ORCHIDS FOR ALL : Reputation for Delicate Care, Costly Hobby Debunked as Myths

Once found only in the greenhouses of the royal or the rich, the most beautiful and varied of all flowering plants--the orchid--is now adding elegance to homes all over America.

It’s widely thought that orchids are difficult to grow and too expensive for the average indoor gardener. These are just myths. Although many of the more than 100,000 species of orchids do need greenhouse conditions to thrive, others will do very well in your house or apartment--if you know which varieties to buy and how to care for them.

In short, orchids are no more difficult to grow than most popular flowering plants.

And as for the idea that orchids are prohibitively expensive, that indeed was once true. Orchids were known as “the plants of kings” and growing orchids was thought to be strictly a rich person’s hobby.

But this is no longer the case. Although some top prize-winning varieties can carry very hefty price tags, modern reproductive techniques have brought most orchid prices way down.

Depending on the variety and size, starter orchid plants can be purchased for as little as $5 or $10. These would be four-inch pots, not yet bearing flowers, available through mail order outlets. In fact, orchids are becoming so popular that the American Orchid Society, founded in 1921 with 100 charter members, now boasts 80 chapters worldwide and a membership of 25,000.

Orchids are found everywhere from steaming Amazon jungles to the backwoods of Maine--anywhere except in perpetually snowy climes or arid deserts.

Most orchids are epiphytes--they live on rocks or trees instead of in the ground--and their long roots take their nourishment from the air. Terrestrial orchids, those grown in pots, have roots that like to stay close to the top of the ground.

It is critical that you know what variety of orchid you have and the particular conditions the plant requires. As with most indoor plants, the key factors in growing orchids are light, water, temperature, humidity, potting mix, and--extremely important--ventilation.

Here are the general rules for growing orchids, followed by instructions on raising the most common and easiest-to-care-for varieties.

LIGHT: Orchids tend to need as much light as possible without injuring the plants. Some orchids, such as the cattleya, require large amounts. Others, such as phalaenopsis, prefer a shadier location.

Trial and error will help you find the right source of light for your orchid. Too much light and the foliage will turn yellow; not enough and the leaves will turn a dark green and no flowers will appear.

If you run out of space on your windowsill, many orchids can be grown successfully under artificial light--among them cattleyas, miltonias, oncidiums and phalaenopsis.

For best results, use a specially designed fluorescent tube such as Glo-Lux, Vita-Lite or Naturescent, available in most larger stores where light bulbs are sold. These contain a balance of the red and blue sides of the spectrum necessary for optimal growth and flowering.

WATER: Don’t overdo it. Orchids are subject to root rot if they get too wet. They’ll absorb plenty of moisture from the surrounding humidity.

The best rule of thumb is keep your orchids slightly moist, but not wet. The frequency of watering should depend on the species, the growing conditions and the type of potting mix.

HUMIDITY: To grow orchids successfully, humidity is critical. In their natural habitats, orchids are bathed by rains, then dried by tropical or not-so-tropical breezes. A humidity of about 50% would be perfect.

It can be achieved and maintained by either placing a small humidifier near your plants, spraying them regularly with room-temperature water or keeping them on saucers filled with pebbles and water--or all three. Increase the humidity as days get longer and hotter, decrease as light and temperature lessen.

TEMPERATURE: Basically, orchids fall into three categories with regard to temperature: cool, intermediate and warm.

Depending upon the species, orchids do well in a daytime temperature range of 55 to 90 degrees and nighttime temperatures between 45 and 70 degrees.

Cool-growing orchids such as cymbidiums are best off with daytime temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees, or even slightly lower. Nighttime temperatures should fall to as low as 45 or 50 degrees. Many growers of cool-growing orchids put their plants in the crisper compartment of the refrigerator at night to encourage blooming.

Intermediate-growing orchids such as cattleyas and oncidiums should be cultivated in daytime temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees and 55 to 60 degrees at night. Warm-growing orchids, which include phalaenopsis and most vandas, do best when daytime temperatures reach 75 or 80 degrees and don’t drop below 65 at night.

VENTILATION: To do their best, orchids of all varieties need constant air movement around them. This is easily achieved by placing a small fan near your plants. Epiphytic plants require these breezes to stir their molecular structure and raise water through the roots into the stems and leaves.

POTTING MEDIUM: Since most orchids are epiphytic, they need a good deal of air around their roots and should be grown in fir-bark or osmunda, both commercially available in most large stores where gardening products are sold.

FERTILIZING: Orchids should be fed once per week, with a few drops of liquid plant food added to the water. The commercial liquid houseplant food I use has an 8-7-6 formulation and contains chelated iron.

The orchids I would recommend you cultivate in your house or apartment are cymbidiums, cattleyas, phalaenopsis, vandas and oncidium. Here are the specific care instructions for these species:

Cymbidiums: Often the first orchid plant purchased by future hobbyists, cymbidiums are the most universally grown member of the orchid family. They’re easy to grow, come in a huge variety of colors, and the flowers last a long, long time--up to 10 weeks--and they do very well as cut flowers, too.

Cymbidiums are even grown outdoors in mild climates as we have in Southern California. They prefer cool nights--even a bit of frost won’t harm them--so you won’t see them growing in hot and humid states such as Florida or Hawaii. Cymbidiums bloom most profusely in the spring, but with perfect conditions and lots of TLC, you can have blooms all the way from October through June.

They need lots of light--a southern exposure would be perfect. Just beware not to burn the leaves. They need to be kept very moist during the warm spring and summer months, and should be watered just before they dry out during the fall and winter.

Cattleyas: These are the most popular of all the orchid plants, perhaps because the miniatures will flower three or four times a year. They’re also much more tolerant of the conditions inside your home than the larger varieties, many of which prefer greenhouse conditions. Light: Lots of good sunlight. Water: Allow cattleyas to dry out between waterings. Temperature: warm, between 60 and 85 degrees.

Phalaenopsis: Some of the easiest orchids to grow are to be found in this genus. It takes about 90 to 120 days from the appearance of the first spike to the first flower, but it’s worth the wait.

The moth-like blooms last up to four months and some plants will bloom twice a year. Light: Phalaenopsis does best in a filtered southern exposure, and needs at least 12 to 14 hours of sunlight a day. If you haven’t got a windowsill where you can provide these conditions, you must provide your plant with artificial light. Water: These plants are epiphytic and grow in bark, so check the bark regularly and drench the plant when the bark has dried out. Temperature: Warm. Between 70 and 85 degrees is perfect.

Vandas: Vandaceous orchids are easy to grow and will reward you with beautiful flowers that are up to six inches in width. They come in an enormous variety of colors, both plain and variegated. Vandas also have different shapes, the most common being the strap-leaved plants with flat, leathery leaves.

Vandaceous orchids will flower almost continuously throughout the year if properly cultivated. Light: Strong light with an emphasis on morning sun. An eastern exposure would be perfect. Water: Keep the potting mixture (bark or charcoal) moist during the growing season and allow it to dry out between waterings during the cooler months. Temperature: between 55 degrees at night and up to 75 or even 80 degrees during the day. The higher the temperature, the more humidity you should provide for your vanda.

Oncidiums: Commonly called dancing lady orchids, oncidiums bloom in a virtual rainbow of colors, producing profusions of small flowers on each spike.

These are epiphytic plants, mostly growing on the sides of trees in the wild, although many grow on rocks or on the ground among fallen leaves.

Light: lots of good light, similar to cattleyas. Water: keep potting medium moist but not wet. The roots of oncidiums are very fine and subject to rot if overwatered. Temperature: Most oncidiums are intermediate-growing orchids, requiring temperatures around 60 degrees at night and no higher than 80 to 85 degrees days.

Unlike many other species, which require drastic seasonal changes in light and temperature to bloom, oncidiums do not need such changes in order to bloom. Potting medium: Bark or osmunda is a must--and oncidiums are often mounted on plaques or logs instead of potted.

If you want to get seriously involved with orchids, I suggest you write to the nonprofit American Orchid Society at 6000 S. Olive Ave., W. Palm Beach, Fla. 33405, and ask for their informational pamphlet. Or go to your local library or bookstore to borrow or buy one of a number of good books on orchid care.

I also recommend that you consider purchasing the American Orchid Society’s Handbook on Orchid Culture, which not only contains a wealth of information and beautiful color photography, but advertisements from orchid growers. It is an invaluable source whether you’re already raising orchids or would like to give them a try.