Moth Orchid
The supermarket orchid, and the one that actually reblooms indoors. Flowers last for months, it wants bark rather than soil and a weekly soak, and once you understand the roots it is one of the easiest flowering plants there is. Pet-safe.
The moth orchid is the orchid in every grocery store, and unlike most gift plants it is easy to keep and easy to rebloom. The flowers last two to four months. Then the spike dries, the plant grows a leaf or two, and in a year it flowers again.
The thing to understand is that it grows on trees, not in soil. The roots want air, light and a weekly soak. Most orchids die from being watered like a pot plant.
Light
Bright indirect light. An east window is ideal; a north one works. Leaves should be a medium grass green; dark green means too little light, yellowish or red-tinged means too much. Direct sun scorches them.
Water
Once a week, take the inner pot to the sink and soak it in room-temperature water for fifteen minutes, then let it drain fully before returning it to the outer pot. Never leave water in the crown or the outer pot. The roots tell you: silver means water, green means wait. Ice cubes are a marketing gimmick.
Soil and potting
Orchid bark, not soil. A clear plastic pot lets you see the roots. Repot every couple of years when the bark breaks down into mush, in fresh bark, just after flowering.
Feeding
A quarter-strength orchid feed every two weeks in the soak water while it is growing, none while it is flowering.
Propagation
Keikis: small plantlets that occasionally form on an old flower spike. Once one has a few roots an inch long, cut it off and pot it in bark. Otherwise, buy plants.
In a hot, dry home
Better here than people expect, because it stores water in its roots and thick leaves and tolerates AC. It likes forty percent humidity; a bathroom or a grouped shelf helps. Soak a little more often in high summer.
Moth Orchid varieties
Same care, different look. These are the named forms you will see for sale.
- White
Classic white flowers.
- Light Pink
Pale pink.
- Purple
Deep purple.
- Yellow
Yellow, often spotted.
- Orange
Orange.
- Red
Deep red.
Problems and fixes
Wrinkled, limp leaves
Likely cause: Underwatering, or root loss from earlier overwatering
Fix: Check the roots. Firm green or silver roots mean soak more often; mushy brown ones mean repot in fresh bark and water less.
Roots growing out of the pot into the air
Likely cause: Normal
Fix: Nothing. Aerial roots are how it lives on trees. Mist them or tuck them into the pot at repotting.
No reflowering
Likely cause: Not enough light, or no cool spell
Fix: Brighter light. A few weeks of nights around 60°F in autumn triggers a new spike.
Rot in the crown
Likely cause: Water left sitting between the leaves
Fix: Dry the crown with a tissue after watering. Treat with cinnamon if it has started.
Moth Orchid questions
Is the moth orchid safe for cats and dogs?
Yes. Phalaenopsis orchids are non-toxic to pets.
How do I get my orchid to bloom again?
Bright indirect light, weekly soaks, weak feeding while it grows leaves, and a few weeks of cooler nights in autumn. Cut the old spike above a node or at the base once it browns.
Should I water my orchid with ice cubes?
No. It is a marketing idea for a tropical plant. Soak the bark in room-temperature water once a week and drain it fully.
