Beginner Orchids

[samfish]

What are recommended crosses or speciess of Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium, Oncidium, or others, That are:

1) Easy and forgiving to grow indoors

2) Frequently in Bloom (either more than once per year, or flowers last a long time)

[campchi]

Most den. Phal bloom multiple times per year, at least the one I have

[estación seca]

It depends on where you live (how much natural humidity and light) and whether you like to water your plants too much or not enough.

[MrHappyRotter]

Yeah, let us know your growing conditions, as that could allow us to help tailor plants that might do well for you.

There are lots of questions to answer, so be prepared.

We'll want to know how much light you have or if you're willing to use artificial lights. Your growing temperatures and/or general geographic region might help. Also things like, do you stay away from home for prolonged periods, are you a forgetful waterer or heavy handed waterer? What's your humidity like?

Then we could consider your personal tastes as well. Do you really prefer species? What is it about those species that you like? Are there certain colors / patterns you prefer? What flower shapes? Do you want fragrant flowers? Unusual foliage?

If you're looking for absolute beginner's orchids, then consider buying a few garden center Phalaenopsis hybrids, and work on keeping them alive. Sometimes those stores will have "bag babies", a mesh bag with a typically young mericlone of a variety of orchid genera. Sometimes you can even find labelled species this way, but generally these are curated crosses, selected because they are pretty tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions and easy to care for.

The hardware store Oncidiums, things like Oncidium Sweet Sugar are about the easiest Oncidiums you will find. They will tolerate some abuse, and they flower off newly matured growths. Because the individual growths don't take a full year to develop, and because the new growths can be staggered in age, hybrids like these can often bloom multiple times per year. The hybrids also produce growths that are smaller and more manageable indoors than some of the giant Intergeneric hybrids that you'll sometimes see in a garden center.

Dendrobium Microchip is a nice small growing Dendrobium. Its flowers are fragrant, and while they flower heaviest in fall/winter they will sometimes sporadically produce a spike or two at other times of the year. These guys also regularly bloom on both old and previously bloomed canes, something which a lot of the really common Dends don't usually do. This hybrid also tolerates medium-low light conditions (phalaenopsis levels), and likes a little more moisture around the roots than most other Dends.

[samfish]

Thanks for the reply!

I will look for the Oncidium Sweet Sugar and Dendrobium Micro Chip!

-sam

[estación seca]

Important factors are humidity, temperature and light. A lot of people with central heating during the winter have very low humidity, and many orchidists use humidifiers under these circumstances. Oncidiums like plenty of humidity. Some Cattleyas and hybrids can get by on a lot less. Phalaenopsis hybrids are kind of in the middle with respect to humidity.

[samfish]

Thanks!

I am 50-60% humidity now, but need to see what happens in the winter with the heat!!! I will get a humidifier if necessary!

-sam

[bil]

If you haven't much space, miniatures might be an idea.

[Joseia]

Den. Microchip is definitely an easy orchid to grow and produces lots of long lasting flowers. I would also recommend Den. Proud Appeal 'Ace', a ridiculously easy orchid to grow and mine spends most of the year in flower, with new spikes appearing as the old ones are fading. Not sure how easy it is to find that one, however. One I know you can find is Den. Little Andree - I bought one in early Spring from H&R orchids and it has been in bloom continuously since it arrived, with maybe a three week period where it had no flowers. It's flowers last me almost three months.

[samfish]

Thanks for the suggestion!