Late autumn gives rise to a lot of outdoor orchid blooms at our home in Pacifica. Some of the flowers may be a little battered by the elements, but they can still survive for many weeks. In the past couple months, these plants have endured heavy rains, strong winds, and two weeks of bad, smoky […]
How small are orchid seeds? They’re the smallest seeds in the world, like specks of dust. In fact, those little black dots in vanilla ice cream are seeds, and they’re considered large for the orchid family. The photos below show greatly enlarged images of Epidendrum seeds. Each tiny white thread is actually an individual seed. […]
Brassavola orchids feature showy, durable, fragrant flowers. These Cattleya relatives have white or greenish-yellow blooms which emit a strong, sweet fragrance at night. The most popular in cultivation is Brassavola nodosa, shown in the first row of photos above. It’s an easy species to grow. Native to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South […]
Buenos Aires is home to an extraordinary Japanese garden. El Jardín Japonés de Buenos Aires is one of the largest Japanese gardens outside Japan. It’s located within walking distance of Buenos Aires Botanical Garden. During our visit, the venue was busy with tourists, locals, and groups of school children. It is obviously a much-loved green […]
Recently, Dave had a work trip to Buenos Aires, and I was able to come along. Of course, the Buenos Aires Botanical Garden was quickly put on our itinerary. The garden’s full name in Spanish is Jardín Botánico Carlos Thays de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. Founded in 1898, it covers 21 acres (7 […]
I don’t mind having a big spider in our home, as long as it’s a Spider Orchid. Also known as a Brassia, this Spider Orchid has very large flowers, over 14 inches (36 cm) tall! Its long petals certainly create a spidery impression. This plant was a great buy at a local grocery store a couple […]
Enjoy these amazing orchids for today’s equinox. Autumn is usually the warmest time of year for us on the Northern California coast. The fog pulls back, and we can finally bask in the sun that’s been baking everyone else. Last year, that meant record-breaking heatwaves in September. This year, so far, it’s been milder. We […]
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 […]
Vandas are orchid royalty. These popular tropical beauties have big, round, colorful, long-lasting flowers. Called strap-leaf Vandas, they are best known in the tropics. In places like Hawaii, it’s easy for growers to accommodate these large plants with long roots and high light needs by tying them onto a tree. Outside the tropics, they’re tougher […]
In a chilly, windy July rain, near a trail with a long name, in between glaciers with longer names, orchids bloom in southern Iceland. Orchids near the Arctic Circle? In fact, orchids live just about everywhere on earth, including Iceland, which is home to seven native species. Two of them are shown here. The Heath […]
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