Also known as the False Ladyslipper, the Stream Orchid is not an air plant. It’s a terrestrial orchid that lives in moist soils along streams, on cliff faces, and in mountain bogs. The plant dies back during winter, and re-emerges from underground tubers the next spring.

Many terrestrial orchids are difficult to grow, requiring highly specialized conditions (yet another reason why you should NEVER remove wild orchids from their natural homes.) However, Epipactis gigantea is relatively easy to cultivate, and adapts to a wide range of conditions. I keep mine in regular potting soil, and keep the pot in a tray of water so it never dries out. It loves a good dose of compost fertilizer, which has helped my plant grow into a vigorous specimen. Certainly it seems right at home.

Nectar spurs are long, narrow tubes with a drop of nectar at the bottom, and they’re good clues that this orchid is fragrant. One arcs down behind each flower. During daytime, it has little scent, but starting in the evening, it puts out a strong fragrance that reminds me of tuberose.

Related to Darwin’s Orchid and Oeoniella, Jumelleas can grow into large, attractive plants. The leaves form a fan pattern, and healthy specimens can grow 2 ft. (0.6 m) tall. Jumelleas enjoy conditions like Dendrobiums, with bright light, regular water and fertilizer, and winter dormancy.

Orchid beginners often grow easier hybrids instead of fussier species, but this species is easy to maintain and a reliable bloomer. Coconut Orchids are great transition orchids for beginners who may want to try their hand with some more advanced growing skills. Care for them like Cattleyas, with bright light, regular water & fertilizer, good humidity, and winter dormancy. Their rich red flowers, up to 2 inches (5.1 cm) wide, can last more than 2 months.

This orchid sports long, skinny, grass-like leaves that are deceptively sturdy. Maxillaria flowers bloom on short stems, so they’re often hidden in the foliage, but their fragrance gives them away. The final photo shows another plant with a color variation that’s more orange than red. No matter the hue, they smell just as sweet. Just don’t be surprised if they inspire cravings for Coconut Cream Pie.

• Move orchids from their brighter winter locales to the shade needed for spring and summer. For most orchids, if leaves are a light green color, then the orchid is receiving enough light to bloom.
• Keep an eye out for new leaf and root growth, which often starts after flowers finish. This is a good time to repot, if necessary.
• For dormant orchids, increase watering and fertilizing gradually. With deciduous orchids like Bletilla and Cycnoches, water new growth sparingly for the first few weeks. Too much water can rot new leaves.
• As always, maintain high humidity and good air movement around plants. New growth is especially susceptible to pests when the air is dry or stagnant.
• For growers in colder climates, continue to watch for pests, keep plants in brighter light, and take heart that the long winter shall pass.

Orchid growers have created thousands of Cymbidium hybrids in various hues of pink, red, brown, yellow, green, and white. Hybridization allows orchid breeders to combine the best traits of different varieties, making these hardy plants even tougher. Some kinds can survive a light freeze, although they may lose their flowers to the cold. The two hybrids shown in these photos can hold their large sprays of blooms for months during our mild winter. Pests and winter rains may damage some flowers, but they still light up the garden on cool, gray days.

Besides regular water, Cymbidiums like heavy fertilizer, and these hybrids love our homemade compost. In order to bloom, they require bright light, and need cool nighttime temperatures in autumn. Here on the California coast, the evening fog cools them off to guarantee winter flowers. Don’t worry if you want to grow them but don’t match our climate — there are other warm growing Cymbidium species and hybrids that don’t need a cooling period.

The flowers look like Cattleyas, but the similarities end there. Unlike Cattleyas, this Sobralia species likes heavy water and fertilizer, and doesn’t mind cool temperatures. Native to rainforests from Mexico to Costa Rica, it grows in a wide variety of conditions. It lives at elevations as high as 11,000 feet (3400 m.) That helps explain why it can tolerate a wide range of temperatures. Mine lives outdoors on the deck all year, and I try to keep it on the dry side for its winter dormancy.

Sobralias like to be potted in small pots and dislike repotting. Their bamboo-like leaves grow on strong stems. Although this species can grow up to 7 feet (2.1 m) tall, my plant is only 1.5 feet (0.5 m.) The contrast of such a large flower on a short plant provides a striking effect.

If you fertilize with a high nitrogen fertilizer, like 30-10-10, its time to switch to a low nitrogen variety, such as 10-30-30. No matter what kind of fertilizer you use, start to taper off with weaker solution and less frequent doses. Many orchids are beginning to enter a dormant stage. Start to reduce watering for Cattleyas, Cymbidiums, Dendrobiums, Epidendrums, Miltonias, Odontoglossums, Oncidiums, and Vandas. This mimics the start of the dry season in their jungle homes, and it’s part of the annual cycle they need to bloom. Maintain good humidity as always, and compensate for the dry air of home and office heating.

If a few lower leaves yellow or drop, don’t panic. Some Dendrobium varieties completely shed their leaves, but they’re just dormant, not dead. Continue to give them good light and humidity, and they’ll spring back to life in a few months.

If your Phals aren’t blooming right now, give them a few weeks of cooler nighttime temperatures. This can cause them to start growing a flower spike. Then you’ll really have some fall color to enjoy.

Compost is, after all, rotting stuff. Orchids are sensitive to rot because they live in high humidity, where rot flourishes, and also because rotting stuff can block essential air flow to orchid roots. Even though I have a few books that mention the use of compost for orchid fertilizer, when I first tried it, I was worried that the plants would simply turn to mush. I started with a weak solution of compost tea, and when I saw the good results, I cautiously tried straight compost. Despite my fears of exposing my orchids to rotting material, homemade compost has worked better than I ever expected. After a good shot of compost, some of my orchids, like this Laelia and Zygo, will quickly put up a new flower spike and bloom within a few weeks. My Cymbidiums, Sobralia, and Vanilla quickly start growing new leaves. My Phals and Epidendrums also love the nutrient boost.

I haven’t yet had any problems with orchids rotting, and excess compost doesn’t cause problems like excess artificial fertilizers. Too much artificial fertilizer can burn roots and leaves, and while overdoing the compost won’t damage the plant, there is a downside. With excessive compost, some orchids put out new growth that remains weak and soft, and ultimately dies back. For instance, after a dose of compost, my Dendrochilum starts with new growth, but then some new leaves fall off. The rest of plant isn’t hurt, but nothing’s gained either.

If I’ve inspired you to try using compost on your orchids, I suggest you test with a small amount or weak compost tea first, and wait a few weeks before trying any more. Making your own compost is really very easy; as the saying goes, compost happens. Whether you live in a small apartment or a large farm, you can find great info about how to make your own compost here. Orchids can bloom wonderfully with many fertilizers, and compost is not at all a requirement for growing orchids. But if you have the opportunity to try it, I recommend that you add some compost and stand back!

It helps to pay attention to the look and feel of your orchid’s leaves when the plant is healthy, so then you’ll have a good frame of reference to recognize a problem. While any one of these symptoms can indicate a problem, not every dark spot or yellow leaf is cause for concern. For example, older leaves (those lower on the plant) may yellow, develop spots, split down the middle, or fall off entirely. This is okay, as long as healthy new leaves are growing.

To grow these beauties with their sweet, richly scented flowers, you need to provide an environment where the nighttime temperature drops 15-20 F (8-11 C) every night. Without these nightly temperature drops, these Cymbidiums won’t form flower spikes. Otherwise, these are easy to grow with bright light, regular water, and regular fertilizer.

Even when not in bloom, Cymbidiums are beautiful plants, with long, graceful, arching leaves. Although my variety has solid green leaves, some Chinese Cymbidiums have variegated leaves, with stripes or spots of color.