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Got an orchid as a gift? What to do in the first week

By the Grove Plant Care team · Updated November 12, 2026

Lucky you: a moth orchid in bloom can keep its flowers for one to four months or more, and it doesn't need much from you this week. Take off the sleeve, make sure water can drain out of the pot, and set it in bright light away from drafts. Water only when the mix is nearly dry, which with the moss most gift orchids come in can take a while. Leave the repotting for after the flowers fall. If yours arrived over the holidays, you're in good company: the moth orchid is on our gift lists for Christmas, Hanukkah and Thanksgiving.

What should I do with a gift orchid in the first week?

  1. Take off the sleeve and the foil. The paper or plastic sleeve that protects it on the way home should come off once it's inside. UGA Extension and UNH Extension say to remove decorative foil or punch holes in it, because it traps the water that drains through.
  2. Make sure the water can get out. Gift orchids often sit in a pretty pot or a glass vase with no hole. Keep the plant in a plastic pot with holes and set that inside the decorative one, and never leave water standing in the outer pot, as Iowa State Extension advises. If it's planted straight in glass, see our repotting guide for why that's a problem and what to do.
  3. Find a bright spot out of drafts. An east window is the safe default for a moth orchid, per its care card. Keep it away from outside doors, heating vents, radiators and cold window glass, which UGA, UNH and Nebraska Extension all warn about for gift plants.
  4. Feel the mix before you water. The Desert Botanical Garden says most store orchids are moth orchids potted in sphagnum moss, which holds more water than the plant needs, and Iowa State notes that moss stays wet longer than bark. Water when the moss feels nearly dry and the pot feels light, then let it drain completely. Our watering guide shows the signs.
  5. Hold the fertilizer. UNH Extension says a gift plant doesn't need feeding while it's in flower, and Chicago Botanic Garden starts feeding a moth orchid only after its flowers drop.
  6. Read the tag. The first word usually names the orchid. No tag? Most gift orchids are moth orchids, and our orchid types guide shows how to tell.
  7. Keep it apart for a while. New plants are the usual way pests get into a home. Our gifted plant guide explains how long to wait and what to look for.

That's the whole first week. The rest of the gift plant basics, from light to leaf drop, are in our guide for any plant you get as a gift.

Should I repot my gift orchid right away?

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The American Orchid Society says to wait until flowering ends, and the New York Botanical Garden warns that the stress can drop buds or cut the bloom short. Once the flowers are done, the moss is worth replacing: the Desert Botanical Garden repots store orchids right after they finish blooming, to get them out of moss that stays too wet.

The exception is a sick plant. If the roots look brown and mushy or the pot smells sour, repot now and accept you may lose some flowers. Our repotting guide shows both sides, and our root guide shows what rot looks like.

Why are the buds falling off my new orchid?

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The NC State moth orchid page lists bud blast, buds that dry up and fall before they open, and blames changes in temperature, humidity, moisture or location. The AOS adds that swinging temperatures cause bud drop, and that some moth orchids drop buds below about 16 °C (60 °F). For gift plants in general, Nebraska Extension adds a chilly trip home below 10 °C (50 °F).

A few dropped buds in the first weeks are common with gift plants, as our gifted plant guide notes, and the plant can bloom again next time. If a lot of them drop, check for a draft, a heater or a cold window nearby, and see our guide to dropping buds.

Is a gift orchid safe for cats and dogs?

The ASPCA lists the moth orchid (Phalaenopsis) as non-toxic to cats, dogs and horses, and the Christmas orchid as non-toxic too. Many other orchids, like Cymbidium and slipper orchids, aren't on its list at all, which means nobody has rated them. Our orchid care guide has the full table.

Any plant can upset a pet's stomach if it eats enough, so keep a determined chewer away from the leaves. If a pet eats part of an orchid and seems unwell, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

What is a Christmas orchid?

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Cattleya trianae is a Cattleya and Colombia's national flower, a status Colombia's environment ministry dates to 1936. In Colombia it's also called flor de mayo, a name ColPlanta records. The ASPCA lists it as Cattleya trianaei, a variant spelling of the same name.

If your tag says Cattleya, its care differs from a moth orchid's: it wants your brightest window and should dry out completely between waterings. Our Cattleya care card has the details. If the tag says Phalaenopsis, or nothing at all, it's almost surely a moth orchid.

What happens when the flowers fall?

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Moth orchid flowers last at least a month with good care, says University of Maryland Extension, several months according to Clemson, and four months or more according to NC State. When they drop, the plant isn't dying. Our after-blooming guide shows where to cut the spike, and our rebloom guide covers the light and cooler nights that bring the next flowers. That's also the right moment for the repotting you skipped this week.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Is an orchid a good gift?

A moth orchid is one of the best: its flowers last for months, it suits an ordinary bright window, and the ASPCA lists it as non-toxic to cats and dogs. Our Christmas gift plants guide compares it with other holiday plants.

Can I keep my orchid in the glass vase it came in?

As an outer pot, yes, as long as you empty any water that collects in it. Planted straight in glass, with no hole, the roots stay wet and rot. Our repotting guide explains how to move it.

Should I water my gift orchid with ice cubes?

One university study found three ice cubes a week didn't harm moth orchids in bark over six months, but a few cubes don't soak the whole pot, and most experts still recommend a proper soak. Our watering guide has the details.

My orchid is bright blue. Will it stay that way?

No. Iowa State Extension explains that blue orchids are white moth orchids with dye injected into the flower spike. The flowers stay blue until they fall, and the next ones open white.

Sources

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