The Law of the Jungle

After enjoying the polished perfection of an orchid show, it’s an interesting contrast to see some wild orchids. In the wild, orchids endure damage from wind, rain, animals, and insects. Other plants grow over and around them. Jungle debris accumulates and rots away.

Bug-eaten Moth OrchidDamaged SpathoglottisDamaged Moth Orchid

When you’re surviving in the wild, perfection is a luxury. These eaten and beaten orchids aren’t in a beauty pageant. They’re  just trying to bloom and reproduce like any plant, and they don’t worry about appearances. A few dead leaves or dried pseudobulbs won’t kill the deal.

Orchid with yellow leaves and flowering vine on topDendrobium with dried yellow pseudobulbsNew growth emerging from brown pseudobulbs

The Law of the Jungle may seem brutal, but orchids have evolved to be tough enough to make it. Take these imperfect specimens as consolation that a beaten-up orchid can still have some life in it. Even if a judge won’t give a ribbon to a munched-up Phal, the orchid doesn’t care. It’s just trying to survive another day in the jungle.

Cricket and damaged Spathoglottis flowers Arundina with flower and brown leavesBug-eaten Moth Orchid

Explore posts in the same categories: Orchids in the Wild, Photos

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6 Comments on “The Law of the Jungle”

  1. Eva Says:

    LOL! I wished my orchids looked that bad 😉

  2. nancy Says:

    i like the one with the cricket … caught inthe act!

  3. Joy Blake Says:

    Those poor flowers!!! After their eaten how do you find them attractive any more? I undertand that its just nature, but I’m guarding my flowers against the bugs.

  4. gk1974 Says:

    Great post! We usually don’t like to see how imperfect nature can be, but you can’t deny the real world.

  5. Sandy M Says:

    Its like reality tv for orchids. We can see the blemishes behind the beauty.

  6. fs Says:

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