Don’t let the name fool you – this isn’t your typical orchid.
Jewel orchids are known for their beautiful foliage with its bold stripes. They lack the dramatic flowers of most orchid plants (don’t get us wrong, this plant will produce perfectly pretty, fragrant flowers – but they don’t look like your traditional orchid).
Also jewel orchids are terrestrial (meaning they need soil to grow). Most orchids are native to the tropics, where they are epiphytes (i.e., air plants) that attach themselves to the barks of trees, absorbing nutrients from the air and water around them.
Because jewel orchids need soil also means they are one of the few orchid species that thrives in a terrarium.
Caring for your jewel orchid
- Planting Material: Look for well-draining soil mix, such as an orchid mix or terrarium mix. You are looking for a light mix as opposed to regular potting soil. If you do use regular potting soil, make sure to mix it with another lighter material such as perlite or peat moss.
- Light: Bright, indirect light is perfect for jewel orchids.
- Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Water when the top 1–2 inches of soil feel dry. Reduce watering during winter.
- Fertilizer: All orchids, whether epiphyte or terrestrial, do love to be fed regularly, but they like “light meals.” So take your typical houseplant fertilizer, weaken it by diluting it to about 1/2 strength and feed that to your plant every 2 to 4 weeks during the growing season.