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Potted orchids are not a single category of plants with the same requirements. Phalaenopsis, Vanda, Cattleya, or Paphiopedilum have different structures, growth rhythms, and habitats. This page helps you recognize popular genera and reach the appropriate guide for each.
In commerce, you will mostly encounter hybrids. The name on the label may belong to a genus, a botanical species, or an intergeneric hybrid; therefore, the photo and shape of the plant matter as much as the commercial name.
Phalaenopsis Orchid
The most common house orchid has monopodial growth, broad leaves, and flower stems that emerge from between the leaves. The flowers can remain open for many weeks, and hybrids exist in a very wide range of colors and shapes.
Vanda Orchid
Vanda is recognized by its vigorous aerial roots and leaves arranged on a vertical stem. Many specimens grow without compact substrate, in baskets or very ventilated pots, and are appreciated for their large, intensely colored flowers.
Zygopetalum Orchid
Zygopetalum forms pseudobulbs and stems with green-violet flowers, often with a spicy fragrance. It is a sought-after genus for the appearance of its flowers and for the scent, which can be very strong in bright spaces.
Paphiopedilum Orchid
The Venus slipper has a lip transformed into a characteristic pouch. The leaves can be green or marbled, and the flower often lasts many weeks. It has no pseudobulbs, so it should not be treated like a Cattleya.
Cattleya Orchid
Cattleya and its allied hybrids are associated with large flowers, prominent labellum, and fragrance. Some forms have a single leaf per pseudobulb, others two; this detail explains why rhythm and light can differ between specimens.
Cambria Orchids
“Cambria” is a commercial name for intergeneric hybrids, not a single botanical genus. They may have ancestry from Oncidium, Brassia, Miltonia, or Odontoglossum, and the flowers appear in numerous combinations of shapes and colors.
Cymbidium Orchids
Cymbidium produces long, narrow leaves and stems with many flowers. Classic forms usually require a cooler season for blooming, while HTC hybrids are more suitable for indoors.
Dendrobium Orchids
Dendrobium is one of the most diverse orchid genera. The reed-like stems may keep leaves or lose them seasonally, and some groups require dormancy, while others grow more steadily.
Miltoniopsis Orchids
Miltoniopsis is sometimes called the pansy orchid due to its flat flowers with broad patterns. It differs from many Cambria orchids by its flower and preference for a cooler, humid microclimate.
Bulbophyllum Orchids
Bulbophyllum is a vast genus, appreciated by collectors for unusual inflorescences, ranging from delicate flowers to spectacular shapes. Many species have small pseudobulbs connected by a rhizome and require constant humidity, without standing water in the pot.
Do you want to choose an orchid by shape, fragrance, or experience level? See the orchid collection, then use the guide dedicated to the chosen genus.