AboutOrchids

In the verdant Manoa Valley above Honolulu, Lyon Arboretum boasts a rainforest full of botanical treasures. Over 5000 plant varieties fill almost 200 acres (81 hectares) of jungle. There aren’t many orchids, but there are many other incredible tropical flowers and gorgeous views. Almost a century ago, the Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Association set this land […]

Welcome today’s change of seasons with the Tiger Orchid, the biggest orchid in the world! Dave and I spotted this jumbo beauty during our recent visit to Foster Botanical Garden in Honolulu. This was the first time we’ve ever seen one in bloom. The Tiger Orchid’s Latin name, Grammatophyllum speciosum, seems to fit this large […]

Australian Geographic exposes Deceptive Orchids: Luring Wasps for Pollination. The diverse orchid family employs a wide range of pollination strategies, including trickery. Using special perfumes and flower shapes, some orchids fool male wasps into thinking they’ve found a female. While visiting the flowers, the wasps transfer pollen, and fertilize the orchids. Several groups of orchids […]

If you want to see orchids in Honolulu, visit Foster Botanical Garden. Hawaii’s oldest botanical garden showcases exotic orchids in several areas of its 13.5 acre (5.5 hectare) grounds. Photos from our recent visit start below with three spectacular blossoms: a Tiger Orchid, a Leopard Orchid, and a purple Miltonia. These warm growers are the […]

Hawaii’s beauty takes many forms. During a recent trip to Honolulu, Dave and I enjoyed warm sun and the clear, blue ocean, but with our cameras, we found much more. Amid the hotels, restaurants, and souvenir shops, busy Waikiki is a good place to find botanical beauty. These first three photos came from our hotel […]

It might have been easier to list towns in Australia which don’t have orchid shows this month. In between the Aussies, there are plenty from the USA, UK, New Zealand, and Brazil. Even Sweden, Lithuania, and Costa Rica get in on the action. South Africa hosts three events this month, including one of the biggest […]