AboutOrchids

Earlier this month, Dave traveled to Singapore for work, and had some time to play tourist, too. It was his first trip to Asia, his first time across the international dateline, and his first visit to the tiny, tropical island nation.  He returned with lots of photos, including many, many orchids. This first post shows […]

The earth has seasons because it’s tilted. If the planet’s axis weren’t tipped over by 23.5°, we wouldn’t have long daylight hours over summer, or long hours of darkness over winter. If we were perfectly upright, we might have slight seasonal weather changes, but the climate probably wouldn’t vary much. Every day might be like […]

Vanilla prices have been so high that some Madagascan farmers are getting rich. Madagascar is one of the poorest countries. It’s also the world’s leading vanilla grower, producing about 80% of all vanilla beans. With the influx of cash from this valuable orchid crop, farmers are buying nicer homes, better farming equipment, and solar panels. […]

It’s always a pleasure to see orchids growing happily in the wild. During a recent family hike in Colorado’s San Juan National Forest, we spotted a couple of native orchid varieties. The first three rows of photos show the charming Goodyera oblongifolia, or Western Rattlesnake Plaintain. It’s named for its reticulated leaves which resemble snakeskin. […]

Radio New Zealand exposes a tale of botanical deceit. Corybas, also known as Spider Orchids, are strange little plants which inhabit the New Zealand forest floor. Humans can’t smell their mushroom-scented blooms, but fungus gnats can. They’re tricked into pollinating the flowers. To study how that works, orchid researcher Carlos Lehnebach converted his bathtub into an […]

September is busy with orchid events around the globe, especially in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Don’t miss these great opportunities to enjoy incredible flowers, take photos, talk to fellow orchid lovers, and buy plants. September 1 Hastings River Orchid Society Show, Wauchope RSL Club, Young St., Wauchope, NSW, Australia September 3 RHS Orchid […]