What does "windowsill orchid" mean?

[astrid]

I keep seeing plants called a "windowsill" plant to mean they are really easy to care for ... or something?

I am not sure what it means. To me, "windowsill" plant means "a plant that will not be burned to a crisp in direct sunlight every day" but I don't think that is correct.

I've seen masdevallias referred to as a "windowsill plant" and I don't think they'd like to sit in a window all day long or they would die of exposure.

Well, what do you guys think?

[desertanimal]

I think your windowsills are much sunnier than mine!


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[astrid]

Originally Posted by desertanimal

I think your windowsills are much sunnier than mine!


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This happened to my phal after 2 days of being in the window while I was away for the weekend
...not everyone's windowsills do this?

[WhiteRabbit]

Some windows get more sun than others, and orchids need to be slowly acclimated to more sun.
Temperature also comes into play. My orchids that get afternoon sun go along fine until there is a sudden jump in temps, and in spring (when they are used to maybe highs in the 70s) will burn in 90 degree afternoons, but during summer are usually ok at 90, because they're acclimated to it.

Masdevallias go into windows that get a little early morning and/or late day sun. Phals can take more sun (tho need to be acclimated to it) - but I grow and bloom Masdies and Phals side by side in a north facing window as well as a shaded east facing window (gets early morning sun). I also grow and bloom Phals in sunnier windows along with Dens, compact Catts, and Neostylis.

My outside orchids get a lot more direct sun than my windowsill orchids.

[ramonypony]

Oh dear! My main phal window is East-ish facing, it's actually Southeast but just barely. The glass on it is also pretty dirty which I decided was a natural shade that I would leave there. All the phals I've ever put in that window have done well. My bathroom window is facing the same direction but the glass is clean and clear and I did get a leaf burn on a mini phal last summer, I didn't acclimate it so it burned. I had to shade it for a while. Now it sits there right next to the glass with nice lime green leaves and is in spike.

I think "windowsill orchid" is supposed to mean that you don't need a fancy greenhouse to grow it, not that it will grow with no problems in any windowsill.

[Subrosa]

To my mind a windowsill orchid is one that will do well at typical household humidity levels. A windowsill orchid suitable for a south facing window would be different from one suitable for a north facing window, so preferred light levels are not an important factor in whether or not a certain orchid is a windowsill candidate or not. Light levels come into the equation when deciding which windowsill to grow it on.

[Paul]

Originally Posted by Subrosa

To my mind a windowsill orchid is one that will do well at typical household humidity levels. A windowsill orchid suitable for a south facing window would be different from one suitable for a north facing window, so preferred light levels are not an important factor in whether or not a certain orchid is a windowsill candidate or not. Light levels come into the equation when deciding which windowsill to grow it on.

This


It typically also indicates that the plant will not get huge -- in other words, it should fit on an average windowsill even once bs.

[wintergirl]

Windowsill

[Roey.P.]

I have many house plants and I have very strong sun in my country so the windowsill is always 10 cm Beneath the window so it won't get crispy all my orchids never at the sides of the window so they wond be butn when the sun move my cactus on the air conditioning unit outside with some trees seedlings like avocado and oranges. In a really bright from clouds usually at summer day I can take a pan and put in it an egg and cook it just by putting it on the road. Good for camping 😁

[Atalah]

In the case of Orchids I think 'windowsill suitable' means that it can deal with the typical indoor environment: lower light, lower humidity.