Recognized as one of the most elegant flowers in the world, the flowers of Orchids are great as gifts for special people on occasions and events and as home or office interior decoration. Orchids are the type of flowering plants that can be a challenge to keep. The blooms are distinctly lovely and beautiful but the lifespan depends on how you take care of them. Most of the Orchid flowers need special care in order to thrive in the kind of environment you have at home. With proper lighting, sunlight shading, watering, and pruning, you can have your Orchid plant for a longer period of time or even forever. Does Orchid live forever? Here’s what our expert florist say:
Lifespan of Blossoms
Depending on the variety or type of specie, the lifespan of the Orchid blossoms range from 3 months to six months. With more than 30,000 types and species of orchids growing in different parts of the world, the lifespan of blossoms, even of the plants, may vary. The Phalaenopsis Orchids, for example can last up to six months provided that the plant received the best plant care. Dendrobium Orchids and the Oncidiums have blossoms once on its season, usually on January to March. The blossoms can last for 30 to 45 long days. Cattleya blooms also last as long.
Orchids in pots or in branches or trunks of trees may have different span of blooms based on how the plants are taken care of. Whenever your Orchid plants bloom, all you want is for the blooms to last forever. You can do something to keep the blooms for a long while such as watering, and hydrating, especially when it is drought or dry season, but do not let the roots sit in water or else the plant will die. There should be a cooler environment for the plant to keep its blooms. You can simply add a protective shade above the plants. Lower temperature will help the blooms to last for a month or two more.
Moreover, proper care of the plant during and after blooming stage ceases is very important because it will determine the health of the plant and the re-blooming stage. Orchids are the type of plants that can bloom year by year or season by season provided that the plant is well cared for.
Lifespan of Plant
The lifespan of the plant itself may take years and decades but as they get older, they also become weaker. According to the florists and farmers of Orchids, if you want your Orchid plant to last for more decades or even forever, you have to choose those types that are easier to take care of.
Generally, the lifespan of most types of Orchids ranges from 10 to 15 years, sometimes longer up to 20 years. On the other hand, these types of plants are prone to bacterial infection and fungi-causing diseases as they get older. They tend to become weak over time, especially when not attended to before and after blooming stage. Some ancestors even gave their Orchid plants as heirloom.
To prevent plants of Orchids, no matter the type, the florists say that repotting is necessary. Repotting this plant at least once a year or once every two years will help prevent infections and diseases, as well as to prolong its lifespan.
Another way to keep your Orchids forever is to let it reproduce and have new plants. However, doing it is not as simple as splitting and repotting plants. There is a special technique involved in reproducing Orchid plants, and according to the florists, you have to learn the technique in order to get the results you want. If you want to know more about how Orchids are propagated and reproduced, the florists can help you get the most helpful information from the horticulturists.
Plant Care to Ensure Long Life
The main truth behind the long life of Orchid plants and its continuous and repetitive blooms is plant care. Yes, it is quite complicated but it is not difficult. Orchids are known for its difficult plant care and growing procedures but this is not true. What is true is that it requires a different technique of plant care.
To care for the Orchid plant, it requires basic plant-growing knowledge:
- Orchids are epiphytes, which mean that they can grow hanging on trunks and branches of trees or on rocks and stones. They are called “Air Plants” as they grow hanging on planters and “Rock plants” because they grow on rocks.
- A good moisture balance is optimal in orchid care. Whether you choose to plant them in pots or in trees, the plant needs the best orchid mixes, plant food, and proper environment. The plant prefers bark-based potting mixes, if you opt to have them potted in soil for indoor gardening.
- Sunlight is also essential but it should be indirect light. The florists and horticulturists recommend the plant to be placed in an area with more bright light but let it face northward or eastward, especially in the window.
- Repotting the plant is also an essential procedure when taking care of an Orchid plant. Once the flowers or blooms fall off from the stems, this is the perfect time to repot the plants.
By simply following the steps as recommended by the experts, you can have your Orchid plants not just blooming each year, but also living for more years or decades or even until forever.
