When your Orchid is done flowering
Want to learn more about Orchid done flowering (cut down the stem)
Get individual care schedule and reminders for your plant with our app Planta. Never kill a plant again!
It can be alarming when your orchid suddenly stops flowering, especially if it hasn't flowered for a long time. But don’t worry - it’s possible that it will flower again!
WHY HAS MY ORCHID STOPPED FLOWERING?
It’s actually perfectly normal for an orchid to go through a cycle of flowering followed by a period where the plant focuses on growing leaves instead.
When you first get your orchid it will most likely already have plenty of flowers and buds. These will last for several weeks if the orchid is healthy and cared for properly in the right conditions. Eventually the flowers will fall from the spikes—how long this takes depends on how long your orchid has been flowering before you brought it home. When this occurs it can be tempting to throw away your plant but with some patience and tending, it will bloom again in the future.
WHAT TO DO NOW
When your orchid is finally done flowering, all you need to do is to prune back its flower spikes in order to encourage it to flower again. Follow the tip of the spike down to below the lowest flower and cut just above the first node you meet. This might promote the growth of a secondary flower spike over the next few months. If the entire spike has started to wilt or turn yellow you can just prune it back to the base of your plant. Your orchid will eventually produce a new flower spike if given the right conditions.
This is also the perfect time to check if your orchid is in need of repotting and to check the health of its root system.
There are also a few things you can do to provide the ideal environment for flowering. These plants are accustomed to a slightly lower night-time temperature so placing it near a window is a good way to create this effect. A reduction of 10-15F is ideal so keep it away from heaters in winter an AC in summer. They don't like big temperature changes or drafts. The lack of lowered night-time temperatures is a common reason your orchid may not be flowering.
WHAT WILL MY ORCHID NEED TO FLOWER AGAIN?
A bright spot with lots of indirect light, sheltered from direct sunlight. During the winter months a grow light will help a lot too
Regular watering and fertilizing according to Planta's customized schedules
Patience - most times the plant only needs time and stable growing conditions to flower again