Question
I have a white orchid whose blooms shrivelled and fell off a few weeks after receiving it. It has two dark green, healthy leaves at the base along with many roots. Has my orchid died, or will it rebloom at some point?

Answer
Hello Tamara,

You did not mention what type of orchid you have so I cannot tell you if the blooms died too soon or not. Depending upon what type of orchid, blooms may last from a few days to months. Also, if you placed the orchid near some fruits, that could cause blooms to die prematurely as fruits emit ethylene gas as the ripen which can cause the blooms to die within days.

Your orchid should rebloom again but how soon would depend upon what type of orchid. Most orchids will rebloom about the same time each year while there are some that can produce blooms 2, 3, 4 or more times a year. Until then, take good care of it and be patient.

If you have the name of the orchid, I may be able to help you with some helpful hints on how to keep it alive until it blooms again. If you cannot find the name, a description of the plant and blooms may be enough for me to make a guess. It also would be helpful to know where you live so I can give a more specific guide on where and how to grow it.

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.