When it comes to growing Orchids, the amount of light available in your location is a crucial factor. If you have a small place or do not have a southern exposure and wish to grow one of the light loving varieties in your home. then do think of getting Orchid lights with which to establish a healthy floral arrangement as a house plant.
Orchid lights have been made especially for the Orchid family, but they can also be used in combination with other tropical plants. What distinguishes Orchid lights from all normal light bulbs is that they represent a large spectrum as a source of lighting. Engineers have managed to make them so that they can easily simulate sunlight. A normal light bulb used either in your home somewhere or on a terrace, for example, is usually in the 75 to 100 watts range.
If you do not have lights other than the usual light bulbs, you may still grow Orchids, but if it is possible to obtain Orchid lights then it is in your best interest to do so.
Don't let technicalities get in the way here, because it's really not rocket science to figure out what type of Orchid you are cultivating. Since Orchids come in a wide variety with different lighting and watering needs, you may have to get a bit more technical if you are trying to use the same Orchid lights for a couple of different varieties you are growing. Keep in mind that these lights specially made for growing Orchids are rather expensive. They can cost as much as $50 USD each. And if you need a special stand for them, that will raise your overall expenses. Keep this in mind before you decide on a purchase.
Most of the Orchids grown in homes take well to lights within the blue or red or far-red spectrum of lights (corresponding to 440, 660, and 740 nanometers in sequence). The fact that most Orchids do well with the same type of lighting does not mean that they need it to the same degree of concentration. This means that if you are growing a Vanda Orchid, for example, you will have to place it closer to the Orchid light than most other types of Orchids you may also be growing.
The fact is that most Orchids can be cultivated without the requirement of added lighting in the US. If and when a problem arises, it comes with either too much light or downright overexposure to natural sunlight. Northern states where the days become very short in the winter may need to supplement the orchid's lighting with some sort of artificial light.
If your Orchid would ever need some specialized source of lighting, this would happen in the fall season when Orchids tend to need more watering, more fertilizers and usually more lighting. This is the time of the year when Orchids undergo most of their growth, and thus produce most of those specific flowers that we all find so incredibly beautiful.
