AboutOrchids

Moth orchids, or Phalaenopsis, love warm temperatures. But one trick used by orchid experts is to give Phals a few weeks of cool nights in the fall. This can trigger the Phals to start growing a flower spike within a month. Normally their nighttime minimum temperatures should be about 65 F (18 C.) By giving them a nightly drop to 60 F (16 C) for a period of 2 – 4 weeks, you can mimic natural changes in their native homes in Southeast Asia. Don’t let Phals drop below 60 F (16 C,) since that can harm them.

If you have an orchid someplace where you can’t control the temperature directly, there are a few tricks to try. If your Phal is on your office desk, place it on the floor before you punch out at the end of the day. Remember that heat rises, so the floor will be cooler than the desk. If your Phal is near a window, push it a bit closer in the evening, where it can feel some of the coolness from outdoors (this trick may not work if your windows are well insulated.) In either case, remember in the morning to move the Phal back on top of your office desk, or away from the cool window, so that it can enjoy daytime warmth. Once a flower spike starts to grow, stop giving your Phal the nightly cool treatment.

That always seems like a fun word to say — equinox. Equal day, equal night. On this day, everywhere in the world has about 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night. The north of the planet moves into fall, and the south of the planet into spring. No matter which direction you’re headed, feel free to enjoy some of Dave’s wonderful photography. Here are pictures of a Masdevallia and a Laelia that were both frequent bloomers for us over the summer.

With warm weather forecast for this week in San Francisco, the garden is still blooming and buzzing, and doesn’t seem to notice the calendar. But of course change is in the air, and plants respond accordingly, just as they have for millions of years. Plants from tropical regions of the world, including many orchids, undergo seasonal cycles as well. Many orchids are finishing their cycles of growth and moving towards winter dormancy. In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy the garden while the weather still permits.

As a regular visitor to Puerto Vallarta over the years, it’s exciting for me to learn about Vallarta Botanical Gardens. About 1/2 -hour drive south of Puerto Vallarta, the gardens were opened in 2005 in the coastal mountains of the Mexican state of Jalisco. Their mission is “the propagation, promotion, study, enjoyment and discovery of Mexican plants, especially orchids.” With more than 3000 plant species to enjoy, there are orchids, palms, ferns, bromeliads, and cactus. Among the orchids are Mexican natives such as Laelias, Sobralias, and Vanillas.

The Vallarta Botanical Garden is a non-profit organization working to fight habitat destruction, counter over-collection of native orchids, and preserve Mexico’s greatest botanical treasures. Visitors can enjoy orchid conservatories, tropical gardens, birdwatching, hiking trails, and the Plantation House Restaurant and Visitors’ Center. We’ll definitely visit on our next trip to Mexico, but for now we’ll have to just enjoy visiting online.

Think small for these Maxillaria uncata flowers, which are only 1/2 inch (1.2 cm) long. With reddish-purple stripes, yellow petals, and a white flower lip, these little tropical beauties appear translucent.

This Maxillaria species is widespread from Mexico south to Brazil and Peru, where it survives in a wide variety of conditions. It’s a tough little orchid that produces flowers for months at a time when given warm, moist conditions.

Maxillaria is pronounced “Max ill air ee ah,” sounds like “Max’ll carry ya” without the “c.”

Orchid care changes with the seasons. As fall approaches, it’s time to adjust water, fertilizer, light, and temperature.

If warm growing orchids have been kept outside for the summer, it’s time to bring them indoors. Phals, Cattleyas, and Vandas should be checked for pests, and then brought inside before nighttime temperature become too cold.

Orchids that go through winter dormancy, such as Dendrobiums, Cattleyas, and Odontoglossums, need slightly less water and fertilizer in the fall.

Day length shortens and the sun drops lower in the sky in the fall. Many orchids enjoy being moved into brighter light to compensate for a weaker sun. Slowly transition plants into brighter light over several weeks.

Here in San Francisco, we usually have warm weather through September and early October. I’ll spend the next few weeks paying attention to weather forecasts, especially nighttime lows, to decide when to start bringing plants indoors. In the meantime, I need to figure out how I’m going to find room for them inside. Let’s see, which is easier, housecleaning or buying more shelves?

The title pretty much says it all. The scientific name of this orchid, Sobralia macrantha, translates as “big flower,” and it doesn’t disappoint. This easy-to-grow orchid puts on a great show with flowers that can be as large as 6-10 inches (15-25 cm.) It’s native to a variety of habitats from Mexico to Costa Rica, where it lives at elevations as high as 11,000 feet (3400 m.) That helps explain why it can tolerate a wide range of temperatures.

The flowers are reminiscent of Cattleyas, but the similarities end there. Unlike Cattleyas, this Sobralia likes very heavy water and fertilizer, and doesn’t mind cold temperatures.

Although the flowers only last a few days, these orchids are frequent bloomers. The photo below shows a flower bud ready to open.

Since Labor Day seems to make everybody fret over summer’s impending end, I’ll offer that there are still a few weeks of summer on the calendar, so seize the day. Here in San Francisco, the weather has warmed up, and the garden is full of life. So if your blooms are fading, please enjoy some of ours.

The dainty flowers on these Santa Barbara Daisies (also called Mexican Daisies, scientific name Erigeron karvinskianus) bely the toughness of the plant. I planted one of these years ago, and its seeds spread so that we’ve had plenty in the garden ever since. The young flowers start with pink petals that fade to white as they open, and the plants stay in bloom all year long.

Tubular purple flowers hanging from an Iochroma cyaneum shrub are hummingbird favorites.

Hibiscus trionum is a Mediterranean native, making it perfectly suited for the California coast. Some consider it an invasive weed, but I enjoy its white flowers with dark centers. The translucent flower buds have their own charm also, looking like small glass lanterns.

Quite a few orchids are coming into bloom with the warm weather, so I’ll definitely have more pictures to share soon.

It’s pronounced like “epic fight” without the “c,” and it means “air plant.” Rather than growing in soil, epiphytic plants grow with their roots attached to tree branches and tree trunks. Many orchids, ferns, bromeliads, and mosses grow as air plants, taking advantage of brighter light above the shaded forest floor.

Firmly attached to a tree branch in a Costa Rican jungle, a Brassavola nodosa orchid, a relative of Cattleyas, grows as an epiphyte. It only uses the tree for support, and is not a parasite, so it does not harm the host tree. The orchid’s roots are exposed to the elements, but they can withstand strong storms and high winds.

A variety of orchids, mosses, and bromeliads live as epiphytes, crowded on a curved branch high above the ground. Here in a jungle near the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, constant high humidity provides moisture, even when there is little rain in the dormant season.

In the home or office, epiphytic orchids are grown with their roots in bark or moss, which simulates humid rainforest conditions.

As the long days of late summer unwind, most orchids should be enjoying a period of growth. Besides light and fertilizer, water is an essential element for healthy new growth. These watering tips can help you avoid some of the most common orchid care problems.

• – When you water, use more than just a few drops. Pour enough water in the flowerpot to run out of the holes in the bottom, and give the roots a thorough drenching.
• – Water more often with the heat and longer days of summer. Water less with the cooler, shorter days of winter.
• – Once a month, flush out the flowerpot with plain water to clean out fertilizer residues. If you soak your orchids, soak them at least once a month without any fertilizer.
• – Cold water can shock orchids that like warmth, such as Phalaenopsis, Vanda, and Cattleya. Water from the tap may need to be brought to room temperature. Filling the watering can a day early will allow it warm up, and will also allow chlorine to evaporate.
• – Never let orchid roots sit in water for a prolonged period. Make sure the pot thoroughly drains so the roots can breathe.