Phalaenopsis orchid

that is beautiful

Nice isn't it Eileen - it is about 3ft tall and would you believe was only £5! Just had to have one ;-)

Nice present ,I would love one of these.

Maybe start dropping some hints to your husband Janette?

Thats gorgeous Sid......where on earth did you manage to buy an orchid for a fiver?......

Hints Sarah, I dont think he would know what an Orchid looks like lol

He will if you point it out next time you're shopping together, Janette :)
Great orchid Sid. Phalaenopsis is the easiest of all the orchids to care for, except for maybe Cymbidiums. Remember not to leave it's roots sitting in water, it's doesn't like to get it's feet wet. The roots will rot in water. Lots of indirect sunlight. This type is the most rewarding as well. I had one bloom for at least six months. I cut the flower spike back just to where it was dry and it popped out another spike and is still in bloom right now. They're awesome! Enjoy :)

Beautiful orchid Sid. What a great buy for a fiver. One like that here would be about $40.

You found a wonderful bargain...it is beeeautiful!! I have one just about to come into bloom again...it is the same colour but with a little yellow on the throat. can't wait...then I'll have a pic to post too. they don't need much in the way of soil...in fact they will bloom on a board!!

What a lovely colour Sarah :)

Wow $40 Gilli, that's outrageous! We've a store called Trader Joes, that has good prices on orchids. You can pick these up there for about $12. Getting on for a 5er though, that's a great deal!

Hi everyone!

Milky - I bought it from an 'independant' in Herefordshire called Oakchurch Farm Shop & Garden Centre (kinda trips off the tongue - not!) Anyway, they are usually a bit on the pricey side, so didn't expect to find such a great bargain there, and they were in such good condition too - had a whole trolley of them and they were going like hotcakes.

Janette - you could buy a cheap artificial one and put it somewhere prominent in your home and every time you walk past it you could sigh and say, 'oooo I would LOVE to have a real one someday!' - then he might get the message AND he'll know what they look like!

Tastey - I'm looking forward to making friends with this plant and working out how to get it to flower lots for me :-) Thanks for the advice.

Gilli - $40 - golly.... They are expensive here too - I saw some the other day that were smaller than mine for about £16 each (at M&S for those in the UK!) but people were still buying them...

Lori - I look forward to seeing the piccy - I'm curious about how you would water and feed a plant grown on a support like that......?

they grow on trees..(.they are rainforest epiphytes)...or on limbs to be more exact...along with mosses and ferns... they like tree bark support.. I have seen one rigged up like a staghorn fern on a slab of tree limb with bark intact. They need to be wired at first...then the roots take over.. Mine are in pots only for my convenience...they are in bark and a little peat(for humidity) and they can be watered and fed by misting the medium and the leaves, but since mine are in pots I just douse them!

Thanks Lori - yes I have seem them being grow like that. Misting with feed in the water seems sensible - I love the idea of growing them as nature intended on tree bark - if I had a conservatory......... ah, one day!

lol...I keep saying the same thing to myself, Sarah. Ah...if I only had a conservatory!!

ha ha - in my case it's defo a case of 'dream on'!

Lovely, lovely, lovely, Sarah! You will have great success with this plant - if I can grow them anyone can!! Have made a note of the Garden Centre for my daughter-in-law. By the way they absolutely love Herefordshire and really enjoyed their first Christmas in Wootton.

Ha ha - thanks for that Magnoliatree! Glad your daughter in law is happily settled at Wootton :-)