AboutOrchids

To celebrate spring’s arrival, here are some flora and fauna pictures from our recent visit to Strybing Arboretum in Golden Gate Park. We didn’t see any orchids, but we did find a few of the garden’s other natural wonders.

For much of the country, winter has hardly made an appearance. San Francisco’s weather has been milder and drier than usual. Fortunately, much-needed winter rains have finally made an appearance this month. A hard-working honeybee can look forward to many more flowers, and the blooms and the warmth of the season are just beginning.

When it comes to fertilizing, a good rule of thumb is to feed orchids “weakly, weekly.” Orchids do best with a weak fertilizer solution given weekly during spring and summer. It’s common to use ¼ – ½ the strength recommended on the package label. A dilute fertilizer solution mimics how orchids obtain nutrients in the wild, usually in small doses. It also avoids problems caused by too much artificial fertilizer. Blackened roots or black leaf tips are typical signs of overfeeding. When orchids are emerging from dormancy, new growth is especially susceptible to fertilizer burns.

Be sure to flush all orchids with clean water occasionally, at least once a month. This removes fertilizer residues which can build up and cause damage.

Project BudBurst invites you to give science a hand. Since 2007, volunteers have been helping to monitor the climate by recording the first leaves, flowers, and fruits of plant species across the USA. This includes native North American orchids. Scientists use Project BudBurst’s data to understand how climate change affects plant growth, and they make the data public for anyone to use. Volunteering is free, and it’s easy to get started on the Project BudBurst website. Create an account, register your location, and pick a plant to follow. You can contribute a one-time observation for a single plant, or follow lots of plants for several seasons. There are programs for kids and schools to take part as well. Join Project BudBurst to become a citizen scientist, share your garden observations, and contribute to important research.

As winter winds down, it’s still the dry season in the native homes of many orchids. They often take the opportunity to flower before the wet season begins. Cattleyas, Dendrobiums, Oncidiums, and others need this dormant period to bloom.

Even when dormant orchids spring into bloom, resist the urge to water more. Many dormant types, like the examples below from the recent Pacific Orchid Expo, only need occasional drinks. High humidity will keep the flowers and plants happy.

When spring arrives in your neck of the woods, increase watering and fertilizing gradually. After flowers finish, it’s time to think about repotting. Check here to see if your orchid will need repotting.

The Philadelphia Flower Show is the largest indoor flower show in the country, and orchids are always a big part of the event. This year’s tropical theme, “Hawaii: Islands of Aloha,” showcases plenty of Phals, Cattleyas, Epidendrums, and Miltonias. The show is earning rave reviews in the local press and beyond. It’s even making a splash in Hawaiian news sources like the Honolulu Star Advertiser. Big Island Video News has an article and video of greenhouse workers in Hawaii preparing flowers for shipment to Philly. The venerable Inquirer has the real story on native Hawaiian plants. Philly’s floral extravaganza runs until Sunday, March 11.

When it’s easy to find Phals, Oncidiums, and Epidendrums in any supermarket, it is possible to become jaded by orchids. Fortunately, the vast orchid family is always full of surprises, and these photos from Pacific Orchid Expo 2012 certainly prove my point. Whether it’s an eye-catching hybrid, an unusual species, or a fresh color combination, orchids always offer more.

Anyone feeling uninspired by common supermarket orchids can always find more varieties which are uncommon, or downright weird. Flowers can look like colorful bugs, or may be almost black. Shapes and patterns defy the imagination. As always, the Pacific Orchid Expo had an abundance of great examples. If it ever seems that you’re about to become bored by orchids, look again.

March is a busy month for orchid shows around the globe. Major events are happening in Santa Barbara, San Diego, Philadelphia, Montreal, London, Munich, Johannesburg, and Taiwan.

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The Pacific Orchid Expo, the largest orchid show in the USA, delighted thousands of visitors in San Francisco this past weekend. To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge, this year’s theme was “A Salute to the Golden Gate.” Dave and I enjoyed a sunny view of the world’s most famous bridge on the way to the show, and then a “mini” version of the bridge inside the show. Of course, it was all about the orchids from there.

With over 150,000 orchids under one roof, it was tough enough to figure out where to point our cameras. I’ll spend the next few days sifting through the embarrassment of orchid photo riches. To start, here’s a cheery Cattleya, a remarkable Antelope Dendrobium, and charming mini blue Cleisocentron. Check back again soon– there’s lots more to share!

A single blog post can only scratch the surface of Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden (HTBG), so here’s a second post with more photos from our recent visit. Of course, HTBG has plenty of orchids, large and small.

However, in this garden even the orchids have competition. Breathtaking flowers line the garden paths. Tropical colors steal the show, like this multi-hued Heliconia, purple Anthurium, and Pink Quill bromeliad.

Some visitors tour HTBG in just an hour, but it’s easy to spend half a day or more, especially with a camera. Trying to capture so many exotic plants can take a while. Two more orchids and a blue bromeliad flower spike round out today’s tour, but look for more in future posts.

These and other winter orchid exhibits provide an instant reprieve from the season’s chill.

February 11 – March 10
Orchid Escape at Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden offers a tropical delight. In Evansville, Indiana, the zoo’s warm and humid Amazonia exhibit makes a comfortable orchid home. Admission is included with a regular zoo ticket.

February 18 – April 29
The U.S. Botanic Garden presents Orchid Mystique: Nature’s Triumph in collaboration with Smithsonian Gardens. To celebrate the centennial of Washington DC’s beloved cherry blossoms, the exhibit shows orchids in serene Japanese gardens. There are also photo displays of native North American orchids.

March 3 – April 22
New York Botanical Garden presents a mesmerizing Orchid Show. Vertical orchid gardens transform the conservatory into an exotic, tropical escape. French artist and botanist Patrick Blanc covers structures in orchids, ferns, and exotic plants, reminiscent of how epiphytes grow naturally. Orchid experts will be on hand for weekend visitors who have orchid care questions.