Most orchids sold as houseplants come from a handful of genera. They differ more than their shared family suggests. Some want an east window and steady warmth. Others need direct sun, or cold autumn nights before they will flower. Choosing the type that fits your room matters more than any watering trick.

Here are seven orchids you can grow indoors, with the light and temperatures each needs and which suit a first orchid.

7 indoor orchids at a glance

Descriptions are from NC State Extension, American Orchid Society (AOS) culture sheets and Clemson HGIC. Sizes are NC State’s ranges for the genus.

OrchidFormSizeLightNotes
Phalaenopsis (moth orchid)Epiphyte; 3–6 thick leaves, arching spraysTo 61 cm (2 ft) tallLow: east window, or shaded south or westBest first orchid; flowers can last four months or more
Paphiopedilum (slipper orchid)Mostly terrestrial; plain or mottled leaves; one pouched flower per stalkFlower stalks 8–61 cm (3–24 in)Low: 500–2,500 foot-candlesKeep mix moist; repot yearly
DendrobiumEpiphyte with cane-like pseudobulbs15 cm–1.2 m (6 in–4 ft)Bright indirect: west or south windowHard-cane types are the easy ones
Oncidium (dancing lady)Epiphyte; clumps of pseudobulbs, branching sprays15 cm–3 m (6 in–10 ft)Partial shade, 1–5 hours of sunSmall, often scented flowers
Cattleya (corsage orchid)Epiphyte; 1–2 thick leaves per pseudobulb8–61 cm (3 in–2 ft)Bright: east or west window, no direct midday sunNeeds about twice the light of a moth orchid
Cymbidium (boat orchid)Long, strap-like leaves on pseudobulbs30 cm–1.2 m (1–4 ft)Brightest: several hours of direct sunNeeds cool nights to bloom; miniatures suit homes
Ludisia discolor (jewel orchid)Terrestrial creeper with dark, veined leaves8–46 cm (3–18 in)Intermediate lightGrown for its foliage; relatively easy

Moth orchid (Phalaenopsis): the beginner’s orchid

NC State calls the moth orchid the most popular and widely available orchid houseplant. It prefers low light, warmth and high humidity. The AOS says it grows easily in a bright window with little or no sun. An east window is ideal; shaded south or west windows also work.

  • Temperature: the AOS gives nights usually above 16 °C (60 °F) and days of 24–29 °C (75–85 °F). Clemson HGIC gives a minimum night of 18 °C (65 °F).
  • Water: it has no large water-storage organs, so the AOS says it must never dry out completely. Water thoroughly, then again when nearly dry. NC State suggests about once a week for mature plants, in the morning, with tepid water.
  • Reblooming: NC State says the large white spring-flowering hybrids need nights near 13 °C (55 °F) for about a week in autumn to start spikes. Dwarf hybrids do not.

NC State also notes that blue moth orchids in shops are usually white flowers that were dyed. If they rebloom, the new flowers are white.

For more on getting a moth orchid to flower, see our orchid flowering requirements and orchid bud blast guides.

Slipper orchid (Paphiopedilum)

Every Paphiopedilum flower has a pouch-shaped lip. NC State says most are terrestrial and tolerate low light and shade, needing only 500 to 2,500 foot-candles. Full sun is about 10,000. The AOS suggests an east, north or west window with 1–4 hours of direct sun.

Keep the mix moist and do not let it dry out. NC State recommends a terrestrial orchid mix, temperatures of 16–27 °C (60–80 °F) and relatively high humidity. It says to repot at least once a year, because these orchids do not tolerate broken-down mix.

The leaf tells you the temperature group. NC State notes that warm-growing types usually have mottled leaves, while plain green-leaved types prefer cool, moist air.

Dendrobium

Dendrobium has about 1,600 species, and NC State warns that no single care routine fits them all. It sorts the common houseplants into two groups:

  • Hard-cane types, such as D. bigibbum var. superbum (formerly D. phalaenopsis) and its hybrids: mostly evergreen, with long-lasting flowers. NC State calls them easy-to-grow houseplants.
  • Soft-cane types, such as D. nobile: mostly deciduous canes, with flowers along their length. Deciduous species need water withheld in late autumn and early winter to bloom.

Give bright, indirect light from a west or south window, 2,000 to 5,000 foot-candles. Let the bark mix dry partly between waterings, but not fully while the plant is growing. Clemson HGIC gives a minimum night temperature of 11 °C (52 °F). Use the smallest pot that fits; NC State notes the root systems are small.

Dancing lady orchid (Oncidium)

NC State describes Oncidium as an epiphyte with many small, ruffled flowers on long, branching spikes. Many smell of vanilla, chocolate or lemon. Some are miniatures only 15 cm (6 in) tall.

  • Light: the AOS suggests east, south or west windows with about 1–5 hours of sun.
  • Temperature: NC State gives days of 21–29 °C (70–85 °F) and nights of 13–18 °C (55–65 °F).
  • Water: water when the bark mix is about half dry, and less often in winter.

Cattleya (corsage orchid)

The corsage orchid has large flowers, mostly 10–25 cm (4–10 in) across. NC State recommends an east or west window, since direct sun burns the leaves. Clemson HGIC says it needs about twice the light of a moth orchid. NC State gives an easy check: a mid-green leaf is getting the right light, and a dark leaf is not getting enough.

NC State asks for 21–29 °C (70–85 °F) by day and 13–16 °C (55–60 °F) at night, with humidity above 50%. Let the mix dry completely between waterings. Do not use water colder than 10 °C (50 °F) or ice cubes.

Cymbidium (boat orchid)

NC State divides Cymbidium into standard, large-flowered types that need cool conditions and smaller miniatures. The AOS says standard plants need the most light possible short of burning, and that indoors only the miniatures are practical. Give them a south, east or west window with at least four hours of direct sun.

Cool nights trigger the flowers. NC State says large-flowered plants need summer days of 24–29 °C (75–85 °F) and nights of 10–16 °C (50–60 °F) to flower. The AOS recommends nights of 10–14 °C (50–57 °F) from autumn through spring, and warns that plants kept too warm may not bloom. If yours sits in a warm room all year, cooler autumn nights are the first thing to change.

Jewel orchid (Ludisia discolor)

The jewel orchid is a terrestrial orchid grown mainly for its leaves. NC State describes them as dark green to purplish-brown, 4.5–7 cm (1¾–2¾ in) long, with gold to red veins. Small white flowers appear on upright spikes.

It needs warmth, humidity and intermediate light. Use a terrestrial orchid mix or fine fir bark that stays moist but drains well, in a shallow, wide pot. NC State warns that wet soil quickly rots it. Even so, NC State calls it a relatively easy orchid to grow as a houseplant.

Care that applies to most orchids

  • Mix: the epiphytes (moth, Dendrobium, Oncidium, Cattleya) grow in bark-based orchid mix, not potting soil. Slipper and jewel orchids need a terrestrial orchid mix. See orchid moss vs bark before you repot.
  • Water: run water through the pot and let it drain completely. Never leave the pot standing in water.
  • Humidity: NC State and the AOS suggest a tray of gravel and water under the pot, with the pot above the waterline.
  • Feeding: NC State suggests a balanced fertilizer at half strength twice a month, or quarter strength weekly, for moth and Cattleya orchids.
  • Repotting: NC State suggests about every two years for moth orchids and Cattleya, after flowering or when new growth starts.

If the leaves go limp and leathery, see orchid leaf wrinkle. If mould appears on the mix, see moldy orchid soil. Our orchid hub collects every orchid guide.

Pets

The ASPCA lists the moth orchid (Phalaenopsis), Cattleya labiata, the dancing doll orchid (Oncidium flexuosum) and the jewel orchid as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. We did not find ASPCA entries for Dendrobium, Cymbidium or Paphiopedilum. The ASPCA’s “lady slipper” entry is Impatiens, not the slipper orchid.

References