There are a few things phalaenopsis plants need to thrive. It requires the right amount of water, air, light, fertilizer ("orchid food"), good temperature and some attention. We will review these aspects in details and some other important life events (e.g. flower development and growing baby plants) that may happen to your orchid so you will be prepared and can act according to its needs.
The role of the seasons
Phalaenopsis plants have a natural rhythm and respond to changes in the environment. These changes control the appearance of flowers and growth of roots and leaves. For the orchid to thrive, we should re-create its natural environment as much as possible and simulate changes of seasons that come with it.
Phalaenopsis has three key, natural seasons:
growing season: the orchid strengthen its structures; it grows roots & leaves and prepares for the next flowering season
flowering season: when the temperature drops to 17-18C (62-63F) for about three consecutive weeks then a healthy orchid starts to grow flower spike(s) on which multiple flowers will develop
rest period: when the orchid drops its flowers, it is out of energy to maintain the flowers and need to rest for a few weeks before it can start the growing season
Phalaenopsis either focuses on producing flowers or growing its key structures so when we nurture these plants in our homes, we need to help and indicate at least some seasonal changes for the orchid to remain healthy and produce flowers (click here to find out signs of a healthy phalaenopsis). The below sections will deep dive into the methods of how to prevent issues and support the orchid in its attempt to maintain its well-being.
Water, humidity and air
Phalaenopsis is an epiphyte so in its natural habitat, it grows on trees and gets water from the air. In tropical forests, humidity is so high the plant absorbs water from the air via its roots. The roots therefore are very important parts of the orchid, almost as important as lungs for humans. Phalaenopsis, however, may survive loosing all its roots by growing new ones. Regrowing roots takes huge effort and not all phalaenopsis can recover from loosing all roots. Even if the plant is healthy, that is no guarantee it will recover from such a shock. For this reason, we should make sure to take great care of the roots.
Phalaenopsis is therefore watered by soaking the roots (only) in pure water such as rainwater, distilled or reverse osmosis water. You can try to use tap water but if so let it say in room temperature at least a few hours before watering your plant. Tap water is usually ok to water orchids, however, not ideal. You can buy distilled or reverse osmosis water in some supermarkets and pharmacies. It is, however, better to use rainwater if you can to avoid generating plastic waste. Avoid water phalaenopsis around night time because temperatures tend to drop at night which can result in cold damage if the orchid is still wet.
Water (soak) phalaenopsis orchid roots
You will have to observe your plant to find out when it needs watering. On a healthy orchid, silvery gray roots indicate a thirstiness and green roots signal a wet orchid that does not need water. Keep an eye on the color of the roots an water them after they turn silvery white. Soak the roots for 20 minutes only because leaving them in water longer than 20 minutes does not mean your plant will get more water. After 20 minutes the water reserves of the plant are full so you should drain the plant and put it back to its place. The potting media of your choice also impacts watering frequency. Bark dries out after a week on 24C (75F), 50% humidity while sphagnum moss may need watering once every two weeks. My advice for beginner orchid growers is to work with bark.
The biggest enemy of phalaenopsis houseplants is over-watering. Bacteria can spread fast in water so if all the roots are constantly in water chances are roots will suffocate and die. Very fine grained, bad potting media can cause the same issue by cutting the roots from air that destroys the roots over time. During growing season and development of flower spikes, or in increased temperatures the plant is likely to need more frequent watering. At some parts of the world humidity drops during winter times so the plant will need more frequent watering schedule then unless you use a humidifier machine in your home. If you use a humidifier, keep humidity levels between 50 - 55% to avoid the growth of mold and fungi in your home. You can also enhance humidity by creating a humidity tray, putting a wide tray of water below the orchid while making sure the orchid does not actually touches the water. As the water evaporated during the day the plant will be exposed to somewhat more humid air. Phalaenosis plants like well ventilated places so they can benefit from fresh air. You can grow the plant outside during summer assuming you have the right temperature and light conditions as described below.
Do not let water stay in crown & in the holes near the leaves! Bacteria can kill your plant.
Phalaenopsis can adapt to getting very little water & humidity but it does not grow well in those conditions. It could take months to heal a dehydrated orchid. Bacteria spread quickly in wet, humid areas so you should check the plant every day or so after humidity is increased. If you notice any bad smell of the potting media or black, mushy looking roots then the plant was exposed to too much water or humidity and you should re-pot your orchid as soon as possible. Water can kill your plant in other ways too. If water sits at the holes between the leaves or in the crown then your plant can die as a result and this is called "crown rot". Make sure to avoid the main stem to be wet during watering and only soak the roots. Always remove any water from the base of the leaves and from the crown with a sterile cotton bud or other fabric.
Probably most phalaenopsis orchids can get used to very wet growing conditions over time when the change to the new environment is gradual enough. Growing phalaenopsis in water, however, is a technique that requires relatively high effort and there is no guarantee it will work for all phalaenopsis based on the plant's individual preference.
Light and place
Phalaenopsis in nature is shaded by the leaves of trees so does not need strong sunshine. Direct sunlight can burn its leaves that can cause a state called "set-back" and might delay flower development for months to come. Phalenopsis needs bright shade without being exposed to hot summer sun. Dark green leaves indicate the plant not getting enough light. If the leaves are bright green the plant is getting enough light. If you see black or dry burn marks on leaves make sure you move the plant away from direct sunlight because the plant is already suffering then from sunburn (see an example, picture on the right). Such heat could have damaged the roots as well then the orchid may be left with no key structure to support and nurse itself back to health.
Try to aim for providing your plant with 10-12 bright hours at least for a few months each year. Light is needed to to grow new structures so insufficient amount of light may prevent the orchid from any sort of growth and hinder development of flowers. You can also grow phalaenopsis with artificial light and in that case you would also need to check them regularly to avoid burning of leaves or providing too little light. Avoid using decorative pots on weak orchids to maximize the amount of light the roots get without burning them; optimizing the amount of light helps the orchid getting the energy it needs to grow and flower.
In their natural habitat, Phalaenopis plants are attached to trees so their physical place is fixed. When an orchid is moved, even when you just bring it home from the flower shop and put it on your windowsill then the angle from which it receives light from changes. With change of location usually comes change of light, temperature, humidity, potting media and fertilizing habits. The more different the new conditions are compared to the plant's previous home, the more time and energy it will need to adjust to its new place. Its leaves naturally grow toward the direction of the light source so once you put it down on its new place it will start to adapt to its new environment and maybe even grow the new leaves in a new direction from now because the angle of light source changed. If you have flower bulbs on your orchid do not change the direction the orchid is facing because otherwise the shape of the flowers could become strange-looking as they try to twist towards the light while they grow. When you move the orchid to a new place, it is a shock to the plant and it takes some time to get used to its new environment. If the orchid is weak when you move it, it may even enter "set-back" phase and will need some months to recover. It is ok to move the orchid for a few minutes when you water it but changing its permanent place like moving it to a northern windowsill from a southern windowsill can impact its short term well-being.
Temperature
Phalaenopsis likes 20-24C (68-75F) which is the temperature of many homes. Flower development usually starts after growing season and needs temperature to drop and remain 17-18C (62-64F) for about 3-4 consecutive weeks once a year. This change of temperature, especially around night time (dark hours) signals the orchid it is time to flower. Phalaenopsis can get cold damage so avoid exposing it to low temperatures. I do not recommend in any circumstances to use ice-cubes around phalaenopsis. Ice can hurt and damage the plant so use room temperature pure water instead for watering.
Fertilizing & the rest period
In nature, phalaenopsis is exposed to a range of minerals it can use to grow. This kind of plant is arguably not big and it adapted to having very little amount of minerals around while living on trees in tropical forests. Fertilizing is the process of exposing the plant to natural minerals that are missing in its non-native environment.
Key recommendations for fertilizing orchids:
Make sure you buy an orchid fertilizer that is created for epiphytes or especially for phalaenopsis orchids. You can find orchid fertilizers in flower shops & supermarkets.
Use very small amount of fertilizer and read the label of the product before you fertilize the plant. If you use a fertilizer first time, it is ok to use even less amount than it was recommended on the label. Providing the plant with too much of these minerals can damage the plant.
Always soak the plant in pure water for a few minutes before you add fertilizer because fertilizer can burn dry roots.
Rinse root system with pure water, meaning osmosis, distilled or rain water once a month to flush out built up, access fertilizer from the pot
I recommend not to fertilize at all for about 4 weeks after the flowers fell because the plant needs rest. At this stage, we do not want to encourage the plant to start growing any structure right after the flowers dropped. During the rest period the plant becomes dormant then will enter the growth period again to grow structures and prepare for the next flower cycle. Producing flowers takes much energy and the orchid needs rest after such endeavor.
You might find different orchid fertilizers on the market made for flower boosting or promoting root growth. I would recommend instead to use a balanced orchid fertilizer all year around. Usually there are three numbers on a professional orchid fertilizer and make sure these numbers are close to each other or ideally the same, for example 20-20-20. This means the key minerals (nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K)) are balanced. If you do not have access to professional orchid fertilizer just make sure the fertilizer is intended for ("epiphyte" or "phalaenopsis") orchids and the label does not indicate flower boosting properties or growing of leaves or roots only but it is created to support the general well-being of the orchid.
Most (epiphyte) orchid fertilizers have all the minerals phalaenopsis needs and on the label you will find detailed instructions of their intended use. On these labels it is often recommended to fertilize the plant once in every 4 - 8 weeks depending on the season. In nature, however, minerals are almost always available in small quantities via humidity, symbiotic fungi and drops of water that occasionally flow down the tree through the roots of phalaenopsis. If you have the time and would like to go the extra mile for your plant, I recommend to divide the amount of orchid fertilizer according to your watering cycle and add a tiny bit of fertilizer to the water each time you water the plant. If you fertilize with each watering then skip fertilizing once every month to flush out any excess minerals from the potting media that the plant did not absorb.
Flower development & seasons
Flowers eventually fall after a while, usually they last a few months. Phalaenopsis does not flower all year around. Temperature drop induces development of flower spikes, especially if it is around night time (see more details above in "temperature" section).
The orchid might not flower if it is not healthy, recovering from an illness or otherwise has no energy to produce flowers. Once, however, flower spike started to grow the plant is likely to prioritize flower development over its own survival. This is why I do not recommend to force the orchid to re-bloom within the same flowering season though some flower shops do this by cutting the flower spike below the nodes where flowers were produced. This method tricks the plant into producing flowers at the topmost node on its flower spike. This practice can exhaust, dehydrate or otherwise weaken the plant and then next year your orchid might not have enough energy to bloom. When the flowers start to get wrinkles and become not so beautiful, it is advised you cut off the entire flower spike with sterile scissors just above the first node. You can disinfect the cut wound with cinnamon if you like as long as you do not spill cinnamon on the other parts of the plant. Flower buds are likely to drop if the environment of the plant is not ideal or the orchid gets very sick. We cannot judge the plant's health by looking at the flowers only. More details about related signs can be found in our article about healthy phalaenopsis.
Before and after re-potting
Re-potting is recommended when the flowering season is over; usually once every two years or so depending on the quality of the potting media. If the orchid is sick indeed re-potting might be necessary. The plant should not be watered for about a week after re-potting to make sure it dries out and any roots that were cut are dry and sealed so it had time to heal; otherwise these wounds get infected that causes root rot which endangers the entire root system. Look at the roots through the transparent pot at least once a week and re-pot the plant if you do not see green but brown and soggy roots, bugs, white patches, fluffy material, or if the pot smells bad; otherwise re-pot every 12-18 months.
Keiki, appearance of baby plant(s)
Baby plant or "keiki" is rarely propagated by phalaenopsis. I do not recommend the use of any products that encourage the plant to create keiki. Such a baby plant takes so much of the mother plant's energy that they can actually destroy each other by not having enough strength to support each other until the baby plant grows up. If you have a phalaenopsis with a keiki then pay special attention to them as you might need to intervene at some point to save one or the other. If the mother plant is blooming and started to grow a keiki it would be advised to cut the flower spike so it can focus on growing the keiki instead. If the mother plant is growing two keikis then carefully remove at least one of the keikis for the main plant to survive (here is how). If both mother plant and keiki survive, however, you can plant the keiki then as an individual plant so you end up having two phalaenopsis orchid in your collection from the same plant.
