fixture? Any advice is most welcome. Thank you, Krista

Response:

Hi, I received two orchids this year as gifts. Neither of them had any tags, but I would like to find out what they are in order to care for them properly. Orchid #1: It has two leaves at the base, oval,  about 6 " long and about 3,5 " wide. The flowers were light purple with a lighter center, about 2"x2". Leaves are dark green.

That’s a Phalenopsis, couldn’t tell you the cross.  They like good light and are pretty tough plants as orchids go. Orchid #2: This one has a bulbous looking base from which grow 4-5 leaves. The leaves are about 1,5" wide and 10" long, light green. The flowers were yelllowish with brown tiger stripes and spots, 5 per stem and they were also about 2"x2". The tips of the leaves have started drying and I tried to take the plant outside. It did not seem to like the hot weather (I am in Dallas) and the base started to shrivel. I brought it back into the airconditioned house and I hope for the best.

Mmmm, could be an oncinium, but sounds more like a Miltonopsis or "Pansy Faced Orchid", (some still call them Miltonias).  These have been hitting the stores all over recently so that would make sense.  These guys like intermediate light, so no, outdoors in the direct sun would be bad.  They also like interemediate to cool temps and lots of water, (but with good drainage, they shouldn’t stand in water).  I’m not as sure on this one, so anyone else correct me if I’ve blown the ident, I’ll only mope a little A couple of questions: 1.Can anyone identify these plants?

Welcome to the psychic orchid network, where all is revealed .  Just a thought, do you have access to a scanner?  If you could post a pic of them on a site somewhere that would make things a lot easier. 2.What  can I do to keep these orchids happy ?  Should I keep them outside? Inside? It is hard to find a cool bright spot inside in my house,  so do I need to set up a flourescent light fixture?

The Phal likes warm with good light, but not direct sun, (few orchids like direct sun).  Flourescents are good with orchids, but for only two may be a bit expensive to set up. Any advice is most welcome.

Mmmm, brave woman. Thank you, Krista

Cort Odekirk pics of my orchids at http://www.halcyon.com/maelstrm/site/garden/orchids/

Response:

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