It is a phalaenopsis. Best out of direct sun but very bright light. If the stalk stays green I keep it as it may rebloom but some folks cut it off-your choice. I have 12 year old one that is in pure pine bark, some say fir bark is better but I have never had an issue with it, but I have easy access to pine bark in my yard. I soak mine in water for 10-15 minutes every 7-10 days in winter. In summer I keep it shaded on a porch and water a bit more often. I bring it in when temps dip below 40F at night. Ferts are at 1/4 strength each watering.

tj

Thanks @tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱ for your help.

Rouge21, Looks to me like you have come by an very nice inheritance. Your new Phalaenopsis appears to have been well cared for, and is in great shape. You are correct in saying the plant is in a cheap thin clear plastic pot. That is probably the pot it has been growing since it was a tiny baby plant. These plants are grown overseas (in the tropics, to save heating and cooling costs), and for the most part are grown using automated culture. When the plant is blooming and ready for sale, the plastic pots are removed from the growing racks and placed in decorative ceramic pots much like the one you show with the plant in the photo. These decorative cover pots are to protect the plants while in shipment, and make them look more attractive to sell better. The decorative cover pots usually do not have drainage holes in them, and in my opinion are one of the main reason many people have so much difficulty growing orchids. The clerks in the “big box” stores are told to water the plants when they get dry, but no one knows how important it is to pour the standing water out of the outer pots after watering.

Roots in standing water = root rot. Orchids grow very slowly, so it can sometimes take as much as a month for root rot to become apparent in a plant, and the first signs are a limp dehydrated plant which is exactly what root rot is. No roots, no water intake, so the inexperienced grower starts watering the plant more, when in fact the best remedy is to take the plant out of the pot and dry it out and try to save any remaining roots, and grow new ones.

Does the pot you show beside the plant have drainage holes (hole) in the bottom? If not, don’t even consider putting your plant in it. Try to find a clay (orchid) pot. Orchid pots have slits cut in the side of the pot in addition to the hole in the bottom. These allow excellent drainage and air to circulate around the roots. If you can’t find clay, then a plastic “azalea” pot is next best. The azalea pots are not as deep as a “standard” pot, so are easier to dry out between watering.

I personally would remove the bloom spike from the plant. It might branch and produce a few more blooms, but in my opinion the previous owner got their money’s worth out of that one, and its time for you to encourage the plant to produce a new spike for you. Use a sterile sharp razor knife, and cut the stem leaving a stump about an inch long. You can put fungicide on the cut if you want to- lots do, lots don’t.

South facing window is ok, no direct (hot) sunlight, and 55-60 degrees F. minimum night temp.

Use orchid bark mix with fir bark as the primary ingredient. Wet the bark before potting. Take the plant out of the pot and remove any dead roots. (dried papery looking, usually covering a hard dried stick like central stem.) If you cut into live tissue, same procedure as for cutting the bloom spike. Fungicide is more important here since most folks won’t let the roots get really dry before potting.

I usually unpot the plant today, and trim it up and repot tomorrow to let the plant get really dry before I start working on it. Cover the roots well with the wet bark mix and make sure to fill in all air pockets. When potted, put the plant in a warm shady spot and let it dry out thoroughly – several days before beginning its regular watering schedule. Let it get almost completely dry before watering it normally.

You do not have to use “orchid fertilizer”, the numbers are what count. 30-10-10 high nitrogen (first number) makes the plant grow. Before I expect blooming, I shift to a balanced fertilizer, 10-10-10, etc. all numbers the same. There are almost as many theories on fertilizer usage as there are orchid growers, so use what works.

Hope this helps. Just remember, orchids are “tough old birds”, I suggest getting a culture book and use that as a guideline. The American Orchid Society is a good source. Come back here if you want to talk through a problem, just remember, here you get all levels of experience, and folks living all over the world telling you how they do it. All solutions won’t work for your growing situation.

Have fun.

Bill

@Billsc what a superb informatiove and suppportive reply. Thank you very much.

Does the pot you show beside the plant have drainage holes (hole) in the bottom?

Yes it has one largish hole right in the middle.

I personally would remove the bloom spike from the plant. It might branch and produce a few more blooms,

Remove it right down to the base?

Agree with Bill, and yes cut that spike off.

I personally feed very little during the winter months.

Good luck, its a lovely plant and appears very healthy.

Jane