AboutOrchids

Orchid lovers around the globe are looking to Singapore this month for the 20th World Orchid Conference. From November 13-20, the planet’s top orchid pros, academics, and hobbyists will gather for exhibits, talks, and a show. This year’s conference theme is “Where New and Old World Orchids Meet.” For those of us who don’t have […]

As Halloween quickly approaches, it’s the perfect time for a few creepy carnivorous plants. They’re helpful orchid allies, providing superb natural pest control, and they make great green alternatives to toxic pesticides. Bug-eaters come in many forms. Most famous are Venus Fly Traps, but there are also hundreds of varieties of pitcher plants, and many […]

Orchid name tags often use standard genus abbreviations. The genus name is the first word of a plant’s name, such as “Vanda” in the name Vanda coerulea, or “Phalaenopsis” in the name Phalaenopsis New Stripes. Here’s a list of abbreviations for some of the most common orchid varieties: C. or Catt. = Cattleya Cym. = […]

Flying bird? Incredible insect? Angel from above? The wonderful flowers of this Cochleanthes have a power to captivate. Its large white and purple blooms can be 4 inches (10 cm) tall. This species is native to a vast area of the Amazon Rainforest, across Brazil, Suriname, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The flowers may look […]

The San Francisco Orchid Society invites you to Hanging Gardens Open Greenhouse this weekend. The sale runs Saturday & Sunday, October 15-16 at Shelldance Nursery off Highway 1 in Pacifica, California. There will be a special repotting clinic on Saturday only, 11 am – 2 pm, with expert demonstrations on potting and mounting orchids. Please […]

Miniature orchids have all the beauty of their larger cousins, but only take a fraction of the space. These tiny treasures enable orchid lovers to assemble a tropical collection in a single room, on a windowsill, or under lights. Mini forms exist in the Phal, Catt, Cymbidium, Dendrobium, Masdevallia, and Oncidium families, to name a […]

As temperatures cool in autumn, the orchid that sat there doing nothing for months may surprise you with a burst of new growth. Relieved of oppressive summer heat, many varieties take this opportunity to grow or bloom. The change of season also requires changes in your orchid care regimen, so here are a few autumn […]

From San Diego to Washington DC, Montreal to Honolulu, Lima to Wellington, and all over Australia, October provides plenty of shows on 6 continents to satisfy orchid lovers. Each show offers incredible blooms, local experts, and vendors to help you find that perfect plant for your collection. October 1 Jamaica Orchid Society Judging, Jamaica Confederation […]