Fortunately, it’s easier to grow a Coelogyne than it is to figure out how to say it. Each of these pure white flowers has a bright orange lip, and delights with a sweet scent. Blooms can last a month or more. To pronounce it, say “see-LODGE-in-ee.” This species originates in the mountains of Vietnam, where […]
If you think that orchids are all delicate and fragile, here’s a hardy Australian mini that will surprise you. This Sarcochilus is one tough species, related to Phals and Vandas. In the wild, it grows as a lithophyte, or rock plant. Its roots attach to cliff faces in eastern Australia, and they hold on despite […]
San Francisco Bay Area orchids highlight an article in the Los Gatos Patch. Numerous native species grow in the Santa Cruz Mountains south of San Francisco, and they call to longtime orchid lover Ed Nazzal like sirens. He braves poison oak and rattlesnakes to find lovely locals like the Steam Orchid, Epipactis gigantea, and the […]
Scientists studying the large and diverse orchid family continue to find bizarre pollination tricks. An endangered orchid species from southern China is the first orchid known to use both flowers and leaves as part of its deception. This rare lady slipper looks and smells like it has a fungal infection. Cypripedium fargesii lives as high […]
The UK is anticipating a wild orchid summer. With 50 fascinating British species, The Independent has blooming schedules and helpful info for finding orchids in the wild. The article has good photos, including shots of some European relations to the Epipactis and Orchis that I grow. The Wildlife Trusts, a conservation group, has more info […]
A small Australian lab is offering new hope for the Brilliant Sun Orchid. This endangered species is one of 15 rare Aussie natives that the lab is trying to grow from seed to bolster wild populations. Thelymitra mackibbinii, a.k.a. the Brilliant Sun Orchid, has suffered from habitat destruction, competition from alien plants, and damage from […]
You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, but rotting meat works even better. A strange little South African orchid has figured this out, and attracts pollinating flies with a deathly odor. Satyrium pumilum grows as a terrestrial in wet, sandy soil. During the day, its flowers emit a weak scent of decaying […]
No long orchid name to battle here! Adas announce themselves with brilliant color. This mass of orange petals contains multiple flowers, and looks somewhat like a mound of shredded carrots. Fortunately, a solitary blossom also stands out for the camera. Related to Odontoglossums and Oncidiums, this Ada species is native to the Andes. It lives […]
If long Latin orchid names aren’t your thing, you’ll be happy to know that Odontoglossums are nicknamed Odonts (which rhymes with “no fonts.”) The Odont family includes over 100 species and countless human-made hybrids. Many varieties have long-lasting flowers. I’ve had this first one for years, and its brilliants pinks and yellows always take my […]
Last week’s wacky weather wasn’t limited to a mini heatwave; we also had a hailstorm. San Francisco’s mild weather seldom falls below freezing, but winter storms occasionally bring hail. It rarely does damage in our garden. After a powerful storm was punctuated by noisy hailstones, I saw that the leaves of the Brugmansia had been […]
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