The Orchid Care Glossary from R to S

In case you’re wondering where Q went, there were no entries for it in the American Orchid Society’s glossary, so we skipped it! Though we did find this very extensive orchid glossary with a few Q’s – quadrangular, quadrate and quadrilateral. But here are orchid terms for the letters “R” and  “S” from the AOS glossary, with some additional links for more in-depth explanations. 

Raceme- An unbranched inflorescence of stalked flowers.

• The Wikipedia entry has diagrams and photos!

Rhizome- A root-bearing stem of sympodial orchids that progressively sends up leafy shoots.

• Sympodial means "with conjoined feet", and photo examples may help explain the difference between a monopodial orchid like the Phalaenopsis orchid and sympodial orchids.

Scape- An unbranched inflorescence with one flower. Or, as Answers.com puts it:Scape, flower stalk; erect leafless flower stalk growing directly from the ground as in a tulip.

Sheath- A modified leaf that encloses an emerging inflorescence or leaf.

Somaclonal Variation- Genetic variants arising from tissue culture.

Species- A kind of plant that is distinct from other plants.

Spike- An unbranched inflorescence of unstalked flowers.

• The Wikipedia entry for Raceme, above, has a diagram and photo example.

Stem Propagation- See micropropagation

• Micropropagation- The use of tissue culture to grow inactive axillary buds into whole plants with very little somaclonal variation, unlike adventitious propagation.

• For details, see The Orchid Lady’s explanation.

Stolon- A branch that grows horizontally above the medium and produces roots and shoots at the nodes.

• For photos and examples see Wikipedia’s Stolon entry.

Stomata- The breathing pores on the surface of a plant's leaves.

Sympodial- Orchids which grow laterally and produce leafy growths along a rhizome.

• See the explanation and  link under rhizome, above.    

Come back to read the exciting alphabetical conclusion of our journey through orchid terminology!   

Staking Phalaenopsis Orchids for Great Presentation

Have you ever noticed that Phalaenopsis orchids have large blooms on the end of long, thin stems? If left to their own devices and the demands of gravity, the blooms will weigh down the stems and make them bow and droop. In order for them to stand tall and straight, you’ll need to give them the support of stakes. Look at the photos in our orchid photo gallery and you’ll notice that most of the phals are clipped to a tall straight stake.

The American Orchid Society suggests that the best time to “stake an inflorescence is when the flowers are beginning to develop. This helps ensure that the buds are oriented properly once they open.” They also suggest it looks the best when the stake is unobtrusive. “Placing the thinnest stake possible as close to the foliage as is practical helps to avoid distracting attention from the blooms themselves.”

Susan Taylor, BellaOnline's Orchids Editor says, “Staking new growths is one of the most underutilized growing principals in orchid growing… Continue to train the growth to the stake and then include the inflorescence when it appears.”

She also explains about attaching the plant to the stake:

There are many different ways to tie your plant to a stake. For whimsy, use the little insect shaped clips that come in butterfly, dragonfly or other shapes. They should be large enough to hold the growth to the stake without impeding the growth. If you use a clip that's too small it will damage the new growth. Twist ties will work as well as raffia which can be used to tie together the entire plant for a nice shape and decoration.

Check out the selection of stakes and clips from Tindara’s Orchid Growing Supplies. You’ll also find lovely brass spiral stem supports, Phalaenopsis orchid stakes, soft twist ties and green jute twine.

If You Think You Killed Your Orchid

Here is some comfort for those who find they have accidentally killed their orchids from Larry Litwin, a veteran grower:

“I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to grow orchids in climate-controlled growth chambers, greenhouses, outdoors, under lights and on windowsills. Throughout, I have managed to kill a lot of orchids.  I feel qualified to offer reassurance to the beginner who has some apprehension. I would advise you not to worry.”

Of course, he understands, it will be by accident. “You will repot something at exactly the wrong time. You will both overwater and underwater. You will heavily fertilize a plant that is salt-intolerant. You will give shade lovers too much sun and sun lovers too much shade. This is unavoidable. Some mistakes will be made because you just didn't know any better. Others will occur because you followed well-intentioned advice which was inappropriate for your conditions.”

“Much of orchid growing depends on your experience. Experience takes time. The more experience you have, the more mistakes you will have made, the more problems you will be able to anticipate and avoid.”

“…reading and talking to other growers is very important. Learning what has worked for other people is only one of the benefits. This also exposes you to considerations which may not have occurred to you otherwise.”

His advice is to “balance all advice against your experience with your own conditions. Find out why the advice is given. Determine the cause-and-effect basis for the advice. Then analyze how that relates to your situation and conditions. Modify the advice as necessary and apply it. You won't go too far wrong. The important thing is to understand the "why" of it rather than the "how" or "what." Above all, be prepared to make mistakes.”

In closing, he offers, “don't fret too much over the ones you kill. It really can't be helped.”

Read the full article on the AOS website.

How to Care for Orchids: Ice Cube Watering Specifics

We aim to make watering your beautiful Phalaenopsis orchid plant simple by helping you remember to Just Add Ice once a week. And we even recommend how much -- 3 ice cubes per week. But as with just about anything, it sounds simple until you get down to actually doing it, and then the questions come up. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll realize how easy it is.

One thing you may find yourself wondering is “what size should the ice cubes be?” since there seems to be no standard size or shape anymore. It should melt down to about a ¼ cup of water. As long as that’s the case, the size of the cube is only an issue if it’s crushed ice. The point of using ice cubes is that they melt slowly – releasing the water in a slow drip. So you don’t want to use anything that will melt quickly.

Some people have very responsibly done research before watering their plant and are confused by recommendations they’ve found elsewhere that say to use only water at room temperature. Here at Just Add Ice Orchids, we love orchids and have tested our theory before offering it to others. We’ve found that those who follow our recommendation meet with orchid success!

Another place where there has been some confusion is if three ice cubes are enough if there is more than one plant in a pot. If you see multiple stems coming from the same plant, three ice cubes is enough. But if you have more than one plant in a pot, you’ll want to give each plant its very own serving of three cubes each.

If you have any questions, be sure to check our Orchid Care Forum!

The Orchid Care Glossary from M to P

Learning orchid terminology involves a refresher on basic biology, so we’ve included links to help you out. Here are letters “M” through “P” from the American Orchid Society’s glossary.

Medium - the material in which an orchid is container-grown, it may be organic such as fir bark or inorganic such as lava rock.

Mericlone - a plant derived from tissue culture that is identical to its parent. More info is available on the Orchids Wiki!

Meristem - the actively growing area of the plant from which mature tissues such as leaf, stems, flowers and roots originate.

Micropropagation - the use of tissue culture to grow inactive axillary buds into whole plants with very little somaclonal variation, unlike adventitious propagation.

• Axillary buds - new growths in the area between the upper side of a leaf or stem and the supporting stem or branch.
• Somaclonal variation involves genetics – here’s the Wikipedia explanation.

Monopodial - orchids which grow upward from a single stem producing leaves and flowers along that stem. Phalaenopsis orchids are included in this group.

Node - a joint on a stem or pseudobulb from which a leaf or growth originates.

Panicle - an inflorescence with a main stem and branches, the flowers on the lower branches open earlier than the upper ones.

• Inflorescence - the flowering portion of a plant.
• From Answers.com: a loose, open, branching cluster of flowers that bloom from the center or bottom toward the edges or top. Examples of plants that produce panicles are yucca, catalpa, and baby's breath.

Photosynthesis - the process a plant uses to produce carbohydrates and sugar from water and carbon dioxide in the air using chlorophyll-containing cells exposed to light. For a refresher, check out this online biology book!

Polyploid - a plant with more than the normal two sets of chromosomes. Brush up with the Wikipedia entry for Chromosomes.

Pseudobulb - a thickened portion of the stem of many orchids functioning as a water and food storage device.

Recycle Unwanted Electronics to Help Orchids

The American Orchid Society, or AOS, is offering a chance to ease your conscience, recycle unwanted electronics, go green and support orchids all at once! They’re having a gadget drive that accepts the following:

• Cell Phones
• Laptops
• MP3 Players
• Digital Cameras
• GPS Devices
• Gaming Consoles
• Camcorders
• Satellite Radio
• PDA's
• Video Games
• LCD Monitors
• Calculator
• and more!

This way, you can ease your conscience and know that instead of piling the stuff up in the garage until you decide what to do with it, or allowing them to leak toxic elements into the earth in a landfill, you can turn your unwanted electronics into cash for the American Orchid Society. They make it easy by partnering with an organization called Gazelle that sends you a postpaid shipping box so it doesn't cost you a cent.

The best part is, not only are you helping save the environment in general, but with your funds, The AOS supports basic and applied research in orchids, and monitors and supports conservation efforts, both here in North America as well as throughout the World. The aim of the American Orchid Society, generally stated, is to “extend the knowledge, production, use, perpetuation and appreciation of orchids of any kind and in any manner. These aims include research in all aspects of orchidology; collection and dissemination of information, and the establishment and maintenance of its awards system, the purpose of which is to recognize excellence orchids and the culture and hybridization thereof.”

So gather up your old electronics and then share this info with your friends. Gazelle makes that easy too, with links to spread the word by posting a link on Facebook, tweeting about this drive on Twitter or sending email to your friends.

It’s a win-win-win for Phalaenopsis orchids and the environment!

An Occasional Soak can be Good for Us and Our Phalaenopsis Orchids

Once again, we find that what’s good for Phalaenopsis orchids can be good for you too. Sometimes we need a good soak to rejuvenate us – whether it’s in the bathtub, a hot tub or just a plunge into nice cool pool on a hot day.

For how to care for orchids, it may be more akin to Darryl Hannah’s character in the 1984 movie Splash. She played a mermaid whose colors were fading to a lackluster brown, and she needed a good soak in a tub to restore her health and color.

If your orchid plant seems a bit soft and droopy, you may also want to try adding a 4th ice cube to your weekly watering. Use the orchid roots as a water indicator - well-watered orchid roots should be a healthy green color, while grayish-white roots indicate more water is needed. Be sure to let the water drain out of the pot before returning it to its display location.

You can also add mixtures to the water so your plants are soaking in something that improves their health, like we might add Epsom salts to a bath to soothe aching muscles. In the case of orchids, this would be orchid fertilizer or medicine for various ailments.

For fertilizing, we recommend you fertilize every two weeks to a month once your orchid has finished flowering. Buy a balanced fertilizer (ex: 10-10-10) and mix the fertilizer with water at half the recommended strength. With your plant over a drain, pour the fertilizer over the plant until it starts to run out the bottom of the pot. You won’t need to do your weekly watering of 3 ice cubes when you’ve done this. Once the water stops dripping from the bottom of the pot, it can be returned to its location.

An Anatomy Map of Phalaenopsis Orchids

When people begin to really get into orchid care, they are likely to find themselves asking for help from those with more expertise and/or referring to websites or books on the subject. It can be difficult to be absolutely sure what the expert is describing if you’re not familiar with orchid anatomy. The written description may not be enough without a orchid photo or drawing to point the way. That’s why we’ve provided what you might call “orchid maps!” That way you can tell exactly what we’re referring to when we give advice on orchid care.

We’ve given you a good amount of orchid terms too, so you can build your vocabulary as you go. But a picture is said to be worth a thousand words – well, at least 10 to 15 of them.

The orchid spike image gives you only two main parts to worry about – the bloom and the bud. The orchid plant image has eight terms that cover from the roots to the flowers, and the orchid flower anatomy has five terms but spread over eight locations. And of course, because we love them the most, the photos are all of lovely Phalaenopsis orchids.

They’re so pretty, you’ll probably want to click on the Printer Friendly Version link at the bottom right of the page and print them out! They can serve as educational reminds, garden shed décor in the form or posters or pin-ups, or even framed and placed around your home or office to brighten up rooms that don’t already have an real orchid in them for whatever reason. We know there must be a good reason!

Phalaenopsis Orchids Happy Inside When Hot Outside

In the peak of the summer, hot weather has many garden enthusiasts heading for the air-conditioned indoors, where their garden fun may be limited. We think a great option is an orchid plant…or maybe several!

The Yuma Sun, a paper from Arizona, featured an article from desert gardener, Georgia Bolton, who recommends, “When Yuma's hot weather comes, think orchids”. While they get easily sunburned if they’re outdoors in dry summer heat, they’re great indoor companions because they prefer the same temperatures that most people do – between 70 – 80 during the day and about 10 degrees cooler at night.

Later, she devotes an entire paragraph to our beloved Phalaenopsis orchids. “Protect your plant from drafts and direct sunlight to ensure a healthy orchid. A temperature between 65 degrees at night and 80 degrees during the day will encourage good plant growth. A spot in your home with indirect sunlight will be perfect. In three to four months, your Phalaenopsis orchids will reward you with beautiful blooms.”

And an extra tip: “Your orchid’s leaves should have a grass-green color. If they turn yellow, more shade is needed; and if they turn a dark-green color, more indirect light is required. The correct amount of light is necessary for your orchid to bloom”

Maui Orchids.com answered the question of Phalaenopsis orchids and heat this way: “Like most plants, orchids prefer a middle range of temperatures, neither too hot nor too cold. Some warm-growing species can take hot weather; some cool-growers are not harmed by subfreezing temperatures. It depends on the plant. Generally, however, the climate in the home favors the intermediate species. Orchids from more severe climates that are accustomed to cool or warm temperatures year-round do not do as well.”

Orchids Like Indirect Sunlight

For orchid lighting, Phalaenopsis orchids do best in indirect sunlight, as opposed to full direct sunlight exposure. You may never have thought about where the sun is coming in your windows or garden, but when you have plants, it gives you extra incentive to pay attention to the wonders of nature!

Since the sun rises in the East and sets in the West, windows facing those directions without anything to offer shade will get direct sunlight for at least a few hours of the day—the beginning or the end. Without curtains or something to diffuse the light, this may be too much for your orchid. The best choice is probably a North-facing window or an East-facing one. For rooms with windows on the South or West, you can place your orchid plant further into them room away from any direct sunlight coming in the windows. Watch for orchid sunburned leaves or dropping blooms, which are your indications that your plant is getting too much light.

If you’re keeping your orchid outside for certain portions of the day or during warm weather, you’ll need to take note of the shape of your garden, and the general surroundings. Are there tall trees or buildings that block out the sun? Do you have umbrellas or other décor that offers shade? Go out at different times of the day and see which areas are getting the most sun, and which don’t get any.

Remember that Phalaenopsis orchids grow on the trunks of trees in nature, getting shade from the canopy above. The closer you can get to re-creating their natural habitat, the happier they’ll be!

For more help with finding the right place for your orchid, read this article from the American Orchid Society: Orchid Culture - Growing Outdoors and in Windows.