Daeyounfa

Orchids from the genera Cattleya and Phalaenopsis are extremely popular in the floral trade and if you provide them with proper orchid flower care they can live for years and years to come. Both orchid types need a well draining potting medium and should never be forced to stand in a soggy medium since this can cause root rot. In the wild, these orchids never grow in soil – they grow on trees or stones.

Another factor that both these orchids have in common is that they will benefit from a fertilizer high in nitrogen (25-9-9) year round. They do not need any resting period. This doesn’t mean that you should force feed your orchids vast amounts of fertilizer; 1 teaspoon per month is the recommended amount for Cattleya care and the Phalaenopsis orchids wants roughly the same amount.

A third similarity between recommended Cattleya care and Phalaenopsis care is the preferred temperature range. Both orchid types appreciate a day temperature in the 75-85° F (24 - 29˚ C) range and a night temperature in the 60-65˚ F (15.5-18˚ C) range. They may hail from different continents, but they are both adapted to a similar climate. It comes as no surprise that many orchid enthusiasts keep Cattleya and Phalaenopsis orchids together. As long as these orchids are healthy and well established, they can normally survive an occasional accident such as an open window during the winter, but prolonged exposure to unsuitable temperatures or draft can kill them.

Filed under: Plant Life by LiNuX