Caring for an Orchid - . Fragile. Elegant. Exotic.

Here's what you should look for in a healthy orchid

Firm, strong, waxy, green leaves:

Healthy leaves = healthy blooms

If you see root, it should be plump and firm, not scored

Blooms: so you can see what you're getting, they should be smooth, never brown or wilting

Buds: the promise of fresh blooms is always a perk, try to find one that has lots of little buds for blossoms to come

From their habitat, you would think that the orchid would not thrive indoors, or where it is not constantly hot. But the fact is that most orchids love the interior temperature of most homes.

Orchids love sunlight, as like any other plant, they grab their energy from the sun's rays. With plenty of sunlight, your orchid will have enough energy to support its beautiful blooms for many months. They do best in a southernly facing window where they can sun themselves indirectly in the morning and afternoon. The window should not be drafty.

Although tropical plants, it is a good idea to let the orchids cool down at night, as this helps the plant restore and preserve its long lasting blooms. The biggest problem people have is over watering their orchid.

Most orchid roots in nature are exposed to air, when over-watering occurs, the roots suffocate and start to rot. The easiest way to avoid this is to make sure your soil is a bark variety that allows for good drainage.

You should only water your orchid once a week. You can judge when you need to water it by picking up the plant to see how heavy it is. If it feels light, touch the soil with your fingertips; it should be moist but not soppy.

You don't want any standing water in your pot. You'll soon get into a routine with your orchid, and you'll notice that it's a lot less work to water than you would think.

These blooms last for anywhere between a month to nine months!

So the extra you may pay for an orchid as opposed to a different houseplant is definitely worth it just by the amount of time you have to enjoy your orchid's blooms.

It may seem like you're paying a lot for a flower upfront, but the return of a flower that blooms for months on end, is exotic and easy to care for all at the same time makes it very worth it.

Orchids add an exotic and beautiful style to any room.

Confucius once compared seeing good friends to entering a room full of fragrant orchids. Take good care of your orchid and it can live on to be as old as 150 years! Now that's a houseplant that's exotic, beautiful, easy to care for and a good investment!

Image:DactylorhizaFuchsii.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one, and a orchid with the other. ~Chinese Proverb

2010 American Orchid Society Calendar