How to Bloom Fire Star Orchids
Fire Star Orchids are known for their brilliant colors, long stems and continuous blooms. The reed-like stems are topped by reddish-orange petals surrounding a yellow-orange fringed wing-like center. The orchid has 10 flowers blooming at any given moment, with 40 possible blooms per year, according to the American Orchid Society. The Fire Star Orchid's popularity comes from the flower's beauty, particularly among flowers that can be seen year-round. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Place the orchid in an area that is very warm and receives filtered sunlight. Sun rays that are dappled by shade trees or rays that come in through a slight tinted window are considered filtered. The Fire Star Orchid will not thrive in shade, and will not bloom there either.
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Give the Fire Star Orchid plenty of water for nourishment. The plant needs moist soil and cannot sit in standing water. The orchid can survive without daily watering. When you do give the orchid water, the American Orchid Society suggests watering the plant until the water drains out of the bottom of the planter.
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Let the healthy stems grow uninhibited. Some orchids only bloom if the bloomless but healthy stems are cut away after the flowers die, but not the Fire Star Orchid. Let those stems grow after the first bloom, and you will be surprised with additional blooms.
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Cover the orchids that are planted outside if you anticipate a drop in temperature. The Fire Star Orchid is not one that can handle sudden drops in temperature. Unlike Moth Orchids or Slipper Orchids, the Fire Star Orchid must be covered. Place stakes around the plant and lay a cloth over them that reaches the ground.
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Tips & Warnings
Don't place the orchid in sun filtering through a clear glass window. Instead, move the plant a foot or so away from the window. If the plant's color seems to fade, Argus Orchids suggests pushing it closer to the window a couple of inches everyday until the color comes back.
Cut only the old hard reed stems. Clip them at the base of the plant to make room for newer, healthier growth.
References
- Photo Credit Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
