The flowers have dropped, and you're left with a bare green stalk and a few leaves. Don't bin it. A healthy moth orchid will flower again, often year after year. It needs three things: a decision about the old spike, good light, and a spell of cooler nights. Autumn is when to give it that last one.
01At a glance
- The old spike: cut above a node for a quicker, smaller second flush, or cut to the base for a stronger spike later.
- The trigger: the RHS suggests dropping the temperature by about 5°C for a month or so. Missouri Botanical Garden suggests nights around 13°C for several weeks in autumn.
- Light: bright, but out of direct summer sun. The RHS rates an east- or west-facing windowsill as ideal.
- Water and feed: water about once a week and drain fully. Feed weakly in the growing season with an orchid fertiliser.
02Step 1: deal with the old spike
You have a choice, and the experts differ on which is better.
- Cut above a node. Nodes are the small brown bands on the stalk below the old flowers. The RHS says to cut just above the second node below the spent flowers, once all the blooms have fallen. The American Orchid Society says one node will usually produce flowers within 8 to 12 weeks.
- Cut to the base. Missouri Botanical Garden prefers cutting the old spike near its base, which encourages a new spike within about a year. It warns that flowering again from the old spike weakens and stresses the plant. The American Orchid Society says cutting to the leaves gives bigger flowers and a strong stem within a year.
Our view: if the plant is young, small, or has only a few leaves, cut to the base and let it rebuild. If it's big and healthy, try a node. If the stalk turns pale, brown and dry, cut it off at the base, as the RHS advises.
03Step 2: give it light
Too little light is a common reason for no flowers. The American Orchid Society advises more light if a plant won't rebloom. In winter, the RHS suggests moving moth orchids into bright light to encourage flowering.
Read the leaves. Missouri Botanical Garden and the American Orchid Society agree: olive green means the light is right, dark green means too little, and a red tinge means too much.
04Step 3: cooler nights in autumn
This is the step most people miss. A warm living room, with the heating on in the evenings, never gives the plant the cool-down that triggers a spike.
- From September to November, move it somewhere a few degrees cooler at night, such as a spare room or a bright windowsill away from the radiator.
- Aim for about 5°C cooler than usual for about a month. Missouri suggests nights of around 13°C. Avoid cold glass and draughts, and don't leave it trapped behind closed curtains on a cold night.
- Keep the light bright throughout.
- Once a spike appears, move it back to its usual bright spot, then keep it there. Once buds form, don't move it again. The American Orchid Society warns that fluctuating temperatures can cause bud drop.
05Keep the roots healthy
A plant with poor roots won't flower. Moth orchids grow in bark, not compost, in a clear pot. The RHS says some roots can photosynthesise, so a clear container helps, and it lets you see how wet the bark is. Healthy roots are plump, firm and silvery-white.
- Water about once a week, by standing the pot in a bowl of tepid water, ideally rainwater, then letting it drain completely. Never leave it standing in water.
- Feed lightly but regularly in the growing season with an orchid fertiliser. The RHS suggests watering without feed every fourth time to flush out salts, and feeding sparingly, if at all, in winter.
- Repot into fresh bark orchid compost every couple of years. The RHS says old bark breaks down and stays wet for too long. Never use multipurpose compost.
06Why yours isn't flowering
- It's always warm: no cool nights, no spike.
- Dark-green leaves: too little light.
- Limp, wrinkled leaves: check the roots. They may be rotten or dried out.
- It's flowered recently from a node: it may be resting. Give it a season.
How we checked this
Every care and safety claim on this page is verified against horticultural and veterinary sources.
Sources: RHS — How to grow Phalaenopsis (moth orchids) · RHS — How to grow houseplants · American Orchid Society — Phalaenopsis novice culture sheet · Missouri Botanical Garden — Orchids: Phalaenopsis
Checked 8 October 2026. If our advice ever conflicts with the RHS, believe them and tell us.