Is It Good for Phalaenopsis to Be in a Draft for a Long Time? Watch Out for These Harms
Friends who grow Phalaenopsis orchids have probably all heardthe phrase "it needs ventilation," but if you take that to mean "keep it in a draft long-term," you'll be doing this delicate flower a disservice. In fact, this little Phalaenopsis is especially sensitive to wind - it's not that the stronger the wind the better, and it certainly can't withstand being "blown with cold air" or "blown with hot air" for long periods.
"ventilation=
"protective film" gets torn open as if by force, the leaf edges gradually scorch and wither, yellowing starting from the tips, and it feels dry and rough to the touch, not plump and fresh at all.
Even worse is the damage to the roots. Phalaenopsis roots are plump aerial roots that need both air and moisture. With long-term wind, the water in the pot dries out especially fast, and the roots quickly go from plump green to shriveled gray, and in severe cases develop hollow heart. If it happens to be a rainy day and the wind carries moisture blowing for a long time, the roots get smothered in the damp potting medium and rot straight into brown"soggy noodles," and by then it's hard to save them.
Sudden temperature changes are also a big problem. In winter with the air conditioning on, putting the Phalaenopsis in front of the AC vent and having hot air blow on it every day will scorch the leaves; in summer with an electric fan blowing on it, especially at night when the temperature drops, cold air sweeping over it for a long time will chill the roots, and the next day the leaves droop. My neighbor's Phalaenopsis was placed next to a radiator last winter, with the window open for ventilation, so hot and cold air blew on it head-on, and within a week the whole pot's leaves turned yellow and the flower spike withered outright.
- the incoming wind may carry impurities. For example, cooking fumes from the kitchen or car exhaust from the roadside, blowing onto Phalaenopsis leaves long-term, will form an oily film on the surface, clogging the leaf stomata so it can't "breathe," and it gradually becomes listless - never mind blooming, it can't even grow new leaves.
"windbreak."
When caring for Phalaenopsis, don't let it be in a draft for long periods. Phalaenopsis fears cross-drafts in winter and fears blazing wind in summer. Treat it gently, and only then will it obediently bloom for you. Give it a warm and gentle little environment, and its leaves will stay lush and green, and next year it will obediently send up flower spikes.