Now, I AM talking the more "common" ones, which you see everywhere now...in grocery stores, Walmart, Home Depot...obviously, if they are in these locations, they are not tricky. These are Phalaenopsis Orchids and there is a huge colour selection.
That's my finger just pushing the flower up a bit for the picture. It will be 4 years in April that I've had this plant. In FOUR years, there has been only one three-week period without a bloom!!!! Not kidding. Basically, it has been in bloom for four years straight, normally having from 8 to over 20 flowers on it! And though I keep being told it is NOT fragrant - this one is! When conditions are perfect for it, it does give out a faint perfume. This is a new bloom, it gradually fades to solid yellow, but the flowers stay on the stems for weeks!
I love this one. It's a young plant and so there are only two stems that bloom, a new stem is forming..yay! And you can see a new bud formed just behind this flower. Each one of these is different in the "mottling" as I call it; I'm sure there's an 'official' term.I think people that kill their orchids are too kind to them. They like west or north windows, cool conditions, and lots of humidity, but rarely watered. My only problem is the heat in our home in winter with all our south windows - which they can't be in - and I mist regularly - ideally having them sit in a pebble tray with water in it.
I think it's time for me to get another one!!! I have four orchids, each different, but only the yellow one is the non-stop bloomer. You may go some time with no sign of them ever going to bloom again, but be patient...once they do flower, they can last for months. Beat that!
