Orchid Growing: How Much Sunlight Does Your Orchid Need?

There are several growth factors to keep in mind in order to be successful at growing orchids. One of the most essential of these is to consider the climate in which the orchid grows, particularly regarding sunlight.Of course sunlight is essential for growing orchids, but be aware that not all types of orchids need the same amount of light.

Some varieties of orchids, such as the Phalaenopsis, only need 10-15% sunlight in a normal day, which isn't a great deal: even on a mostly cloudy day, you will have 10-15% of sunlight, so places that don't get abundant sunshine should still be suitable to grow these types of orchids as long as you have the correct temperature and relative humidity (see below).

Another type of orchid, the Cattleya Hybrid, only needs 20-30% sunshine, so a mostly cloudy climate will still tend to serve the Cattleya Hybrid well, as long there are the correct relative humidity and temperature (see below).

This is not to say that all types of hybrids can function with relatively little sunshine. As was mentioned on a Squidoo lens Orchid Care Guidance, sunshine is important to the growth of orchids, and some types, like the Arachnids Maggie Oei, the Vanda pensile, and Vanda quarter need 100% sunshine.Therefore, these need to be in an extremely sunny place to thrive. For example, the Oncidium Hybrid, needs 60-75% sunshine, so a mostly sunny climate will be necessary to grow the Oncidium Hybrid successfully.

Certainly, though, sunshine is not as essential as has been claimed. Therefore, if you read the lens Orchid Care Guidance and thought, "Darn, I don't live in a sunny climate therefore, I have no chances of growing orchids," that is not necessarily the case.

Of course, climate and sunlight are not the only factors that go into growing orchids. You also need the right amount of relative humidity and a suitable temperature.

The ideal temperature for almost every type of orchid is 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit) to 28 degrees Celsius (82.4 degrees Fahrenheit).

The specific temperature varies based on whether you have a cold, medium or warm type of orchid, as the author explains.

The correct amount of relative humidity for virtually all orchids is between 60-85%. This percentage of relative humidity requires that virtually all orchids are grown in a tropical or subtropical climate.

Even so, there are tropical and subtropical locations that don't get a tremendous amount of sunshine - if you live in one of these places, don't give up on your dream to grow your own orchids, as many types of orchids don't require 100% or even a constant amount of sunshine.

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And to learn even more about the different orchid needs, download my totally FREE 5-Day Orchid Insider training course by going here: "http://www.orchidcarezone.com/free-orchid-care-tips".

Mary Ann Berdak is the publisher of http://www.OrchidCareZone.com - a top online destination for orchid care tips and advice.

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