Looks like a cymbidium to me. Are the leaves long and strappy with smallish pseudobulbs at the bottom? Nice color.

(Sorry, Sheila; didn't mean to step on your post--I didn't see it before posting the other response.) Pitch ~ There are lots of questions here, and that's just fine, but I want to try not to be too wordy (ha!). Indoors/Outdoors ~ This is a matter of preference. As Calvin said, Phals do fine indoors if they have good light. In order to avoid bug infestation, I do not put my plants outside. As a "window sill" grower, I use no artificial lights. This limits me to medium light species. Sun/Light ~ Phalaenopsis is a low-medium light genus, with some variation among its species. These orchids do well with ENE, E, ESE, SE, SSE, S, SSW, or SW exposures--best in the middle of this range. During the times of day when sun on the plant is direct, some of these require screening through semisheer curtains--or pull back from direct light. If a leaf in the sun feels warmer than the hand you lay on it, it can burn. As the sun moves with the seasons, the orchid placement may need adjustment. Temperature ~ There are lots of guidelines about this, but I do not find it to be a big issue. The temps around my Phals range from 86 to 58 (high - low, summer - winter). On average, lights in the grow area can be 5-10 degrees cooler than the 70 degrees suggested. In summer the A/C doesn't go on until the temp reaches 79 and the orchids are well away from any A/C or heat vents. Water ~ I use two methods to judge when my Phals need watering. If it is planted in sphagnum moss (strands of blonde to brown fluffy stuff) one can gently stick a finger down into the middle of the media--about up to the second knuckle or more. If it feels damp in there, don't water; if it feels barely moist, do water. Keep water out of the crown of the plant and joints (axils) of the leaves as this can cause rot. Do water thoroughly with enough water to flow through the pot. When I fertilize, I use 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 gal. water and place the pot in another container to soak for a few minutes. Then I drain and stand the pot on paper towels to suck out any water that stays in the pot. (Note: I do not fertilize a blooming Phal as I lose blooms when I do so.) Another way to test for watering is to round off the point of a bamboo BBQ skewer and gently work it 2-3" into the media about halfway between the pot edge and the plant and leave it in place. To test, pull out the skewer and lay the tip end against your upper lip or cheek. If it is cool and damp, it isn't time to water. If it is almost dry, it is time. (When it is blooming it needs water before it gets too close to dryness.) My large Phals can take anywhere from 6 to 11 days before they need water. It varies according to any number of factors: temp, sun, humidity, growth, etc. Leaf Loss ~ I have a Phal which signals a spike by losing its oldest leaf--slowly turns yellow and drops off. Then, often, as the spike matures, the plant loses the next oldest leaf the same way. The plant never keeps more than three leaves for a full year, But it has very big leaves, which seem to fill its needs. Repotting ~ Some growers repot every new orchid as soon as they get it. These are not usually people new to orchid growing. Repotting an orchid with a tall flower spike, preserving the flowers and spike, is no easy task for anyone. Unless there is something wrong with your mom's Phal, it should be ok in its current pot until after blooming. One way you can check is to see if you can pull the plant a little way out of the pot and check the roots. They should look plump and green or silvery over green. Whew! Sorry to be so lengthy, Pitch. Needless to say, these are my own methods and others could well have their own successful techniques. Sweetcicely

It's an epiphyllum, probably an epiphyllum hybrid (which typically contain other, similar genera, including Disocactus, Pseudorhipsalis and Selenicereus). These are commonly referred to as 'orchid cactus', but they are neither a true cactus nor an orchid :-) They are a semi-tropical succulent related to cactus that produces large, very showy flowers. They do produce an edible fruit (NOT a dragon fruit) but these are scarce on indoor plants. They are epiphytes, meaning they take advantage of other, larger plants - like trees - as a support system, like most tropical orchids do, and do not require soil in their native habitat. For home gardeners, they grow perfectly well in a good quality, fast draining potting mix. Unless you live in a semi-tropical climate or certainly a frost free zone (Z 10 or higher), these are not hardy outdoor. And they are pendant in habit, with those long branching structures cascading over the side of a container to often a significant length. One normally grows them in some sort of hanging basket structure or on a tall plant stand to show off the plant and its long branches to best effect. btw, the flowers form at the tips of these flattened leaves/branches so any pruning should be done cautiously. There are scads of websites on epis and if you do a bit of searching, they will provide all the growing info you need (rather than my repeating it all here!!). I find they are very easy to grow and will reward you with some gorgeous - if short-lived - flowers. I've got one setting flower buds now after being moved back indoors from its summer holiday location. Here's just one example of an epiphyllum website but do not stop with just one!! And be sure to check out any that show photo galleries of the blossoms - they are incredible!!

I never saw hairs on a Amaryllis bulb. I grow them in the ground in Florida. I have no idea what that is, but I would repot it in a very well draining mix. Whatever it is it stores water. The size of the bulb and the thickness of the leaves. My guess this plant likes dry conditions and high light. I would repot in a cactus type soil and move it gradually to a very bright, sunny window. Grow it dry, only water when it is completely dry. I'm guessing, but that's what I would do if it were my plant. Good luck and let us know what happens. Jane