What looks like a delicate flower, but is actually an aggressive predator? The Orchid Mantis is one of nature’s most surprising creatures. Native to Malaysian and Indonesian rainforests, these insects really resemble flowers. With a cheery pink color, and legs that look like petals, their orchid disguises are so effective that their flying insect prey […]
Check out great photos of wacky looking orchids at HolidaysPress.com. You have to see these bizarre flowers to believe them. The Monkey Face Orchid, the Flying Duck Orchid, and the Hammer Orchid look like Dr. Seuss invented them. It’s obvious how the Mirror Orchid and the Dove Orchid earned their nicknames. Over a dozen unusual […]
In the UK, Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) is saving orchid seeds. As protection against extinction, the MSB stores seeds from thousands of plant species. Since orchid seeds are so tiny, they can be difficult to conserve. Orchids have the smallest seeds of any flowering plants. Some are only as big as specks of dust, […]
Palm Beach Daily News reports that a local botanical garden is bringing native orchids back to Miami. Thanks to efforts by Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, young plants will be attached to trees in Miami’s roadways, public spaces, and schoolyards. Both the Florida Butterfly Orchid, Encyclia tampensis, and the Cowhorn Orchid, Cyrtopodium punctatum, once covered oak […]
The Wall Street Journal examines the business of orchids. Scientific advances and industrial efficiency have helped make these flowers the best selling potted plants in the USA. Most orchids begin their lives in Taiwan or the Netherlands. Both countries use an “intricate orchid-production chain” to compete in the business. However, profit margins have fallen since […]
The New York Times reports on Nodding Ladies’ Tresses, a native orchid bringing beauty to New York City. With twisting spirals of sparkling white flowers, Nodding Ladies’ Tresses share the graceful beauty of the related Spiranthes which I grow. “Sit among them for a few quiet moments and a bumblebee or a honeybee will land […]
Door County, Wisconsin cares about its native orchids. Starting in the 1930’s, a 40 acre (16 hectare) sanctuary was preserved to save rare wildflowers. Over the decades, the preserve grew to 1500 acres (607 hectares,) and it’s home to 25 of the 40 orchid species native to Wisconsin. Despite the nature sanctuary, orchid populations have […]
In the Richmond Times-Dispatch, orchid expert Arthur Chadwick explains how to make orchids look their best. Whether you want your blooms to win a ribbon or to dazzle in a photo, it helps to know orchid grooming basics. Good presentation enhances orchid beauty. Some of the tips include: Stake flower spikes upright. Add stakes to […]
What do Brazil nuts have to do with orchids? Their relationship illustrates the complex links between rainforest residents. The nuts grow on massive trees in the Amazon, and rely on bees to pollinate their flowers. The bees, in turn, rely on orchids. Male bees collect orchid fragrances to lure females. They prefer the sweet scents of […]
Two recent news stories highlight fascinating discoveries about orchids. First, from the Imperial College of London, there’s news about orchid trickery. Scientists studied Trichocentrum ascendens, a member of the Oncidium family. Its cheery yellow blooms don’t have any reward for its pollinators. Instead, it mimics flowers of neighboring plants which are full of oil. The orchid […]
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