AboutOrchids

Enjoy these amazing orchids for today’s equinox. Autumn is usually the warmest time of year for us on the Northern California coast. The fog pulls back, and we can finally bask in the sun that’s been baking everyone else. Last year, that meant record-breaking heatwaves in September. This year, so far, it’s been milder. We can enjoy the pleasant weather as we pass the point of equal day and equal night, and the planet spirals on.

Now that vanilla beans cost as much as silver, the world’s most delicious orchid is in the news a lot, and scientists are investigating the possibilities of vanilla farms in South Florida. Since vanilla is a vine that climbs trees, it could be “co-cropped” in avocado, citrus, or nut orchards. Farmers could harvest the beans without need for any more land. It’s also an opportunity to do much-needed research into Florida’s endangered native vanilla species. These are not used for agriculture, but might be hybridized with edible vanilla to create new flavor profiles and better hardiness. It will require many years before research makes it a viable crop, but Florida farms may someday be harvesting vanilla.

Big flowers get more attention, but don’t overlook the little ones. They may be tiny, or downright tough to see, but small orchid flowers are just as intricate and fascinating as showier blooms. These photos from July’s Orchids in the Park event highlight a few of their marvels.

Dave’s and my cameras can compensate a lot for tiny blossoms and farsighted eyes. Often, I don’t see flower details until later, when I’m looking at large digital images on my computer. Small blooms can come from big plants, but most are mini orchids, like the three Pleurothallids in the next row of photos.

See more photos from Orchids in the Park, with big and small flowers, in my previous posts here and here. Below, the final row of pictures shows three color variations of Dendrobium cuthbertsonii, a charming miniature that comes in many brilliant hues. This cool grower boasts blooms over an inch (2.5 cm) which dwarf its tiny leaves. No matter how little, it’s tough to overlook these gems.

Vanilla has been in the news a lot lately, with skyrocketing prices contributing to crime problems in Madagascar. The BBC delves into the story, and explains what happens when vanilla costs almost as much as silver.

September brings busy orchid show schedules around the world, especially in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Can’t find a show near you? Check with your local orchid society for more info.

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Vandas are orchid royalty. These popular tropical beauties have big, round, colorful, long-lasting flowers. Called strap-leaf Vandas, they are best known in the tropics. In places like Hawaii, it’s easy for growers to accommodate these large plants with long roots and high light needs by tying them onto a tree. Outside the tropics, they’re tougher to grow.

Their rainbow of colors includes blue, which is a rare orchid hue. They’re native to a vast area from India through South China, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, New Guinea, the Philippines, and northern Australia. The name Vanda comes from the Sanskrit name of Vanda tessellata, a species native to India and Southeast Asia.

Many varieties can grow into large plants. Vandas need morning sun, warmth, frequent waterings, fertilizer, and high humidity. They dislike being potted at all, so they’re often kept in small wooden or plastic baskets, without any potting media, simply to anchor the roots. Most are warm growers, but there are some intermediate types, also. Hybrids are usually more temperature tolerant.

As with all orchids, diversity is the rule. There are strap-leaf Vandas which don’t share the big, round, flat flower shape. Many hybrids have been created with related species. Some smaller varieties include a genus like Neofinetia or Ascocentrum in their names. Home growers without a greenhouse can fit these more compact plants on a windowsill. Large or small, Vandas bring tropical beauty wherever they grow.

Would you buy a beautiful orchid to support a great conservation group? Head to San Mateo, California on Saturday, August 25th for a sale benefiting the Orchid Conservation Alliance (OCA.) Some of the Bay Area’s most talented growers are donating plants to help the superb work of the OCA. If you can’t make it to San Mateo, you can support the OCA by becoming a member, shopping at their store, or joining one of their orchid vacations.

In a chilly, windy July rain, near a trail with a long name, in between glaciers with longer names, orchids bloom in southern Iceland. Orchids near the Arctic Circle? In fact, orchids live just about everywhere on earth, including Iceland, which is home to seven native species. Two of them are shown here. The Heath Spotted Orchid has purple and white flowers, and the Vanilla Scented Bog Orchid has yellow flowers. My amazing mother-in-law Brenda took these great photos during a recent hiking tour in Iceland.

Two rows of photos above show the Heath Spotted Orchid, a terrestrial found in damp areas in Iceland, throughout Europe, and even into Siberia. The first row of photos shows one plant, and the second row shows another. Look closely to see how the purple spots and patches differ between the two, which happens a lot in this variable species.

The third row of photos below shows a Vanilla Scented Bog Orchid.  This species is native to eastern Canada, Greenland, Iceland, northern Europe, and northern Russia. It’s reputed to have a sweet scent, and it also grows in cool, damp areas.

The final row of photos shows another orchid habitat view, and then two guide illustrations of other Icelandic species, the Frog Orchid and the Northern Green Orchid. All of these remarkable plants are the tough polar cousins of the tropical ones we know better. Whatever they lack in size or glamour, their ability to survive in a cold, harsh climate marks Icelandic orchids as true stars of the flower world. Photos courtesy of Brenda Hogue.

Western Australia’s south coast is suffering through an exceptionally dry winter, but some rare native orchids are thriving anyway. Local orchid lovers are finding Queen of Sheba Orchids and other fascinating Australian natives despite the drought. With underground tubers to store water, these little terrestrials can handle some adversity. Orchid enthusiast Robert Tozer noted “Only about a week or so ago I found these little Dark Banded Greenhoods growing on ground I would compare to a concrete floor. It was rock hard and yet this little orchid has come up and is still flowering. They are pretty solid and pretty resilient.”

From Auckland to Zululand, there are orchid shows, festivals, fairs, auctions, extravaganzas, and spectaculars. Go to any one of them and enjoy gorgeous flowers.

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