http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog Basic Orchid Care for Beginners Thu, 18 Mar 2010 03:57:27 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en No matter how many vowels in its name, Oeoniella has plenty of charms. It's an orchid species that's easy to grow, with dainty flowers that produce a strong, sweet scent. Pronounced "oh-ee-NEE-ella," rhymes with "go see me, Ella," its name comes from Greek words describing the flower's resemblance to an eagle's ... http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog/2010/03/17/oeoniella/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=oeoniella Northern gardeners who are enduring a long and snowy winter may take some solace that spring is arriving in San Francisco. The old Japanese Maple in the back garden is leafing out, and the leaves of my Sobralia have turned light green, telling me that the sun is ... http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog/2010/03/13/spring-forward/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=spring-forward After enjoying the polished perfection of an orchid show, it's an interesting contrast to see some wild orchids. In the wild, orchids endure damage from wind, rain, animals, and insects. Other plants grow over and around them. Jungle debris accumulates and rots away. When you're surviving in the wild, perfection is ... http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog/2010/03/10/the-law-of-the-jungle/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-law-of-the-jungle There were so many remarkable orchids at this year's Pacific Orchid Expo that it would be impossible to fit them into just one post. For example, these first two photos show stunning Phal hybrids. The third photo shows a smaller Phal species that's native to the Philippines. It may be ... http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog/2010/03/06/more-from-pacific-orchid-expo-2010/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=more-from-pacific-orchid-expo-2010 On cue for spring, orchid shows all over the world invite you to see amazing orchids, and meet local growers and vendors. This month, major shows are taking place in Taiwan, London, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Montreal, Chicago, Sao Paulo, and Sydney. March 5 – 7 Victoria Orchid Society Show, Univ. ... http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog/2010/03/02/march-orchid-shows-2/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=march-orchid-shows-2 If you saw me at Pacific Orchid Expo 2010, it's likely I looked like a kid in a candy store. Eyes wide, I'm at the mercy of the sights and scents as I jump from one orchid treat to the next. Fortunately, unlike candy, photos have no calories. Whether it's new ... http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog/2010/02/28/candyfest-2010/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=candyfest-2010 These 3 pictures from last year's show should be enough to convince you to come to this year's Pacific Orchid Expo. If you need more convincing, or just want to see more pictures, check out this link to a local news story about the show. Held at Fort Mason, the ... http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog/2010/02/25/pacific-orchid-expo/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pacific-orchid-expo Besides orchids, few flowers inspire more superlatives than Heliconias. These blooms scream tropical. Sometimes called lobster-claws, wild plantains, or false birds-of-paradise, their bizarre flowers have wild colors and shapes. These remarkable blooms are actually small flowers encased in large, colorful bracts. Some varieties have flower spikes that grow more than 8 ... http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog/2010/02/21/heliconias/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=heliconias If you're ever in a tropical rainforest, and you're wondering where the orchids are, look up! After all, most orchids are epiphytes, or air plants, which live in the forest canopy. In the wild, they attach to tree trunks and branches. Roots grow into cracks and crevices of the bark, ... http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog/2010/02/17/up-a-tree-2/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=up-a-tree-2 Whether you had a nice valentine's weekend or not, I'll think you'll enjoy this NPR story and remarkable video of a frustrated bee. The objects of the bee's intentions are orchids that leave him brokenhearted with pollen stuck to his head. C'est l'amour, but it provides a great close-up of ... http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog/2010/02/14/unrequited-love/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=unrequited-love