Archive for June, 2009

Orchids in the News

Saturday, June 27th, 2009

It’s always a pleasant surprise to find stories in the news about orchids, and lately I’ve seen a handful about native orchids blooming in Britain and North America. This recent article from the Times of London provides a great account of how native British orchids are thriving this year. Although less well-known than their tropical […]

Reading Your Orchid’s Leaves

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

Orchids need healthy leaves to survive and thrive. If your orchid’s leaves look unhappy, take this list of common problems as a starting point to your diagnosis. Notice that some symptoms appear several times for different causes. For instance, certain signs of overwatering and underwatering are the same. It helps to pay attention to the […]

Orchis

Sunday, June 21st, 2009

If you’re welcoming today’s summer solstice by enjoying some time outdoors, it’s always a good idea to keep your eyes open for whatever surprises nature can offer. Some can be so petite that they’re easy to overlook, but I find it’s often worth the effort to be observant. Case in point: these delightful Orchis flowers, […]

More from the California Academy of Sciences

Wednesday, June 17th, 2009

Here are some more photos from the tropical rainforest exhibit at the California Academy of Sciences. The first set shows 2 kinds of Epidendrums. With fragrant green, white, and purple flowers, Epidendrum paniculatum is a common species found from Mexico and Belize south to Brazil and Argentina. There are several color varieties of this species […]

Rainforest in a Bubble

Saturday, June 13th, 2009

The California Academy of Sciences, located in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, is one of the world’s largest natural history museums. Among the many exhibits, the museum contains a remarkable 4-story rainforest housed in a dome. Inside the glass sphere, a spiral ramp allows visitors to explore the rainforest, starting on the ground and heading […]

Native Orchid Conference

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009

It’s not too late to register for the Native Orchid Conference, held June 12 – 16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Run by an organization of the same name, the Native Orchid Conference highlights orchids from the USA and Canada. There are over 200 species of orchids native to North America, from California to Newfoundland, from […]

Masdevallia Weather

Friday, June 5th, 2009

With cool, foggy weather here in San Francisco, and even some unusual late spring showers this week, it’s the perfect climate for Masdevallias. No wonder that we have 3 different kinds in bloom at once. This first set shows a great purple hybrid with typical Masdevallia traits, like the triangular shape and bright colors. The […]

June Orchid Shows

Monday, June 1st, 2009

As we approach summer, June is a slow month for orchid shows in the northern half of the globe. Orchid lovers are tending new growth, and summer heat complicates orchid transport. In the southern half of the globe, Australia and New Zealand are approaching winter, so there are plenty of great orchid shows down under. […]