No matter how many vowels in its name, Oeoniella has plenty of charms. It’s an orchid species that’s easy to grow, with dainty flowers that produce a strong, sweet scent.
Pronounced “oh-ee-NEE-ella,” rhymes with “go see me, Ella,” its name comes from Greek words describing the flower’s resemblance to an eagle’s wings. Maybe the pointed tip [...]
There were so many remarkable orchids at this year’s Pacific Orchid Expo that it would be impossible to fit them into just one post. For example, these first two photos show stunning Phal hybrids. The third photo shows a smaller Phal species that’s native to the Philippines. It may be less showy, but it’s important [...]
As cut flowers and live plants, orchids are more popular than ever for Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year. No matter whether you’re celebrating love, the Year of the Tiger, or both, here are some orchid buying tips:
Moth Orchids and Lady Slippers are great choices since their blooms can last for months, and they can [...]
In case you thought we only took pictures of orchids at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, I’ve got proof to the contrary. Personally, I’m fascinated by all manner of flora and fauna, but even the most devoted orchid snob would pause for these sights.
Of course, there were more astounding orchids also, like the sweet smelling Aerides [...]
If you’re looking for the perfect holiday gift, check out Moth Orchids: The Complete Guide to Phalaenopsis by Steven Frowine. This beautiful book is the definitive text on the most popular orchids in the world. With hundreds of gorgeous photos and excellent illustrations, Frowine provides a thorough and enjoyable text on the entire Phal family. [...]
Sobralia flowers never fail to impress. Many species in this genus have big blooms. With flowers as large as 10 inches (25 cm,) this species is one of the most remarkable in the family.
The flowers look like Cattleyas, but the similarities end there. Unlike Cattleyas, this Sobralia species likes heavy water and fertilizer, and doesn’t [...]
If you’d enjoy having a pet bird, but don’t want the noise, smell, and mess, this little orchid may be your solution. Named Ornithophora, its flowers look like little birds with head, beak, long neck, and wings spread out behind. As an added bonus, it has a light, sweet scent. I’ve been growing this reliable [...]
If you didn’t know better, you might think that these flower buds look like the very hungry plant Audrey II, from the classic film and musical Little Shop of Horrors. Fortunately, this orchid doesn’t have teeth and doesn’t eat people, so there’s no danger.
Once the buds open, these flowers lose their threatening facade, and look [...]
A major emphasis of this blog is demonstrating that orchids are easy to grow and flower, but we’re all human, and mistakes are always going to be part of the process. Many mistakes can be fixed, but unfortunately some may be fatal. These photos show my Sedirea in happier times, before it died a few [...]
You might be surprised if I asked you if you eat orchids, and answer with a no and a laugh. So you’d probably be astonished to learn that you might be eating orchids everyday, possibly hundreds or even thousands of them. There could be orchids in your kitchen right now, and you might eat them [...]
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