Should you water your orchid with ice cubes? | New Scientist

There's a fierce debate raging in the horticulture world over whether adding ice cubes to your orchid is beneficial or damaging for this tropical plant. James Wong investigates

By James Wong

23 April 2025

“Moth orchids are tropical plants…”

Shutterstock/SoNelly

With such a wholesome image, the world of horticulture can have some surprisingly passionate debates. So while it is probably extremely unwise, I thought I would wade into one of the most heated questions in gardening in recent years: should you really water tropical orchids with ice cubes? Bear with me…

I first came across this idea over a decade ago at a horticultural trade fair in the Netherlands, where giant commercial orchid growers were unveiling a glossy new campaign. Oversized retro fridges and fake ice sculptures were festooned with live orchids, under a…

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