Archive for the 'Fragrant Orchids' Category
Wednesday, June 17th, 2020
Sparkling white flowers make Angraecums look like shining stars. This fascinating genus is native to Madagascar, tropical Africa, and islands in the Indian Ocean. They are sometimes called Comet Orchids, because thin nectar tubes hanging from the backs of their flowers inspire thoughts of comet tails. The most famous is Darwin’s Orchid, Angraecum sesquipedale. It’s […]
Categories: Conservation, Fragrant Orchids, Growing, Intermediate Growers, Photos, Warm Growers
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Sunday, June 7th, 2020
In Japan, BotanyBoy describes the plight of the Samurai Orchid. Cultivated for centuries, they’re now endangered in the wild. Populations have shrunk as native habitats have been destroyed or altered by humans. Old growth forests only remain in small, disjointed pockets. They include areas around temples, shrines, rivers, and the very tops of mountain ridges. […]
Categories: Conservation, Cool Growers, Fragrant Orchids, In the News, Mini Orchids, Photos
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Sunday, March 29th, 2020
As we continue to shelter at home, it really helps to be surrounded by our indoor orchids. A few of my plants have been putting on great spring shows. The Mexicoa species in the first row of photos above has already been blooming for two months. Now, it’s put out five new spikes of brilliant […]
Categories: Fragrant Orchids, Intermediate Growers, Mini Orchids, Photos, Warm Growers
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Tuesday, March 17th, 2020
The California coast is already a beautiful place, and Cymbidium orchids make it even better. Since we moved to Pacifica several years ago, we’ve acquired more of them. Dave occasionally brings a nice one home from the grocery store. Usually they bloom in different seasons, but this year they all decided to flower over the […]
Categories: Cool Growers, Fragrant Orchids, Growing Orchids in San Francisco, Photos
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Saturday, December 7th, 2019
The Sydney Morning Herald reports on saving the Sunshine Diuris, a rare and delicious Australian orchid species. Diuris fragrantissima is also known as Snow in the Paddocks. Once common in grasslands around Melbourne, this species’ tubers were a favorite food source for Aboriginal peoples. It was so plentiful that European settlers picked its flowers by […]
Categories: Conservation, Fragrant Orchids, In the News
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Sunday, October 20th, 2019
The modern vanilla industry owes its existence to a young enslaved African, Edmond Albius. Vanilla vines had been imported from Mexican jungles to the tiny French colony of Réunion, in the Indian Ocean near Madagascar. But without their Mexican bee pollinators, nobody could figure out how to produce vanilla beans. In 1841, Edmond Albius, then […]
Categories: Fragrant Orchids, In the News, Misc, Warm Growers
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Thursday, September 19th, 2019
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. […]
Categories: Fragrant Orchids, In the News, Warm Growers
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Sunday, September 8th, 2019
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 […]
Categories: Cool Growers, Fragrant Orchids, In the News, Mini Orchids, Videos
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Saturday, August 10th, 2019
Head to the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney this week to see a native Australian orchid in its full splendor. Dendrobium teretifolium is sometimes called the Rat’s Tail Orchid because of its long, skinny leaves. However, when it bursts into bloom, it earns another nickname, the Bridal Veil Orchid, with cascades of creamy white flowers. The […]
Categories: Botanical Gardens, Fragrant Orchids, In the News, Intermediate Growers
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Sunday, July 21st, 2019
National Geographic reports on important discoveries about Florida’s famous Ghost Orchids. Scientists and photographers have found that they aren’t just pollinated by one species of moth, but by several different species. That’s good for the strange and fascinating leafless orchids, which are very endangered. After spending thousands of hours taking photos at the Corkscrew Swamp […]
Categories: Fragrant Orchids, In the News, Videos, Warm Growers
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