The Least Fun Blast You’ll Ever Have
Orchids test—and reward—patience. It can take a while to learn what an orchid needs and how to get it to thrive, not just to survive. Sometimes, it can take years to get them to flower again. The most gratifying moments of plant owner pride for me are my involuntary gasps on the days one of my orchids has burst into bloom. On the flip side, the saddest moments have been when I’ve realized an orchid’s buds were never going to flower.
Bud blast on my phalaenopsis.
Bud blast is when an orchid grows a stem and buds and everything looks good, but suddenly one or more buds wither and die without blooming. The orchids most susceptible to blast are phalaenopsis, cattleya, and dendrobium. One of my phalaenopsis orchids is experiencing this right now, and the weird thing is that some of the buds on the stem are fine and are about to bloom, while others have died. I’m guessing this is because the orchid is near a window and temperatures in Boston were recording-breakingly cold recently. Some fluctuation is fine, but that was probably too extreme and abrupt for the sensitive buds to handle. This is also the orchid that’s been battling scale, which can’t help.
Any of the mistakes one might make with an orchid can cause blast. Buds are vulnerable to overwatering, under-watering, too much light, too little light, temps that are too low, a lack or an excess of humidity, and pests. According to the AOS, even under “perfect” conditions, orchids can develop bud blast. Scientists wonder if a genetic mutation might account for some of those cases. TLDR; bud blast can be caused by just about anything and everything.
Close up.
Outdoor flowers such as roses, peonies, and lilies, as well as fruiting plants can also experience bud blast, often because of abrupt and/or extended temperature and humidity changes.
Bloom blast, a similar affliction that affects the flowers themselves, can be caused by the same imbalances. Fortunately, that’s not something I’ve experienced yet with my orchids—yet.
