Sure, orchids are great, but wouldn’t it be nice to just stick one in the ground like a regular plant? Well, you can do just that with the Chinese Ground Orchid, or Bletilla. If you can grow a tulip or a daffodil, you can grow a Bletilla. Resembling Cattleyas, their charming flowers have ruffly ridges […]
Here’s the second half of the list of orchids that I’ve grown outdoors in San Francisco. There’s no greenhouse, so they live constantly exposed to the elements. Sun lovers like the Epidendrums, Sarcochilus, Sobralia, and Zygo live on the back deck, and receive full afternoon sun when the fog retreats. Shade lovers like the Dracula, […]
Lady slippers, aka slipper orchids, amaze and inspire. Many orchid lovers specialize in growing these fascinating beauties. If you received a lady slipper gift for Mother’s Day, it’s most likely a Paph, or Paphiopedilum. Over 100 Paph species have been crossbred into countless hybrids. Their flowers all have a distinctive pouch which makes the blooms […]
Orchids make it easy to celebrate Mother’s Day. Whether given as potted plants or cut flowers, orchids elicit delight and wonder. With a few orchid care basics, many types can stay in bloom for weeks or months. In addition, they rarely cause allergy problems. To help flowers last their longest, check out these tips on […]
A sunny yellow Mexican orchid is here to celebrate today’s Cinco de Mayo fiesta. This mini Oncidium relative takes its name from its home country, and it’s easy to pronounce: say “Mexico” and add “-ah” to the end. Mexicoas grow on oak trees in mountain forests in the Mexican states of Jalisco, Michoacan, Guerrero, Mexico, […]
It’s easy to think that a tropical place like Hawaii is full of orchids. That’s certainly true in some parts of the islands, like Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden near Hilo. However, in other parts of Hawaii, orchids aren’t as common. Kona lies on the other side of the Big Island where rains are rare, and […]
Welcome to a new blog category for “Growing Orchids in San Francisco” with info of interest for the Bay Area. Some old posts fit the new category, too, so I’ll go back and re-label those with local relevance. This post is the first half of a list of orchids I’ve grown outdoors over the years, […]
It would be nice if you never had to repot your orchid, but you do. To understand why, consider how these orchids grow high in the trees at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden. This is how many orchids live in the wild. Their roots may grow in moss or rainforest debris, but mostly they’re exposed to […]
As we enjoy the sun’s ascent and longer daylight hours with spring, it’s time to move orchids from their brighter winter homes into shadier areas. Don’t wait until leaves turn yellow or sunburn. Since different orchid varieties need different light levels, consider what each requires for their spring and summer home. Many types, like Cattleyas, […]
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