Numerous elegant flowers gracefully wreathed over one or two arching stems resemble moths in flight, and give this orchid its name – the moth orchid. It is a plant which gives the home or office owner double delight. The first joy is to see the beautiful moth orchid for the first time, and the second is in the realisation that it is still flowering after up to three months.
Care Info:
The moth orchid needs no special care, despite its movie star looks. Keep the plant in the see-through plastic container in which it is supplied. Notice that it grows in a special free-draining orchid medium, which looks like big bark chips.
Watering:
Run water through the pot for one minute to wet the potting mix thoroughly. Avoid getting water on foliage. Do not water again until the potting mix is almost dry. This wet to dry process can be 3 to 10 days – depending on the season and the humidity. Moth orchids are supplied in clear plastic pots, so check the moisture levels visually. If you see moisture inside the pot – wait another day before watering. In most cases watering is once every 7 days.
Light:
Bright but indirect sunlight is required to grow and to flower a phalaenopsis. Use leaf colour as a guide to measure if enough light is obtained by the plant. Leaf colour should be medium olive-green. Yellow or dark green usually indicates too much or too little light.
Ideal Indoor Temp:
Phalaenopsis grows best with high humidity. Stand the plant on a tray filled with pebbles to help with catching run-off water after watering and to increase humidity. Keep the bottom of the plastic pot above water level.
Usage:
Bedroom, Bathroom, Kitchen, Study, Office
Flowering Period:
3 months from date of purchase
Availability:
Year round
Special Points:
Draughts – keep your moth orchid out of the breeze. A sure way to wilt the flowers is to place the plant in intense heat or windy conditions. Ideal temperature is 22 degrees Celcius, not below 15 degrees Celcius
Light:
Medium Light conditions (no direct sunlight), bright room
Suppliers Eastern Cape
Floradale Nursery – Port Elizabeth
Builders Warehouse – Port Elizabeth
Suppliers Free State
Alma Kwekery – Welkom
Bruwer Kwekery – Bloemfontein
Builders warehouse Bloemfontein
Greenside Kwekery – Bloemfontein
Urth Garden Centre – Bloemfontein
Suppliers Gauteng
Colourful Splendour – Craighall Park
Garden Pavilion – Eckards
Garden Pavilion – Sunkist
Hecker Nursery – Boksburg
Lifestyle Home Garden – Randburg
Montrose Nursery – Morningside
Nicolas Plants – Northriding
Plantland – Akasia
Plantland – Cornwall Hill
Plantland – Menlyn
Plantland – The Wilds
Plant Paradise Garden Centre – Pretoria
Safari Tuinsentrum – Pretoria
Schaffler’s Nursery – Johannesburg
Builders Warehouse – Bedworth Park
Builders Warehouse – Boksburg
Builders Warehouse – Centurion
Builders Warehouse – Edenvale
Builders Warehouse – Gleneagles
Builders Warehouse – Kempton Park
Builders Warehouse – Northriding
Builders Warehouse – Rivonia
Builders Warehouse – Strubens Valley
Builders Warehouse – Woodlands
Builders Warehouse – Zambesi
GardenShop Broadacres
GardenShop Bryanston
Suppliers KwaZulu-Natal
Blackwood’s Home of Gardening
Builders Warehouse – Riverhorse
Garden Pavilion Halls – Kingsburgh
Hingham Nursery – Durban North
Illovo Nursery – Kingsburgh
Suppliers Limpopo
Builders Warehouse – Polokwane
Suppliers Mpumalanga
Builders Warehouse – Emalahleni
Garden Pavilion – White River
Ninfa Tuinsentrum – Middelburg
Suppliers North West
Garden Pavilion – Geelhout
Sittig’s Nursery – Hartebeespoort
Suppliers Western Cape
Cape Garden – Joostenbergvlakte
Cape Garden – Somerset West
Cape Garden – Stellenbosch
Starke Ayres Garden Centre – Rosebank
Starke Ayres Garden Centre – West Coast Village
Stodels – Bellville
Stodels – Constantia
Stodels – Kenilworth
Stodels – Milnerton
Stodels – Somerset West
Tulbagh Kwekery – Tulbagh
Builders Warehouse – Cape Gate
Builders Warehouse – City
Builders Warehouse – Constantiaberg
Builders Warehouse – George
Builders Warehouse – Helderberg
Builders Warehouse – Table View
Builders Warehouse – Tygerberg
**Please note that not all stockists will have every plant featured**
