Information About the Yellow Bird Orchid

A Nest for Your "Yellow Bird"

• Young "Yellow Bird" orchids are often potted in sphagnum moss, which allows them to grow rapidly. When it is time to move yours up to a 4-inch container, use a bark blend intended for orchids instead. Once the orchid reaches its ultimate 6-inch to 8-inch pot, place it in a coarser bark mix.

A Perch for Your "Yellow Bird"

• Like most members of the cattleya group, this plant likes lots of light. During the fall and winter months, allow it to have direct sunlight on a south or west-facing windowsill. When the stronger rays of spring and summer arrive, position a sheer curtain between the orchid and the glass. Keep an eye on the leaf color, which should be medium green. A darker color indicates that the plant isn’t getting enough light, while a bleached or scorched look indicates that it is getting too much. This orchid grows well at a typical household temperature from 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. It would prefer lower nighttime temperatures between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, but can live without them.

Water for Your "Yellow Bird"

• The medium for your "Yellow Bird" should dry out below the surface before you water the plant again. In its growing season of spring to summer, the plant may need watering twice a week. The rest of the year, it shouldn’t be watered more than once a week, as too much moisture can cause its roots to rot. If possible, use rainwater or distilled water, rather than tap water, to prevent a build-up of calcium salts in the orchid medium. Mist the leaves of your plant with rainwater once a day, preferably in the morning, but only when the plant isn’t in flower.

Food for Your "Yellow Bird"

• Since orchids growing in bark require extra nitrogen, feed your "Yellow Bird" every two weeks from February through September with a 30-10-10 water-soluble orchid food, using 1/4 teaspoon of the crystals for each gallon of water. From October to January, feed it only once a month with the same amount.