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How to Care for a Bamboo Orchid

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Orchid image by Nancy Prelaske from Fotolia.com

Bamboo orchids are excellent plants to have around. These orchids produce aromatic blooms that range in color from soft whites to pinks and even shades of purple. Bamboo orchids are native to Asia’s pacific islands and can grow to a height of 5 feet in the wild. They are characterized by tall, slender stems that have clusters of usually 10 blooms perched on top. These orchids can be difficult and fussy when grown indoors, but they make excellent outdoor plants when the proper growing conditions are provided to them.

Place the orchid in an area where it will receive direct sunlight for most of the day. If you are growing the bamboo orchid indoors, a sunny window should suffice. If you are growing the orchid as an outdoor plant, ensure that the orchid is not shaded by other plants and trees.

  • Bamboo orchids are excellent plants to have around.
  • If you are growing the orchid as an outdoor plant, ensure that the orchid is not shaded by other plants and trees.

Grow the orchid in moist soil. Orchids do well in damp, humid areas. Ensure that the planting soil is always moist but never soaked. Too much water can increase the chance for root rot and disease.

Place the orchid's planting container on a drainage dish filled with small rocks or pebbles to allow for air circulation underneath the plant.

Water the bamboo orchid as needed to keep the planting soil moist to the touch. Orchids can be rather finicky, so watering them with purified water or collected rain water is a must in order for them to grow their best.

  • Grow the orchid in moist soil.
  • Place the orchid's planting container on a drainage dish filled with small rocks or pebbles to allow for air circulation underneath the plant.

Mist the bamboo orchid daily to maintain high humidity around the orchid. If the orchid is being grown indoors, placing a humidifier in the room where the orchid is growing can be beneficial to the orchid’s health.

Fertilize the bamboo orchid using a fertilizer designed especially for orchids. Other plant foods can be detrimental to orchids because of how frail these plants are. You can purchase orchid food at your local garden specialty store.

Bring the bamboo orchid indoors (if the orchid was growing outdoors) in the cooler months or place the orchid into a heated greenhouse that maintains a temperature of 75 to 80 degrees. Orchids cannot handle winter temperatures and must be moved to a constantly warm environment.

  • Mist the bamboo orchid daily to maintain high humidity around the orchid.
  • Bring the bamboo orchid indoors (if the orchid was growing outdoors) in the cooler months or place the orchid into a heated greenhouse that maintains a temperature of 75 to 80 degrees.

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