The Hidden Meaning Behind 10 Stunning Orchid Colors
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There’s a reason why orchids are such popular indoor plants, despite how finicky they can be. Master how to care for orchids, and you can fill your home with their delicate, exotic, and colorful blooms. One of the best things about these flowers is how many natural orchid colors there are to choose from. With about 28,000 identified species, according to Paris Lalicata, head of plant education and community at The Sill, there’s basically an endless list of how many variations and colors of orchids there are. “Some can come in solid colors, while others have multiple colors on the flowers,” Lalicata tells House Beautiful. “The number one orchid that is sold to consumers are the Phalaenopsis orchids, and the most common naturally occurring colors include white, violet, purple, yellow, and pink.”
Along with the different orchid colors come different meanings in a cultural sense. As far back as ancient Greece, Lalicata explains, people have been associating different color orchids with different symbologies. At that time, the flowers were “associated with fertility and the goddess of love,” she says. Meanwhile, “in ancient China, they symbolized friendship, nobility, and wealth.” And during the Victorian era, in Japan, in certain Native American cultures, and in Aztec or Mayan cultures, orchids had—and still have—deep-rooted meanings.
Below, we break down 10 orchid colors, explaining which species to buy in order to get an orchid flower in that shade and touching on the symbolism of each hue.
What Types of Orchids Are Colorful?
While there are quite a few genuses of orchids—around 850 in total, according to the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew, these seven produce naturally colorful orchid flowers.
Phalaenopsis: Also called moth orchids, these are generally beginner-friendly orchids that thrive in bright, indirect sunlight and don’t require much water but do need relatively high humidity.
Cattleya: This genus is popular in corsages thanks to its large, flamboyant blooms. It requires moderate to high humidity, should not be watered more than once a week, and should not be set in direct sunlight.
Cymbidium: This genus of orchids produces clusters of long-lasting flowers. They love light but can get too much, so placing them in an east-facing window is ideal. They require moderate humidity and like a lot of moisture but not to the point of water logging.
Dendrobium: Dating back to 1799, this genus makes up more than 1,000 species. It likes a lot of indirect sunlight, heavy humidity, and a good amount of water—the soil should be almost dry when you water it again.
Vanda: These orchids are not great to grow indoors since they require much more light, humidity, and space than a typical houseplant. Their soil should be dry when it’s time to water them again for the best growth.
Oncidium: This genus is rather a tough one to deal with and isn’t great for beginners. Some species can handle direct sunlight, while others require indirect; they all need moderate to high humidity. Watering varies with the species, as some orchids have thicker or thinner roots and may need more or less hydration.
Catasetum: These orchids require heavy amounts of direct sunlight but can be kept in the house. While they’re actively growing, they should be watered liberally and should have rather high humidity.
Red Orchids
According to Lalicata, red orchids symbolize “love, desire, and romance, but also strength and courage.” They range from being extremely vibrant to deeper in shade. Two genuses of orchids that can produce red flowers are Phalaenopsis and Cattleya. “Phalaenopsis orchids are the most commonly grown, easy-care orchids available to consumers,” she explains.
Cabernet orchid: This is a beautiful, deep wine red Phalaenopsis orchidwith that classic moth orchid shape.
Chia Lin 'Shinsu #1': a Cattleya that’s a bit flamboyant, it starts out yellow then turns a beautiful red.
Orange Orchids
Orange orchids symbolize “creativity, passion, and adventure,” Lalicata says. Their vibrancy helps nurture energy, and they’re simply a wonderful way to add brightness to a space. As with other orchids you’ll find on this list, orange orchids can be found in the genuses Phalaenopsis and Cymbidium.
'Carrotcake': A Phalaenopsis hybrid, this orchid produces light orange flowers with obvious yellow undertones that can last up to three months.
Foxfire Amber 'Dural': This Cymbidium is very popular and beginner friendly. It produces a deeper orange bloom with sprinkles of red and yellow in the center.
Yellow Orchids
Generally, the color yellow symbolizes happiness, friendship, and joy, and it’s the same when it comes to orchids. The warmth of the color represents the warmth of personhood, and these flowers are supposed to bring cheerfulness. Lalicata says yellow orchids are found in the Phalaenopsis genus as well as the Dendrobium genus.
'Miraflore': A beautiful, butter yellow bloom with a bright reddish pink lip, or center of the flower, sets this Phalaenopsis apart.
Golden Blossom 'Kogane': A Dendrobium species, this orchid also produces a very similar looking flower to those of Phalaenopsis orchids. However, the main difference between the two genuses is that the Phalaenopsis blooms can last a few months longer than Dendrobium ones.
Green Orchids
Green orchids represent growth, good fortune, and good health. One of them would make a wonderful gift for someone entering a new stage of life, whether they’ve just graduated, become a new parent, or started a new job. Two genuses of orchids that come in green are Cymbidium and Dendrobium, Lalicata adds.
Dream 'Ice Green': This is a very fresh, light green color orchid with its slightly yellow blooms from the Cymbidium genus.
Little Green Apples: For an interesting looking, slightly moody green orchid, this Dendrobium is a wonderful option.
Blue Orchids
Blue orchids are the most rare color, Lalicata says. “Most you see on the market are white Phalaenopsis orchids that have been injected with natural dyes to display the blue color, although new flowers after that blooming cycle won’t come back blue,” she explains. “The only true orchids out there that naturally grow blue flowers are not commonly sold to consumers and are more of a rarity, so you won’t see them in any garden centers or even for sale online.”
Because of this rarity, blue orchid blooms often symbolize uniqueness, she adds. These are some of the naturally blue genuses and species, according to Lalicata:
Blue Lady (Thelymitra crinita): This blue orchid with up to 15 smaller flowers per stem is endemic to Western Australia.
Blue Vanda (Vanda coerulea): Large blooms that are more purple-blue distinguish this orchid that’s native to China and India.
Swamp orchid (Thelymitra cyanea): Dark blue veins decorate the bright blue petals of this orchid that grows in New Zealand.
Purple Orchids
Historically, purple represents royalty and elegance, and the same is true of purple orchids. They come in a variety of purples, some taking on a deeper hue and others a brighter, more pinkish color. Lalicata explains that two genuses that produce purple orchids are Phalaenopsis and Vanda.
'Purple Spotted Phalaenopsis': A beautiful, classic moth orchid, this one has flat blooms and lighter colored speckles.
'Vanda Motes Purple Rain': This blue orchid is a lighter shade of purple, with obvious veins visible in the blooms.
Pink Orchids
Pink orchids “usually represent femininity and joy or symbolize admiration and affection,” according to Lalicata. They’re a great gift for the ones you love (for Mother’s Day, perhaps?) and come in a variety of pink hues. Two popular genuses that pink orchids come in are Phalaenopsis and Dendrobium, according to Lalicata.
Phalaenopsis Sanderiana: This delicate pink orchid produces an elegant flower with yellow speckles in its lip and deep olive green leaves.
Dendrobium 'Farmeri Pink': Highly fragrant, this bubblegum pink flower has a bright yellow lip.
White Orchids
“The white orchid symbolizes purity, elegance, and innocence, and is commonly gifted for weddings and christenings. At times, they are also gifted at funerals to symbolize the purity of the soul,” Lalicata says. White orchids are an extremely elegant and delicate looking flower. She explains that two of the genuses the white flowers bloom in are Phalaenopsis and Oncidium.
Phalaenopsis Floriclone 'Grand Dessert': This species that produces large, white blooms has an almost ethereal look to it and is surprisingly great for beginners and experts alike.
Oncidium Twinkle 'White Shower': With smaller but equally unique blooms as the 'Grand Dessert', this dwarf hybrid species that smells slightly of lemon and is fairly long lasting.
Black Orchids
Black orchids can symbolize mystery, power, and sophistication, according to Floraly. Like brown, black may not be not a color you typically long to see in your blooms, but given the 28,000 species of orchids, it’s not shocking that there are black and brown options. Lalicata says that the Catasetum genus is one that can produce naturally black orchids, though the artificial hybrid of Monnierara also produces them.
Catasetum Tenebrosum: This stark-looking black orchid is medium in size and produces fragrant blooms that have a bright ivory lip with green tints.
Monnierara Millennium Magic 'Witchcraft': After it hits maturity, this orchid will drop its thick, waxy, subtly fragranced flowers and go into dormancy.
Brown Orchids
Like black orchids, brown orchids are more stylish than you might think. According to With Our Aloha, brown orchids symbolize stability and clear thinking. The genus Catasetum produces brown blooms as well as black ones, Lalicata says.
Catasetum 'Chocolate Cherry Fudge': This hybrid produces fairly fragrant flowers that are deep brown with reddish undertones and tinges of orange or gold that make the overall hue richer.
Cymbidium 'Magic Chocolate': Another hybrid, this one has light green petals that are speckled with varying amount of brown dots. It’s extremely unique looking with a white throat—the inner portion of a tubular lip—that’s also speckled with brown.
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