Butterfly Orchid
Everything You Need to Know about the Butterfly Orchid
A butterfly orchid, also sometimes called the moth orchid, is one of the easier orchids to grow. This variety of orchid gets its name from the fact that the flat and large petals of the flower tend to make it look like a butterfly. Traditionally these flowers were white with a lemon-yellow centre but off late many new colors and patterns are becoming available. Peach, purple and pink are among the currently popular colors and some of them have flecks of a contrasting color increasing the appearance of a butterfly wing. Some newly introduced varieties also have pinstripes in striking colors on the base neutral tone of the petals. Butterfly orchids are a little less silky to the touch than other kinds of orchids. In terms of size, the butterfly orchid is anywhere from 2 to 5 inches wide.
Orchids are the second highest selling flowering plants in the United States and they are only behind poinsettias which are seasonally popular plants. There has been a steady increase in the number of blooms that are shipped in from places such as Hawaii and Thailand and also a noticeable increase in the sale of orchid plants at nurseries. The orchid has always held an allure as an exotic and unusual flower and now it has become a must have accessory in many a home décor. So, keen gardeners, avid home decorators and florists all contribute to the demand for orchids. This increased market has actually helped the price of the orchids come down.
Added to this appeal is the realization that not all orchids are temperamental and difficult to grow. Success with orchids seems within reach for most of us average gardeners as long as we choose the right variety and one of the ones that is easy maintenance is a butterfly orchid.
In nature these plants, also called phalaenopsis orchids, are found in the high branches of trees as they need plenty of light and air circulation. They are tropical blooms which thrive in a humid atmosphere. In the wild, they draw their nutrients from rotting organic matter such as leaves.
Understanding their natural habitat helps in providing optimal conditions for you butterfly orchid. It makes sense to pot orchids in a medium which contains some or all of these ingredients: sphagnum moss, crushed charcoal, bark and lava stones. Ordinary potting soil will just not provide the adequate growth stimulation for this plant. Also a densely packed soil will not allow the orchid roots to breathe in humid air and this is critical for the plant to stay healthy. Bark and charcoal are good anchors for the plants as they are porous and allow the roots to breathe.
Experts advise that the potting medium should be allowed to dry out fairly well between waterings. The loosely mixed soil will drain well and prevent excessive water retention but this also comes with the accompanying reality that nutrients can also get washed away soon. So, orchid specific fertilizers should be added to the water during each watering session. In the non-flowering season, active fertilization can be suspended and the potting medium can be allowed to reach a greater point of dryness as long as you are careful to monitor for leaf shriveling. One thing to try is placing the orchid pot on a tray filled with gravel. If you keep the gravel wet, without the roots being directly immersed in water, the evaporating water will help you sustain a humid environment without worrying about root-rotting.
While orchids in general love bright sunlight, the butterfly orchid tends to do well even in medium light and that is one of the reasons it is seen as an easy to care for orchid. A temperature of 60 to 70˚F and moderate light will be ideal conditions for this plant.
A healthy and well-maintained butterfly orchid can produce a flowering stalk with flowers ranging anywhere from 2 to 20 and a mature plant can be expected to have 2 to 3 of these kinds of stalks. So, with a little care you can expect to have an abundance of orchids. It is worth noting that you do not have to cut back a stem after flowering as this variety of orchid produces blooms on the same stem for years to come and cutting can actually delay the appearance of new blooms.
You should confidently take on a butterfly orchid. Remember that an orchid bloom stays on the plant a really long time and so even if you do not succeed in making your own blooms, you can still have the pleasure of a long-lasting flower arrangement at your home or office.