Archive for the 'Misc' Category

Orchids with the Easiest Names

Wednesday, January 22nd, 2025

Moth Orchids, Lady Slippers, and Pansy Orchids have easy common names, but most orchids don’t. They have their Latin names, which can be daunting. Understandably, many people are intimidated by long, scientific words. Fortunately, not all of them are difficult. Check out this list of 10 orchids with Latin names that you don’t have to […]

Orchid Ecotours for 2025

Friday, September 27th, 2024

If your idea of a dream vacation is to visit wild places with orchid experts, then you’re in luck. Orchids in the Wild Ecotours has lots of great trips planned for 2025. They include orchid hotspots like the Amazon, Himalayas, New Guinea, and closer destinations like Michigan. The tours are organized by the Orchid Conservation […]

What’s My Favorite Orchid?

Wednesday, December 13th, 2023

What’s my favorite orchid? My answer to that question has always been “whatever’s in bloom right now.” Of course, there are special ones, but I can’t narrow it down to a single winner. Instead, I’ll invent a few categories to help out. Favorite flowers – Masdevallias are my favorites, but it was a tough call […]

Would You Like to Name an Orchid?

Tuesday, November 21st, 2023

Would you like to name a new orchid? The American Orchid Society (AOS) has teamed up with expert growers who will let you name a new hybrid for a $1000 USD donation to the AOS. It’s the perfect gift for yourself or another orchid lover. The donations will be used to fund conservation, research, and […]

Orchidelirium: The Victorian Madness for Orchids at Any Price

Friday, April 28th, 2023

Victorian England was obsessed with orchids. The trend was called Orchidelirium, like Dutch Tulip mania centuries before. Fortunes were made and lost, and tropical rainforests were deliberately stripped bare to ship plants to Britain. Many orchid hunters died in the process, and most of the orchids died, too. The few surviving plants which made it […]

How to Build an Orchid

Wednesday, February 8th, 2023

You can build orchids … with Legos! The beloved children’s toys aren’t just for kids anymore. All sorts of great designs are available, even Moth Orchids. They’ve become fun home and office decorations, often popping up in the backgrounds of Zoom calls. In addition to orchids, botanical models include bonsais, succulents, and floral bouquets, all […]

Have a Terrific Adventure with Orchids in the Wild Ecotours

Sunday, January 15th, 2023

Take a mind-blowing vacation and help endangered orchids at the same time! The Orchid Conservation Alliance (OCA) offers Orchids in the Wild Ecotours, expert-led trips to see orchids in their native homes. They range as far away as Madagascar, and as close as Ohio. This year’s itinerary also includes Italy, Brazil, and South Africa. The […]

Lots of Hard Work Goes into Orchid Awards

Sunday, January 8th, 2023

Lots of hard work goes into winning orchid awards. Growers spend long hours mastering plant care in order to coax out exceptional blooms. Orchid judges spend years studying and training to find and evaluate those perfect flowers. It’s challenging work. These photos spotlight winners at recent shows. The first row of pictures above features an […]

Great Orchid Gifts for Kids

Wednesday, December 7th, 2022

Kids will get stuck on orchids with the American Orchid Society’s (AOS) engaging gifts for children. The Stuck on Orchids sticker book includes stickers, basic info, and opportunities for coloring. It covers seven of the most common orchid varieties. The Orchid Nonsense Coloring Book features over 40 designs of orchids, animals, and characters, ready for […]

Spots, Stripes, Swirls, and Splotches: Orchids with Variegated Leaves

Thursday, October 27th, 2022

Variegated plants are in vogue these days, just like they have been many times throughout history. Centuries before Instagram made them the latest fad, orchid lovers in East Asia noticed leaf color variations in Cymbidiums and Samurai Orchids, and began cultivating them. Of course, many plant varieties besides orchids have colorful leaves, too. Gardens around […]