Purple Phalaenopsis Orchid

Advice

To elevate your orchid's display, consider placing it inside a stylish decorative pot that complements your home decor. Choose a container without drainage holes to act as a cachepot, which makes watering easier and protects your surfaces. After the blooms have faded, don't give up on your plant! You can encourage it to re-bloom by cutting the flower spike back. Find a node below the lowest faded flower and snip just above it. With continued care, a new spike and a fresh wave of beautiful purple flowers will reward your patience.

Fun facts

Did you know that orchids once caused a frenzy known as ‘Orchidelirium’? During the Victorian era in England, orchids became the ultimate status symbol for the wealthy. Their exotic beauty and rarity sparked an obsession, with collectors sending plant hunters on perilous expeditions to remote jungles across the globe. These adventurers faced treacherous terrain, tropical diseases, and rival hunters to bring back new and spectacular species. Orchids were so coveted that they fetched astronomical prices at auction, sometimes costing more than a small house! This intense passion led to the discovery of thousands of new orchid species, including many of the Phalaenopsis hybrids we adore today. Owning an orchid was a sign of sophistication and a connection to the mysterious, untamed corners of the world. So, when you look at your beautiful purple Phalaenopsis, remember you are holding a piece of that thrilling history, a descendant of the very plants that drove Victorian society to a state of wonderful floral madness.

Signs of weakness

Is your orchid sending you an SOS? Don't worry, it's just trying to communicate! If its leaves look limp and wrinkled, like a raisin in the sun, it's desperately thirsty and dreaming of a tropical rainstorm. Give it a good long drink! Are the leaves turning a concerning shade of yellow? It might be getting a sunburn from too much direct light, or its roots could be drowning from too much water. Check its location and ease up on the watering can. If your orchid has dark, mushy roots, you’ve been a little too generous with your love (and water). This is root rot, and it's time for an emergency repotting with fresh bark.