Why did the buds fall off my Phalaenopsis?
This is known as “bud drop,” and is a very common occurrence not only to Phalaenopsis but many other orchid genus/species as well. The main causes of bud drop is temperature fluctuation – rapid changes in the temperature around the orchid (like opening and closing a door when it is a lot colder or hotter outside than inside). The other possible reason is pollution. Smoking around your orchid is the #1 cause of pollution in a house. Ethylene and sulfur dioxide from smog, and fumes from pilot lights on stoves or heaters, are other sources of pollution.
