Purple Orchid
Purple Orchid

Flowers depict every single emotion. They represent love, comfort in dejection, and commemorate the bond of friendship. For ages, flowers have been used as the most beautiful form of transmission. People tend to give flowers as a manifestation of their emotions. The same flower can have different messages in different places. It is a belief that they convey the cycle of creation. Every single hue of blooms has distinct significance.

Flowers are there for you on every occasion.

What are moth orchids?

Moth orchids are a kind of bloom. They belong to the genus Phalaenopsis, which is a moth orchid scientific name, and they belong to the Orchidaceae family. They are native to southeastern Asia and hail in the portion of Australia. Some of its species are cultivated for trade purposes and the flowers are crossed to get hybrids with elegant white, purple, and pink blooms. Moth Orchids are famed as houseplants. And they are easy peasy to grow. With proper care, they can live for decades. Some orchids have been present there for over 100 years. If you buy an orchid as a present, it could become a family heirloom and can be passed from generation to generation.

 

Why is it called a moth orchid?

Swedish botanist and zoologist Carl Linnaeus also famed as “Father of Modern Taxonomy” recounted Phalaenopsis amabilis as a species in the year 1753. They entitled the name of ‘Epidendrum amabile’ owing to their tree-dwelling habitat and captivating semblance.

Phalaenopsis orchids are well known as “moth orchids”. It received the name because of its appearance like a moth.

 

There’s also a fascinating tale associated with this bloom, once a Swedish naturalist, Peter Osbeck, was on a visit to Java, where he misunderstood the phalaenopsis as a large cluster of moths, in this way its common name as “moth orchid”.

Its moth-like appearance makes it safe from predators.

 

Seven less known facts about moth orchids:

Moth orchids are one of the most famed blooming indoor plants. They have had a rapid rise in demand over the last 20 years because of their magnificent beauty, lower prices, and wider obtainability. They are perfect for the house climates and so easy to be with.

 

1. Phalaenopsis orchids do not require soil to grow

Even though the majority of orchids that you have seen as indoor plants are grown in a pot, they don’t grow in soil in their innate habitat. Moth orchids are epiphytic plants, which means they gain their nutrients and water from the air. The orchids get attached to the branches or on the trunk of trees. They only use the host tree as a home and are not parasitic to the tree in any way. 

 

When you keep orchids at your place, you will witness them growing aerial roots, which overspill out of the pot. If you keep it for a long time, it will generate multiple tendril-like aerial roots that will grow up out of the pot and hang in the air searching for water and nutrients. Don’t be enticed to chop that off, as they are an important part of the plant, and removing them could hamper the orchid.

 

2. Moth orchids can get suntanned

Phalaenopsis orchids are equatorial plants, they nourish in the wild under the shade of a tree. They are habitual to indirect, muted sunlight, and don’t do well in straight sunlight. If they get exposed to persistent direct sunlight, they can get scorching and burn marks on their leaves and their uncovered roots. You will also see the tips of the leaves get blackened, the leaves fade, and yellow, they could also split down the middle. If you observe these signs make certain to move your orchid to a place with less intense light.

 

 

3. Moth orchids are ancient

Moth orchids were around when dinosaurs were found. As reported by the fossil record, these flowers could be as old as 100 million years. Distinctly they possess staying power that is beyond belief.

 

 

4. The fragrance of moth orchids is mostly pronounced at sunrise

Moth orchids are morning lovers, they flaunt their fragrance at sunrise. Well, not all orchids are scented. White orchids do not have any scent, but many other colors of orchids produce an exquisite,  sweet fragrance which you will find to be most eminent in the morning.

 

 

5. Moth orchids used to be expensive and rare

Moth orchids are very expensive and are strenuous to find owing to their being difficult and time taking behavior to grow from seed. It can take years for a new plant to go from seed to being grown enough to generate blooms.

 

 

6. Phalaenopsis orchids are the most famous flowering potted plant in the world

Phalaenopsis have elevated their sale since the late 90s when commercial cultivation was on the top. Approximately 90-100 million Phalaenopsis orchids are grown in Europe every year.

 

 

7. Island is named after Phalaenopsis orchid

An Island present on the coast of Taiwan has been renamed as an “orchid island” due to the plethora of Phalaenopsis orchids that grow here naturally.

 

 

You are planning an event, and want to make your loved one’s day, go for moth orchid decoration. Bunch of moth orchids, wow! what a sight to behold.

 

What colors do moth orchids come in?

Phalaenopsis or moth orchids come in an abundance of hues. They display exotic patterns and complex designs. Moth orchids come in several colors such as vibrant red, pink, purple, salmon-orange, white, and even black. They do not come in blue color. As every color is significant and has different meanings, let’s read briefly about the hues of moth orchids.

1. White moth orchids are the most ordinary

White Orchid
White Orchid

The white moth orchids represent peace and purity. They are found in most grocery stores and markets. They are the best selling ones as they can be given as presents on any occasions such as graduation, anniversaries, birthdays, house warming parties, to name a few. They also symbolize inner beauty and elegance. The meaning goes beyond the eyes. If a person has a white orchid in their home or office then the beauty of that person is in their nature, they have fearlessness and elegance. The person is said to be organized.

2. Orange Phalaenopsis

Orange-colored moth flowers are famed as peachy sunset. They bring in sparkling rays of boldness to the orchid. These are rare to find, which makes them extraordinary. They vividly show off their rays of sunset hues, generally, in different designs. Their enthusiasm is contagious, they bring immense joy with them, which makes any festive occasion more wonderful. An optimistic person adores the peach moth as they know how to enjoy life and are not ashamed to think out of the box.

3. Yellow Phalaenopsis

Yellow moth orchids are entitled “sunshine on the horizon”, they symbolize the strength of work greatly done. These are majorly given to the friends, these are not for the better half. The yellow moth orchid represents a bond that goes beyond the hardships of life and manifests the happiness of being together. Yellow is associated with happiness, make your buddies merry by giving them a yellow moth orchid.

4. Purple Phalaenopsis

Purple moth orchids have the significance of respectful dignity. Purple has been known as the king of the colors since the beginning. Purple Phalaenopsis or purple moth orchids are attached to dignity, respect, and nobility. They are conspicuous and fascinating. What luck! to gaze at larger open petals of the purple Phalaenopsis. If you give someone a purple orchid that will represent the sheer respect you have for that person.

5. Red Phalaenopsis

Red is the color of love and passion and it has been always attached to the occasion such as valentine’s day, anniversaries. Red moth orchids are a little harder to get. They express the feeling of deep love. These are best suited to be given as a gift to the love of your life. What are you thinking? Get your red moth orchid by gift delivery singapore.

 

What is the rarest orchid color?

Blue Orchid
Blue Orchid

The rarest of the moth orchids are blue and they are the hardest to attain, and simply beautiful. 

Blue Phalaenopsis: Blue moth orchids are bewitching. Unfortunately, they are not real. Growers inject ink into the floral spikes of the white petals. This process is said to cause no harm, but in the end, it does because moth orchids do not get their nutrition and are left dehydrated. As a gift, they are fascinating, the receiver will surely get goosebumps by their amazing beauty. Blue moth orchids are rare and traditionally they convey the message of deep spirituality. It is best suited for a person who is introverted in nature.

Moth orchids make captivating pairs with many other blooms such as exotic roses, adorable lily bouquets, and sweet carnations. Do not limit your choices, work like a charm, get a couple of flowers. You can get it as a bouquet or can also call for a floral arrangement from flower delivery singapore

 

How often do moth orchids bloom?

The majority of moth orchids bloom once a year, but if they are content, they might bloom more than once. Many people love the blooms of their moth orchid and when the flowers drop they think that the flower is dead and unfortunately they get kicked out of the house. But Phalaenopsis can rebloom and all they need is little encouragement and appropriate care. For re-blooming a moth orchid, keep them at a lower temperature during the night time, this process will pass a message to the plant that it’s time to produce a new flower spike and you can witness wonderful blooms.

Once your orchid has consummated blooming, prune the stem above the 3rd or 4th node and wait around, often the plant resumes growing from one of the other nodes by producing a second crop of flowers. This is the way you can buoy up the orchid to bloom for many months of the year.

 

How do moth orchids reproduce?

With their delicate but dramatic elegance, orchids have the reputation for being rarified plants and they can only be cultivated in hothouses or equatorial jungles. These bewitching beauty majorly grow on trees and rocks in subtropical areas. Moth orchids reproduce with the aid of insect pollinators. Mostly the growers of moth orchids do the cultivation by taking cuttings of the plant, which ensures a match with the parent plant. However, in the forest, the captivating plants do the reproduction process, the same as the other garden varieties. They rely on insect pollinators to transmit the pollen to the reproductive organ of the female plant, to seeds.

 

How do you take care of a moth orchid?

Purple Orchid
Purple Orchid

To take proper care of the moth orchids you need to keep in mind certain things.

 

1. Temperature

Phalaenopsis loves warmth during the day and cold during the night. If the room temperature ranges 65-85°F during the day and 60-65°F at night time, they can grow much better.

 

 

2. Light

Phals do not like much light, providing lots of light can give birth to problems for some growers because the moth orchids love to be in bright light. Keep them away from the direct sunlight, during the winter season you may require artificial lighting.

 

 

3. Watering

If you find the orchid soil dry then water it thoroughly. Soil soaked in water is prohibited. Refrain from watering the foliage of the plants because the water can cause the root to rot.

 

 

4. Soil

Orchid potting mix is a superb idea. A mix contains peat moss, perlite, and fir bark, or any other combination if the draining is good. The soil needs to be replaced every two years.

 

 

5. Repotting

The potting mix needs to be replaced once every two years during the spring season. The old potting mix can hamper the plant.

 

 

6. Fertilizer

Feed the plant once every 1-2 weeks from the spring with a diluted orchid liquid fertilizer.

 

 

7. Propagation

The orchid can be propagated by using the division method, which is the best idea for the matured roots of the plant.

 

Another way of propagation is called Keiki which is a baby plant produced by the mother plant nourishing from the nodes. Some growers also used Keiki hormone paste to elevate and push the mother plant to germinate a baby plant.

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