9 Ways to Revive a Dying Orchid

As houseplant enthusiasts, many of us will undertake the challenge to revive a dying orchid. Their exotic beauty, long bloom time, and unique characteristics make them worth the effort. It’s hard to give up when there’s hope of a resurgence. While some are more easygoing than others, sometimes mirroring their natural environment is a challenge, and the orchid succumbs to cultural stressors.

Orchids grow across the globe, with many from tropical Asia, where they grow as epiphytes on trees or rocks and absorb nutrients from rain and the air. Terrestrial species grow on the ground in soil. Balancing their tropical rainforest climate with houseplant orchid adaptability becomes a rewarding endeavor.

A healthy orchid can live for years and even decades in the right cultural conditions. Knowing your type of orchid helps hone in on specific care requirements. Here, we’ll explore the top causes of decline and how to revive a dying orchid back to life with the best care and crossed fingers.

Work on the Roots

Over or underwatering is a leading cause of orchid decline. Sometimes, we care for them too much with extra water or try to be cautious and inadvertently underwater. Both lead to root decline and the inability to uptake nutrients. Overwatered roots become brown and soft, while underwatered roots shrivel and dry. 

To inspect the roots, gently unpot your orchid and separate the potting media. If they’re white or pale green and plump, you’ve got healthy roots.

Root Rot

A common fungal disease to check for is root rot (usually Rhizoctonia). Overwatering creates soggy conditions that are perfect for fungus to develop. Rot causes the roots to become mushy and decay. Plants in overly saturated media with poor airflow may show yellowing and wilting leaves. Discolored leaves are a tell-tale sign of a problem, whether as minor as a watering misstep or indicating a disease issue.

After unpotting, check the roots and prune out brown or damaged ones. If caught early, you may see rebounding growth. 

Rehydrate

Opposite of saturated roots are overly dry ones. If you’ve missed a watering session or consistently err on the too dry side, you may see wrinkled, coarse leaves and shriveled roots. This is the time to try rehydration.

To rehydrate an orchid, give the roots a good soak in room-temperature water. Keep the foliage and stems above water and submerge only the roots. Soak them for 15 minutes and give them a gentle shake to prepare for repotting.

If you know underwatering is the issue, you can also soak the entire pot without unpotting. Fill a sink or bowl so it reaches just below the pot’s rim. Situate the pot in the water and let it rest for 15 minutes. This lets the potting media and the roots saturate fully.

Rehydrating a dying orchid takes time, and it may not appear fully revived for a couple of weeks. With a consistent watering schedule, it may bounce back.

Repot

After pruning away mushy roots or rehydrating dry ones, it’s time to repot. Likely, you’ll be returning your refreshed specimen to the same container but adding fresh soilless potting media. Old bark mix or moss that breaks down holds water longer and provides less air circulation for roots. Start with a new batch for the best shot at rejuvenation.

A well-draining pot and bark-based potting mix are essential to health. Sphagnum moss is another potting medium that holds moisture longer.

Bark mix repels water initially, and moss arrives dry. Let it soak for at least 15 minutes (some may need soaking overnight before use) until evenly saturated. Fresh bark mix is firm and chunky; the chips will be aged but shouldn’t be crumbly.

Orchids don’t need upsizing often, but they do need space and air circulation to thrive. Opt for a pot size up if roots poke through drainage holes or above the surface. If new shoots are at the edge, trailing over, or breaking off, it’s time to upsize.

Watering Regimen

With a fresh start, it’s time for a regular watering regimen. Underwatering is easier to correct than overwatering. In their rainforest environs, the epiphytes experience drenching rain cycles followed by drying-out spells. They continue to absorb moisture from humidity in the air. 

At home, water thoroughly when potting media feels dry to the touch. If the mix is dry at one inch below the surface, it’s time to water.

For bark mix, watering about once a week is likely. Water about every three weeks for orchids in moss to avoid excess moisture.

Minimize Fertilizer

In the wild, the epiphytes receive nitrogen from raindrops and nutrients from decaying plant material on trees. As a houseplant with its essential cultural requirements met, orchids don’t require fertilizer to bloom. It can, though, give a boost for more vigorous blooms.

But, with a dying orchid that you are trying to revive, hold off on fertilizer to avoid excess production stress. The plant is in survival mode, directing energy to where it needs it most. It’s not ready to produce new growth or reproduce (flower) just yet.

Resume fertilizing when healthy new growth emerges. Opt for an organic, balanced houseplant fertilizer and use it at ¼ strength. Apply fertilizer every other week in the warmer months, March through December. Stop fertilizing when the active growing season ends and as temperatures cool. 

Once a month, water thoroughly to rinse the roots and potting media of fertilizer salts and deposits. A build-up of salts can harm roots.

Optimal Light

Insufficient light is a common reason for dying orchids, and an easy adjustment you can make to revive them. Leaf color is a good visible marker in determining whether or not light is sufficient. Foliage is normally a grassy green (not the lush, dark green we envision). A light-to-medium green leaf with yellow tones is in its natural healthy state. For most species, leaves should be upright or horizontal instead of long and floppy. Droopy leaves indicate not enough light.

Different species and hybrids require varying amounts and levels of light. Paphiopedilums (lady’s slippers) need no direct light, while cattleyas (cat orchids) benefit from lots of light to bloom. Phalaenopsis (moth orchids) need intermediate light and are relatively adaptable to lower light, making them easygoing houseplants.

If your orchid is floppy and not flowering and water isn’t the issue, try moving it to a brighter spot, like a windowsill facing a different direction, or outdoors in summer. Many orchids grow best in dappled light (resembling tree canopy cover) and need protection from intense afternoon sun. Err on the shady side rather than too bright, as it’s easier for an orchid to acclimate.

Scout and Treat Pests

Common pests are another cause of decline. Scouted and treated early, the specimen may recover. Aphids, thrips, and mealybugs feed on leaf and floral tissues and, in severe cases, cause reduced health, failed buds, and distorted blooms.

Aphids are sap-sucking insects with a nondiscriminating palette. In addition to feeding on cellular tissues, they leave behind sticky honeydew that leads to black, sooty mold. They also spread fungal spores and are vectors for viruses.

Aphids are pear-shaped, soft-bodied, and light yellow, green, pink, brown, or black. They gather in large numbers on the undersides of leaves. Impacted orchids may show curled, yellowing leaves and stunted growth.

Thrips are tiny insects with long, narrow bodies. Adults have fringed wings, and their color ranges from translucent white to yellow, brown, and black. If you suspect thrips, give stems and leaves a shake over a piece of paper. You’ll dislodge the insects and be able to know for sure. Leaves may appear silvery and stippled or brown and papery, and petals develop white spots or distort.

Mealybugs are soft-bodied and look like tiny tufts of white cotton on leaves and stems. Infestations are visible by the insects themselves and by yellowing, wilting, or stunted leaves. It’s challenging to rid a severe infestation, and rinsing the roots may be a necessary part of treatment.

Aphids, thrips, mealybugs, and other sap-suckers like spider mites gravitate toward selections stressed by under or overwatering. For small populations, run plants under a stream of water to displace the pests. Dab them with a Q-tip or cotton ball soaked in isopropyl alcohol. Insecticidal soaps and horticultural oils are effective as more potent treatments.

Adjust the Atmosphere

High humidity is beneficial for growth and necessary for buds to develop. Fluctuations in air moisture and dry conditions can cause them to fail. If your orchid appears to be dying, try to revive it by adjusting the temperature and humidity. Keep pots out of hot and cold drafts like fireplaces, heaters, and open doors on winter days.

The exotic bloomers are sensitive to pollution, gases, chemicals, and smoke. Ethylene gas from ripening fruits like apples, oranges, and bananas may cause early bud collapse. If your orchid is in the kitchen near the fruit bowl, it may be wise to give them some distance.

Moderate Temperature

Normal home temperatures are usually fine for orchids and within their growing range. To initiate flowering, they rely on changes between daytime and nighttime temperatures. In the rainforest, temperatures can vary 15-20°F between night and day.

Cooler nights allow orchids to set buds. Placing them near a cool window benefits with a nighttime temperature drop, as does lowering the thermostat. A lower temperature, especially in autumn, often initiates the bloom cycle. After a few weeks, move them to a warmer spot for bud development.