The Orchid Garden

Suggestions for First Orchid

Question:

Hi there: I’d like to hear from the experts on suggestions for a *first* orchid in the home.  I have a lot of plants–mostly gesneriads.  I’d like to start with orchids.  I’ve read a couple of books, and joined a local club, but I’d like to hear what the people here suggest.   For natural light, choices are either East or West window at the 49th parallel (short days in winter, long days in summer).  Home is between 60 and 70F  (night/day).  Climate is dry, but many aquariums in the house. Thank you, Ezgaroth

Response:

You may get a lot of different suggestions, but for my money, phalaenopsis do great right along side of gesneriads. — Ray Barkalow < First Rays Orchids http://www.firstrays.com Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi there: I’d like to hear from the experts on suggestions for a *first* orchid in the home.  I have a lot of plants–mostly gesneriads.  I’d like to start with orchids.  I’ve read a couple of books, and joined a local club, but I’d like to hear what the people here suggest. For natural light, choices are either East or West window at the 49th parallel (short days in winter, long days in summer).  Home is between 60 and 70F  (night/day).  Climate is dry, but many aquariums in the house. Thank you, Ezgaroth

Response:

We suggest a  Phalaenopsis (moth orchid) as they are relatively easy. Your light may not be sufficient though. See our web page for details on an inexpensive indoor light shelf and other tips, with numerous photos. URL:      http://www.collins-consulting.org/orchids.html Hope that helps. Joe – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi there: I’d like to hear from the experts on suggestions for a *first* orchid in the home.  I have a lot of plants–mostly gesneriads.  I’d like to start with orchids.  I’ve read a couple of books, and joined a local club, but I’d like to hear what the people here suggest.   For natural light, choices are either East or West window at the 49th parallel (short days in winter, long days in summer).  Home is between 60 and 70F  (night/day).  Climate is dry, but many aquariums in the house. Thank you, Ezgaroth

Response:

Well, you’ve already done two of the things I recommend – read and visit a local club.  The other two activities I suggest is that you visit an orchid show, and then visit a specialty orchid nursery. This will help you decide what you like!  There are probably many different orchids you *could* grow, but would you *want* to?  For me, fragrance is paramount, as well as rich purple/burgundy colors, as well as growing outdoors in soCal, so the cattleya hybrids are a good choice for me (assuming I pick ones that can handle the temp swings!!!!)  Do you want large flowers, or small?  Fragrance?  Color?  Flowering season?  ’Weird’ flowers, etc. Phals, though highly recommended by some, are not that easy for me (too cold outdoors, too dry indoors).  Cymbidiums grow like crabgrass.  Cattleyas, laelias, etc. are somewhere in between so give me a horticultural challenge with rewards I appreciate. I’d also recommend you go with hybrids well known for their forgiving nature.  Species are charming, but the selection process that breeders have done include ease of growth in home conditions. In the cattleya world, the complex hybrids called Sophrolaeliocattleyas (composed of three genera) and Potinaras (composed of species from four different genera) are often very forgiving and bloom more than once a year; but there are many, many choices. One thing to remember – unlike your african violets (and their relatives) most of the popular orchids are epiphytes and have a distinct personality that differs from plants growing in soil.  I suppose some paphs come close to growing in conditions like your gesneriads.  But a good number of orchids come from conditions also inhabited by cacti and succulents (really!) and overwatering is THE most common mistake made by beginners. You could always take the smorgasboard approach.  By one plant of each major tribe or subtribe commonly grown, and see what works for you.  Many vendors offer starter packages that include a variety of orchids. -dan

Hi there: I’d like to hear from the experts on suggestions for a *first* orchid in the home.  I have a lot of plants–mostly gesneriads.  I’d like to start with orchids.  I’ve read a couple of books, and joined a local club, but I’d like to hear what the people here suggest.

[snip]

Response:

My golly gosh… Did I just find an insinuation that there are orchids that people do NOT want to grow???? Kye

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well, you’ve already done two of the things I recommend – read and visit a local club.  The other two activities I suggest is that you visit an orchid show, and then visit a specialty orchid nursery. This will help you decide what you like!  There are probably many different orchids you *could* grow, but would you *want* to?  For me, fragrance is paramount, as well as rich purple/burgundy colors, as well as growing outdoors in soCal, so the cattleya hybrids are a good choice for me (assuming I pick ones that can handle the temp swings!!!!)  Do you want large flowers, or small?  Fragrance?  Color?  Flowering season?  ’Weird’ flowers, etc. Phals, though highly recommended by some, are not that easy for me (too cold outdoors, too dry indoors).  Cymbidiums grow like crabgrass.  Cattleyas, laelias, etc. are somewhere in between so give me a horticultural challenge with rewards I appreciate. I’d also recommend you go with hybrids well known for their forgiving nature.  Species are charming, but the selection process that breeders have done include ease of growth in home conditions. In the cattleya world, the complex hybrids called Sophrolaeliocattleyas (composed of three genera) and Potinaras (composed of species from four different genera) are often very forgiving and bloom more than once a year; but there are many, many choices. One thing to remember – unlike your african violets (and their relatives) most of the popular orchids are epiphytes and have a distinct personality that differs from plants growing in soil.  I suppose some paphs come close to growing in conditions like your gesneriads.  But a good number of orchids come from conditions also inhabited by cacti and succulents (really!) and overwatering is THE most common mistake made by beginners. You could always take the smorgasboard approach.  By one plant of each major tribe or subtribe commonly grown, and see what works for you.  Many vendors offer starter packages that include a variety of orchids. -dan Hi there: I’d like to hear from the experts on suggestions for a *first* orchid in the home.  I have a lot of plants–mostly gesneriads.  I’d like to start with orchids.  I’ve read a couple of books, and joined a local club, but I’d like to hear what the people here suggest. [snip]

Response:

I grow tons of African violets and lots of Nemantanthus (sp?), and if you are growing them successfully in natural light, I would highly recommend phals and paphs as starter orchids/companion plants (as well as bromeliads). Jean – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi there: I’d like to hear from the experts on suggestions for a *first* orchid in the home.  I have a lot of plants–mostly gesneriads.  I’d like to start with orchids.  I’ve read a couple of books, and joined a local club, but I’d like to hear what the people here suggest. For natural light, choices are either East or West window at the 49th parallel (short days in winter, long days in summer).  Home is between 60 and 70F  (night/day).  Climate is dry, but many aquariums in the house. Thank you, Ezgaroth

Response:

Filed under: Phalaenopsis Orchid

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