Here in San Francisco, we set a record high of 80F (27C) yesterday, and although today is a more seasonal 65F (18C,) spring is definitely here. But even if winter is not releasing its grip in your neck of the woods, there’s one more reason to celebrate. This news article in The Independent of London describes the exciting rediscovery of the bizarre Ghost Orchid, long believed to be extinct in Great Britain.

Britain’s Ghost Orchid shares the same common name with the famous Ghost Orchid of Florida’s swamps in The Orchid Thief, but they’re two completely different species. However, Britain’s Ghost Orchid may be even more peculiar than Florida’s. Neither species has leaves, but the British species “behaves more like a fungus than a flower, according to the naturalist Peter Marren, author of Britain’s Rare Flowers.” It lives underground, and doesn’t depend on sunlight. Instead, it makes food in its roots with the help of a fungus. It only comes into view with small, ghostly white flowers when conditions are right. As the holy grail of British botany, it’s rediscovery certainly adds a boost to any spring celebration.

• Moth Orchids and Lady Slippers are great choices since their blooms can last for months, and they can survive low light levels often found in homes and offices.
• Cattleyas are the classic corsage orchid, with large, elegant flowers. Most have strong fragrances, and their blooms can last for weeks.
• Look for freshly opened flowers, with no shriveled buds. If the blooms are already open, it’s tougher to tell how long they’ll last. If there are a few unopened buds, you’ll be able to enjoy watching the flowers unfurl.
• On live plants, leaves should appear healthy and firm, not floppy or too soft. A few small blemishes may not indicate any problem, so if the plant seems to be in good shape, don’t make that an automatic disqualifier. Avoid plants with yellow or black leaves.
• For care purposes, it will really help to identify your orchid. Look for a plant with a name tag, or ask the vendor. It’s not necessary to know the exact name, just the family of orchids to which it belongs. If you can’t identify it, follow these generic orchid care guidelines.
• Bows, ribbons, and wrapping paper eventually need to be removed when watering so they don’t block essential drainage. Orchid pots must have holes in the bottom for water and air to flow through.

For over a century and a half, orchid lovers have been crossbreeding different orchid species. Many resulting hybrids bloom with larger, more colorful, and longer-lasting flowers than their parent species; often they can survive some degree of abuse or neglect. New hybrids constantly top these remarkable standards.

Most orchids sold are hybrids. If you’re buying at a supermarket or big box store, it’s almost guaranteed that you’re purchasing a hybrid. The same hybrid vigor that allows mass-produced orchids to be shipped across oceans and highways guarantees you a tough plant. Many florists and garden centers carry only hybrids, however you can ask which are hybrids and which are temperamental species. You’ll probably only encounter orchid species at some florists and online vendors like Andy’s Orchids, a species specialist. If you want to tackle the pickier needs of an orchid species, Andy’s is a great place to start. But unless your valentine is an experienced orchid grower, stick with hybrids. Remember that you should never take orchid species from the wild or buy wild orchids (it’s illegal, and the plants probably won’t survive the shock anyway.)

You can tell whether an orchid is a hybrid or a species by its name, but many orchids lack name-tags at all, and complicated hybrid names can be written incorrectly. If you’re ready to dive into understanding orchid names, take a deep breath and start here.

One more orchid buying tip: if it’s below freezing where you live, try not to expose unprotected orchids to the cold air. For some orchids, just a few seconds of freezing temps can kill the flowers or the plant. Cover the plant, heat your hybrid car, pull right up to the exit, and pack in your hybrid orchid.

Kilauea is an active volcano, but the last major lava action in this crater was 1959. Much of the rainforest on the rim has regrown in the past half century, and we saw numerous Phaius orchids on the forest floor (”Phaius” is pronounced FAY-us, and rhymes with “pay us.”) Like Bamboo Orchids, Phaius are terrestrials that grow in soil and in rock crevices.

Although neither species is native to Hawaii, both have naturalized in rainy parts of the islands. These orchids are thriving despite harsh growing conditions near the 4100 ft. (1250 m) summit. Besides strong tropical winds and rains, the black lava really bakes as it absorbs heat from the tropical sun. More amazing than that, these orchids survive dangerous levels of sulfur dioxide gas that vent nearby, although we took our hike on a day when the winds were in our favor. The final photo shows the eastern section of Kilauea Iki with the forest growing on its walls and rim. At this end the crater is 400 ft. (122 m) deep and over 1 mile (1.6 km) wide.

Since our arrival back in San Francisco, we’ve been greeted by cold winter rains. I hope these photos are helping to provide you with the same warm tropical thoughts that we’re trying to retain. Below are flowers from a Spathoglottis, a Hong Kong Orchid Tree (not a true orchid, but it smells just as sweet,) an Anthurium, and a Vireya. They’re all from the B&B’s gardens. If these blooms aren’t enough to mentally transport you to a lush, warm paradise, then maybe Art and Orchids’ great new website can help. And definitely check back here soon for some more inspiration — we have lots more Hawaii pictures to share. Now, if I can just find my sweater.

• For low light conditions common in homes and offices, try a Phal or a Paph. Both can keep their flowers for weeks or even months. Well-tended Phals may stay in bloom through the whole winter.
• For very bright light conditions, try a Cattleya, Dendrobium, Epidendrum, Oncidium, or Vanda.
• For cool or drafty rooms, try a Cymbidium, Masdevallia, or Odontoglossum. Some varieties of Dendrobium, Miltonia, and Paph can also grow in cool temperatures.
• For large, showy flowers that only need occasional watering, try a Cattleya.
• If it’s heading into winter where you live, many orchid varieties are dormant and won’t need much water. If you’re planning to keep the plant, slowly increase watering in spring.
• Young orchid plants may take years to flower, so buy blooming size, or mature, plants. They should have flowers or buds ready to open.
• Always provide high humidity for your orchid. Most home and office heating dries the air, which can make flowers wilt and drop quickly.

No matter what they look like, pseudobulbs serve the same purpose: to provide a reserve of water and nutrients for the orchid. Some varieties can survive for months during a dry season in their native homes. To mimic this natural dormancy, growers can cut back on watering during fall and winter. Wait and watch for the pseudobulbs to shrivel slightly, and then water. Depending on other factors, such as light, temperature, humidity, and air movement, dormant orchids may only need water once or twice a month during winter.

Unlike tulip bulbs, orchid pseudobulbs need to be kept completely above the potting material. They’ll rot underneath bark or moss. The final picture shows a Cattleya with papery sheaths that are typical for some varieties. The sheaths start out green, but eventually dry and fall off.

Orchid varieties without these storage devices, such as Phals, Paphs, and Masdevallias, do not go truly dormant. However, with less light and cooler temperatures in winter, growers can cut back watering slightly. Maintain high humidity for all orchids during winter, whether they have pseudobulbs or not.

On the other end of the size spectrum, these tiny Jewels of Opar flowers are only 1/4 inch (6 mm.) I grew these from seeds which were a gift from Dave’s Mom. They’re not very fond of our cool coastal climate, but they seem happy enough indoors, sitting in a sunny, warm window.

I’ve never understood why this Agapanthus is commonly called “Lily of the Nile” when they’re native to South Africa, nowhere near the Nile. No matter the misnomer, they love the California climate, and reliably provide beautiful blue blooms every year. The orange and yellow flowers belong to Mexican Asclepias, better known as milkweed. We originally bought these to try to attract Monarch Butterflies, but haven’t seen any caterpillars eating their leaves. The beautiful, long-lasting flowers more than compensate for the lack of Monarchs. Finally, Dave spotted this orchid seedpod on our San Francisco native orchid, Epipactis. The brown part on the bottom is the flower, which dries up after pollination. I’ve grown this plant for years, but it’s never been pollinated before, so I’m eager to see if the seeds are viable. It may take a few months for the seedpod to mature, but I’ll keep you updated.