Buying Orchids
If you're looking to grow your first orchid you may be wondering where to purchase one, how much should it cost, what to look for to make sure it's healthy, etc. I'll give you the quick tips all right here.
Where To Buy?
The easiest place to find orchids include your local grocery store, Home Depot, and Lowes. While they may not always be the healthiest, you can usually find easy to grow, nice looking varieties to start your first collection.
How Much Should They Cost?
A new miniature orchid like the one pictured above shouldn't cost you much more than $10 - $12. I bought this little guy from a local grocery store for $9.99. Sometimes after they have lost their blooms they can be even cheaper or on sale. Don't be afraid to negotiate or ask for a lower price. No blooms does not mean the plant is dead, just that you'll have to wait 6 months to a year before it blooms again.
What should I Look For?
First, the most important thing to look at are the leaves. You should see little to no wrinkled leaves. If the leaves are wrinkled, they plant has been stressed and it will be hard to bring back to full health. If all the leaves are wrinkled, don't even think about buying it unless you are an experienced grower. The photo below shows an orchid with very healthy leaves.
Next, look at the roots. This example above has lovely "air roots" these are the thick roots that are growing right out of the pot. They should look silver to light green. If they are extremely brown or yellow, the plant is unhealthy. Many of the store plants are also double potted. If you can remove the plant from the pot you will often find a plastic enclosure that you can see through. Check to see that there are bright green colored roots growing inside. If you see a lot of brown or yellow roots the plant may have been overwatered. The photo below shows mostly healthy bright green roots in the pot and healthy light silver air roots.
Last, look at the flowers. Do you like the color and pattern of the flowers? Smell the flowers, are they fragrant? How many buds are there? Are the buds a nice healthy color similar to the stem or have they turned brownish orange and dried up? If an orchid is flowering and it is under or over watered, the buds are the first thing the plant will sacrifice. The flowers always die first. Below is a photo of healthy orchid flowers in two of my favorite varieties.
A Few Last Thoughts
Find a plant you really like, not just the flowers but also the leaves. The phalaenopsis orchids spend much of the year without flowers. Decide if you just want a plant to enjoy for a little while, or if you are willing to take on the adventure of tending to it year over year and maybe even attempting to breed. In the next sections of this overview on orchids, I will describe the care of the orchid which will be important to understand and give you better insight when purchasing future plants.
Click Here to learn about growing orchids.
Click Here to learn about breeding orchids.
Click Here to learn about growing orchids.
Click Here to learn about breeding orchids.