what means age in the orchid world

[lunna]

ok, so i know orchid needs to be a certain age to bloom,
but does anybody know how old they can get? Do orchids actually retire, and do they just stop blooming?

[Ross]

A rather broad question, but let me share what I know (not all that much by some standards).

Some orchids can grow when very young. I just read about one (not sure which one, but I think it was a Dendrobium) that can bloom in a flask. Others require many years of specific cultural requirements before they bloom. That's what makes this such an interesting hobby. Some (actually very few) can "retire" as in die after a certain number of years. Not too common, I don't think.