AboutOrchids

Given that December is the slowest month for orchid shows, this cosmopolitan list still has plenty to offer. You can also check with your local orchid society for seasonal sales and auctions to find that perfect holiday gift. December 1 – 4 Asociacion Altaverapacense de Orquideologia Show, Convent of Santo Domingo de Guzman, Coban, Guatemala […]

Orchid care changes with the seasons. Growers need to adjust for winter’s approach in the Northern Hemisphere. Orchids with pseudobulbs are entering dormancy. If they sport swollen stems like those in the first photo below, they may only need water once or twice per month over winter. Too much water can cause rot, or mess […]

Scientists have discovered the first orchid that blooms in the dark. British and Dutch botanists found the new species, which they’ve named Bulbophyllum nocturnum, native to a single island off New Guinea. After saving the unknown orchid from a logging area, they brought it back to Europe. They were perplexed when its flower buds seemed […]

A tiger is taking over the Brooklyn Botanic Garden! Native to rainforests of Southeast Asia, the Tiger Orchid makes a big impression. Grammatophyllum speciosum is the world’s largest orchid. This tropical species can grow as heavy as 2 tons (1.8 metric tons,) and believe it or not, it’s an air plant. The Brooklyn specimen has […]

Forgot to renew your passport? Missed your flight to Singapore? Don’t worry — you can still experience the ongoing 20th World Orchid Conference. The event known as the “Orchid Olympics” began last Sunday, November 13th, and runs until this Sunday, November 20th. You can start by exploring the wonderful photography of a local blogger. His […]

Here on the California coast, the Cymbidiums spoil us. I’ve seen luxuriant blooms on neglected orchids stuffed into sidewalk planters. Gardeners inherit abandoned plants from earlier tenants, sometimes without even realizing that the strap-like leaves belong to orchids. It turns out that our mild climate mimics the slopes of the Himalayas where these orchids grow […]

The American Orchid Society (AOS) is moving to Coral Gables. For years, the AOS has had a home and orchid garden in Delray Beach, Florida. The Great Recession has dealt a blow to the society’s finances, so they need to sell their property and move. Fortunately, they’ve found a new home at Fairchild Tropical Botanic […]

Even if you don’t have a green thumb, you can have beautiful orchids all year with orchid wall calendars. The American Orchid Society’s 2012 calendar contains a year’s worth of mini orchids. The Orchid Conservation Alliance’s 2012 calendar (front cover pictured below) has photos and stories of a dozen of the world’s most endangered orchids. […]