The Tale of the Undead Orchid

How I saved, killed and saved an orchid.

The Save

I work at one of those open offices where there are no cubical or offices, just desks pushed together, I was walking through looking at all the trinkets people leave on their desk and there it was, a small but beautiful purple orchid.

I watched that orchid bloom and start to lose its flowers, the leaves started to get dehydrated and wrinkled . The flowers died, the flower stem browned and shrivel. My co-worker was about to throw it away but I asked her if I could have it, she agreed since she didn’t want a dead plant.

Beginning Of The End

This was it, this was my chance to revive this orchid, part of my trial and error method of learning. I took it home and found a good medium light spot for it on my plant shelf, cut off the brown flower stem and cleaned the leafs.

After letting it dry, I inspected it, it has many roots that had rotten. I nervously took out my garden scissors and very carefully cut off the dead root. Can you even do that? Don’t plants need roots? Let’s find out! I cut all the gray and black roots and put the orchid back in to the bark medium. Just stared at it, as if that will magically make it sprout beautiful flowers.

I let it sit and adjust to its new spot, a few days later it started to grow hearty, thick green roots. After letting it grow its roots a few more days I decided was time to water the new, thirsty roots. I filled up its container to let it drink for a few minutes.

In the morning I woke in a panic with the thought that I left the orchid in water all night. I took it out of the water and bark and wrapped it in a paper towel and looked at it, apologizing for what I did . The orchid did not respond to my apologies. It was a goner but I wanted to see it through until the end. I kept it in a paper towel waiting for the leafs to yellow and the plant to give up. A few days pass and some roots rotted, I cut them away. Then I waited for the orchid to die.

Bye Bye Orchid?

Yet, for some reason no leaves turned yellow. The new roots were still growing. I let it dry for another few days, just watching. This undead orchid continued to keep growing roots until one day… it peeped a new leaf. The dead orchid grew a new leaf! I was ecstatic, I got to work the next day and told my co-worker that her dead plant grew a new leaf! She was a bit shocked. And honestly so was I, I thought this was just another failure for the learnings.

Now three months later, it keeps growing new roots, it sprouted another new leaf and is starting a new flower stem. I look at this plant every day and wonder how its not dead?! Maybe orchids aren’t so fragile? or many this was just a hearty stock? Who knows. I am grateful for what this orchid has taught me, I look forward to watching it bloom.

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