Orchid Phalaenopsis

looks great in that position. or brown ?

Yes brown would look nice too. Thanks for the suggestion, Bjs.

Beautiful colour

Thank you Homebird and Thrupenny.

A few weeks is the best I got out of blooms. I just had my first moth orchid set new buds after bought in bloom. Always learning.
Nice shade of purple. If only they grew outdoors here. They make it to January. Actually looking better outdoors by then...but then it catches up to them as the month goes by.
I could try again!

I will keep this inside Stan. Can you grow cymbidium outside? Phalaenopsis needs warmth. Good luck with your moth orchid.

Cymbidiums are fully hardy here. But,they are big Orchids that take up room out of bloom Klahanie. The Farmers Market I hope stays that height.
My one success is a happy sight. I've never seen an old clump of Moth Orchids. I wonder what 20 year old greenhouse plants would look like?

It's beautiful! I have one that is more mauve and it blooms for 5 months. It amazing me how long the flowers last on these orchids.

I love them for that very reason. They bloom for a long time.
:-)

Stan:

I just read your post. Moth orchids grow very well outdoor in the SF Bay Area in a protected area. They especially like to put planted in a patio area. My neighbor in Hayward years ago had hundreds in a nice patio area. They were perfect and bloomed like crazy! They were not even taken care of very much...they thrive more on neglect with occasional watering. They were planted in shallow wooden planters and barrels. Oh, how I wish there were digital cameras back then!

Are you sure Andy? Phalaenopsis???

The white ones at the Flea market are $5 in big full bloom. Heck if I knew,I would buy a bunch.

Are you positive?

Yes, I've seen them in the SF Bay Area growing outside in protected areas. They're tough, hardy orchids.

Now, if you were trying to grow Cattleyas outside, then I would say: most likely not.

I could never grow Cattleyas , even inside. They need special condition which I am unable to give them.

Klahanie:

I've had a difficult time growing them outside, also. I think I always give orchids too much water.

I worked with a lady who had a huge lath-house full of many species and varieties of Cattleyas. They were all completely neglected and bloomed perfectly for years and years. Some people have all the luck! LOL! :>)

I had purple and pure yellow ones that I had quite a while. They bloomed outside in my unheated little greenhouse. The door of the greenhouse was always left open because orchids need a lot of fresh air movement.

I would bring them indoors when they flowered. The fragrance on Cattleyas are so incredibly sweet!

Here's the pics of the Cattleyas that I used to have:

http://www.growsonyou.com/photo/slideshow/193477-my-white-cattleya-orchid/member/Delonix1

http://www.growsonyou.com/photo/slideshow/266604-pure-yellow-cattleya-orchid/member/Delonix1

Thanks for the links. They are both beautiful, I specially like the white one.

You're welcome. They used to be so extremely sweetly fragrant.