How would I be able to tell how much light the plant is receiving through my window? Lights aren't much of an option for me...my elderly mother lives with me and is convinced the lights will cause fires. My orchids can go outside in the summer, but in the winter the best I can do is probably a southern window. I think the amount of light I can provide will be the deciding factor here.

What sort of temps do you have in the house in winter. Is your zone 6 climate sunny or mostly cloudy during winter?

Talking the talk. The orchid you are thinking of buying is Cattleya Love Knot 'Carmela's Blue' should be fairly easy to grow, though the blue is a dream, sort of mauvish blue is the best you can expect.

Don't worry, I know that it's not a true blue :) I've seen pictures and I'm satisfied with the color regardless. I went through a great many years as a teenager trying to grow black roses...kind of curbed my expectations a bit when they were all red. The winter, once it gets cold, is pretty sunny. It's the transition from summer to winter and back that's a rainy mess... my indoor temps can vary, upstairs is usually at least 75, downstairs is an icebox no matter what the thermostat is set on. I have heat mats that I use for some of my tropical bulbs and seedlings that I could put orchids on, if it would help them. Humidity stays pretty high, I'm right on the south shore of Long Island so I live in a marsh. If it does get too dry I can get a humidifier, might actually make the indoors more tolerable. I'm not sure of the exact winter humidity, but I've never really had problems with plants getting too dry from humidity levels unless I brought them straight from a greenhouse into my house

I'd say they are fairly close to each other as far as care and light. Both plants (plus the dend) can easily handle temps into the 50's, so downstairs may not be an issue.

The onc may get fairly large (tall and wide) in a year or two if grown well. I usually see 2 new bulbs per old bulb, so they can develop many bulbs and spikes pretty fast.

For most orchids, I think needing high humidity is over-rated as long as they are watered correctly.

Good luck,

Bob

Agree with Bob that the humidity stuff is over-rated. Leads to over-watering!

I can say that the Cattleya might be easy to grow because the name leads to the ancestors. Not so the "Spire Oncidium".

Some of the real orchid growers would know what is easy to grow indoors all year.

As for the Dendrobium.... again it depends on the type. "EASY" nobile types here are difficult indoors.

I say you should get both of them!

I‘m in NJ so I have the same conditions you do. Both will work in a south window indoors over winter. If you can have them outside in spring and summer it will help a lot. I would give them less sun if outside in summer, full sun plus the heat we have will do damage.

Over winter be careful of the leaves touching the glass. You might be surprised of the temperature difference a few inches off the window. Also the temperature can get very high in direct sun in a window. Room temperature might be 70 but surface temperature in the sun can hit 100.

Few general rules of thumb:

Leaves should be olive green, darker green means not enough light.

Cold and wet is bad, hot and dry is bad

Some air movement is beneficial

Cattleya will want more light and less water than the Oncidium

There are always exceptions to rules of thumb.

I've had an easier time getting oncidiums to bloom than cattleyas here on the north shore of LI. I grow both outdoors in the summer and overwinter in east windows. The oncidiums bloom but I haven't gotten the cattleyas to re-bloom. So, if I were you, I would start with the oncidium and see how you do before you try growing cattleyas without lights. But definitely try to research the culture of the particular orchid you purchase first. Be careful, orchids are addicting!

Ok, so for anyone who made a suggestion here, thank you so much :) I actually wound up going with both and a cymbidium. I have four orchids now...I'm scared that I'm getting addicted here :) luckily the cattleya and cymbidium seem to be compact growers so I won't run out of space...I probably won't get any more until I know I can take care of all of them well. Eventually I'm hoping I can get some lights...trying to convince my mother that they're safe, but try convincing an 80 year old Irish woman of anything...she's very stubborn. Hopefully when she sees the flowers she'll change her mind :)

Only four. Lol. Not so sure about trying to grow a Cymbidium in zone 6. Some are mini, some grow into monsters, some might be easy, others impossible indoors where you live. Even the Oncidium divides into the easy and difficult.

Not to worry, it is a great hobby and good luck.

Oh no, now I'm worried. I messaged the seller about ultimate size and difficulty in my area. Hopefully it's easy enough for me to grow. Regardless, I'll give it a shot. Just hope it doesn't die

Sorry if I have upset you, but Cymbidium paradise in the USA is Santa Barbara. Why, because there is a cool Ocean nearby which cools the the plants down on summer nights to below 20C.

BUT, there are some Cymbidiums bred in Florida that are "Warmth Tolerant" that might be better candidates for indoor culture.

Anyway, trying this and that is part of the hobby.

As for it going to heaven, the usual problem is lovely green leaves and no blooms.

Cymbidium pics