Jewel orchids are one of the easiest house plants to care for and they will bloom year after year.  They love southern light exposure and can thrive in low light settings.  Although commonly referred to as jewel orchids, their official name is Ludisia and they are native to parts of Asia.  They are found in Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Southern China, Philippines, Burma, Northeast India & Malaysia.  They grow on the floors of rain forests and have beautiful maroon leaves with red veins.  Jewel orchid flowers are white with a yellow center.  They grow in stalks, much like other orchids but the flowers are significantly smaller and there are dozens of them on each stem.

Indoor-growing Jewel orchids are known to occasionally bloom on their own without orchid food, but this might only happen once in five years.  If given orchid food regularly, they will bloom much more often.  Lastly, jewel orchid flowers bloom in the winter months and can grow in African violet soil or rocky soil.

Tips:  if the leaves start to look pale or washed out, it means that your jewel orchid is getting too much sunlight.  Try moving it to a southern facing window – or out of direct sunlight.  Be sure to use a pot that has good drainage. A wonderful zero waste organic fertilizer to encourage blooms is EarthPods Orchid Plant Food.