Sad Plant

I was recently telling a co-worker that I kinda wanted to get a plant for my desk - something about the lack of life being depressing - and he went off on a tangent about how great indoor plants are, how they are natural air filters, and everyone should have one. Okay, but I'm really picky - which plant would be a good office plant that I would still like? He had the answer to that too, and sent me some studies by NASA people about the best houseplants to have. I picked out a couple that I liked, and finally settled on an Orchid - which was convieniently available at Trader Joe's. My second choice is Devil's Ivy, which I may still get (why not two?), but I've always loved orchids, and the color was a nice addition.


So how am I supposed to care for my orchid? According to the plastic around the pot - water it every 5-7 days, and keep at indoor temperatures. Perfect!


It's done well... until today. The leaves still look healthy, but the flowers are starting to look droopy and sad. I don't think the air goes on here over the weekend, and the lights only go on if someone comes in.


Last weekend Emma brought her pink potted flower into her room. This weekend it was looking pretty sad - it is clearly not an indoor plant. All the flowers had turned brown and fallen off, though the stems and leaves were still green. I convinced her to bring it back outside and we watered it really well. I think it's going to have to stay outside.


Perhaps I should bring my orchid home on weekends, and put it in Emma's room. That way she can have a flower in her room, and I can maintain my orchid's light and temperature better. I was thinking about getting a few more for the house as it is.