AboutOrchids

Orchids need bees more than bees need them. Scientists have long known that male orchid bees use orchid scents to court females. Many tropical species like Stanhopeas and Cycnoches rely on their perfumes to attract amorous male bees as pollinators. The males collect scent compounds using special brushes on their legs, and pollinate flowers in the process. Experts had believed that bees and orchids co-evolved, and each depended on the other, but it turns out that bees don’t really need orchids. New research from UC Berkeley shows that the bees appeared 12 million years before the orchids, and orchids provide only 10% of the fragrances which the bees collect. Instead, tree resins and fungi make up most of the males’ colognes. Rather than co-evolving, the orchids’ evolution follows the insects’ preferences.

With bee populations declining globally, this new info highlights risks for orchid extinctions. Researcher Santiago Ramirez notes “Many of these orchids don’t produce any other type of reward, such as nectar, that would attract other species of bee pollinators. If you lose one species of bee, you could lose three to four species of orchids.”

To celebrate today’s solstice, I have more photos from last weekend’s Orchids in the Park, along with a few non-orchid shots from Golden Gate Park. Starting outdoors, end of summer delights included a fruit-laden pink passionflower and a working 1914 carousel at the Children’s Playground. The third photo shows part of the living roof at the Academy of Sciences in the foreground, and the top of the de Young Museum in the background.

Inside at Orchids in the Park, the colors began with a blue Dendrobium hybrid, lighter in color than its parent species. Bright colors continued with a pair of Cattleya hybrids which seemed to be inverses of one another. Both had wonderful scents.

A tiny Stelis featured mini flowers, each smaller than the letter “o” on my keyboard, and an elegant Phrag sported petals that drooped down longer than my arms. Rich red Vanda blooms fell into the large flower category, too. A big white Paph captured my attention, but so did the brilliant purple of a mini Phal. Finally, a multicolored hybrid Howeara displayed an abundance of small charms.

Whether you’re in the northern half of the planet entering autumn, or the southern half starting spring, orchids offer lots of reasons to celebrate the change of season.

It may sound like the name of a music festival in Golden Gate Park, but actually, it’s about orchids. They’re blue orchids to be exact, like the brilliant Dendrobium in the first photo. It’s an uncommon orchid color, and it’s only one of many standouts from Orchids in the Park 2011. Thanks to Dave’s photography skills, we have great blooms to share.

Those blues are impressive, but other hues also show the remarkable range and depth of nature’s palette. Check back soon for more orchid eye-candy from this weekend’s event.

If your Phals, or Moth Orchids, aren’t in bloom right now, here’s a useful, fun fact: 3 weeks of cooler temperatures in early autumn can trigger new flower spikes. Typically, Phals don’t want temps below 65°F (18°C.) To mimic a cool spell in their Southeast Asian homes, let them drop to 60°F (16°C) at night, and keep them below 81°F (27°C) during the day. After 3 weeks, return them to their regular warm temps. You won’t notice any immediate changes, but within a month flower spikes should emerge. The spikes can grow for weeks before their blooms open.

Remember that there may be reasons why an orchid isn’t blooming, and this fun Phal fact won’t eliminate the need for bright light, regular water, good humidity, and fertilizer. Normally, cool temps can inhibit a Phal from blooming, but a limited exposure at this time of year can kick them into gear. Then you’ll have great fall colors to enjoy.

A Burmese group is reviving their tradition of adorning ethnic clothing with orchid threads. In northern Myanmar (also known as Burma,) they weave Dendrobium fibers into fabrics. Locally called “waso,” the orchid is Dendrobium moschatum, a species with great flowers and a musky fragrance. It’s native to lower elevations all around the Himalayas. Fibers made from their soft stems look “like gold threads,” and designs are “sewn by hand using porcupine quills as needles.” A local legend dating back 2500 years presents an ancient love story behind this unusual orchid tradition. Unfortunately, the article only includes one small picture of the colorful clothing, which makes it tough to appreciate the golden Dendrobium threads.

Orchids in the Park is “two days of orchids and fun.” It’s a sale and exhibition from the San Francisco Orchid Society, coming Sept. 17-18 to the County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park, 9th Ave. & Lincoln Way. This is a junior version of the enormous Pacific Orchid Expo held earlier in the year.  Orchids in the Park features 20 vendors, along with orchid demos, lectures, and raffles. These photos from last year’s event will whet your appetite:

SFGate highlights Orchids in the Park in an “Exceptionally pretty blue orchid stands out.” The article spotlights a marvelous blue Dendrobium, which will be one of many varieties for sale at the event. It’s a naturally blue orchid, unlike the artificial blue Phals in the news a few months ago.

This hardy orchid is a Cyrtochilum, a reliable bloomer in the Oncidium family. It has spectacular yellow, white, and purple flowers. Dozens of blossoms emerge from long, vining flower spikes, which can extend up to 10 ft. (3 m.) These spikes grow for months, and like to wind around my tall Epidendrums. Blooms as wide as 4 in. (10 cm) develop in clusters along the length of the spikes. These flowers can last over 6 weeks.

To grow this variety, place in bright light with some direct sun. Water every other day (more if it’s warm,) and keep in cool, breezy conditions. They enjoy regular fertilizer or a good dose of compost. Keep them drier during winter dormancy.

This species is native to the Andes of Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia, where it grows at elevations up to 10,500 ft. (3200  m.) At those dizzying heights, it’s no surprise that it prefers temps below 80°F (27°C.) It can survive freezes down to 25°F (-4°C,) but it’s best to avoid such cold temps for plants in cultivation.

Don’t let Cyrtochilum’s name scare you; pronouncation is easier than you might think. Say “sear tow KYE lum” to rhyme with “dear go by him.” Botanists have been debating this beauty’s place in the orchid family tree for years, so it’s sometimes labeled as an Oncidium.

You’d have to be living under Ayers Rock to miss all the orchid shows in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa this month. In the Northern Hemisphere, the schedule picks up after its summer pause. You can find shows and sales from the Americas and Europe mixed in here, in between those from Queensland and KwaZulu-Natal.

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The “Golden Gate Gardener” on SFGate devotes the top half of a column to an orchid weed. No, it’s not the tropical Bamboo Orchid, but instead an emigrant from Europe, Epipactis helleborine. It’s related to the Stream Orchid, the native Epipactis that I grow.

Epipactis helleborine has a home range across a broad swath of Europe and Asia, stretching from Ireland all the way to China. Early colonists brought it to North America to use the roots as a gout treatment. With nicknames like “weed orchid” and “poor man’s lady slipper,” it’s considered an invasive plant in parts of the USA and Canada, but it’s not a significant problem here in the SF Bay Area. This terrestrial can spread by seeds or by root runners, and can pop up in surprising places, like roadside ditches or patches of poison oak. That’s a wildly successful orchid weed!

Orchids starter kits have been around for years, often sold alongside starter kits for other tropical plants. They’re a clever sales solution for tropical areas like Hawaii, where strict rules apply for plant export. The plants are packaged by certified nurseries, and they can be quickly checked by airport agricultural inspectors.

Sometimes they’re baby orchids or seedlings. Often they’re packed in small pots or moss. In Costa Rica, seedlings for the national flower, Cattleya skinneri, are sold in test tubes. They’re nice souvenirs, but when the vacation’s over, you’ve got some work to do. First on the agenda is learning about your particular variety. Besides Phals, Cattleyas, Dendrobiums, and Arundinas. I’ve seen Epidendrums and Spathoglottis sold this way. Light and water needs are different for each type.

Next, pot if it’s necessary. Then, you may need some patience. Some kinds take as long as 7 years to mature and bloom, and that’s under ideal growing conditions. Most won’t take so long, but don’t expect instant gratification. Starter kits for Arundina, the Bamboo Orchid, contain a stem cutting to pot. These may bloom in only 2 or 3 years if you have room for a large, tropical, sun-loving orchid. No matter which variety, orchid starter kits make great living mementos of your travels.