"Bob Hobden" wrote

"Cheryl" wrote
I was bought a lovely orchid for my birthday in july which stayed in
beautiful bloom for months. Unfortunately all the flowers dropped off
and now the stem they were on have dried up and gone all shriveled up
like little twigs. The leaves at the bottom are still bright green, long
and look quite healthy.
Does this mean that my plant is still alive or has it gone to plant
heaven? I have had no previous experience with Orchids so was hoping
someone here could help. If its still alive and will reflower do I have
to cut the stems down to the base so they grow again?
Thanks in advance for any possible help

Your first task is to ID the plant as there are so many orchids with so
many different needs it would be impossible to give advice on culture
without an ID.

However, from your description I am guessing it is a Phaelonopsis hybrid
often called a Moth orchid (the Butterfly Orchid is something else) but I
might be wrong.
Large leathery strap shaped leaves grow flat just above the growing medium
and throw up flowering stalks from the short stem on which appear numerous
long lived flowers. Roots are thick and grey with a green tip (if growing
well) and tend to grow outside the pot and cling on permanently to
anything they touch.
If the flowering stalks have died it's a shame as they often reflower, but
it's not the end of the plant, with the correct care it will throw up more
spikes with more flowers in a few months.
Cut the brown dead stems off as near the base as possible, and learn the
plants requirements.

Some links you may find interesting...
http://www.cedar-lodge.co.uk/ ... just a warning in case you get the bug
too. :-)
http://orchidlady.com/stories/moths1.html .. good cultural instructions
http://aos.org/aos/uploadedfiles/doc...termedphal.pdf a pdf of
cultural instructions.


--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London