AboutOrchids

Glasgow to Honolulu, Rio to Oakland, Auckland to Memphis, orchids are celebrated internationally. These events often feature exhibits and plant sales, and also include talks and tours by experts. May 4 – 7 Festival de Orquídeas, Gimnasio Fito Ramos, carr. #976, Bo. Florencio, Fajardo, Puerto Rico May 5 – 7 Memphis Orchid Society Show & […]

The San Francisco Botanical Garden is bursting with new growth after a rainy winter. Covering about 55 acres (22 hectares) of Golden Gate Park, the garden is always full of life. During a recent visit, there were lots of spring blooms, and everything from tree ferns to giant redwoods were sporting new greenery. Also known […]

Its flowers resemble maggot-infested meat, and its scent has been compared to “a thousand dead elephants rotting in the sun.” Meet the orchid species Bulbophyllum phalaenopsis, which attracts carrion flies as pollinators.

There’s a saying that you become an orchid expert when you’ve killed your weight in orchids. Some people wince in horror when I repeat that, but orchid lovers usually just laugh and nod. Growing orchids means sometimes making mistakes and killing plants. I’ve grown them for over 25 years, and earned my expert status a […]

Rare orchid populations have stopped plans for an Australian race park. Orchid lovers found Leafless Tongue Orchids near the planned track. That’s pitted nature lovers against racing fans, but local officials have stated that the building plans had many flaws, including the fact that the area is home to lots of endangered species. The Leafless […]

Spathoglottis, or Ground Orchids, are staples of the tropics. They’re sturdy enough to serve as landscaping plants in shopping plazas, like these orchids on the island of Kauai.  Grown alone in pots, or in flowerbeds with other tropicals, they make gorgeous displays. These terrestrials are easy to keep in the tropics, but hard to grow […]

Orchid mantises mimic flowers so well that their lunch flies right to them! Check out two great videos showing these stealthy little predators — Learn more about orchid mantises in this earlier blog post.