Orchids Step Out

No longer just a hothouse delicacy, easy-care plants are now an affordable luxury

By Debbie Arrington
darrington@sacbee.com

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An unlikely international superstar is emerging in full bloom, offering a newly affordable home luxury in an era of tight money.

Bucking its family's delicate reputation, moth orchids have gone from exotic flora to supermarket staple. Cloned in Taiwanese labs and nurtured in California nurseries, they're popping up in droves at Raley's stores and Costco warehouses.

They grace dinner tables and doctors' offices. And with little water or attention, they bloom for weeks, even months.

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This orchid explosion has just begun. Nudged by research at the University of California at Davis, the state's growers have helped make moth orchids as common as African violets and philodendrons. Experts say the moth orchid may soon be America's favorite houseplant.

UC Davis researchers found that many species of phalaenopsis thrive on little care in typical home or office environments and may be among the easiest houseplants to keep in bloom. They only need to be watered every three weeks. And unlike a bouquet of roses that wilts in days, they may actually reflower.

"Orchids are taking the place of cut flowers," said Doug Brothers, sales manager for Rocket Farms of Salinas, a major orchid grower. "The market is enjoying something that lasts."

Mass production

In Rocket Farms' sprawling Salinas complex, thousands of orchids are lined up on tables in mammoth greenhouses, each the size of three football fields put together. Because the orchids are clones, row after row appear nearly identical, at the same stage of perfect bloom.

This year, Rocket Farms — which got into orchids four years ago — will sell just over 1 million orchid plants, mostly phalaenopsis, with projections for 1.2 million in 2010. Oncidiums, another easy-to-grow orchid, account for about 10 percent of its sales.

Phalaenopsis may be the perfect plant for busy people, says Ashley Beleny, a spokeswoman for Rocket Farms.

"Even in this economy, people are spending more time in their homes, and they're spending more money to dress up their homes," she said. "There's more demand for these kinds of plants."

Helping spur sales, prices have dropped below $20 for large phalaenopsis and as low as $9.99 for mini-moths.

"Orchids are more widely known than ever and have become more accessible," said Taryn Wolf, a produce coordinator for Whole Foods Markets. "As people become more familiar with them and learn how to care for them, they are more likely to buy them for themselves or for gifts."

Orchids' appeal is simple, Wolf said. They offer something special at a value price.

"They are elegant and unique," she said.

Three out of every four orchids sold worldwide are moth orchids, said orchid expert Steven A. Frowine, author of "Moth Orchids: The Complete Guide to Phalaenopsis" (Timber Press, 2008).

"Moth orchids are the easiest of all orchids to grow," he said. "Any newcomer can be wildly successful. ... They cost less than ever, (and) they're available almost everywhere."

Phalaenopsis (pronounced fal-en-OPP-siss) means "moth appearance," referring to the orchid's flat, winglike petals. With 63 known species, they grow native in Southeast Asia, India, the Philippines, Malaysia and northern Australia.

According to the USDA, Taiwan and Thailand lead in exports of orchid plants. But a USDA rule change six years ago helped boost this boom.

With USDA inspection and approval, orchid producers in Taiwan could export to the United States plants growing in sterile sphagnum moss instead of bare root. That assures healthier plants to customers. Taiwan's exports of moth orchids skyrocketed to 10 million clones a year, according to Floriculture International. "Instead of getting all stressed in shipment, the orchids arrive ready to grow," Brothers said.