Love Orchids? Here's What They Mean Spiritually + How To Take Care Of Them

Orchids are notorious for being difficult to take care of, but for many plant lovers, their striking beauty and elegance make them worth the hassle—plus they have significant spiritual meanings, as well. Here's what to know about the meaning of this flower, plus how to actually take care of it.

Before we dive into meanings based on color, here's a quick glance at what orchids can symbolize, generally:

According to Van, it's important to keep in mind that different cultures around the world interpret colors differently, and there are no universally set meanings to colors. "It is critical to consider someone's background before gifting them a particularly colored orchid," she adds. With that in mind, here are some common meanings of particular orchid colors around the world.

The color white, if you're from the U.S., has a long-standing association with purity, rebirth, heaven, angels, spirituality, and simplicity, Van says. In China, however, the color white represents death and ghosts, and anything white (flowers included) should never be given as gifts. 

Red is another popular orchid color, often linked with passion, sex, lust, and love, in the Western world. "We readily recognize a bouquet of red roses, for example, as indicative of someone's romantic interest," Van explains, adding that to the Japanese, red represents peace and prosperity, while to the Chinese, it denotes happiness and luck.

Purple has traditionally been associated with luxury and even royalty in many cultures, given that it was a difficult pigment to achieve in art, clothing, etc. In the case of orchids, however, those ideas can still apply, but Van notes that in China, purple is actually used to express love the way red is here in the U.S., and in Japan, it's considered the color of warriors, associated with nobility and strength.

And speaking of royalty, in China, it's actually represented by the color yellow, as opposed to purple, Van says. In the States, however, we typically associated yellow with happiness, friendship, and general positivity.

Here are her tips for caring for yours.

As such, these plants don't typically do well potted in regular soil because it holds too much water and lacks air circulation. "Bark chips are often used as potting mediums, or moss," Van tells mbg, noting that they also like a "buoyant" environment, in terms of air circulation. Basically, this just means the air is light and constantly moving, which can be achieved with an open window or a fan—just be sure to mind the temperature, as well.

Other tips to keep in mind, she adds, include blotting the top of your growing medium with a paper towel to prevent any fungus or bacteria growth, and maintaining proper humidity to keep your orchid happy.

"If moth orchids receive too much light, their leaves will turn red and even burn, indicating that they have received too much illumination. If they do not receive enough, their leaves will turn dark, and they will refuse to bloom," Van explains, adding a mature moth orchid can bloom two or three times a year, with blossoms lasting up to six months—but only if properly cared for.

The bottom line is that while orchids are definitely not the easiest flowers to take care of, they are undoubtedly beautiful and unique. With a little patience, careful attention, and perhaps some trial and error, you can welcome an orchid's beauty and symbolism into your own home.