Mexico Specialty Orchid Trial: 157% More Blooms and 87% More Branches with Beneficial Soil Microbes

Results at a glance

Metric	Untreated control	Sunrise treated
Blooms per plant	127	327 (+157%)
Branches per plant	36	67.5 (+87.5%)
Plant fullness	Thinner	Denser, fuller
Trial length	4 months	4 months

The problem

A specialty orchid grower in Mexico wanted to increase bloom count and branching density to improve plant quality and shelf appeal at point of sale without changing the existing nutrient program. In commercial orchid production, branches and blooms per plant are the two metrics that most directly drive plant value, since buyers grade heavily on visible fullness and flower count. The trial evaluated whether Sunrise Soil Probiotic, an OMRI Listed and CDFA registered multi-strain microbial inoculant of beneficial bacteria and fungi, could lift flowering performance and visual quality under matched greenhouse conditions. Over a 4-month period, branches and blooms per plant were measured across treated and untreated groups to isolate Sunrise as the differentiating input.

Before, during, and after

Before
The untreated control plants averaged 36 branches and 127 blooms per plant during the 4-month trial period. Branching was thinner, bloom set was lower, and overall plant fullness was visibly reduced compared to the treated group. The control plants established the baseline level of flowering and branching performance under the existing production program, with no microbial inoculant added beyond the standard fertility regime.

After
The Sunrise-treated plants averaged 67.5 branches per plant, an 87.5% increase over the control, and 327 blooms per plant, a 157% increase or roughly 2.6x the control. Treated plants showed denser branching, fuller bloom production, and stronger visual presentation at point of sale, the combination that drives premium pricing in commercial orchid production. The improvement came from a single addition to the existing nutrient program, with no other inputs changed between treated and control groups. For specialty orchid producers, ornamental plant nurseries, and greenhouse operations targeting the fresh-market trade, this trial demonstrates what an OMRI Listed multi-strain microbial inoculant of beneficial soil microbes like Sunrise can deliver on flowering performance under real production conditions.

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Product used in this trial

Sunrise Soil Probiotic

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