How are blue orchids made?

Question: 

How are blue orchids made?

Answer: 

Occasionally a florist or garden center will have vibrant blue moth orchids (Phalaenopsis) for sale.  Blue is not a color that naturally occurs in orchids.  These orchids are typically white flowers dyed to achieve this unique color.  A  food-grade dye (the formulation of which is typically proprietary) is injected into the base of the flower scape (stem).  As water moves up the stem to the opening flowers, the dye is carried with it changing the color of the white bloom to blue.  The bloom will remain that color until it falls off.  Should the orchid rebloom, the new flowers will be their original white color.

dyed blue moth orchid
Orchids with unnatural colors like blue are white orchids injected with a dye.

Blue isn't the only color orchids are dyed.  Other unnatural colors like orange or bright green are also popular around certain holidays.  You can often identify the orchid as dyed when you see younger flowers further out on the scape that are lighter in color than the more mature blooms that opened first.  Additionally, the injection site can often be found if you carefully inspect the base of the flower scape near the leaves.

Links to this article are strongly encouraged, and this article may be republished without further permission if published as written and if credit is given to the author, Horticulture and Home Pest News, and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. If this article is to be used in any other manner, permission from the author is required. This article was originally published on . The information contained within may not be the most current and accurate depending on when it is accessed.