AboutOrchids

We’ve suffered through the COVID19 pandemic for over a year, and there are still in-person shows listed online without any mention of basic safety precautions. It’s ridiculous, and I won’t have any part of their irresponsibility. You won’t find those shows in my list. Below are New Zealand and Australian shows which do have precautions, […]

In the UK, Awards of Garden Merit (AGMs) are given to worthy plants, including orchids, by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS.) AGMs are varieties which are reliable, easy to grow, and commonly sold in the UK. The three photos above represent orchids which currently have AGMs. They are Pleione formosana, Stenoglottis longifolia, and Oncidium Sharry […]

Lots of orchids have been blooming in our late winter garden, eager for today’s change of season. My favorite purple Zygo reliably boasts stunning flowers, shown in the first row of photos above. Their beauty is surpassed by their sweet fragrance, which is one of my favorites. The second row features a wonderful Coelogyne, which […]

The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center explains the life lessons offered by North American orchids. If the Queen’s Lady Slipper can take 16 years to bloom, certainly we humans can learn to take our time. When Three Bird Orchids bloom en masse to better attract pollinators, they are exemplifying the importance of teamwork. For all that […]

The science of orchids is marching forwards. Taipei Times reports on cutting edge genetic discoveries that will change orchid commerce. Researchers in Taiwan, which has a large orchid industry, have identified genes to control flower color, and to prolong the life of blooms. In time, they will be able to create varieties with new colors, […]

Fortunately, I still have plenty of pictures to enjoy from last year’s orchid show. The Pacific Orchid Expo was spectacular, as always, in late February, 2020. A few weeks later, the San Francisco Bay Area was the first part of the nation to go into lockdown for COVID19. This year’s show was cancelled, of course. […]

This month features several online events and a Bay Area Cymbidium sale with COVID19 precautions. March 3 – 8 American Orchid Society Spring Online Auction, fundraising auction with plants, books, supplies, collectibles, gift certificates, and more; link will go live on March 3rd March 13 Spring 2021 American Orchid Society Members Meeting, online; no fee […]