14 Orchid Flower Colors: How Many Colors Do Orchids Come In

In nature, there are about 30 thousand natural orchid colors. There are red, white, light pink, yellow, and maroon flowers. At home, you can try to grow hybrids of absolutely fantastic color combinations. Different varieties of orchids have different colors.

colored orchids how many colors do orchids come in

Do orchids change color?

Some plant varieties have blue, pink, and purple buds with a spotted or monochromatic white lip.

An orchid by itself cannot change color. The blue and black representatives of orchids are most likely the result of bred plant varieties in laboratory conditions or special tinting of petals. Sometimes the shade or amount of blotches can change with repeated blooming. Also, too excessive or, conversely, insufficient lighting can affect the color of the buds.

How Many Colors Do Orchids Come In

Orchids come in many colors. There are over 30,000 different types of orchids and they come in a vast array of colors. While the most common colors are white, pink, and purple, orchids can also be found in shades of green, yellow, orange, and red. Some rare orchids even boast shades of blue and black.

The color of an orchid can be affected by the environment, the time of year, and the age of the orchid.

14 Orchid Flower Colors

Orchid colors can be very diverse and include everything from the brightest, most saturated colors to the dullest and most muted hues. Some orchid species are even capable of changing color throughout the year, depending on the temperature. Here’s a look at some of the most colorful orchids available today.

red shades orchid

Orchids of red colors look spectacular. They often have a lighter center or lip, and the petals do not always have a uniform color:

red shades orchid
  • Howeara Lava Burst is a hybrid of the oncidium group, has small flowers that resemble a panicle from a distance.
  • Cattleya New Town (Cattleya Chia Lin New City) is beautiful for its twisted, as if in curls, red petals and white core.
  • Ascocenda Bicentennial (Ascocenda Bicentennial) is famous for the fact that dark streaks and specks are noticeable on its rounded petals of a red background.

Pink orchids

The petals have different shades: from pale pink to bright lilac. Phalaenopsis is the most common orchid group of this color.

pink
  1. Cymbidium pink (Cymbidium rose special) has a large inflorescence with broad petals.
  2. Phalaenopsis pink (Phalaenopsis Rosea) – the stem can be up to 30 cm. It is pink in color with thin white stripes.
  3. Cattleya Miyuki Little King is a small specimen with a deep purple-pink color.

For varieties with a pink tinge and include: 

Phalaenopsis Liodoro (Phalaenopsis Sweet Memory Liodoro), Phalaenopsis Chengdu (Phalaenopsis Chengdu), Dendrobium Berry Oda (Dendrobium Berry Oda), Phalaenopsis Schiller (Phalaenopsis schilleriana), Phalaenopsis Legato (Phalaenopsis Legato).

Yellow orchids

Among the representatives of the orchid family, yellow colors are found quite often. Read more Types of yellow orchids.

The brightest color representatives of Orchid Flower:

  • Dendrobium nobile yellow (Dendrobium nobile yellow) – is a tree-like flower that has a lot of yellow inflorescences.
  • Oncidium Sweet Sugar (Oncidium Sweet Sugar) – unpretentious, pleases with many small yellow flowers.
  • Phalaenopsis Anthura Gold (Phalaenopsis Multifloratypes Anthura Gold). These yellows have a contrasting lip color. It can be red, white, purple, spotted, speckled.
  • Cattleya Potinara Burana Beauty looks like a clown in a sun cap with wide red stripes on the flower petals.
  • Phalaenopsis Parrot (Phalaenopsis Papagayo) also has a bright yellow color , which has a bright red lip and the same stains along the edges of the petals.

Purple orchids

Among the purple orchids are the following:

purple orchids
Vanda Robert’s Delight Black Purple Beauty
  1. Dendrobium Queen Victoria’s (Dendrobium Queen Victoria’s) This orchid can be found in nature, where it lives, attaching to the tree. Each of its stems is formed from four flowers (from 8 cm in diameter) of deep purple color. She has dense leaves in the form of a stretched ellipse.
  2. Phalaenopsis equestris (Phalaenopsis equestris) is a mini orchid that blooms all year round. The flower stalk itself is of an unusual purple color, up to 30 cm in height.
  3. Vanda black-purple (Vanda Robert’s Delight Black Purple Beauty). In this type of orchid, the rhizome resembles a beard. The stem is cylindrical with dense foliage.
  4. In the herbaceous plant Bletilla (Bletilla striata), the foliage is green with variegation, and the flowers themselves are holly, with a pink-purple color.

White orchids

Pure white orchids, when the lip and petals are painted in the same color, are rare. Usually, flowers with contrasting lips or spots on the petals, as well as with a slightly noticeable pink or beige tint, are equated with white orchids.

white orchids
Dendrobium albosanguineum

Among them:

  • Dendrobium white-purple (Dendrobium albosanguineum) has a purple center, and beautiful dendrobium formosum (Dendrobium formosum) is yellow.
  • Phalaenopsis adorable (Phalaenopsis amabilis). Its peculiarity is large snow-white flowers (6-10 cm in diameter).
  • Cattleya schroederae, Cattleya warneri var. Alba These species captivate the eye with white, butterfly-like flowers with a yellow center.

Lilac orchids

The lilac color of the orchid is sometimes confused with pink, but there are bright representatives of these particular shades.

Among them, Schiller’s phalaenopsis (Phalaenopsis shilleriana) is found not only with pink, but also with a lilac color. 
Moreover, it can have several stems with numerous small flowers (up to 200 pieces).

lilac orchids

Some species of Cattleya have a different lilac color. Here are some of its representatives:

Lipped (Cattleya labiata), Triana (Cattleya trianae), Bowring (Cattleya bowringiana), Ekland (Cattleya acklandiae), and others.

Blue Orchid

As a rule, blue and blue orchids are the product of the creation of breeders. But there are types of orchids with natural blue, purple or pale lilac color:

blue orchid
  1. Vanda blue (Vanda coerulea) is a small orchid with small flowers (diameter – 4 cm). Purple-blue markings are visible on the lip of the flower.
  2. Vanda Rothschildiana is an instance of a delicate blue color, the petals of which are strewn with a fine mesh.
  3. Phalaenopsis Aphrodite Royal Blue (Phalaenopsis Aphrodite Royal Blue), the world’s only natural blue flower, which, unlike its “tinted” counterparts, does not change color after the first flowering.

Check out the guide Do natural blue orchids Exit.

Tiger, spotted, leopard, and differently speckled Orchid

Sometimes it is not easy to unambiguously determine the color of buds that have several colors. Therefore, let’s define them as multi-colored:

tiger spotted leopard and differently speckled orchid
  • Spotted odontoglossum (Odontoglossum blandum) reaches a height of no more than 10-50 cm. The flowers are like stars. Dark brown spots are painted on light inflorescences.
  • Phalaenopsis Gold Rush (Phalaenopsis Gold Rush) is low (60 cm), of an unusual color: there are many dark veins on a pale pink background, and the lip of the flower is yellow-orange and speckled with stripes, streaks, spots.
  • Zygopetalum (Zygopetalum) – a rare genus of orchids unites 15 varieties, the name means “connecting sepals”. On the dark, almost green background of the petals, brown spots stand out clearly, and the lip of the flower resembles an open fan.
  • Grammatophyllum (Grammatophyllum speciosum) is a giant wild orchid with flowers the size of a soup plate (up to 15 cm in diameter). Moreover, its inflorescence is approximately 3 meters.

By the multi-colored orchids, Phalaenopsis varieties include:

Frontera (Phalaenopsis Anthura Frontera), Ravello (Phalaenopsis Anthura Ravello), Manhattan (Phalaenopsis Manhatten), Cleopatra (Phalaenopsis Cleopatra), Wild Cat (Phalenopsis Lioulin Wild Cat), Charmer (Phalaenopsis Charmer).

Orange Orchid

There are many amazing flowers in nature, bright representatives: orange orchids.

At many varieties and subspecies, which are quite large inflorescences saturated orange color.

These are Cattleya Potinara Shinfong Little Sun Yong Min Golden Boy and Cattleya Young Min Orange Golden Satisfaction. Big beautiful velvet lip the same color as the petals.

orange orchid
Brassada orange delight

Ascocenda orange (Ascocenda Orange) refers to hybrid plants with large bright orange inflorescences (8 cm in diameter). Moreover, the latter are collected in a brush, and the rhizome and leaves are bright green.

Another representative: Brassada (Brassada Orange Delight) is a hybrid in which from 6 to 8 flowers are formed on the stem, having sharp elongated yellow-orange petals up to 9 cm long.

Black Orchid

In nature, black pigment is not found in orchids, but there are colors similar to black orchids: burgundy or purple:

species from brazil grown by hanging gardens
Species from Brazil Grown by Hanging Gardens
  1. Maxillaria (Maxillaria Schunkeana) is found in the mountain forests of Brazil and only appears black in low light. In fact, its color is dark purple. In shape, the beauty resembles a tulip.
  2. Paphiopedilum (Paphiopedilum Pisgah Midnight) looks like an elegant shoe with dark veins on burgundy petals.

Burgundy or crimson Orchid

burgundy or crimson orchid
Phalaenopsis Kimono

In the family of orchids, the color of the petals ranges from burgundy to maroon, and small white specks are noticeable along the edges. A striking representative: the Phalaenopsis Kimono, which produces buds of a dense raspberry color with many veins.

Gold Orchid

It is not always obvious that if the name of a flower says “gold” or Gold, its color is similar to a gold bar. Most often, these orchids have a shade of ocher, yellow or light brown:

gold orchid
  • Paphiopedilum Gold Kinabalu (Paphiopedilum rothschildianum) grows in Malaysia and gives birth to flowers only at the age of 16. She usually has 6 large yellow-green inflorescences (diameter 12.5 cm).
  • Phalaenopsis Golden Beauty. In its natural environment, it grows on trees, stumps, rocks. The height of the peduncle is about 60 cm. It has up to 40 cm long leaves, dense structure. The flowers are bright yellow with purple veins and a curly medium-sized lip.
  • Phalaenopsis Golden Apple (Phalaenopsis Golden Apple) is distinguished by the predominance of yellow shades of flowers and bright buds with a rich burgundy-yellow lip.

Green, lemon, or lime color Orchid

You do not often find a green orchid, but sometimes among the various species there are also pale light green or lemon shades:

green lemon or lime color orchid
  1. Fragrant lycast (Lycaste aromatica) has lemon-colored flowers. Its center resembles a yellow light, framed by three petals.
  2. Phalaenopsis Yara Bright is a plant with large pistachio petals and a yellow lip.
  3. Dendrobium Anna Green is a beautiful specimen with large yellow-green flowers and a dark lilac tongue.
  4. Cypripedium or lady’s slipper (Cypripedium calceolus) delights the eye with white-green and lemon flowers.

Rare coral or peach color Orchid

The delicate peach color is found in phalaenopsis:

rare coral or peach color orchid
Phalaenopsis Bronze Maiden
  • Phalaenopsis Leco Fantastic boasts two peduncles. On the peach background of the petals, specks are noticeable, the lip is also spotted, pink-yellow.
  • Phalaenopsis Bronze Maiden. It has five peach-colored petals that resemble the blades of an oar. A beautiful white lip with red blotches. The middle of the flower is orange-yellow.
  • Surf Song Phalaenopsis (Phalaenopsis Surf Song) orange-peach shades. It has 1 or 2 branches 60–80 cm high, on which large (6–8 cm in diameter) flowers bloom. White-pink center with peach-colored lip.
  • Phalaenopsis Narbonne (Phalaenopsis Anthura Narbonne) also attracts an unusual coral coloration.

how to take care of natural orchid color?

  1. Lighting. Scattered sunlight is required (10-15 hours a day). In the cold season, it is better to place it under fluorescent lamps.
  2. Temperature and humidity. The daytime temperature can be 25-30 degrees during the day, and 18-20 at night with an indoor air humidity of 50-80%.
  3. Priming. The flower loves loose soil that absorbs moisture well, which consists of the bark of old trees, drainage in the form of pebbles.
  4. Watering. It is advisable to water the culture with settled water from the edge of the pot and leave it to saturate the substrate for 10-15 minutes.
  5. Reproduction. As a rule, at home, the orchid is transplanted by children.

As a result of artificial painting, the shades of the flower often change. To prevent this from happening when buying, it is important to inspect the orchid for any injection marks. It is also important to note that as a result of a lack of light and nutrients, the color of the petals may become slightly lighter or, conversely, darker.

FAQs about the Color of orchids Flower

Are blue orchids real or dyed?

The orchid is a beautiful flower that can be found in many colors, shapes, and sizes. One of the most popular types of orchids is the blue orchid. Some people believe that it is an artificial flower because it doesn’t seem natural to have such a vibrant color.

The reason for this misconception comes from the fact that there are two different types of blue orchids: those with natural color and those with dyed color. The thing about these flowers is that they come in many different shades, so it’s hard to tell which type you’re looking at without getting up close and personal with them.

Can you change the color of orchids?

Orchids are a diverse group of plants that are usually found in tropical or subtropical climates. They come in many different colors and shapes, but one thing that is true for all orchids is that they cannot be changed to a different color.

The color of an orchid has to do with the pigments in the petals, which can’t be altered. The only way an orchid can change color is if it gets exposed to certain types of light over time.

Are pink orchids real?

The orchid is one of the most beautiful flowers in the world. They grow in many different colors and shapes. One of the most popular colors is pink. But are pink orchids real?

If you search for “are pink orchids real” on Google, you will find that there are no real pink orchids. The only way to get a pink orchid is through artificial dyeing, which makes it not a natural flower anymore.

Are purple orchids real?

Some people says purple orchids are not real. They are a type of flower that is dyed to turn it purple.

Scientists have discovered that the striking purple color of orchids is not due to any pigments in the plant’s cells, but rather a combination of two different cell layers.

The outer layer is made up of a thin waxy coating called the cuticle. The inner layer is made up of a group of cells called the epidermis, which produces pigment-containing organelles called chloroplasts. When light hits these chloroplasts, they produce a dark purplish color.

Purple orchids are not fake plants they are real and beautiful!

How do they make colored orchids?

The process of making colored orchids is a long and complicated one. It starts with the original white orchid. The flower is dipped in a dye bath that gives it its color. The flower is then placed on a rack to dry and harden, which can take up to 72 hours.

Orchids are typically dyed with pigments that are derived from plants, trees, lichens, vegetables, insects, or animals. They come in a variety of colors including black, browns, blues, greens and reds.

Are green orchids real?

The green orchid is not a real flower. The green color of the petal is due to an optical illusion. When seen from a distance, the yellowish-green petals appear to be green.

Are ocean breeze orchids real?

The ocean breeze orchid is a cross between the Dendrobium nobile and Dendrobium bigibbum, which are both native to Southeast Asia. The plant is a hybrid because it has two different parent plants.

The ocean breeze orchid is not real because it’s a hybrid of two types of orchids.

Do orchids always bloom the same color?

Orchids are usually thought to be a plant with a fixed color, but they can actually change their colors depending on the temperature and light.

The orchid’s flowers vary in color from pink, purple, yellow, white and red. The reason for this is because orchids have two types of pigments: one is called anthocyanin which gives them their blue-purple color; the other is called chalcone which gives them their pink-yellow color.

Anthocyanin pigments are sensitive to heat and will turn more blue when it’s cold outside whereas chalcone pigments get more intense

What do colors of orchids mean?

The orchid is a symbol of love.

The orchid is also the national flower of Thailand and is used in many celebrations there.

The color orchid represents beauty, love, and elegance.

I am an avid plant enthusiast and horticulture aficionado with a deep passion for houseplants. With years of nurturing green companions, my expertise in caring for indoor foliage is well-rooted. Through my journey, I've cultivated insights into optimal plant care, propagation techniques, and creating vibrant indoor ecosystems. Join me as we explore the verdant world of houseplants together. Let's turn your living space into a thriving oasis of botanical beauty. Connect with me on admin@houseplantspro.com and Facebook and explore more at Houseplantspro. 🌿🪴