How to get a blue orchid at home: dyeing techniques

How to get a blue orchid at home

As you know, the blue orchid sold in stores does not exist naturally. These are dyed and over time, unless it is reactivated, it will lose its blue color.

But have you ever wanted to have blue orchids at home? Do you know what can be done without any problem? Although it is not the best for the plant, if you feel like trying it, We are going to give you two methods that are the ones that work best.

Aren’t there blue orchids?

blue flowers

Not really. The closest thing to a blue orchid is the Vanda orchid but this one is not really blue, more like purple. The only thing that, sometimes, is a shade so dark that it almost resembles navy blue.

But in the case of the usual orchids that they bring in supermarkets and that you see in many plant stores, these blues do not occur naturally. But there are some methods to achieve it.

Dye an orchid to make it blue

Blue flower

The first question that may arise when dyeing an orchid is if it is damaged. We are not going to say no, but with the necessary care, it does not have to die. Depending on the technique used, we could tell you that you will have more or less luck. and that, in both cases, it can survive and even recover. But how do you do it?

immersion technique

We are going to explain the technique of immersion. This is mainly used to dye roses and tulips. For example, perpetual roses in black, or multicolor, this system is used to achieve this, and in principle it focuses on already cut flowers.

In the case of a blue orchid you would have to cut the floral rod with all the flowers to be able to carry it out.

As an advantage, it does not treat the plant itself, which will maintain its health. Although it can also be used directly on it, although the results are not very good.

dye the flower stick

In the event that you decide to dye the floral rod of the orchid, the first thing you will need is a blue dye. In the market they can sell you many but our recommendation is that you use one based on food coloring because it is somewhat softer and will not damage as much.

You simply have to fill a container with water (a vase, a pitcher…) already dyed. The more blue you add, the darker it will be on the flower. Of course, it is better to go ahead and make the water very dark because when it rises up the flower rod it will lose intensity and it can take on a paler blue.

Dye the entire plant

As we have told you before, with the immersion method you can also dye the plant. But we have also commented that the results are not very good.

This is because orchid roots are not good at absorbing water. And since the technique involves putting it in blue-tinted water so that it dyes naturally, sometimes it is not possible.

If you still want to try it, it is best to try white orchids since they are the ones used to get a blue orchid.

Put it in tinted water and wait a few hours. If in the end you get it, that result will be long-term and you could maintain it over time if you repeated the process every so often.

infusion technique

blue orchids

The next technique that you can use to achieve a blue orchid is the one used in the market to create and sell them. In fact, it is easy to know if they used this technique because you will see a kind of little hole in the floral stems and that they are somewhat blacker. This is because the dye was directly injected there.

Unlike before, when we have told you to use a blue food coloring dye, in this case it cannot be used, because it does not work, and you have to resort to another special one that does give results.

This one is not difficult to get, although you have to be careful with it. once you have it, you should also get a syringe and a hypodermic needle wide enough to allow the stain you are going to apply to the plant to pass through.

With these elements, you just have to take the plant, already with floral and flowered rods and prick the needle with the syringe to introduce the dye. Do it at the bottom of the stick, so that the hole is hidden by the leaves it has. When you’re done, to prevent it from coming out, what you do is seal it with wax.

It takes 24 hours to get them to dyeand you always get better results if you do it with the buds of the orchids (that have not come out yet) than if you already have the flowers open.

What about the blue orchid then? Will he die later?

One of the most common questions that people have before doing this technique, or buying blue orchids, is what will happen to them. That is to say, when new flowers bloom will they come out blue? Will he die when he loses the flower rod due to “poisoning” of the dye?

Going by parts, you must understand that:

  • You are introducing a chemical dye into the plant. In this case, only on the floral rod, so once it stops giving flowers and withers, it should not affect the plant itself, which can continue to live. Now, it all depends on whether the dye has been well distributed along the stem, and has not gone to the roots.
  • When it blooms, while the dye is still active, the flowers will be blue, although it is possible that each time they lose more intensity until, finally, it returns to have white flowers. Only if you repeat the process every so often will it keep that type of color in your flowers.
  • Care is the same as for other orchids, although it is somewhat more delicate due to that dye, so you will have to be more on top of it. For the rest, watering, lighting and the prevention of pests and diseases will be the main thing.
  • As for irrigation, you can try to apply the immersion technique at the same time. This could lengthen the hue of the blue flowers a little more, and even new ones come out in that color.

Do you dare to have a blue orchid made by you?

How to get a blue orchid at home: dyeing techniques

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