Do Orchids Need Sunlight?

Orchids in General

• With its 25,000 species, the orchid family is one of the largest in the flowering world. Depending on the variety, orchids flower from one week to four months. Most bloom once a year but a few species will flower year-round. For beginners, Linda Seals, writing for the University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension, recommends starting your orchid experience with the Cattleya, Phalaenopsis, Paphiopedilums or Oncidiums.

Outdoors

• When grown outdoors, most orchids require 70 to 80 percent shade and some varieties prefer as much as 85 to 90 percent shade, including Phalaenopsis. According to Robert Black, writing for the University of Florida IFAS Extension, bright or intense sunlight burns leaves and breaks down chlorophyll, which causes the foliage to yellow and die. Outdoor spots that may provide the right shade for your orchids include covered patios or decks, sheltered areas under the eaves of your house or regions deeply shaded by trees.

Indoors

• A bright, south window that gets indirect sunlight all day will generally shed enough light for indoor orchid growth and bloom. If necessary, you can also use artificial lighting for your orchids. Barbara Larson of the University of Illinois Extension recommends using two 36 to 48 inch shop lights hung just above the top of the plant, left on for at least 12 hours daily. Many garden shops also carry plant grow lights and stands designed specifically for indoor gardening. Larson notes, however, that orchids produce the best blooms when they receive natural sunlight along with the artificial lighting.

Other Considerations

• Orchids do well with evening temps of 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit and daytime temperatures of about 70. They need a special, soil-less growing medium, available at most garden shops, and watering about once a week. Monthly application of a 20-20-20 or 30-10-10 liquid orchid fertilizer will supply necessary nutrients. Orchids prefer moist over dry air conditions. A simple way to provide humidity for your orchids is to place pebbles in a tray with enough water to cover the bottom of the tray without covering the pebbles, so that the pots are not sitting in water. As the water evaporates, humidity levels around the plants increase.