AboutOrchids

Botanical illustration is both an art and a science. It emphasizes scientific accuracy, but also captures the magic of plants. The Smithsonian video below highlights three important women who were botanical illustrators. They painted precise details of orchid blooms, but often didn’t receive credit or professional respect. Sarah Drake, Blanche Ames, and Regina Olson Hughes […]

It’s great to celebrate the first day of spring with some greenery, and this striking Lady Slipper certainly fits the bill. Its green stripes and squiggles are distinctive and dramatic. This is the Charming Lady Slipper, or Paphiopedilum venustum. I’ve had this plant for many years, but this past winter was the first time it […]

Attend a free online symposium about orchid preservation. The Orchid Conservation Alliance does great work saving orchids. Leaders from three of its projects in Ecuador and Colombia will present updates and answer questions for this Zoom-posium. Even though there is no cost, prior registration is required. The event will be held on Saturday, March 26th, […]

Citizen scientists can contribute a lot to orchid research. Australians can help by finding wild orchids and taking photos. First, choose an area to explore by checking the Atlas of Living Australia. Next, go into the wild, and be observant and curious. Take photos, not plants. Then, upload the pictures to iNaturalist Australia or Wild […]

Here are few more photos from last weekend’s big orchid show. The exhibit area and the sales area both featured wide varieties of species and hybrids. There was so much more than standard supermarket orchids. The flower colors, shapes, and fragrances inspired lots of superlatives. A few types, like the purple and white Dendrobium in […]

The orchid show schedule is picking up with spring. Events listed below have basic health precautions. Last-minute cancellations may happen, so it’s wise to double-check before attending. March 4 – 6 Virginia Orchid Society Show & Sale, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, 1800 Lakeside Ave, Henrico, Virginia March 4 – 6 Orchid Society of the Ozarks […]