Orchids For Dummies

by Steven A. Frowine, National Gardening Association

Overview

Become a plant parent to some of the most stunning flowering plants you’ve ever seen 

Orchids display more beautiful and exotic flowers than you’ll find on other flowering plants, but they do require some love and care to grow well. With help from Orchids For Dummies, anyone can be successful in growing and flowering these gorgeous and fragrant plants in their garden or home! 

This step-by-step guide shows you how to select orchids that will thrive in your own unique environment and how to water, fertilize, repot, and propagate them on your own. You’ll learn to decipher complicated orchid names (“phalaenopsis,” anyone?) and create spectacular displays. You’ll also discover: 

• New information about updated plant and orchid classification systems so you can know what to buy at your local garden center or store 
• Expanded info on moth orchids, one of the most popular varieties of the plant sold in the world today 
• Updated instructions on which pesticides, fertilizers, and potting materials you should be using 

Perfect for amateur gardeners, orchid-lovers, and anyone interested in growing these exquisite flowers on their own, Orchids For Dummies will turn your thumb green in no time at all! 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781119854951
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	03/29/2022
Edition description:	2nd ed.
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	295,920
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Steven A. Frowine is a noted professional horticulturist and a longtime avid gardener and communicator.

The National Gardening Association is the leading garden-based educational organization in the United States. Visit https://garden.org.

Read an Excerpt

Orchids For Dummies

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By Steven Frowine

John Wiley & Sons

ISBN: 0-7645-6759-4

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Chapter One

Getting the Lowdown on Orchids

In This Chapter

* Getting to know orchids

* Deciding whether orchids are right for you

* Knowing what to do for your orchids each month of the year

You're about to enter the wonderful world of orchids. You're in store for an exciting adventure! This is the largest plant family on our planet with an estimated 30,000 wild types (species) and many more man-made varieties. No other plants can compete with orchids for their power to seduce and bedazzle the most jaded plant lover with their fantastically beautiful flower colors, shapes, and textures, and heady and sensuous perfumes.

Understanding What Makes an Orchid an Orchid

You can easily tell when a rose is rose, but orchids are quite a bit more complex and varied when it comes to their flower shapes and the construction of their leaves, stems, and roots. In Part III, I give you lots of information on flower, leaf, and stem construction of specific orchids. In this chapter, I talk generalities.

Certainly the flamboyant colors of modern orchid hybrids are a standout and are the primary reason these plants are so treasured. But there are so many different types of orchid flowers, so the question is, "Which one is typical?" There is really no correct answer to this question. Many people think of the cattleya-type orchids (see Chapter 11), while others may picturemoth orchids (see Chapter 10).

To get a better idea how orchid flowers are constructed, take a look at a typical cattleya flower and compare it to a more ordinary flower, a tulip (see Figure 1-1). Table 1-1 shows some of the major differences between these two flowers.

So what makes an orchid an orchid? The column. This fused sexual structure located in the middle of the flower is what separates the orchid from all other plants.

Knowing Where Orchids Come From

About 80 percent of orchids are from the tropics in both the New World (Central and South America) and the Old World (Asia and Malaysia). A smattering can be found in North America and Europe.

The ones that grow in your home, though, are all of tropical or semitropical origin. They mostly hail from areas of high rainfall and humidity and enjoy tropical to above-freezing temperatures during the winter.

Orchids are divided into two major categories based on where they grow. Those that are commonly found clinging to branches of trees are called epiphytes; those that thrive growing on or in the ground are called semiterrestrials and terrestrials.

TECHNICAL STUFF

So how can you tell the difference between the two? Many of the terrestrial roots are hairy, like those found in the slipper orchid (see Figure 1-2). Epiphytes have thick roots (called aerial roots because they're frequently suspended in the air), which are covered with a silvery material called velamen, which can absorb moisture from the air like a sponge (see Figure 1-3).

Seeing Why You Should Grow Orchids

Growing and studying orchids will provide you the ultimate horticultural experience and pleasure. Here are some key reasons to start growing orchids now:

Growing orchids is fun! That's the most important motive.

Orchids are easy to grow. See Chapter 5 for tips on how to be successful.

You can start with beginner orchids that any newcomer can be wildly successful with. See Chapter 15 for some plants to start you off.

Orchids cost less than they ever have, and you can easily select just the right one for you. See Chapter 2 to make this process a snap.

No group of flowering plants comes close to the delicious perfumes that orchids emit. Pay attention to the Fragrance icon used throughout this book to find the most-fragrant orchids.

Orchids are available from "box" stores, specialty growers, orchid shows, garden centers, botanical gardens, orchid societies, and mail-order suppliers. See the appendix for a list of suppliers.

Because of the huge diversity of orchids, you'll never tire of them. You'll always find new ones to try and enjoy. Check out the chapters in Part III for some of the many possibilities.

You'll meet new friends who are as fanatical about these plants as you are. See the appendix for lists of orchid societies to join. Their magazines are a marvelous source for information and gorgeous pictures. These are some of the best-quality plant magazines in the world.

Orchids don't require an expensive greenhouse to grow. They'll be happy with a windowsill or artificial lights. See Chapter 5 for the skinny on how to grow these orchids to perfection in your home.

They'll beautify your home and life. See Chapter 4 for some tips on how to enjoy them to the fullest in your home.

Orchids can live forever, so as they grow you can divide and multiply them to share with your friends or to trade for other orchids. See Chapter 8 for more tips on dividing and multiplying your orchids.

Deciding Which Orchids to Bring into Your Home

Choosing an orchid is an exciting, but sometimes confusing, decision! So many types of orchids, so little space. In this book, I make this process easy for you:

Check out Chapter 2 to walk through some of the steps to take in deciding what orchid will fit in with your home environment and suggestions of where you can scope out and purchase them.

Consider starting your orchid collection with moth orchids. They're the most foolproof of all. See Chapter 10 for details about these.

Next check out slipper orchids, another easy group. See Chapter 12.

Then, if you want to try others, look over Chapter 15 for some of the easiest orchids to grow.

When you're ready to expand or you want more choices, check out all the other orchids in Part III.

Getting to Know Your Orchids by Name

Probably one of the most intimidating hurdles that the beginning orchid grower faces is the complex names given to orchids. When you realize what an immense group of plants this is, you'll soon come to realize why most orchids are referred to by their Latin name rather than a common name. Actually, very few orchids even have a common name. In this book, I always use the Latin name, because that's the universally accepted name, and I add a common name when there is one.

If you struggled through high school Latin classes as I did, you may have thought (and hoped) that this language died with the Romans. Alas, it is alive and well in the natural-science world, and it's the standard language used to name flora and fauna. You'll start to make friends with Latin as its use become more familiar and comfortable to you.

Taking the name a little at a time makes it easier to digest. In the following sections, I show you the names, one word at a time, of a species orchid and then a hybrid.

Species orchid names

Plants that are sold as they were created by nature, not hybridized by man, are referred to as species orchids. They have two names: the genus name, which comes first and is capitalized, and the species name, which comes second and is lowercase. Both names are in Latin, so they're italicized (which is just the way foreign languages are usually treated).

You may see a third part to the name, the botanical variety, after the species name. This is a name given to an orchid that varies somewhat-it could be a larger flower or one with slightly different coloration-from the standard species. It will be preceded by the letters "var." and will be in lowercase and in Latin.

TIP

The genus name is much like your last name and the species name is like your first name. In other words, orchid naming is backward to the way you say your own name. If my name were written as an orchid's is, I would be Frowine steven.

Here's an example of the name of a species orchid: Cattleya walkeriana var. semialba. Table 1-2 explains the orchid's name.

Hybrid orchid names

Oh, it would be so simple if naming stopped here, but man got mixed up in all this and started developing hybrids. Hybrids result from crossing two species (taking the pollen from one orchid to use it to "mate" with another). A marvelous thing happens when two different species of orchids are crossed or mated to each other. Their progeny is usually stronger, easier to grow, and frequently produces larger flowers than either of its parents-which is why hybrids are so desirable and popular.

Here's an example of a hybrid orchid name: Brassocattleya Cynthia 'Pink Lady' HCC/AOS. (See the color section for a photograph of this orchid.) Table 1-3 breaks down the name and explains its various parts.

Orchid hybridizing can produce plants with quite complex names, especially in some of the very large groups like the cattleyas (see Chapter 11) and the oncidiums (see Chapter 13). In these chapters, I deal with their names in more detail.

REMEMBER

You don't have to be an expert in orchid names in order to enjoy and grow orchids. You'll catch onto many other name nuances after you're drawn further into the orchid web. For now, don't worry about them much-they're only names!

TIP

Turn to the Cheat Sheet at the front of this book for a list of common genera names that you're likely to run into, along with their abbreviations and pronunciations. Tear out the Cheat Sheet and take it with you when you go shopping for orchids.

Growing Orchids Easy As One, Two, Three

To be successful in growing orchids, just follow these suggestions:

Know the environment you have to offer your orchids and match this with the orchids that fit. See Chapter 5 for more information on your growing environment.

If necessary, modify your growing area to help your orchids perform to their best. Check out Chapter 5 for information on how to do this.

For the most common questions and problems, check out Part IV.

Beyond choosing the right orchid for your environment, you have to pay attention to the time of the year to know what your orchid needs. In the following sections, I give you a rundown of the year, month by month. Note: You can't be too exact with the timing of this care schedule, because the United States is a vast country with climates from the cold north country to semitropics.

January

This is a period of cold, short days and low light, so orchids don't grow much in such times. Fortunately, many moth orchids, slipper orchids, and some other cattleyas and their relatives will be budding up getting ready to show off their splendiferous blooms very soon.

For orchids such as some of the dendrobiums, cattleya species, and deciduous orchids, like the catasetums, this is a time of rest, so you'll want to reduce your watering.

Keep the humidity high with good air movement.

If you are using well water, warm it up to room temperature before using it on your orchid plants. Ice-cold water can cause forming buds to drop and may stunt new growth.

Don't put your orchids too close to the windowpanes or the leaves could be damaged by the cold.

Apply very little fertilizer. The orchids won't need it.

February

This is another dark month, but the days will be getting longer and brighter, which should cause an increase in growth.

Toward the end of this month, increased light may mean you have to be careful with your orchids that require less light, like the slippers and moth orchids, so they don't get burned.

More of your orchids will be showing buds and some, especially some of the moth orchids and some of the oncidiums, should be blooming.

Don't overcrowd your plants-make sure they receive as much light as possible.

Provide good air circulation to prevent disease problems.

Stake your cymbidiums, which should be spiking now.

Don't forget to keep your miltonias and miltoniopsis damp.

If you're growing under lights, take note of when you last changed your bulbs. Fluorescent lamps can lose up to 40 percent of their light output after several months of use. Because new growth is starting on orchids, this is a good time to change the lamps so the plants will receive the most light possible.

Apply very little fertilizer during this month.

March

Finally, signs of spring with longer and brighter days.

Be careful that the increased light doesn't heat up too much in your greenhouse or windowsill. Apply shading if necessary.

The increased light and warmth of this month will mean an acceleration of growth. Sprouting new roots should be more evident.

This is the beginning of the show for many orchids. Many cattleyas, moth orchids, slipper orchids, and oncidiums will be starting to bloom.

As the days get brighter and warmer, you can resume your regular fertilizing schedule.

This month and next are prime times to check out orchid shows in your area.

April

In April, many orchids will be in glorious flower.

You'll probably have to increase the frequency of your watering because of the new plant growth.

As soon as you see new roots emerging in cattleyas, this is the time to repot. Do it before the roots grow a few inches (5 cm) long.

Many other orchids showing new growth can also be repotted at this time.

Be on the lookout for bugs. The warmer temperatures cause them to hatch out.

Dormant orchids should be showing new growth now so you can resume your regular watering schedule.

If you didn't apply shading on your greenhouse last month, it may be needed now.

A gauze curtain may be needed to soften the light for orchids growing in a south window.

Check out orchid shows in your area.

May

Growth will continue at full speed this month. This is another prime month for orchid flowering.

More frequent watering and fertilizing will be called for.

If you're in a northern climate, move some plants to a shaded, protected spot outdoors by the end of this month, but be careful not to do this too quickly. Orchids that prefer it warm, like moth orchids, don't appreciate being too chilled at night, not below around 65°F (18°C).

Increase your ventilation to remove excess hot air and prevent fungal disease spotting on the flowers.

This is usually an opportune time to repot most of your slipper orchids because they should be in active growth now. Also, repot moth orchids and their vandaceous relatives. Attend to this right after they've flowered.

Continue your fertilizing program to strengthen new growth.

June, July, and August

Temperatures are starting to heat up now. Some orchids, like a few of the summer blooming hybrid cattleyas, oncidiums, and slipper orchids, will be in flower.

Be sure your windowsill or greenhouse doesn't get too hot. Consider moving the orchids you have in the south window to the east window, where they'll have reduced light and heat.

For orchids growing under lights, make sure your growing area gets plenty of ventilation, because it could be getting very warm now under the lights. If you have trouble keeping the temperatures low enough, consider summering your orchids outside in a shaded and protected spot. They'll enjoy the vacation.

This is also a prime time for insect problems. If it gets hot and dry, be on the lookout for mites. If it's wet, slugs and snails will be a plague. Aphids and scale can show up anytime. If you need to spray, do it in the morning when it is cool and be sure the orchids are well watered before you spray.

(Continues...)

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Table of Contents

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Foolish Assumptions 3

Icons Used in This Book 3

Beyond This Book 4

Where to Go from Here 4

Part 1 Welcoming Orchids into Your Life 5

Chapter 1 Discovering the World of Orchids 7

Understanding What Makes an Orchid an Orchid 8

Knowing Where Orchids Come From 9

Seeing Why You Should Grow Orchids 10

Deciding Which Orchids to Bring into Your Home 11

Identifying Orchids by Name 12

Species orchid names 13

Hybrid orchid names 13

Recognizing What Makes an Orchid an Award Winner 16

Growing Orchids Easy As One, Two, Three 17

January 17

February 18

March 18

April 19

May 19

June, July, and August 20

September 20

October 21

November and December 21

Chapter 2 Choosing the Right Orchid for You 23

Figuring Out Where to Shop 23

Specialist orchid growers or suppliers 24

Your local garden center 24

Orchid shows 24

Online orchid suppliers 25

Home centers and discount stores 26

Considering Your Environment 26

Taking temperature readings 27

Measuring your light intensity 29

Asking yourself these questions 33

Growing Tropical Orchids Outdoors 33

Knowing What to Look for in an Orchid 34

Choosing a healthy plant 34

Deciding between a blooming plant and a young plant 36

Choosing seed-grown orchids or orchid clones 36

Selecting orchids with a sweet scent 36

Isolating Your New Orchid after You Bring It Home 37

Chapter 3 Having the Right Tools on Hand 39

Focusing on Cutting and Pruning Tools 39

Pruners 39

Knives and blades 41

Considering Potting Tools and Supplies 41

Potting tools 41

Potting supplies 43

Identifying Watering Accessories 45

Water breakers 45

Water-flow regulators 46

Hoses 46

Watering cans 46

Sprayers and misters 47

Fertilizer injectors 47

Deionization and reverse osmosis units 48

Looking At Humidifiers, Heaters, and Ventilation Equipment 49

Humidifiers 49

Ventilation 51

Heating 51

Thermometers and hygrometers 51

Chapter 4 How I Love Thy Orchid: Enjoying the Orchid's Beauty 53

Caring for Orchids in Their New Home 53

If the plant is in bloom 54

If the plant is not in bloom 54

Staking and Grooming Your Blooming Orchids 55

Figuring out how to stake 55

Helping your orchids look their best 57

Displaying orchid plants in your home 58

Arranging orchid flowers 60

Part 2 The Basics of Orchid Parenthood 67

Chapter 5 Providing the Right Growing Environment 69

Let There Be Light! Recognizing Natural Light Sources 69

Exploring the ins and outs of light 70

Listening to your orchids 72

Comprehending Some Basic Light Terminology 76

Considering Artificial Light Sources 77

Fluorescent lights 77

High-intensity-discharge lights and high-intensity commercial LED lights 80

LEDs - The new kids on the block 80

Figuring Out Which Type of Lights Are Your Best Option 82

Knowing How Much Light Your Orchids Need 83

Growing Orchids Under Lights - Tips and Tricks to Remember 84

Humidity: Orchids' Favorite Condition 85

Providing Ventilation - Fresh Air, Please! 88

Ceiling fans 88

Oscillating fans 88

Muffin fans 89

Looking Closer at Orchid Temperature Requirements 89

Too-low temperatures 89

Too-high temperatures 90

Giving Your Orchids a Summer Vacation 90

A shade house 91

A portable greenhouse 92

Some orchids enjoy hanging out 93

Chapter 6 Watering and Fertilizing Orchids 95

Understanding the Art of Watering Orchids - Water, Water Everywhere 95

The type of pot 96

The type of potting material 96

The age of the potting material 97

Whether the orchid is pot-bound 97

The growing environment 97

The temperature 97

The amount of ventilation 97

Whether the orchids are growing or dormant 98

The type of orchid 98

Knowing What Works - Watering Your Orchid 98

Using the pot-weighting method 98

Watering your orchids - Tips and tricks 99

Over- or Underwatering: Roots Tell the Story 100

Figuring out whether watering is the problem 100

Rescuing and resuscitating your orchid 102

Considering Fertilizers - Not Magic Potions 104

Knowing what to look for in orchid fertilizers 104

Identifying types of fertilizers and how to use them 107

Chapter 7 The ABCs of Potting Materials, Containers, and Repotting 111

Choosing Potting Materials 111

Knowing your potting material options 112

Figuring out which potting materials are best 113

Getting your hands on some not-so-secret recipes 114

If mixing your own isn't your thing 115

Getting your potting material ready to use 116

Giving Your Orchids a Home: Potting Containers 116

Repotting Orchids without Fear 118

Knowing when you should repot 118

Orchid potting - step by step 118

Chapter 8 Two, Four, Six, Eight, Let Your Orchids Propagate: Multiplying Your Orchids 123

Dividing Your Orchids 123

Giving Babies a New Home 125

Producing New Plants from Cuttings 127

Growing Orchids from Back Bulbs 128

Chapter 9 Keeping Your Orchids Pest- and Disease-Free 131

Preventing Problems Before They Start 131

Besting the Bugs 133

Identifying common orchid pests 133

Finding safe and effective pest-control measures 137

Identifying Fungal and Bacterial Infections 140

Noticing when your orchid is sick 141

Handling a sick plant 141

Part 3 The Best Orchids for Rookies 143

Chapter 10 Moth Orchids: The Best Choice for Beginners 145

Examining Why People Grow Moth Orchids 146

Understanding why they're so popular 146

Making them even more appealing: Hybrid moth orchids 147

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: The Beauty of Moth Orchids 148

The Leaves 148

The flowers' shapes 148

Flower colors 149

Scents 157

Size - Small is beautiful 160

Answering the call of the wild 162

Oh, Give Me a Home …: Cultural Requirements 164

Chapter 11 The Quintessential Orchids: Cattleyas and Their Relatives 167

From the Jungles to Your Home 168

Focusing on some selected cattleya species 169

Recognizing some selected species that used to be called Laelias 171

Looking at other cattleya relatives 173

The Queens of the Ball: Cattleya Hybrids 178

Pristine whites 179

Purples, pinks, lavenders, and blues 179

Hot reds and oranges 180

Sunny yellows 181

Cool greens 183

Bring out the clowns: Splash petals and flares 184

Fashionable art shades 185

Exploring the Miniatures: The Minicatts 186

Identifying the key players 186

Naming some of their prized children 188

Chapter 12 Lovely from Flower to Root: Lady's Slipper Orchids 191

Slipping into a Lady's Slipper 192

Seeing what lady's slippers have to offer 192

Giving your lady's slipper a good home 193

Getting lady's slippers to bloom 193

Straight from Nature: Bumps, Warts, Hairs, and All 193

Paphiopedilum betlatulum 194

Paphiopedilum callosum 194

Paphiopedilum delenatii 195

Paphiopedilum dianthum 196

Paphiopedilum fairrieanum 197

Paphiopedilum glaucophyllum 197

Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum 198

Paphiopedilum spicerianum 199

Paphiopedilum sukhakulii 199

Paphiopedilum venustum 199

One Step Removed from Nature: Primary Hybrids 200

Some superior primary hybrids 201

Marvelous Maudiaes 204

Huge and round: Modern hybrid lady's slippers 208

A different kind of slipper orchid 209

Chapter 13 Dancing Ladies: Oncidiums and Their Relatives 213

Taking a Closer Look at the Ladies 214

Oncidiums from the wild 214

Hybrid oncidiums 216

Miniature oncidiums or tolumnias 218

Pansy Orchids: Miltonias and Miltoniopsis 219

Growing them with success 220

Miltonias 221

Miltoniopsis 222

Other Members of the Club: The Oncidium Alliance 224

Orchid spiders: Brassias 224

Butterfly orchids: Psychopsis 225

Sigmatostalix 226

Trichopilias 226

Mixing It Up 227

Trying to make sense of these orchids 228

Identifying a few popular ones 229

Chapter 14 Considering Some Significant Others 235

A Huge and Interesting Lot: Oendrobiums 235

Naming the most popular dendrobiums 236

Considering some other Dendrobiums 238

Listing some popular hybrids 240

Weird and Wonderful Relatives: Bulbophyllum 241

Orchid Miscellanea: All the Rest 243

Angraecoids 243

Catasetums 246

Cochleanthes 247

Coelogynes 248

Cymbidiums 248

Lycastes 250

Vandas and some of their close cousins 250

The small-growing vandas 251

Zygopetalurns 254

Chapter 15 Hardy Orchids That Laugh at the Cold 257

Focusing on Exotic and Easy Terrestrial Orchids 258

Chinese ground orchids 258

Calanthes 259

Spiranthes 260

Identifying Hardy Slipper Orchids - Not Easy, But So Worth It 261

Easy-to-grow North American natives 262

More adventuresome hardy slippers 264

Dipping Your Toe In - A Few Others to Try 265

Part 4 The Part of Tens 267

Chapter 16 The Ten (or So) Easiest Orchids to Grow 269

Moth Orchids 269

Lady of the Night 270

Maudiae Type Lady's Slipper Orchid 270

Cockleshell Orchid 270

Sharry Baby Oncidium 271

Twinkles Oncidium 271

Mari's Song Cattleya 271

Fan-Shape Orchid 271

Phalaenopsis Dendrobium 272

Chapter 17 Ten Common Reasons That Orchids Die (and How to Avoid 'em) 273

Overwatering 273

Underwatering 274

Too Much Light or Heat 274

Leaving Orchid Foliage Wet Overnight 275

Too Much Fertilizer 275

Improper Use of Pesticides 275

Insect Infestation 276

Purchase of Sick Plants 276

Poor Water Quality 276

Inadequate Ventilation 277

Chapter 18 The Ten Most Frequently Asked Questions about Orchids 279

Are Orchids Difficult to Grow? 279

Why Should I Grow Orchids? 280

Do I Need a Greenhouse to Grow Orchids? 280

Are Orchids Expensive? 280

How Long and How Often Will Orchids Bloom? 281

What Makes an Orchid an Orchid? 281

Are Orchids Fragrant? 281

Where Can I See the Best Collections of Orchids? 282

Are Any Orchids Hardy? 283

Are Orchids Parasites? 283

Chapter 19 The Ten Most Common Reasons Why Orchids Don't Bloom 285

Not Enough Difference between Day and Night Temperatures 285

Too Moist during the Winter 286

Too Little Light 286

Excessively High or Low Temperatures 286

Not Using a Fertilizer or Using One with Too Much Nitrogen 287

Immature Plants 287

Too Low Humidity 287

Disease, Insects, or Mice 288

Not Enough Water 288

Recently Transplanted and Divided 288

Appendix A Additional Orchid Resources 289

Appendix B English-Metric Conversion Tables 295

Index 297