Asked by: Amsatou Mordvin
healthy living mens health

Is it normal for an orchid to lose its flowers?

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In most cases, this is a normal part of the Phalaenopsis orchid lifecycle. The fallen blooms merely signal that your orchid has reached the end of its blooming cycle and it's now storing up energy to rebloom. However, sometimes bloom loss can be indicative of a bigger problem in the health of your orchid.


Hereof, what do you do with an orchid when the flowers fall off?

After the flowers drop from the orchid you have three choices: leave the flower spike (or stem) intact, cut it back to a node, or remove it entirely. Remove the flower spike entirely by clipping it off at the base of the plant. This is definitely the route to take if the existing stem starts to turn brown or yellow.

Subsequently, question is, how long do orchid flowers last? 60-120 days

Similarly one may ask, will my orchid bloom again?

When your orchid stops blooming and enters dormancy, don't worry, it is not dead. You can encourage your orchid to bloom again with just a little TLC. Phalaenopsis orchids rebloom on old spikes with a new stalk emerging from a triangular node along the stalk.

Where do you cut an orchid after the flowers fall off?

Follow these guidelines:

  1. For healthy, green spikes: Find a node under the lowest flower bloom. Trim 1 inch above that node.
  2. For unhealthy, brown spikes: Cut all the way back to the base of the plant.
  3. For double-spike orchids: Cut one spike at the base of the plant.

Related Question Answers

Vaska Seigell

Professional

What time of year do orchids lose their flowers?

A natural orchid cycle typically sees the growth of leaves in summer and early fall, followed by a bloom spike in late fall or early winter, then blooming in early spring. Some orchids will bloom for several months before the blooms wilt and fall off.

Maurizio Urbina

Professional

How often should orchids be watered?

In general, water once a week during the winter and twice a week when the weather turns warm and dry. The size of your orchid container also helps determine how often you need to water, regardless of climate conditions. Typically, a 6-inch pot needs water every 7 days and a 4-inch pot needs water every 5 to 6 days.

J Ricaud

Professional

Do you water an orchid after the flowers fall off?

Watering and Fertilizing
During their post-flowering rest period, reduce watering. If you overwater these varieties, they may rot and die. Phalaenopsis and Vanda orchids don't have pseudobulbs to store water, so you should water them thoroughly when the potting mix is nearly dry to keep them from completely drying out.

Kaede Goode

Explainer

Where is the best place to keep an orchid?

Here are the best places to keep your orchid this spring:
  1. Living Room. Orchids thrive in the sunshine, and the living room tends to get the most sunlight in your home.
  2. Bathroom. Phalaenopsis orchids originated in the tropics, which means they love humidity.
  3. Dining Room.
  4. Home Office.
  5. Bedroom.

Palomares Duan

Explainer

How much sun do orchids need?

Light is a key factor in growing healthy orchids. Direct sunlight may cause plants to burn, and too little light will prevent plants from flowering. An ideal location is behind curtains or window blinds. If you receive your plant by mail, expose it to light gradually in stages over a period of several weeks.

Lauri Las

Pundit

Should I repot my orchid?

A good rule of thumb is to repot a new orchid as soon as practical after it is purchased. Orchids need to be repotted before their media breaks down and smothers the roots. Orchids do not grow in pots in the wild, they are in pots for our convenience so we need to do our best to make it a favorable environment.

Deu Fairbrace

Pundit

When should you fertilize orchids?

As a general rule, fertilize orchids every 2 weeks during peak growth (spring and summer) and once a month during dormancy (fall and winter). Use a 30-10-10 fertilizer or orchid food, diluted to half strength. Approaching bloom, play it safe with a balanced fertilizer, such as 20-20-20.

Tanja Kuntzmann

Pundit

Should I remove dead orchid blooms?

Before you start removing a faded flower from your Phalaenopsis orchid, you have to make sure that it is indeed dead. If the flower spike is drooping and discolored, and its edges have turned brownish, it is time to remove the flower. Many orchids have more than one bloom on a stem-like spike.

Gracie Beyerl

Pundit

Will an orchid grow a new stem?

However, of all the orchid species only Phalaenopsis will grow shoots off the same stem when the stem is cut above a nod or eye. This does happen, but after you cut the stem all the way back the plant should produce another shoot from its base. Be patient, as it can take several months to see this new growth.

Yones Sawatzki

Pundit

Why are the flowers of my orchid falling off?

If Your Orchid Isn't Getting Enough Water
If the roots of your orchid are gray, dry or brittle, it might be a sign that your plant isn't receiving enough water, which can cause your blooms to fall off prematurely.

Fabiola Abrisqueta

Teacher

Do you cut off dead orchid stems?

Cutting Off Dead Stems
If the stem is brown and unhealthy, there is no point in trimming the stem above a node. If the flower spike has turned brown, the orchid has decided that this flower spike is dead and no amount of care from you will change this. Cut the stem all the way down to the base of the plant.

Adaline Koniger

Teacher

Why won't my orchid grow a stem?

Like all plants, orchids require sufficient light in order to produce flowers. Insufficient light is the most common cause of failure to re-bloom your orchid. Leaf color indicates if the amount of light is adequate. The lush, rich, dark green of most houseplants is not desirable in orchid leaves.

Kuldeep Irarramendi

Teacher

Do you water orchids when they are dormant?

Dormancy Care
Because orchids don't grow during dormancy, you can reduce watering to just a heavy misting every five to 10 days. This keeps you from drenching the potting soil, which can cause root rot when winter temperatures are cooler and minimize evaporation.

Wesley Barteldt

Teacher

What do you do with orchid roots?

According to orchid experts, you should definitely not remove the roots. There's a good chance you'll harm the plant or introduce a dangerous virus. Trim an orchid root or stem only if it's dry and you're certain it's dead, but work carefully to avoid cutting too deep and harming the plant.

Briana Mlynnik

Reviewer

What Color Is Wild Orchid?

Orchid is a bright rich purple color that is a representation of the color of the flower of some members of the plant family orchidaceae. Various tones of orchid may range from grayish purple to purplish-pink to strong reddish purple.

Christene Nogue

Reviewer

What does a new orchid spike look like?

Orchid roots have rounded green tips. Flower spikes are usually greener than roots and have a flatter, mitten-shaped tip. While growing, spikes remain green along their full length. Spikes usually emerge from between the plant's leaves, not from the plant's center.

Hannibal Rodriguez Peral

Reviewer

How often do orchids bloom?

Many orchids bloom once per year, some twice or even more. Once in bloom some flowers last weeks or months while others can last only days. Some basic research about the type of orchid will identify what to expect. For example, Phalaenopsis orchids usually bloom once per year and the blooms can last for months.

Karole Nabea

Supporter

What is a node on an orchid?

After all the flowers fall off, many orchid growers will cut off the part of the flower stem to right above one of these nodes to stimulate a new stem or a Kiki. The leaf nodes are where the leaves grow out of the plant stem.

Romano Golovanov

Supporter

What causes orchid blooms to fall off?

Orchid buds dropping from harsh chemicals in the air is fairly common. Perfumes, paint fumes, gas leaks, cigarette smoke, ethylene gas from ripening fruit, and methane released from flowering plants can all be causes of orchid bud blast.

Co-Authored By:

EveryThingWhat Staff Editor

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29th June, 2020

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