Certain Petals Can Test Your Mettle

Tropical orchids look appealing, but these beautiful flowers have a reputation for being fussy.

While this is true for some varieties, phalaenopsis--also known as moth orchids--are easy to grow indoors.

“Phalaenopsis are considered the easiest houseplant orchid,” says Tony Glinskas, chairman of the 20th Annual Fascination of Orchids International Show & Sale, which runs through Sunday at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa.

Though they come from the jungles of the Philippines, moth orchids thrive in our conditions, Glinskas said.

“Phalaenopsis like temperatures above 62 degrees and below 85 degrees,” said Glinskas, who has a variety of orchids growing in his Huntington Beach home and yard. “Being from under the jungle canopy, they are also accustomed to bright shade, but no direct sunlight, so most indoor lighting situations work well for them.”

Phalaenopsis tend to bloom spring through fall, but if the conditions are right, they can flower almost year round. The flowers last from two to three months, making them a much better gift than a bouquet, said Paul Brecht, owner of Paul Brecht Orchid Gardens in Costa Mesa.

“While a bouquet will end up in the trash in 10 days, an orchid will give you months of bloom, and when it’s done, you still have a plant that can rebloom,” Brecht said.

Moth orchids generally cost $20 to $50 per plant, depending on the quality, size and type.

These eye-catching plants have long sprays of 2- to 6-inch-wide flowers that come in a variety of colors, including white, pink, red, yellow, green, and hybrids with spotting or candy striping. Some hybrids have fringe on the flowers, Glinskas said.

The leaves are thick, broad, low-growing and tend to be sparse, with the flower spikes shooting up above the leaves.

Phalaenopsis received the common name “moth orchid” because the flowers sitting along the flower spike look like moths in flight.

Moth orchids have a few special requirements for indoor growing. To enjoy months of spectacular blooms, keep the following tips in mind:

* Choose a good home. Moth orchids thrive in bright locations that don’t receive any direct sun. Be especially careful to keep them away from hot midday sun.

They like air circulation, but should be kept away from cold or hot drafts, as sudden changes in temperature can cause buds to dry up, brown and fall off.

Good places for phalaenopsis include bright bathrooms, north and east window sills and curtained windows that provide filtered light.

You can tell if a plant is receiving the right amount of light by its leaf color. Dark green leaves are an indication of inadequate light and light yellow leaves signify too much light. What you want to see are yellowish-green leaves.

* Water correctly. Phalaenopsis are accustomed to rain and moisture. The surface below the bark should be kept moist, Glinskas said.

“Watering will depend on the weather,” he says. “If it’s hot and dry, phalaenopsis could need water as often as every two to three days, but during rainy, moist conditions, a plant may not need watering for two weeks.”

You can become a good judge of when a plant needs water by picking it up after watering and feeling its weight, Glinskas said. “When it becomes more lightweight, you’ll know it’s time to water.”

Also keep in mind that water evaporates more quickly from clay pots than plastic pots.

Moth orchids are ephiphytic plants that grow upside down in the air suspended from trees and draw moisture from their surroundings. Indoors, they generally grow in bark to keep them erect. This makes them susceptible to crown rot. To prevent this, keep water away from the crown at the base of the plant where new growth appears. Also, water only in the morning so the plant has time to dry before night. Never leave a phalaenopsis in standing water.

* Provide humid conditions. Moth orchids thrive in a moist environment. You can raise the immediate humidity of the orchid tremendously without humidifying the whole house by placing the plant pot on pebbles or marbles that are sitting in water. Make sure no water touches the bottom of the container.

* Fertilize regularly. Recommendations on feeding moth orchids vary. Glinskas prefers to use a quarter- to half-strength solution of water-soluble fertilizer every time he waters. Brecht likes to feed at full strength every other watering.

Whatever method you choose, keep a close eye on the orchid for signs of under- or over-fertilizing. Plants without enough food have small flowers. Orchids with too much fertilizer will have soft leaves.

* Prune spent blooms. Once a flower stalk stops blooming and has no more buds, cut in between the third and fourth node from the base of the plant. You will often get another flower stalk, which should appear in about three months. Once that finishes blooming, cut the flower stalk off at the base of the plant and you’ll get another flower stalk in three to four months.

If your orchid does not bloom, and the above requirements have been met, you might need to give it a cooling-off period, which will shock it into blooming, Glinskas said.

“Generally around . . . October, moth orchids need night temperatures of 50 to 55 degrees and day temperatures of 75 degrees or higher to bloom,” he said. “Because this temperature range is sometimes difficult to provide in the home, some people put their orchid in a cooler place at night, such as an unheated garage or in a protected outside area that won’t go below 50 degrees,” Glinskas said. “This often triggers an internal mechanism in the orchid that causes it to send up a flower spike.”

* Let moth orchid roots “crawl.” Phalaenopsis have roots with a spongy outer material that absorbs water from air. In nature, these roots crawl over trees. If roots leave the pot and begin to crawl, leave them. Wait until you repot to contain them.

* Repot regularly. For a long-lived plant, it’s important to repot a moth orchid every one to two years. New orchid plants should be repotted within a year.

If you don’t repot regularly, the bark will decompose and can kill roots. You can tell if an orchid needs repotting when the bark has become soft and broken down or when the roots have started to outgrow the pot.

It’s best to repot when a plant is not in bloom. If the plant fits in the same size pot, replant in that pot using new medium-size orchid bark. If the roots have grown, repot into a container that is an inch larger.

Before potting, wet the bark, remove the orchid from its pot and shake off any old bark. Trim roots that are squishy or paper thin. Plant the orchid at the same level as it was before, covering roots that had grown on the outside, but do not bury the leaves. Water lightly to settle the bark and roots, and don’t water again for a week.

* Watch for pests. Mealybugs tend to like orchids. For fast, effective, nontoxic results, Glinskas sprays them with 70% isopropyl alcohol.

* Choose wisely. Make sure the orchid is healthy when you buy it. “Look for a moth orchid that looks vigorous,” Brecht said. “Stay away from deformed or bitten leaves.”

Also feel the foliage, Glinskas said. “Leaves should be firm and a light green color. The general condition of the plant should be good; it’s always good to see new growth.”

Of course, it’s also important to choose a flower color you like. Good luck. With all those pretty blooms, it’s hard to choose.

* Paul Brecht Orchid Gardens, 1989 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, (949) 548-2314.

* Regal Flowers, 658 N. Tustin Ave., Orange, (714) 532-2518.