A friend gave me a sick orchid that never flowered again since it was purchased. This orchid has deep purplish green leaves that right now are soft and droopy, like it needs water. I spray it daily but have it just anchored barerooted. It has started producing flower stalks galore and even has old stalks getting flower spikes. Does anyone know anything about deep purplish green leaves, the flower spikes are deep maroon in color.
Joey - zone 9/10 Brandon Florida

Hi Joey,

Are you able to post a photo of your plant? It sounds like it might be a Phalaenopsis Orchid. We have lots of good information on how to grow these in our Orchids forum. There's a lot of comments in this thread, but don't worry - these are pretty straightforward to grow and we regularly get questions about them.

The thread "🗣 Starting out with Phals/Supermarket Orchids 🛎 ✍️" in Orchids forum

Hi Australis - Joshua
I took this photo a few minutes ago in the dark, very bad photo. I have about 20 other orchids of various types, most getting ready to flower. We have had a very strange winter here, it's in the 80s at day light. Thank you for your information on the orchid. I have never seen one this color.
P.S. I hope the fires didn't hit your area.
Joey

You're welcome, Joey.

It does indeed look like a Phalaenopsis. I have heard of ones that have more purplish leaves, but that's outside my realm of experience, as I don't grow Phals. @BigBill or @Ursula may be able to comment more on your particular Phal, though.

We had a cool spring and then this summer has been all over the place. I haven't been affected directly by the fires, but Melbourne was inundated with smoke for a few weeks in January. There are still fires burning, but they are more contained then they were.

Your orchid is indeed a Phalaenopsis! The purple color is from anthocyanin pigments. These pigments show up in these types of orchids with either pink, purplish or white flowers with purplish spots or bars.
The leaves, roots and stems all develop the color to some extent. However your orchid is close to death! You need to stop it from blooming!!! It is so wilted due to an immediate need to be repotted. You need to get it into fresh media so it can recover. By letting it keep on blooming, what little energy the plant has left, is going towards flowers NOT roots! You are literally letting it bloom itself to death!! That is not a good idea!
Misting it does no good at all, NONE whatsoever!
You need to look through all of our orchid "stickies" and " threads" that are found in our Orchid Forums. There are lots of posts there about repotting Phalaenopsis! But you need to remove the bloom spike, cut it ALL the way back and get it to make roots and leaves.
IF it is not too late, and I can not guarantee that it already is too late, you need to get it into new media. It may take a good 4-6 weeks to see roots grow. And then they can absorb water and plump those leaves back up. IF you do not repot soon, it will be too late and it won't tecover!
Condition critical!!
Good luck!

What Bill said!
Joey, .. 20 more Orchids? Come on, look us up at the Orchid forum for sure!! Chat with us, share some pictures!

Well I typed a whole post and included 6 photos but went to preview and puff, I lost it and didn't hit finish button. Will maybe try again later

Don't you hate it when that happens?

Can't tell you how many times I've done that...but at least I know the spelling was right.

Mildly annoying.

Purple orchid has been potted and the blooms removed ( the hardest thing I've ever done, I needed a valium after cutting the bloom stalks) Before and after photos.

A few of my collection.

Nice repotting job!!
Good looking happy plants, I see a gorgeous Cattleya, oh my!! Healthy Vandas!
Thanks for sharing!

Wow! That is a cool set up the you have there! I see that you use wood baskets, that is a nice bunch of healthy looking plants.
I too am in love with the purple Cattleya. What a beauty!!!
Thanks for sharing those images. Congratulations!!

Several of my orchids have flower spikes, I think it could be our crazy winter weather. We had a night of 40s and then we are back to the 80s, it feels like spring. Love it along with my kids (orchids). Thanks to everyone here for all the help and kind words on this, my first thread.
Joey

Does anyone know anything about "ground orchids"? Mine are all ready to bloom. Here's a photo of one of my few.

That will be a Show!

That Phaius looks fabulous, I notice you have it in a pot. I put a young one in the ground last fall and it has one spike coming up right now. Last week I bought 3 more and now I am wondering if I should just keep them in their pots or put them in the ground.

I have both, some in the ground and 2 in pots. They both do well either way here. I just bought my first home and I still forget that I own my land, it's my dirt. I waited until I was 60 to buy the house. Anyway the ground orchids have beautiful sprays of blooms on each stock. I love them.

Oh man, a first time homeowner!!
My sincerest congratulations man!!!