orchid care · orchids · phalaenopsis · plant care ·07, Jul 2026

How to Care for a Phalaenopsis Orchid

The phalaenopsis — the moth orchid, or butterfly orchid as it’s known here — is one of the few flowering gifts that keeps going long after it arrives. Give it a little of the right attention and it will hold its bloom for six weeks or more, then flower again the following season. Here’s how to keep yours at its best in Malaysia’s climate.

Light: bright, but never direct sun

Phalaenopsis love light but hate being scorched. A spot near a window with filtered daylight is ideal — an east-facing sill, or a bright room set back from the glass. In Penang’s midday sun, direct light through a window will burn the leaves, so keep it shaded from the harshest hours. A healthy plant has firm, olive-green leaves: dark green means too little light, while yellow or reddish leaves mean too much.

Water: less than you think

The most common way to lose an orchid is kindness — too much water. In our humidity, once a week is usually enough. Water the roots, not the crown (the centre where the leaves meet), let it drain fully, and never leave the pot sitting in water. Silvery-grey roots mean it’s thirsty; green roots mean it’s still fine. When in doubt, wait a day.

Air and warmth

Phalaenopsis are happiest in the same conditions we are — warm, with gentle air movement. Keep it out of the direct blast of an air-conditioner, which dries out the blooms, and away from closed, stuffy corners. Normal room temperature is perfect.

After the flowers fall — how to make it rebloom

When the last bloom drops, the plant isn’t finished. To encourage a second flush, cut the spent flower spike just above a visible node lower down the stem; or remove the spike entirely to let the plant rest and rebuild strength. Keep up the light and the weekly water, and a healthy phalaenopsis will send up a new spike within a few months.

Quick care summary

Light: bright and filtered — no direct midday sun
Water: about once a week, roots only, drain fully
Air: warm with gentle airflow, away from the aircon
Rebloom: trim the spike after flowering; new growth in a few months

Cared for well, a single orchid easily outlasts any bouquet — which is exactly what makes it such a considered gift for a grand opening, a new home, or a thank-you that should still be standing a month later. You can see our current orchids, potted and ready to send across Penang island and the mainland, in the Phalaenopsis Orchid collection.