AboutOrchids

Life is great on the Northern California coast, but it can be tough for plants. Strong winds and chilly fog can be big challenges for our garden. Fortunately, the vast and diverse orchid family provides lots of choices. Here are three tenacious orchids that are happily living just 1/3 mile (0.5 km) from the ocean. […]

This little orchid is certainly not the showiest, or the most colorful, but it’s a survivor. I blogged about this mini Cynorkis a few years ago, when I thought I might have killed it. Actually, it was fine, and grew again without problem. In the years since, whenever I’ve worried that I might have done […]

Big flowers get more attention, but don’t overlook the little ones. They may be tiny, or downright tough to see, but small orchid flowers are just as intricate and fascinating as showier blooms. These photos from July’s Orchids in the Park event highlight a few of their marvels. Dave’s and my cameras can compensate a […]

In all the years I’ve been doing this blog, this tiny Stelis orchid has not bloomed — until now! It had flowered in past years, but not since 2006. I don’t know what’s made it so happy, but it now boasts eight flower spikes, despite some hot and dry weather. Dave and I were finally […]

Is anything more opulent than a Jewel Orchid? These mini terrestrials are treasured for their striking foliage, which boasts beautiful vein patterns on satiny leaves. The first row of photos below shows Ludisias, the easiest and most commonly grown Jewel Orchids. They’re usually seen with dark purple leaves and bright pink stripes, but there are […]

New orchid species are discovered all the time. One of the latest, a tiny Podochilus species from Vietnam, adds to the tens of thousands already known to science.

This orchid doesn’t win any points for being showy. Nobody gasps in delight when they see its flowers, or gushes over its colors. Epidendrum peperomia is a mini orchid species with flowers that remind me of beetles. It’s quite distinct from its larger orchid relatives, like the reed-stem Epidendrums, which flaunt tall clusters of brilliant […]

The Manila Bulletin highlights some of the delightful color variations found in a favorite local orchid. Phalaenopsis equestris is a Moth Orchid species which is usually white and pink. However, many other color forms exist in white, yellow, orange, or purple. Scroll through their photos to explore the color array.

This isn’t just a miniature orchid — it’s a micro orchid! When we went to Orchids in the Park a couple weeks ago, nobody was expecting to see one of the tiniest orchid flowers in the world. Dave didn’t have his macro lens, but he did pretty well with his regular camera. This mini Platystele […]

These charming flowers belong to two related orchids, Stenoglottis longifolia and Stenoglottis woodii. They’re some of the easiest African orchid species to grow. The first half-dozen photos show Stenoglottis longifolia. Even though its blooms are small, this species can grow into a big plant. The flowers feature brilliant purple spots and a fringed lip. Dozens […]