Hi everyone, This is my very first Palaenopsis Orchid. I bought it at the supermarket over three months ago. It had been doing really well. I watered it each week and kept it in the light yet away from direct sun as I was instructed to do so. Now that we are enjoying warmer temperatures I've had the AC on in the apartment. Since I live in an older building, the system is one of those out-of-the-window type of thing. To avoid having the plant getting the air directly, I moved it further away from the window. Other than that, all things have been the same and the plant now looks like this. Before: http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/7984/img6194e.jpg After: http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/6168/img6483i.jpg Any suggestions? Will it lose all of its flowers?! Is there a way to get it looking back to its glory days Thank you,
Your plant looks healthy to me. The fading of the blossoms is a normal event, just as it is with all flowers. You are a responsible plant owner to notice the change and ask for information! My phals do OK with indirect light. Be sure that yours is not getting a cold or hot blast of air, and that it doesn't get too dried out with the A/C on. The most important thing to do with an orchid is to be patient! With good, consistent care it will flower again for you. Welcome to the Forum!
I too am new to orchids- When I picked my first one up last year it was doing great until all the flowers fell off and I felt like I failed at giving it the proper environment. I moved it to the kitchen windowsill where it would get more light, and continued to water it since the leaves still looked ok. One day I noticed longtailed mealybugs on it and treated them with rubbing alcohol intermittently for a couple of months, still no flowers :( One day I noticed a new stem growing from the side of the existing one, and within a month or so I had a whole new stem of flowers!! It is still flowering. :D So do not worry if your flowers are dropping, as togata57 explained... even if there is something ailing it like there was in my case, they are hardier than we give them credit for. I attached a photo of how mine looks now with the flowers now coming out the side! :) good luck!
Beautiful! What a lovely color. Clearly your plant is happy, and you are doing a good job. Great feeling, isn't it? Another example of the #1 precept of orchid care: Patience. ...Looks as if there is a Begonia lurking in the background!...
Thank you! :) The new flowers appear to be a darker magenta than the original ones. It felt so good to see it coming back after all that time of just being leaves and a bare stem! Definitely worth the wait and uncertainty. Oh, and you are correct... there are *many* begonias lurking in the background! :D
You can cut the flowering stem down to about two ramifications(segments). With some luck a new flowering stem will off-shoot from there. It's good to trick to get it to flower faster. Don't wait till the flowers have all wilted though.
