In a Us store (we won’t name names) we found a Phalaenopsis being sold for $17 USD, and in the “care instructions” on the label, it said you should water with 3 ice cubes once a week; on the back of the plastic pot, there was another label stating: if your orchid doesn’t make it, come back to us and get a new one (paraphrasing). Please be careful with these type of vendors, the only thing they’re interested in is our wallets, not the plants. Would you like to hold 3 ice cubes in you hand for five minutes? Neither would they!!
Most orchids grow in temperate environments and the water they receive from the rain is not freezing!! For our orchids to thrive, as with any plant, we should try to replicate their natural habitat environmental conditions as much as possible.
Furthermore with Phalaenopsis (which represent 75% of the orchids sold worldwide), the first indication is to never water them over the leaves because the water deposit that forms between them in the crown, will rot it killing your plant. You must always water with room temperature / warm water over the media… would you like to receive a cold shower out of nowhere?
If you have doubts, check out our article “How should I water my orchids?“