We had my partners Aunty and Uncle and cousins over for dinner on the weekend because they still hadn’t seen our house – even though we’ve lived here for a year and a half. Whoops, better late than never! They know I love orchids and gave us this beauty as a house-warming gift. Isn’t it beautiful! I’ve never owned an orchid that isn’t a cymbidium orchid so I’m quite nervous about this one. My cymbidium orchids thrive on neglect, whereas this orchid looks quite fussy. Any tips on how to keep it as happy as it’s looking now are very welcome!

A really lovely phalaenopsis! They like moderate temperature and bright light but not direct sunlight. Give them about an eggcupful of water once a week while dormant, and a little more while flowering. The idea is to keep the leaves turgid and glossy; if they start to get wrinkly, the plant wants more water. They also like a little orchid food every now and then (I like to use a liquid), but don’t disturb their roots. Hope this helps. Oh, and they’ll come back and flower year after year if they’re happy.
Thanks for the advice Kate! Sounds like you’ve grown the odd one yourself. I feel a little less stressed around it now I’ve got some instructions. Ta.
Mine live in the garden now, I’ve got the climate for them!