Orchids in an Office setting

[Dendy83]

Hey all. I tried doing a search but nothing really came back for me. I was wondering if an orchid could survive and bloom in an office setting. It's just a cubicle, no windows. That's where I think the answer is "no." However, what about a Paph? Or is there another species that can tolerate low lighting? Thanks for your help.

[TOMMYMIAMI]

there is actually many that will do just fine, hard to choose, but go to Andy's website (Andy's Orchids - Orchid Species - Orchids - Species Specialist - Orchids on a stick) and on the left in the specification choose under LIGHT "shade", and you can see. You can even specify temps, and size! This way you will get great ideas. Also, if you can provide some small LED light for it, it will get enough light to grow and bloom.

[Dendy83]

Thanks, Tommy...that's a great idea! I'm going to an orchid show tomorrow so I'll make a list of what's on the website. I do have a little cubicle overhead light, but that will not provide UVA/UVB in any sense. But a basic LED would work? I have a lamp with a special light for my frogs and I assumed I'd need one of those for my orchid.

[RJSquirrel]

if they are already blooming you can enjoy just about any orchid inside for the time being. grown in an office with office hours, I really doubt much would bloom although we have had a few select individuals who have bloomed masdevallias in an office cubicle....I bring small dendrobiums and phals in bloom from the greenhouse for the ladies in the office. When they are done bloomin I pick em up and take em some more...

I keep hoping its going to generate some bizness!!

[Silje]

The ever reliable NoID phal is a great candidate for an office setting, even if it is a windowless cubicle. The only thing one would have to do would be to take it home or put it outside somewhere or, somehow, give it a bit of a temp drop to make sure it spikes again. They can become green plants that don't flower if the light and temp stays the same year round.

[TOMMYMIAMI]

I have small LED lights from Amazon for my hygrolon cylinder vase, for my other vase and for my mini terrarium, and for example Haraella retrocalla is cute little miniature that blooms pretty much all the time under these lights! Humidity might be more of the issue, I do use small humidifier couple times a day.

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Just an idea - you can get some small vase, or bowl, or even that glass orb, put for example some life moss, and than some small orchid, like haraella or lepanthopsis astrophora, they do grow great in these conditions, live moss will keep the humidity higher inside the glass orb or vase, and if LED light provided, you have pretty cute little office setup!

[Dendy83]

Thanks for your suggestions, everyone! I think my game plan tomorrow is to possibly get a mini phal and when the blooms fall off I can bring it home for a while. I did see the Masdevallia's on Andy's website and those look really cool as well, but I think I want to keep it simple at first. I still consider myself a beginner even though I've been collecting since Feb. I just haven't grown any flowering spikes just yet, I'll promote myself once I get one that spikes :-P

[MrsH530]

I had trouble with my phals in our office. But I think that's because it is so cold. I brought 2 noid phals into the office and both started dropping blooms in a week. I promptly brought them home and they've kept the remaining blooms, and one is even putting out additional buds.

Just something to keep in mind if you work in an extremely cold office like me.

[Dendy83]

My office mate directly across from me likes to have her fan on the highest setting, but that might actually work out for the best as it would provide excellent air flow