If you’ve noticed your Max & Miles Phalaenopsis Orchid has lost its blooms -- don’t panic! Orchid bloom loss and orchid dormancy are part of the regular life cycle of your orchid, when it rests between bloom cycles. Flowering plants don’t flower all the time, they need to take a break and rest before reblooming. This is most easily seen in outdoor plants during the course of the year. Flowers bloom in the spring and summer, and then need to wait out the colder seasons before reblooming again.
With your indoor orchid, however, you need to create a fake winter to trick your orchid into reblooming! With a little TLC, your orchid can indeed bloom again and keep coming back!
What Does Orchid Dormancy Look Like?
When your orchid goes dormant, it will drop its blooms. You’ll see them start to droop a bit first, and then they will fall off, usually one or a few at a time. You can pull off fading blooms yourself to help preserve the others while your orchid is still in bloom.
You’ll also notice the stem and leaves of your orchid change during dormancy. When it’s going dormant, the green stems of your Max & Miles orchid will start to dry out and become shriveled. The leaves become more flat and limp rather than perky and upright, and they may appear more dull in color (but still green).
How To Rebloom Your Orchid
First, don’t rush. Dormancy typically lasts six to nine months, and your orchid may rebloom all on its own! But if you want to help it along after it goes dormant, just follow these steps.
Fertilize. As soon as your orchid goes dormant, start fertilizing it every other week to help rebuild its nutrient stores for blooming again. Use a balanced 20-20-20 houseplant fertilizer diluted to half strength. Do not water your orchid on weeks that you fertilize.
Move your orchid to a cooler environment, between 55-65 degrees fahrenheit until a new spike emerges from your orchid plant. This helps simulate a “winter” season and tricks the plant into blooming to reproduce.
Return the plant to its usual spot in your home once the new spike grows, and go back to watering with three ice cubes per week.
Don’t Forget to Rest
Just like your orchids, it’s important for YOU to get the rest you need. While you’re waiting for your orchid to rebloom, how can you focus on self care too?
FAQs
During dormancy, make sure to provide your orchid plant with plenty of indirect sunlight. Although your plant craves warmth and light from the sun, too much direct sunlight can kill your orchid plant at any stage of its life cycle. Add sheer curtains to your windows to give your plant the perfect amount of sunshine!
What is orchid dormancy? ›
Flowering can last from one to three months after which the plant goes into a period of rest or dormancy. During this time, it stores energy for the next flowering period. Throughout an orchid's dormant time, blooms drop from the stem, and the stem may shrivel and turn gray or brown.
How long does orchid dormancy last? ›
Dormancy in orchids may last anywhere from six to nine months. An orchid that becomes dormant may look all green and healthy sans the flowers. Unfortunately, in some cases, the leaves of your beloved orchid plant may appear dried-up and dead, which is an unpleasant sight to any orchid lover.
Should you trim a dormant orchid? ›
Once all the flowers are spent, the plant is likely dormant (this usually happens in fall), and can be pruned more dramatically. Remove any dead or dying stalks right back to the roots, and take healthy stalks that have finished blooming down to around an inch from the main stalk. Healthy stems should then regrow.
How long does it take for an orchid to come back to life? ›
It takes on average 2 to 3 months from new growth appearing to a fully developed flower spike, ready to bloom. Once a flower spike has started growing, it's best not to rotate your orchid, as the spike will want to grow towards the light. If shifted, the spike will try to twist back towards the light.
What does a healthy dormant orchid look like? ›
You'll also notice the stem and leaves of your orchid change during dormancy. When it's going dormant, the green stems of your Max & Miles orchid will start to dry out and become shriveled. The leaves become more flat and limp rather than perky and upright, and they may appear more dull in color (but still green).
What makes an orchid rebloom? ›
Move to a Colder Location. The orchid enters its rebloom cycle once the new leaf is fully grown. At night, move it to a location 55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
How to make an orchid grow a new spike? ›
To get a new orchid flower spike, place the plant in an area with a lower room temp — about 55–65°F at night should do it. Placing your orchid in a window away from the heater might work, too. We've had best success getting new flower spikes in winter, when our homes and their windows aren't as warm.
How to make orchids bloom constantly? ›
How To Make Your Orchid Rebloom
- Get fertilizing. Start fertilizing your plant every other week with either an all-balanced fertilizer, one labeled as "bloom booster" or even one specifically designed for Orchids. ...
- Increase light. ...
- Find a new spot for your plant.
Like all plants, orchids require sufficient light in order to produce flowers. Insufficient light is the most common cause of failure to rebloom your orchid. Leaf color indicates if the amount of light is adequate. The lush, rich, dark green of most houseplants is not desirable in orchid leaves.
In the wild, dormancy occurs naturally when rains decrease or temperatures drop. Do not let the plant dry out completely, and continue to maintain moderate humidity around the leaves. During this time you may be able to water the orchid as seldom as once or twice a month.
How do you wake up a dormant orchid? ›
Just because the flowers have fallen off doesn't mean that the orchid is dead—it's simply in a dormant phase and will likely flower again. You can encourage blooming by pruning and repotting an orchid. Be sure to provide the right amount of water and light, as well. Before you know it, gorgeous flowers will appear!
Do orchids rebloom on old stems? ›
Of all of the more commonly available orchids, only Phalaenopsis (the moth orchid) will re-bloom from its old spike. Phalaenopsis will generally re-bloom given a little extra care.
How do you store orchids when they are not in bloom? ›
Just like when it's in full bloom, your orchid needs lots of indirect light during dormancy. Give your plant the light it craves while keeping it safe from sunburn by placing it behind a sheer curtain in a north or east-facing window.
How often do you water orchids when they are not in bloom? ›
Unlike most houseplants, you don't need to keep orchid moss evenly moist; if it stays too moist, the orchid can rot. You can also water your orchid like a traditional houseplant – just apply a splash of water to the moss once every seven to 10 days.
How long can an orchid go without blooming? ›
Orchid flowers are well-known for lasting several months, but most species only bloom once a year, usually during the same time each year. Phalaenopsis or moth orchids are one species that can be coaxed into reblooming indoors every three to six months.
