Hi All!
I purchased a home recently and the previous owner left this beautiful orchid that is so big that it broke through its pot. Right now I’m trying to water it once a week but am not sure how much water to give it. It is located under a patio awning that allows some light through. It appears that it has been there for a very, very long time so I don’t think I should move it. Previous owner was an elderly woman and her son said she had always talked about repotting it but didn’t get around to it before the end. She had lived in this house for decades. The orchid is not as happy as it was when we moved in a few weeks ago and I’m looking for some advice on what type of orchid this is and how best to take care of it.
What do people do when orchids reach this large of size? I cannot imagine how we could even repot it at this point without the help of a pro. Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. The previous owner’s son had mentioned that there’s a nursery nearby that they would occasionally sell cuttings to, I don’t know what is special about this orchid (please excuse my ignorance) but am very curious to learn more so that I can help it thrive. I’ve considered calling around to local nurseries to see if I can identify which one so that maybe they could tell me what orchid this is and any tips.
by radrenots
12 Comments
I think it looks a lot like a spider plant. They are also known for having roots that break pots. If it’s really an orchid I’ve definitely never seen one like that, im nit an orchid expert. Does it have any flower stems or spider plant babies? Or just leaves?
Neither is it an orchid or a spider plant. The leaves look like an iris.
This is going to sound like an ass hole question but I’m genuinely curious as to why you thought this was an orchid.
Lilyturf.
I love that you’re being such a good sport. I head-tilted SO fast when I saw this picture.
It does look like a spider plant. I see evidence where the offshoots were cut away. Those yellowish sticks poking out of the soil.
If it were a bulb plant it wouldn’t be possible to take cuttings to sell
It looks like a Daylily (aka ditch-Lilly).
Just repot it or stick it in the ground. It’s one of the hardiest garden plants (which is why they’ve become invasive in many places).
You can split into multiple plants if you want something smaller.
This is probably a cymbidium orchid. Google that and see if it makes sense with what you have. Odds are good this is what it is, since they did call it an orchid.
The other possibility is an evergreen daylily (Hemerocallis hybrid) – a fancy triploid hybrid. This would also fit with selling cuttings.
How big is this and what does it look like right at the soil level? Can you get a close up photo of the roots? That would help differentiate there between daylily and orchid.
Day lilies?
I think I need some sleep because I was 100% expecting it to open its eyes and blink at me. Thought it was a little monster with clever camouflage. If you ask it politely, maybe it’ll tell you what it needs?
Ornamental grass
Looks like a cymbidium. This is on a bigger scale than a spider plant judging by the bricks being dwarfed by the plant. Please verify for us what size this plant is