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When it comes to orchids, proper care always comes with a reward of showy, exotic blooms and shiny green leaves. The charisma of orchids has made the flower so appealing, and apt maintenance only enhances that.
If you ask why there is an untold dominance of orchids in the world of gardening, the answer will be their unrealistic elegance and perfection. This sturdy perennial plant grows both outdoors and indoors.
However, orchids are trendy when it comes to indoor gardening.
Passionate gardeners admire this beauty so much that they cannot help decorate their adobe with it. But, sometimes, you notice indoor orchids start drooping.
It can be a symptom of mistakes that occurred during orchid care.
If you suddenly find pale leaves or wilting flowers in your orchids, do not ignore that. It can be a sign that your plant is stressed. But early diagnosis and quick treatment can surely recover the orchids.
Why are my orchid flowers wilting?
Out of enthusiasm, a passionate orchid lover purchased the plant and kept it in a greenhouse. He then excitedly waited for them to flower.
But doing everything as per the expert’s recommendation, he noticed drooping orchids instead of exotic and graceful ones.
Now, a novice orchid-grower can feel anxious. But sometimes, wilting orchids are natural.
Then how to know when they are not? Fear not because we have shared all the possible factors that can be responsible for the wilted blossom. If you are facing the same issue, it can be because of the following reasons.
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It is time to say goodbye to this charming perennial
No life is eternal on earth, and an orchid is no different. No matter how heartbreaking it sounds, orchids die when the time comes. But their fame is everlasting.
The lifespan of the exotic beauty differs depending on the variants. If you take common moth orchids or Phalaenopsis orchids, they bud for three months consecutively without any withering.
On the other hand, Dendrobiums and Oncidiums flower for a month on average. But, the Cattleyas variant of orchids blooms for one fortnight.
Suitable environment and apt maintenance can aid some variants of orchids flower up to 4 months without any wilt.
While the blooming season of Stanhopeas lasts only 3-4 days, you can enjoy exotic florets of moth orchids even for three months.
So from the timetable we shared, you can readily get an idea of the lifespan of your orchid even at the time of purchasing.
Even a brand new exotic orchid with infinite charm can wilt overnight. It could happen because you purchased the floret at the end of its lifecycle.
Orchids get fussy if there is any environmental change
Orchids are sensitive to environmental change and have relatively lower compatibility.
Due to their lesser adaptability, they do not like repotting and any change in climates. Their sensitivity is so high that even an indoor orchid cannot adjust to a room-changing event. When it comes to orchids, resistance is rare.
Generally, orchid growers keep the plant in a greenhouse to provide the optimal light, humidity, temperature, and water. Since orchids are a little demanding, they love this special care.
But even after they get matured, they cannot adapt if you shift them somewhere from the greenhouse and the graceful herb reacts to this through wilting the flowers.
Repotting of a full-bloom plant can cause orchids to wilt.
The exotic blossom of the plant demands a lot of energy. So whenever you change the climate, they spend their whole energy to fit in the new change. This phenomenon will result in the drooping of florets.
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Orchids wilt due to temperature change
The temperature change can happen for various reasons. When it comes to sudden changes in temperature, orchids have the lowest adaptability.
It might happen if an indoor gardener shifts them from a greenhouse to an adobe, as an ornamental plant.
The room temperature differs from a greenhouse. As a result of this temperature fluctuation, orchids can wilt.
Since they cannot bear the heat waves rising from the surface, heat vents allow the air to circulate even more.
The same happens when your orchids suddenly enter into a colder climate. The chilly, cool air shocks their growth and wilts the flowers.
Change of humidity can be a cause.
Like temperature, any fluctuation in humidity can also result in wilted orchid flowers. When orchids sit in a row with various houseplants in your yard or indoors, it gets used to higher humidity.
The density of herbs elevates the moisture in the ambiance.
But, if you allow your orchid to sit alone in the aftermath, the patterned petals of the graceful flower wilt due to lack of humidity. A humidifier can help escalate the ambient moisture when you isolate your orchid.
What should you do when an orchid flower is wilted?
So hopefully, now you have understood what factors are to blame for the wilted orchids. But for an orchid-grower and admirer, it is hard to let go of the fancy plant with stunning beauty.
Even after the flowers get wilted, they try their best to revive the plant.
Sometimes their effort gets fruitful, sometimes not. So after many studies and experiments, we have shared some tips that will provide you maximum chances to relive your orchids.
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Hydrate your orchids
Orchids are very particular with their requirements of water.
Depending on the seasons and climate, their demand for hydration can go the highest or the lowest.
And if you cannot meet the requirements, they react. A sudden withering in orchid leaves can be a sign of inadequate or excess moisture in the plant.
A leggy, blackish root system generally tells you the plant is getting superfluous moisture. Inexperienced gardeners water orchids frequently without knowing their needs.
They should remember overwatering does not aid plants to bud better. On the contrary, insufficient watering makes orchid roots stiff and dry.
The requirement for hydration differs depending on the species of orchids and several environmental factors.
If you pot orchids in sphagnum moss, they require water every one to two weeks.
The demand for moisture increases when you plant the orchids in shredded bark. In this case, misting once or twice a week is apt for them to keep hydrated.
Orchids get bothered with water with a salty tendency.
If the water is high in alkaline, you can see the burnt leaf tip and withered roots in the tempting plant.
To resolve the problem, rinse the potting mixture or soil amendment with deionized freshwater frequently to remove the salt.
A full-bloom orchid will wilt naturally
The graceful flower with delicacy eventually wilts when the orchid plant finishes blooming. It is quite natural for them. But one thing you can do is monitor the spikes during the resting period of an orchid plant.
When the plant finishes flowering for the season, its resting period starts.
During this phase, the spike needs to stay healthy so that it can re-bud.
A pale, ailing spike can snatch the flowering ability of your orchid.
So it is safer and wiser to trim them at the earliest. The sooner you diagnose the issue and solve it, the better your orchid will flourish for the next season.
Do not let the elegant plant waste its energy
The off-season is the appropriate time to take care of the graceful orchids.
Orchids can take a rest only when they save energy. So they will get happy if you cut some unhealthy spikes at the base of the plant. It could help them conserve energy.
An overgrown one can prevent the herb from saving energy for re-bud.
So trim the green and healthy spikes from one inch above the leaf node with a sterilized tool.
So to ensure the elegant flowering plant reblooms, look after it sincerely throughout the resting phase. Your green friend will love this energy booster.
Do not let some microscopic beings ruin the beauty
Orchids are prone to get affected by insects and bacteria. Even if you keep the plant indoors, the wilted flowers can be a result of pest infestation.
Microscopic aphids are the most common threat to orchids. They stay on the shiny orchid leaves and pause the growth of the herb. Only frequent misting can help in this situation.
Mites cause wilted florets and brown orchid leaves in the plant.
You can spray alcohol on the affected area. Even buds soaked in alcohol will do the job.
A diseased plant can feature wilted flowers, rotten roots and stems, and discolored leaves.
In that case, it is wise to cut the sick part off with the help of a sanitized tool. Repotting the plant with fungicide sprayed all over it can improve the health of the ailing herb.
Should I remove wilted orchid flowers?
Yes, an ardent orchid-planter should remove the orchid flowers, as they can affect other healthy parts of the plant. A wilted orchid blossom not only ruins the showy presence of the plant but also spreads disease. So carefully cut them off with a pair of sterilized scissors or knives.
How do you revive wilted orchids?
Enjoying the exotic beauty of the decorative indoors orchid is an experience worth reminiscing.
So when the frilly blossoms wilt for several reasons, the caregiver tries his best to revive them. There are some possible ways to fix them, which are as follows.
- Water the orchids as per their requirements since the demands vary depending on the species and several environmental factors.
- When the flowering season gets over, the orchids naturally droop. Even though it is a common phenomenon, you can cut the dead buds and unwell spikes to save energy for the next bloom.
- Since temperature and humidity fluctuation causes orchid flowers to wither, placing them in severely hot and cold places can worsen the situation.
- Sometimes high amounts of ethylene gas can cause wilting orchids. So keeping your orchid near a fruit or vegetable plant can be dangerous, as they discharge this gas.
- Pest infestation is another option you can blame for drooping orchids. But you can resolve the issue by frequent misting with an appropriate amount of alcohol.
Will wilted orchid flowers come back?
Yes, the wilted orchid flowers come back, even though the possibility is the lowest. There are many proven ways to revive a wilted flower, but a few of them work in the case of the orchids.
This fancy bud is so susceptible that it is almost impossible to resurrect a withered orchid bloom.
But sugar-water can help, depending on the surrounding factors. Take a vase of lukewarm water with sugar. Then place the wilted orchid in the vase and wait for the magic to happen. The sugar in the water might cheer them up.
End thought
Now hopefully, you have understood why your orchids wilt. So if you notice any withered bloom in your plant, try to investigate the cause and resolve it as we recommend. The sooner you fix the problem, the longer you can enjoy the showy presence of exotic orchids.