The Phalaenopsis Orchid: a Beautiful Addition to Any Garden

Choosing the plants for your indoor or outdoor garden can be a daunting task with the hundreds of plant choices available, with each one having it's own benefits and drawbacks. You can choose a shrub, a miniature tree, some vines or even a phalaenopsis orchid plant.

If you choose the beauty of a phalaenopsis orchid rather than common plants such as roses, carnations and lilacs, like so many people these days, you'll be rewarded with the orchid’s unique look and innate beauty.

Whatever kind of plant you choose for your garden though; be sure to remember to make sure that it will actually grow in your climate.

The name, phalaenopsis comes from the very distinct look of the flower. Early botanists determined that the flower looked like a moth in flight, thus the use of the Greek name for “moth like,” and since so many people have difficulty pronouncing phalaenopsis, the name moth orchid has taken hold.

If you chose to purchase or grow phalaenopsis orchids, you'll have over sixty different varieties to choose from. These orchids are found primarily in the balmier and warm climates of Southeast Asia and northern parts of Australia.  However, a small island off the coast of Taiwan was named Orchid Island after the abundance of phalaenopsis orchid species early explorers found there.

Phalaenopsis orchids are very unique plants that have a growth pattern unlike any other flowering plants. Many of the species grow best attached to other plants while there are some species which grow optimally if they are attached to a rock or other mineral substance.

An orchid usually requires a lot of humidity, and in the wild, the phalaenopsis orchid is found underneath the canopies of a forest. They will usually grow well any climate as, long as they're not exposed to direct sunlight. Certain species are better suited to each climate zone though, so be sure to find the species that's best for your climate zone before you purchase a phalaenopsis orchid.

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