How to determine the age of an orchid at home and in the store: an easy way

It often happens that an orchid fades quickly, even with proper care, lighting, and watering regimen. Neither expert advice, nor fertilizers, nor humidity adjustments help.

The reason may be very trivial – the age of the plant. OBOZREVATEL figured out how to determine how old an orchid is.

How to determine how old an orchid is

The older the orchid, the shorter the period it will delight you with flowering.

These indoor plants can live on the windowsill for no longer than 10 years. With rare exceptions, with professional care, house orchids can reach the age of 15-20 years.

It is worth noting that young orchids do not bloom. That is, if you buy a plant with flowers in a store, it is more than three years old. "Young" orchids simply do not produce buds.

Thus, the more lush the orchid, the older it is. It is estimated that every 2 years the plant gives an average of 3 new sprouts. By counting the sprouts, you can determine the age of the orchid quite accurately.

Record-breaking orchids

By the way, orchids are real long-livers in their natural environment. The Royal Botanic Gardens in London has more than 20 representatives of this species that have crossed the 100-year mark. Probably, these plants were already growing in the garden when the First World War ended and definitely "saw" the beginning of the Second World War. They survived all the cataclysms and disasters of the XX century and still inspire visitors with their flowering.

Another 130 species of orchids, according to experts, are over 50 years old, and 500 have been blooming for two decades.

Centenary orchids are real rarities. In the natural environment, the maximum age of orchids does not exceed 80 years.

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