How to Care for a Coerulea Orchid

Coerulea orchids have delicate, deep blue flowers.

Coveted for their deep blue flowers, the coerulea orchid is a fairly rare orchid in cultivation. The orchid family is one of the largest of the plant families, with 28,000 species and 30,000 cultivars, according to the University of Illinois Extension Program. As with most orchids, the coerulea requires different care than other house plants. A combination of the right planting medium, temperature, fertilizer, and water are critical to caring for a coerulea orchid.

Things You'll Need

• Planting pot
• Gravel
• Soilless potting medium
• Fertilizer

Instructions

1. Select a pot that is no more than 1 inch larger than the current pot your coerulea orchid is in. Clay, plastic, and metal pots are all suitable, as long as there are drainage holes in the bottom.

2. Spread a 1/2- to 1-inch layer of gravel over the bottom of the pot to aid in drainage and prevent the planting medium from running out the drainage holes at watering time.

3. Fill the pot halfway with a soilless planting medium. Garden centers sell premixed formulas for growing orchids. Alternatively, use one or a combination of pine bark, peat moss, volcanic stone, or osmunda fern fibers.

4. Place the coerulea orchid into the new pot so that the base area where the roots and the stem join is 1/4 inch below the lip of the pot. Fill in the soilless medium around the rootball up to 1/4 inch below the lip of the pot. Press down the medium gently with your fingertips.

5. Place the orchid in a sink or outside, and run water over the pot until it runs out the drainage holes in the bottom. Leave the potted orchid to drain completely.

6. Keep coerulea orchids 12 to 36 inches away from a bright window with filtered sunlight. Orchids thrive when the temperature is 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit at night, and 70 to 75 F during the day.

7. Fertilize the orchid once a month using a 30-10-10 orchid fertilizer. Check the fertilizer package for the right amount to use at each application.

8. Water the orchid once a week, or when the top of the soilless medium feels dry to the touch. Place the orchid in a sink, and soak the pot until water runs through.

Tips & Warnings

• If you keep the pot on a saucer or tray to catch excess water and protect surfaces, empty the tray frequently. Standing water around the roots will quickly kill the delicate coerulea orchid.

References

• NOVA: Vanda coerulea
• University of Florida IFAS Extension: Tips on Growing Orchids in Florida
• University of Illinois Extension: Growing Orchids