How to Grow and Care for Nun Orchid (Phaius Orchid) Indoors
Some links in this post may be affiliate links
Nun Orchid (Phaius Orchid) blooms in bright indirect, warm and humid conditions and moderately moist, rich, well-drained soil coupled with regular feeding in the growing season.
Phaius Orchids also called Swamp Orchids are popular orchids with long-lasting and delicately fragrant flower whose colors range from brown to maroon, often with a white or pink lip.
Nun Orchids are evergreen, terrestrial herbs with thin underground rhizomes and crowded above ground and sometimes stem-like pseudobulbs. The leaves are several, pleated, stalked and emerge from the pseudobulb.
The Phaius Orchids were first formally described in 1790 by Joao de Loureiro (a Portuguese Jesuit missionary and botanist). The genus name Phaius is derived from the Greek word phaios meaning "dusky" or "brown" in reference to the brownish color of the flowers.
Botanical name: Phaius
Tribe: Collabieae
Common names: Nun Orchid, Swamp Orchid
Origin
Phaius Orchids are native to tropical parts of Africa, Asia, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Australia and various islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. They are found growing on the humid, tropical forest floors.
Flower
The blooms in Phaius Orchids are produced on tall spikes each bearing a cluster of 10-20 flowers. The flowers are long-lasting and delicately fragrant. The colors range from brown to maroon, often with a white or pink lip.
They are called Nun Orchids in reference to their curved upper sepal and petals that are white on the back side resembling a nun's cap.
Is Nun Orchid toxic?
Phaius Orchids are non-toxic to both humans and pets. They are safe to grow indoors.
Where to Buy
If looking to add orchids to your collection, you may get them online from Etsy (Link to Etsy)
Phaius Orchid Care Indoors
Nun Orchid (Phaius Orchid) blooms in bright indirect light (filtered light), average warmth of 15-290C, humidity of 60-70% and moderately moist, fertile, well-drained, orchids potting soil coupled with regular feeding during the growing season.
Phaius Orchid requires regular pruning to keep them neat as well as encourage flowering. Repotting is needed only when they become pot-bound or the soil becomes completely broken down. Keep reading for more on these growing conditions and how to achieve them.
Light Requirements
Nun Orchids grow best in bright indirect light. Keep it away from direct sunshine to avoid sun scorch on the leaves.
You may grow a Phaius Orchid under a grow light where the natural lighting is not adequate. Check out these full spectrum grow lights on Amazon.
Regularly rotate the pot to ensure that the orchid gets adequate light on all sides for uniform growth.
Watering
For lush growth and regular blooms, water the Nun Orchid thoroughly during the growing period and allow the top 2-3 inches of soil to dry out between waterings to keep the soil moderately moist.
Cut down on watering in the cold period as growth is minimal at this time to keep the soil slightly moist but do not let it dry out completely. Avoid soggy soil by ensuring that the soil is properly drained as it can cause the orchid to rot.
Provide a dry spell of about 4-6 weeks every 6 months to promote blooming. As in their natural habitat, Nun Orchids usually bloom at the end of the dry spells.
Use tepid, chlorine-free water as Nun Orchids are sensitive to chlorine and other chemicals dissolved in water. Avoid wetting the foliage as it can lead to fungal diseases.
Phaius Orchids unlike Phalaenopsis (Moth) Orchids are more tolerant of dry soil conditions due to the presence of pseudobulbs and their thick leaves, therefore, take care not to overwater.
Temperature and Humidity
The best temperatures for Nun Orchids are average warmth of 15-290C. Warmer days and cooler night temperatures are ideal for these orchids as the cool nights are essential to trigger flowering.
Keep the Swamp orchids away from drafts to avoid sudden changes in temperatures as they can adversely affect the growth of the orchids. Ensure that there is good air circulation as they cannot tolerate hot and stuffy conditions.
High humidity of 60-70% is essential for Nun Orchids to thrive. Set the pot on a wet pebble tray or use a cool mist humidifier to elevate humidity. Learn more on how to raise raise humidity for houseplants.
Do not mist the orchids as it can lead to fungal disease infestations. Occasionally clean the leaves by damp-wiping with a soft cloth to discourage pest and disease infestations.
Fertilizer
Feed Nun Orchid during the growing season with an orchid's fertilizer as per the manufacturer's instructions. Withhold feeding in the cold season as growth is minimal at this time and feeding can cause fertilizer burn.
Do not feed an orchid that is in flower. In feeding a Swamp Orchid, it is better to err on the side of underfeeding than overfeeding. Overfeeding may result in the loss of roots thus death of the orchid. It can also lead to vegetative growth instead of flower production.
Potting Medium
Use loose, chunky, well-drained, orchids potting mix to avoid getting soggy soil which can cause rotting and death of the orchid.
Repotting
Nun Orchid blooms best when they are pot-bound. Repot it only when growth begins to suffer; when the orchid has outgrown its pot and the new growth reaches out over the edge of the pot or when the soil has broken down completely. It is advisable to repot only when new growth begins, shortly after blooming is over.
Repot the orchid into a pot with proper drainage holes or slits as the roots need good air circulation. The pot should be only 1 size larger than the current one. While repotting, shake off excess soil and trim off any dried and shrivelled pseudobulbs. Check out these ceramic orchid pots with a free slotted orchid pot liner on Amazon.
Pruning
Pruning a Nun Orchid involves removal of dead and diseased leaves by cutting them at the base with a sharp, clean pair of pruning scissors or a knife. Make clean cuts and avoid injuring the orchid unnecessarily.
When flowering is over, cut the flower stalk 1 inch above the 3rd node from the bottom to encourage more flowers.
Propagation
Phaius Orchid propagation can be done at the beginning of the growing season once flowering is over by rhizome division.
How to propagate Nun Orchid by rhizome division
Gently split the Nun Orchid rhizome into sections. Retain at least 3 shoots on each section. Seperate the roots attached to each section from the mother's root ball.
Remove the old potting soil attached to the roots of the orchid section and place each section in the center of the pot.
Bury the roots of the section in the soil while ensuring that the bottom of the pseudobulb is level with the top of the soil.
The best pot for the Swamp Orchid section should be about 1-2 inches larger than the pseudobulb.
Ascertain that the pot for each orchid section has enough drainage holes and slits to prevent root-rot.
Position the set up in a warm, well-lit place away from direct sunlight until the new Nun Orchid section have established their own roots.
Water the new Phaius Orchids lightly to enhance root development. Stake each newly repotted plant to prevent it from toppling over.
Phaius Orchid Problems
Nun Orchid (Phaius Orchid) growing problems include black leaf tips, lack of blooms, mold, drooping leaves, leaf spots, discolored leaves, pests and diseases among others. Keep reading for more on these problems, their remedies and solutions.
Lack of blooms
One possible cause of lack of blooms in Nun Orchid is too little light. If the light is too little, the orchid will not make adequate food for energy and other functions like blooming.
Place the orchid in a brighter spot where it will receive bright indirect light or instal grow lights if the natural light is not adequate. Check out this guide on understanding light for houseplants.
The second possible cause of lack of blooms in Swamp Orchid is overfeeding. Overfeeding can result in vegetative growth at the expense of flowers production.
Feed the orchid during the growing season with an orchid's fertilizer as per the manufacturer's instructions. Do not feed it in the cold season and take care not to overfeed it. Learn how to feed houseplants.
Mold on the leaves
Mold on the leaves in Nun Orchid are an indication of powdery mildew which is prevalent in damp conditions coupled with poor air circulation.
Misting or wetting the foliage may lead to mildew growth if the water does not evaporate quickly especially where there is poor air circulation. Improve ventilation to ensure that there is good air circulation for the orchid and stop misting it or wetting the foliage during watering.
Brown, soft leaf spots
Brown soft spots on Nun Orchid leaves are an indication of leaf spot disease. Remove the affected leaves immediately to prevent further spread. Improve air circulation and avoid wetting the foliage during watering. You water the plant from the bottom.
Limpy and drooping leaves
Limpy and drooping leaves in Nun Orchid are caused by underwatering. Water the orchid thoroughly during the growing season while allowing the top half of the soil to dry out between waterings and maintain the soil moderately moist.
Decrease watering in the cold period and keep the soil slightly moist as growth is reduced at this time. However, do not let the soil dry out completely. Learn more on how to water houseplants the right way.
Dark-green leaves
Dark green leaves in Nun Orchid indicate that the orchid is not getting enough light as the leaves of an orchid that is receiving the correct light should be light green. Position the orchid in a brighter spot where it will receive bright indirect light or instal a grow light if the natural light is not sufficient.
Yellowish leaves
Yellowish leaves in Nun Orchid indicate that the orchid is getting too much light as the leaves of an orchid that is receiving the correct light should be light green. Move the orchid to a shadier spot where it will receive bright indirect light but away from direct sunshine to prevent the leaves from turning yellowish.
Brown hard, dry leaf spots
Exposure of Nun Orchid to direct sunshine will result in scorch marks which are brown, hard and dry spots on the leaves. Place the orchid in a shadier spot or shield it from direct sunshine to prevent it from getting the sunscorch marks.
Black and dying leaf tips
The cause of black and dying leaf tips in Nun Orchid is the presence of chemicals like chlorine and flourides in the water that you are using to water it. Water the orchid with chlorine-free water only to prevent the orchid from developing black and dying leaf tips.
You liked it? Share on social media.
Related Content
Amazon Associates Disclosure
Homeplantsguide.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.