Healthy roots are essential for healthy orchids. Many people are tempted to cut off their orchid’s roots because they seem unattractive, but that’s bad for the plant. Whether they’re air plants or terrestrials, orchids need happy roots to survive and thrive. Some types have thick roots, while others have thin. All have central, wiry cores, […]
Perfectly timed for spring repotting, Better Homes & Gardens explains Everything You Need to Know About Orchid Pots. The helpful advice includes the importance of great drainage, and that most orchids prefer small pots. Terra cotta, plastic, ceramic, and mesh pots all have advantages and disadvantages to consider. The article also contains this clever tip: […]
Happy Valentine’s Day! If you’ve been lucky enough to receive an orchid gift, here are a few tips to help you enjoy your plant and keep it happy. Identify it – Moth Orchids, like the row of photos above, are the most popular. Lady Slippers are in the second row of photos, and are also […]
How small are orchid seeds? They’re the smallest seeds in the world, like specks of dust. In fact, those little black dots in vanilla ice cream are seeds, and they’re considered large for the orchid family. The photos below show greatly enlarged images of Epidendrum seeds. Each tiny white thread is actually an individual seed. […]
Brassavola orchids feature showy, durable, fragrant flowers. These Cattleya relatives have white or greenish-yellow blooms which emit a strong, sweet fragrance at night. The most popular in cultivation is Brassavola nodosa, shown in the first row of photos above. It’s an easy species to grow. Native to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South […]
Vandas are orchid royalty. These popular tropical beauties have big, round, colorful, long-lasting flowers. Called strap-leaf Vandas, they are best known in the tropics. In places like Hawaii, it’s easy for growers to accommodate these large plants with long roots and high light needs by tying them onto a tree. Outside the tropics, they’re tougher […]
Mother’s Day orchids are even better when you know that most are easy to care for. With a few orchid basics, you can enjoy their flowers for weeks, or even months. Watering – Remove wrapping paper or decorative containers, at least temporarily, if they block the pot’s drainage holes. Drench the plant with room-temperature water, […]
Fortunately, Coelogyne orchids are easier to grow than they are to pronounce. This glorious genus of orchids originates in Southeast Asia, in a large area stretching from India and China to Indonesia, New Guinea, the Philippines, and Fiji. Many varieties have tumbling cascades of fragrant blooms. Their brilliantly-colored flower lips often feature weird ridges and […]
Now that you have a beautiful Valentine orchid, what do you do with it? Don’t panic! Most orchids don’t deserve their difficult reputations. A few care tips can help you keep your orchid happy. Identify your orchid – Moth Orchids, like the three in the row of photos above, are the most popular. Lady Slippers […]
Everyone interested in orchid species should know about the Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia. I’ve mentioned this website in passing before, but it truly deserves its own post. Remarkably, this site lists 22,000 out of 28,000 orchid species! That’s almost 80% of all known orchids, with more continually added. There’s no other resource I know […]
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