What is it?

[Ladythomas]

Was given this and know nothing about orchids. It's potted entirely in sphagnum moss. I have no idea what the flowers look like- the spike was already there when it was given to me.

Doesn't actually appear to be growing at all- it's been in this state since I got it and repotted it a few months ago.

I'm assuming it's because I've been treating it like my other orchid which is a totally different kind. Would love to know what it is so I can learn to care for it properly.

Thanks in advance!

[Optimist]

Isn't that a Phalaenopsis? They usually bloom during the winter, so it will just sit around as a green plant during the summer (Austrailia would be opposite?). Anyway, these are the kinds that many newbies kill. There is a good (but long) thread about Phal abuse telling you more than you would ever want to know about their care.The Phal abuse ends here.

[Roberta]

It's a Phalaenopsis. Until it blooms there is know way of knowing more about it than that. Is there drainage in that container? These need to go through a wet -almost dry cycle (sphagnum should not dry out to the crispy stage since then it's hard to re-wet, but should dry to where it is just barely damp. The sphag does not not look tightly packed, so the roots have a chance of getting the air that they need. But I find sphagnum a tricky medium - the plant very likely will do better in medium (1 cm to 1.5 cm or larger) bark. In an open bark mix it is a lot harder to over-water (assuming that the pot has good drainage, absolutely vital)

[Ladythomas]

Thank you!

I had a feeling it might have been a phalaenopsis, but most of the pictures I've found online to help identify it were of flowers and not much of just the green plant.

I'll have a look at the thread and do some research, thanks for the heads up!

Yes, it's currently our version of winter. I live in the tropics, so our winter is more or less a reduction in humidity rather than a change in temperature. its currently 81F and 61% humidity at 3pm.
And no, that's a glass jar its in. Not good drainage at all. Time to move it to something with holes in the bottom
I do have an orchid potting mix I can use rather than the sphagnum, it's a lot harder to manage (for me at least) than traditional potting mediums.

Thanks again!

[Dollythehun]

And yet, the plant looks good, from what I can see. So, you're doing something right. Cudos!