With so many phals available to choose from today, how do you pick out the best plant?

Choose your Phalaenopsis orchid carefully. If it does not pass any of the following four criteria, do not buy it!

1. Leaves should be turgid and firm. IF they are wilted or at all wrinkled, do NOT but the plant.

2.  Leaves should be uniformly light to dark green. A few blemishes are fine but avoid any plants that have soft or rotting areas on any of the leaves.

3. If there are roots emerging from the pot/stem, these should be firm and white with healthy green tips. If the orchid plant in very loose in the pot, or the roots are soft or mushy, put the plant back.

4. The potting mix should be moist. If it is very wet and decaying, OR bone dry, choose another plant.

Chances are you'll be buying a phalaenopsis orchid that is in bud or bloom! Assuming the plant has past the 4 test questions above, it is best to  buy a moth orchid with about half its flowers open and the rest in bud. This will assure you of flower longevity and you'll have a chance to see what the flowers look like. If all the buds are open, you have no idea how long the flower has been in bloom-it could be months which means once you buy the plants the flowers will not last long.

Avoid phalaenopsis orchid plants that have small unopened buds. These can be quite sensitive to environmental changes and there is a greater chance for these to shrivel or fall off, once the plant is moved to your home. Once flower buds are open, or about to open, they are less vulnerable to changes in the environment.