These orchids are also known as moth orchids, which is a charming nickname for these lovely flowers. My husband bought me two of them for Christmas several years ago and I dearly love them. The purple one has large, stunning blossoms that last several months. The flower spike issued six buds this year which have opened into larger blossoms than in years past. The white one had a lovely, curved spike that branched off to a smaller spike. The enchanting shape of the spike was made even lovelier when the 18 buds opened. An American Orchid Society survey found that these orchids are America's favorite. Trader Joe's started carrying Phalaenopsis a few years ago and in moments of weakness, I have not been able to resist the orchids siren song as I push my cart by the orchid display.

I have found many lovely orchids at Maplethorpe Orchids in Soquel, California. One of my favorite Phalaenopsis is Universal Magic. The venation in the soft pink petals is magical. It has been a great bloomer in our home. A spike dropped all petals the first week of December and two weeks later, another spike has started to grow.

Phalaenopsis prefer an eastern exposure and normal household temperatures of 60 to 65 degrees at night and 75 to 80 during the day. They like to be kept on the moist side, but not sitting in pooled water. I use small tumbled pieces of broken china and sea glass as a way to keep the water off the roots but create a bit of humidity in the drip trays. From my research, I have found that it is not uncommon for a second flower spike to grow after the first one has been removed. They like medium-sized bark as a growing medium.

Oncidium are a large family of orchids that can be grown both indoors and out because they tolerate higher daytime temperatures than other types. They like bright light and this one has done very well in the eastern facing greenhouse window. My oncidium came in a combination orchid pot I purchased at Trader Joe's. Its companion is a peach and dark pink Phalaenopsis. I don't know the name of this particular plant. It was not in bloom at the time I bought it and I am very pleased with the stunning dark purple flowers. Like Phalaenopsis, it likes high humidity and a similar fertilizing schedule (every three weeks). Leaves should be as bright green as possible as reddish leaves are a sign of too much light.

Another oncidium in the collection came from Maplethorpe's. It is called Lava Burst. In 2006, four flower spikes have grown, two of which have opened in the first week of December. I love the rusty orange color of its small flowers, each one about a half inch round.

Norm's Orchids states that "Dendrobiums are an excellent choice for a novice grower" which fit me to a tee! In 2001, my father passed away. A former co-worker, Krista, gave me a dendrobium as a lovely sympathy gesture. I thought the plant was so pretty but was convinced that I would kill it. But I read the instructions on the plant and did some research. Over time, not only did I NOT kill it, but the plant put out more stalks and has bloomed every year since. It sat in the kitchen window sill for four years before our home addition was finished and the greenhouse window installed. Dendrobiums must be allowed to dry out between waterings and like to be watered first thing in the morning. They also like to be in a tight pot, one that is small for the size of the plant. Dendrobiums like to have their potting medium replaced every two years.

I recently purchased another Dendrobium called Pixie Princess from Norm's Orchids in Montclair, California. While it has not bloomed yet, it is a very healthy plant and I look forward to seeing the color of its blossoms in person. The description states that the blossom will be green with a purple petal.

At the 2005 Pacific Orchid Exposition at Fort Mason, I found an interesting plant at the Orchid Society booth. It was a Dendrochillum tenellum. The plant's leaves were shaped like grass or chives. The label said that it would have tiny white blossoms. So, wishing to support the Orchid Society, I purchased the plant and added it to my collection in the greenhouse window. In November 2006, I noticed some tiny buds springing up in the plant. In December, the buds produced strands of 20 to 30 white flowers. The plant produced 12 of these flower strands that hang like tiny lanterns.

These orchids are fascinating! I have had great success with them but still stumble on the name (it should be pronounced paff-ee-oo-PED-ih-lum which I can never remember.) These orchids are often called Lady Slippers because their lip is shaped like the toe of a slipper. The blossoms are very waxy in appearance and almost never seem real! The blossoms last for several months. Once a plant blossoms, it will never bloom again. However, the plant will send out a runner and a new plant will grow in the same pot. Therefore, it is important to divide and repot Paphiopedilums every year in fine orchid bark. Like Dendrobiums, they like to be in as small a pot as possible.

Paphiopedilums come in 2 varieties: Maudiae and Bulldog. Maudiae have mottled or striped leaves and Bulldog have uniformly green leaves. While I have both varieties, I have had much better luck with the Maudiae type. Paphiopedilums need less light than other types of orchids, so I have them in our bathroom. They get a fair amount of filtered light that seems to agree with them. Four years ago on a trip to Maplethorpe Nursery in Soquel, I came across a large section of Paphiopedilums, named Clar de Lune. There was something almost prehistoric looking about them and I was immediately fascinated by them. My husband is a native of Minnesota and the Showy Lady Slipper is their state flower. This lady slipper became the first of 5 in my collection. Raisin Pie, Black Cherry, Jason Fleming and one waiting to be identified, have done well on my little table in the bathroom.

Cymbidiums were the outdoor first orchids I had ever tended. A friend of my Mom's had given her about 10 of them and when she divided them, she gave me some of each color. I put them outside and watered and tended them for years. While they rarely bloomed, I continued to tend them. In the 10 years I have had many of these plants, I have divided and passed plants on to others. Cymbidiums do great on a covered outside patio. November 2006, I attended an orchid class with my friend Lisa taught by Jerry Parsons, the orchid expert at the UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens. He suggested that I give my cymbidiums a bit more light and they may bloom more often. So, I have shifted the two bakers racks that house the cymbidiums to allow for more winter light. He also suggested that I repot them in smaller pots as they like to be a bit tighter than they are at present.

Cymbidiums like lots of filtered light and cooler temperatures than other orchids. These characteristics make them ideal for outside orchid gardeners in the Bay Area. They need to dry out between waterings and like to be fertilized once a month.

I have had a running problem with scale on a couple of my cymbidiums but because I keep them about 10 inches apart, the scale hasn't spread. Horticultural oil has made a dent in the scale but I must keep a close watch so that the orchids are not reinfested.