Question
Hello Orchid expert!

I got a beautiful arrangement of orchids on Valentine's day.  I'm sorry to say that I do not know name of the type of orchid but they are very common, with darker purple petals and some with purple speckled petals.  Anyway I would love to keep them as long as possible, however I'm afraid I can not!  The orchids did not come with their leaves and seems like the florist just cut the blooms and arrange them into a foam.  Is there anyway to trigger root or leaf growth? Thank you so much for your time!

Answer
Annie, it would be nice to be able to grow orchids from cuttings but, unfortunately, they are so different from other house plants that can be propagated from cuttings, that orchid flower spikes, or the vegetative parts of orchid plants, can not be propagated in this manner.  Consider spending $10-20 for a phalaenopsis orchid plant and try your hand at growing an orchid plant. These can be grown indoors in an east facing window and, with proper care, will rebloom annually.  This is the best time of year to find phalaenopsis (moth) orchids in bloom and can be found at most garden centers including Lowes, Home Depot, and, as Easter approaches, also at Target and some Walmarts.