BloomingFound abandoned in a park
Park Rescue Phalaenopsis
I found it abandoned but healthy in a park near me in July 2026 and brought it home. It first bloomed on September 16.
馃尭 Orchids
Orchid Rescue
Someone left a healthy phalaenopsis in a park near me, so I brought it home. It bloomed in September: orange petals flushed with red, with a magenta lip. I'm still learning how to bring orchids back and get them to flower again.
My Orchids
New leavesThrown out at the Arboretum
Arboretum Rescue
The Arboretum threw it out because it had mealybugs, so it wouldn't infest the other greenhouse plants. I took it home, hosed it off, cleaned the mealybugs away with water and damp cotton, sprayed it with neem oil, and kept it isolated until it was clear. With good light and the right pot, it's putting out new leaves.
Recovering
Broken-Spike Orchid
A couple of months ago I tried to straighten its flower spike without a stake, and the spike broke. Now it's dehydrated and its leaves are small, so I repotted it into a smaller plastic orchid pot, as the orchid seminar recommends. I'm hoping the right light and pot size help it recover.
Not bloomingA gift, 2023
Gifted Orchid
It was a gift in 2023. Now it isn't blooming, and its leaves aren't getting as big as they were. My mistake was moving it to a bigger pot, the way I would with any other plant, and planting it in with other plants.
What I've Learned
Most of it the hard way. Some of it at the Arboretum's orchid seminar.
Lesson
Stake Before You Straighten
Flower spikes are delicate. Don't try to straighten one unless a stake or stand is already in place.
Lesson
Keep the Pot Small, and Keep It Theirs
Orchids aren't like other plants. They like their roots packed tight, in a pot smaller than the leaves. Get the pot size right and the leaves grow bigger. Don't mix other plants into the pot either: gift arrangements often do, and it isn't what an orchid wants.
Lesson
Clean Off Mealybugs, Then Isolate
Hose the plant off, wipe the mealybugs away with water and damp cotton, spray it with neem oil, and keep it away from your other plants until it's clear.
Rescue Checklist
The first thing I do when an orchid comes home.
- Unpot and check the roots
- Trim dead or mushy roots with a sterilized tool
- Repot in fresh medium
- Check for pests and treat if needed
Common Questions
Why are my orchid's leaves getting smaller?
Mine did that after I moved it into a bigger pot, the way I would with any other plant. Orchids like their roots packed tight, in a pot smaller than the leaves. I also planted it in with other plants, which orchids don't want. Gift arrangements often come that way.
Can I straighten an orchid's flower spike?
Not unless a stake is already in place. I tried it on one of mine and the spike snapped. That plant is still recovering.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on an orchid?
I hosed the plant off, wiped the bugs away with water and damp cotton, sprayed it with neem oil, and kept it away from my other plants until it was clear. It's putting out new leaves now.
Is an abandoned orchid worth rescuing?
The one I found in a park was healthy under its spent flowers. I brought it home in July 2026, and it bloomed on September 16.
Where I'm Learning
The seminar was recorded at the Arboretum where I volunteer. The St. Augustine Orchid Society is in humid north Florida, so its watering advice needs adjusting for our drier air.
Video
Growing Orchids - Tips for San Francisco and the Bay Area Climate (recording) (opens in a new tab)
San Mateo Arboretum Society, San Mateo, CA
Arboretum seminar on growing orchids in the Bay Area climate
Website
St. Augustine Orchid Society (opens in a new tab)
St. Augustine Orchid Society, St. Augustine, FL
Orchid club with monthly growing tips, seasonal articles, and repotting clinics
- Contact
- (904) 501-0805 路 staugorchidsociety@gmail.com
Guide
St. Augustine Orchid Society - culture guides (opens in a new tab)
St. Augustine Orchid Society, St. Augustine, FL
Orchid culture and care articles
Social
My Orchids board on Pinterest (opens in a new tab)
Orchid care ideas I'm saving as I learn