Why would a Florida biologist grow orchids when he’s trying to rescue panthers? Larry Richardson, chief biologist at the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, explains that South Florida’s orchids love wetlands like panthers do. When the wetlands thrive, so do their plants and animals. Richardson says “it’s not much of a stretch likening panthers to […]
Orchids are providing a valuable perspective on climate change. Dried flowers are kept in museums and herbaria around the globe, and include records of collection dates. A British group of scientists checked specimens up to 150 years old, and found that the Early Spider Orchid, native to southern and western Europe, has been blooming 6 […]
Native British orchids have found allies among UK dairy farmers. Many farmers are setting aside more than a quarter of their farmland for wildlife habitats. Native plants and animals are returning, like the beautiful Orchis pictured in the article (that British Orchis is a relative of the Japanese Orchis that I grow.) The farmers are […]
If you’re like me and missed the recent Bangkok Royal Orchid Paradise Show, you can still enjoy page 1 and page 2 of great photos (both pages have lots of pictures, so they may be slow to load.) The show photos were generously shared by the photographer in an online orchid forum, and it looks […]
While the rare and elusive Ghost Orchid can pop up in some unusual places, the most reliable spot to see one in bloom is the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Naples, Florida. This July, one happy plant is again visible from the comfort of their boardwalk. With 14 flower buds that will open over the next […]
As summer begins, this news article describes wild orchids blooming across Northern California. There are photos of the Stream Orchid, Epipactis gigantea, growing in the wild, and info about other lesser-known, but still fascinating, Golden State species. The article includes a good summary of orchid care basics for more commonly grown varieties. Wild orchids are […]
If you’re in London, there’s still one more day to catch the Chelsea Flower Show. It’s not an orchid show, but it is the most famous flower show in the world. Among the roses and royals, there are lots of orchids. In fact, the Royal Horticultural Society has proclaimed an “Orchid Bonanza” at this year’s […]
No, it’s not a sequel to The Orchid Thief, just some encouraging news that a “Rare British orchid gets police protection from overzealous collectors.” The rare orchid is a Lady Slipper species which still exists in other parts of Europe, but this is the last wild specimen of its kind in Britain. It’s under police […]
It’s true that orchids and volcanoes have coexisted for eons, but this tale of troubles for the Dutch orchid industry adds a new angle (the news story starts with similar woes in the salmon industry, and the orchids are a few paragraphs down.) With air traffic backlogged in Northern Europe, Cymbidiums grown in Holland may […]
Ghost Orchids have been making news on both sides of the pond, and this time, it’s Florida’s turn. The same Ghost Orchid that I blogged about last year is up to it again. It’s bloomed unexpectedly early in the season, but that should be no surprise considering its other quirks. This particular Ghost Orchid grows […]
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