10 orchids to grow at home, from the easiest to the most demanding
In short: not all orchids suit a Belgian home equally well. Three are really easy (Phalaenopsis, Paphiopedilum, Ludisia), five need a little attention (coolness or lots of light, depending on the case) and two are genuinely demanding. This guide ranks the hybrids commonly sold in Belgium from the easiest to the most difficult, with the light, temperature and watering each one needs.
The orchid family (Orchidaceae) is one of the largest in the plant world, with tens of thousands of species. Only a handful grow easily in a heated house. So the choice matters more than having a "gift": an orchid suited to your light and temperature will flower without difficulty, another will languish whatever you do.
Before you start, three rules apply to almost all of them:
- no potting compost, but an orchid mix, usually bark-based;
- no standing water: water, let it drain, and leave nothing in the saucer;
- rainwater if possible, especially if your tap water is hard.
For the most widespread mistakes (ice cubes, aerial roots, blue orchids…), see our article Orchid myths.
The ranking at a glance
| # | Orchid | Level | Light | What matters most |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phalaenopsis | Easy | Bright, indirect | Don't overwater |
| 2 | Paphiopedilum | Easy | Low to medium | Mix never dry |
| 3 | Ludisia | Easy | Medium | Grown for its leaves |
| 4 | Oncidium | Easy to moderate | Bright, filtered | Enough light |
| 5 | Cymbidium | Moderate | Bright | Summer outdoors, cool autumn nights |
| 6 | Dendrobium nobile | Moderate | Bright | Cool, drier winter rest |
| 7 | Zygopetalum | Moderate | Bright, diffuse | Coolness, no heat |
| 8 | Cattleya | Moderate | Lots of light | Let it dry between waterings |
| 9 | Miltoniopsis | Demanding | Bright, diffuse | High humidity, no more than 25 °C |
| 10 | Vanda | Demanding | Very bright | Almost daily watering |
1. Phalaenopsis: the moth orchid
Level: easy. This is the supermarket orchid, and for good reason: at the Dutch auction Royal FloraHolland, nearly nine potted orchids sold out of ten are Phalaenopsis (AIPH, 2021). It copes well with the warmth of a flat.
- Light: bright but without direct sun in summer, ideally near an east- or west-facing window (RHS, n.d.-c).
- Temperature: 19 to 30 °C by day, 16 to 19 °C at night, away from radiators and draughts (RHS, n.d.-c).
- Watering: about once a week in the growing season, a little less in winter; soak the pot, let it drain. Grey roots are thirsty, green ones are not.
- Growing medium: orchid bark, transparent pot.
- Reblooming: after flowering, cut the stem above the second node while it is still green. If the plant does not rebloom, move it somewhere about 5 °C cooler for a month (RHS, n.d.-c).
2. Paphiopedilum: the slipper orchid
Level: easy. Recognisable by its slipper-shaped lip, Paphiopedilum comes from the humid forests of Southeast Asia. It grows mainly in the ground, not on trees, and has no pseudobulbs to store water: its growing medium must never dry out completely (Smithsonian Gardens, n.d.-e).
- Light: it tolerates low light and can even grow under artificial lighting. It is the orchid for darker rooms.
- Temperature: about 15 to 27 °C.
- Watering: roughly every five days, to be adjusted; in sphagnum moss, when the top is dry.
- Flowering: three to six weeks. After flowering, cut the stem down to the leaves; the plant usually reblooms the following year (Smithsonian Gardens, n.d.-e).
3. Ludisia: the jewel orchid
Level: easy. Ludisia discolor is grown for its velvety leaves, dark green to purple, veined with gold or red. Its small white flowers are a bonus. Native from southern China to Sumatra and the Philippines, it is a terrestrial orchid (NC State Extension, n.d.).
- Light: medium, without scorching sun.
- Temperature: warm, that of a home.
- Watering: steady all year round, in a mix that holds a little moisture (AOS, n.d.-a).
- Propagation: by stem cuttings, very easy (NC State Extension, n.d.).
4. Oncidium: the "dancing lady"
Level: easy to moderate. Its flowers, often yellow and brown, look like little dancers in dresses, hence its nickname dancing lady. The genus is native to tropical America, from Mexico and the West Indies to South America (Smithsonian Gardens, n.d.-d).
- Light: plenty of light, filtered by a sheer curtain. Dark green leaves indicate a lack of light, the most common reason for no flowers.
- Temperature: 15 to 18 °C at night, 21 to 29 °C by day.
- Watering: when the mix is half dry, usually every two to ten days depending on the season.
- After flowering: only cut the stem once it is completely dry, as it may flower again (Smithsonian Gardens, n.d.-d).
5. Cymbidium: the conservatory orchid
Level: moderate. Cymbidium comes from tropical and subtropical Asia and Australia (Smithsonian Gardens, n.d.-b). Its long stems flower from late autumn to spring, and each stem lasts six to eight weeks (RHS, n.d.-a). Its difficulty is not care, but the coolness it needs to flower: in a house heated all year, it makes fine leaves and no flowers.
- Light: bright, sheltered from strong sun.
- Temperature: generally 10 to 24 °C, 10 to 14 °C in winter, never above 30 °C in summer. A clear difference between day and night in late summer triggers flowering (RHS, n.d.-a).
- The secret: put it outside from June to mid-September in a sheltered, lightly shaded spot, getting it used to the sun gradually (RHS, n.d.-a). Bring it in before cold nights: it is not hardy.
- Watering: regular in spring and summer, letting the mix dry slightly; every one to two weeks in winter.
6. Dendrobium: watch the type
Level: moderate. The genus Dendrobium has more than a thousand species (Smithsonian Gardens, n.d.-c), and two types with opposite needs are mainly sold (RHS, n.d.-b):
| Nobile type (flowers along the canes) | Phalaenopsis type (flowers in a spray at the top) | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 10 to 24 °C, ideally 15 to 24 °C indoors | 15 to 30 °C, not below 16-18 °C |
| Nights | Cooler: essential for flowering | No coolness needed |
| Winter | Drier, bright rest, watering every 10 to 12 days | No rest |
| Flowering | Winter and spring | Any time |
The Dendrobium nobile is the one in the photo. Do not cut its thick stems (the "canes") after flowering: they stay and feed the plant, and only dead canes are removed (Smithsonian Gardens, n.d.-c).
7. Zygopetalum: the scent
Level: moderate. Zygopetalum, native to Brazil, Peru and Bolivia, has green flowers spotted with brown or purple, often with a blue-violet lip, and a strong scent (AOS, n.d.-c).
- Light: bright and diffuse.
- Temperature: cool to intermediate; it does poorly in hot summers (AOS, n.d.-c). A little-heated room suits it better than a living room at 23 °C.
- Watering: steady all year round.
8. Cattleya: the big scented flower
Level: moderate. Cattleya, native to Costa Rica and much of South America, bears large, fragrant flowers, which however last less long than those of many other orchids (Smithsonian Gardens, n.d.-a).
- Light: a lot of light, but not the scorching midday sun: an east-facing window, or a south- or west-facing one behind a sheer curtain. Dark green leaves signal a lack of light, and often no flowers.
- Temperature: 16 to 18 °C at night, 21 to 27 °C by day.
- Watering: let the mix dry between waterings, no more than once a week (Smithsonian Gardens, n.d.-a).
9. Miltoniopsis: the pansy orchid
Level: demanding. Its large flat flowers look like pansies, hence its nickname. Watch the name: the pansy orchid is a Miltoniopsis, from the mountains of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, often sold as Miltonia, which is a warmer Brazilian genus (OSGB, n.d.).
- Light: bright and diffuse, no direct sun except early in the morning.
- Temperature: 20 to 25 °C by day, 12 to 19 °C at night, and above all no prolonged heat above 24-25 °C.
- Humidity: 70 to 80% all year round, hard to achieve in a heated home.
- Watering: mix always slightly moist, preferably rainwater. Buds drop with heat, dry air or sudden temperature changes (OSGB, n.d.).
10. Vanda: the most demanding
Level: demanding. Vanda are epiphytes from tropical Asia, from Sri Lanka to New Guinea. The hybrids sold bare-rooted in glass vases are spectacular, but this is not a beginner's orchid (AOS, n.d.-b).
- Light: very bright, but not direct sun; without enough light, no flowers.
- Temperature: intermediate to warm for most; Vanda coerulea, with lavender-blue flowers, prefers cooler conditions.
- Watering: abundant, daily in most cases (AOS, n.d.-b), less in winter or in dull weather; roots soaked or thoroughly wetted, then drained.
- Growing: in an open basket without growing medium. It copes badly with changes in temperature and watering, which make the lower leaves drop (AOS, n.d.-b).
Tips that apply to all of them
- The pot: with drainage holes, only just bigger than the roots. Transparent for epiphytes such as Phalaenopsis.
- The growing medium: never potting compost. Bark for most, a finer, moister mix for Paphiopedilum, Ludisia and Miltoniopsis. Renew it every one to three years, when it breaks down.
- Water: tepid, rainwater if possible; let it drain completely.
- Fertiliser: a diluted orchid fertiliser, only in the growing season, with a plain-water watering now and then to avoid salt build-up (RHS, n.d.-a; RHS, n.d.-c).
- The leaves: their colour tells you whether the light is right (Smithsonian Gardens, n.d.-a).
The most common mistakes
| Mistake | What to do |
|---|---|
| Overwatering | Water when the mix dries (except Paphiopedilum, Ludisia, Miltoniopsis: slightly moist) |
| Repotting in potting compost | Orchid mix |
| Putting it in full summer sun | Bright but filtered light |
| Keeping a Cymbidium warm all year | Summer outdoors, cool autumn nights |
| Cutting the green canes of a Dendrobium | Only cut faded flower stems and dead canes |
| Buying a Vanda or Miltoniopsis as a first orchid | Start with a Phalaenopsis or Paphiopedilum |
Which orchid should you choose?
| Your situation | Our advice |
|---|---|
| First orchid, heated flat | Phalaenopsis |
| Dim room | Paphiopedilum |
| You like foliage plants | Ludisia |
| Conservatory or cool room, garden in summer | Cymbidium |
| You want scent | Zygopetalum (cool) or Cattleya (sunny) |
| Very bright window | Oncidium, Cattleya |
| Greenhouse or very bright bathroom, and time | Vanda, Miltoniopsis |
Test yourself
Sources
AIPH. (2021). Upbeat mood at 2021 Dutch Orchid Inspiration Days. FloraCulture International. https://aiph.org/floraculture/news/upbeat-mood-at-2021-dutch-orchid-inspiration-days/
American Orchid Society. (n.d.-a). Ludisia. https://aos.org/explore/ludisia
American Orchid Society. (n.d.-b). Vanda. https://www.aos.org/explore/vanda
American Orchid Society. (n.d.-c). Zygopetalum. https://aos.org/explore/zygopetalum
NC State Extension. (n.d.). Ludisia discolor. North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ludisia-discolor
Orchid Society of Great Britain. (n.d.). Miltoniopsis orchid care. OSGB. https://www.osgb.org.uk/orchids/orchid-care-guides/miltoniopsis-orchid-care
Royal Horticultural Society. (n.d.-a). How to grow cymbidium orchids. RHS. https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/cymbidium/growing-guide
Royal Horticultural Society. (n.d.-b). How to grow Dendrobium. RHS. https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/dendrobium/how-to-grow-dendrobium
Royal Horticultural Society. (n.d.-c). How to grow Phalaenopsis (moth orchids). RHS. https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=388
Smithsonian Gardens. (n.d.-a). Cattleya (Orchid care sheets). https://gardens.si.edu/collections/plants/orchids/orchid-care-sheets/cattleya/
Smithsonian Gardens. (n.d.-b). Cymbidium (Orchid care sheets). https://gardens.si.edu/collections/plants/orchids/orchid-care-sheets/cymbidium/
Smithsonian Gardens. (n.d.-c). Dendrobium (Orchid care sheets). https://gardens.si.edu/collections/plants/orchids/orchid-care-sheets/dendrobium/
Smithsonian Gardens. (n.d.-d). Oncidium (Orchid care sheets). https://gardens.si.edu/collections/plants/orchids/orchid-care-sheets/oncidium/
Smithsonian Gardens. (n.d.-e). Paphiopedilum (Orchid care sheets). https://gardens.si.edu/collections/plants/orchids/orchid-care-sheets/paphiopedilum/