AboutOrchids

If you don’t have your own electron microscope, you’ll enjoy this entertaining video from TED and an accompanying article in the UK’s Guardian. Jonathan Drori showcases some of the most incredible pollination strategies among the world’s quarter-million flowering plants. Naturally, orchids are some of the stars of the show. With dazzling photos, his talk highlights Darwin’s Orchid, Oncidiums, Lady Slippers, and many more. The floral trickery includes ultraviolet patterns, insect mimicry, landing strips to guide pollinators, and even a strangely mammal-like Philodendron from Brazil (that last one starts at the 9 minute mark.) Flower lovers will find this a beautiful and fascinating talk on these evolutionary miracles.

Fortunately, it’s easier to grow a Coelogyne than it is to figure out how to say it. Each of these pure white flowers has a bright orange lip, and delights with a sweet scent. Blooms can last a month or more.

To pronounce it, say “see-LODGE-in-ee.” This species originates in the mountains of Vietnam, where it grows in cloud forests up to 6500 ft. (2000 m) high. It can handle a wide range of temperatures. Mine lives outside all year in the San Francisco fog, and receives some direct sun.

Coelogynes like frequent waterings during spring and summer, and less during winter dormancy. They enjoy regular fertilizer, high humidity, and good air movement. Almost 200 different Coelogyne species include varieties to suit warm, intermediate, or cool climates. They’re great for beginners who are ready to try a challenge beyond hybrids.

Excitement is building months ahead of the 20th World Orchid Conference (WOC) in Singapore. Nicknamed the “Orchid Olympics,” the WOC occurs every 3 years. From November 13 – 20, it’s happening at the astonishing Marina Bay Sands, where it’s expected to attract 300,000 visitors. The WOC includes a show with 50,000 orchids, vendors from 15 countries, and a conference featuring 140 speakers. The tiny isle of Singapore is one of world’s largest orchid exporters, and first hosted the conference in 1963. Detailed WOC info is available at the official website.

In addition to the world’s largest orchid event, conference attendees will be able to enjoy a special sneak-preview of the Flower Dome. It’s a remarkable 3 acre (1.2 hectare) conservatory, one part of the Gardens by the Bay complex, which is set to open officially next year. The Flower Dome will only be open for WOC ticket holders during the conference.

Since 1976, the Australian Orchid Foundation has worked for orchid conservation, study, promotion, and education. Run by volunteers, it’s making tremendous progress to benefit native orchids. Australia is home to many fascinating and unusual species, like the Brilliant Sun Orchid, and also numerous varieties of Dendrobium, Pterostylis, and Sarcochilus. They all face threats from habitat destruction, climate change, and invasive plants and animals. To counter these dangers, the Australian Orchid Foundation funds research projects and runs a seed bank. They have an extensive list of publications for sale (note the prices are in Australian dollars.) You can support their work with an online donation (tax deductible in Australia.)

If you think that orchids are all delicate and fragile, here’s a hardy Australian mini that will surprise you. This Sarcochilus is one tough species, related to Phals and Vandas. In the wild, it grows as a lithophyte, or rock plant. Its roots attach to cliff faces in eastern Australia, and they hold on despite strong ocean winds. It can handle a wide range of temperatures, and can even survive light freezes.

I’ve had this plant for 6 years, and it’s been a reliable annual bloomer. A nasty hailstorm damaged it last winter, but it flowered on schedule anyway. The arching sprays of sparkling white blooms can last 2 or 3 months. They may show wear-and-tear from rain, wind, heat waves, or pests, but the flowers persist. This one grows outdoors on my back deck all year, where it receives bright light with some direct sun.

Even though they’re lithophytes, they grow well potted in bark. Sarcochilus like regular water and fertilizer. Their leaves and roots are susceptible to damage from the slug and snail killer metaldehyde. However, snail baits with iron phosphate are safe for them.

The Honolulu Civil Beat offers two great stories about native Hawaiian orchids. The first article, “Hawaii’s Three Native Orchids,” is a quick read with great photos of the endangered species. It has an update on attempts to rescue the rarest variety from extinction, which I’ve blogged about before. So far, it’s good news on Kauai, where several Platanthera holochila plants have been successfully reintroduced, and another wild plant holds on. Both articles include a slideshow of the species’ unique mountain habitat on Kauai, the Alakai Swamp.

The second article, “Saving Hawaii’s Rarest Orchid,” explores this unique habitat in-depth. The Alakai Swamp is one of the rainiest places on earth, and it’s home to dwarf trees, unusual ferns and mosses, and many endangered plants, including that last known wild Platanthera on Kauai. The author treks through this alpine bog with scientists who are working hard to reestablish the species. With their efforts, the rare orchids might regain a foothold and begin the long journey away from the edge of extinction.

Nobody can doubt the global appeal of orchids with a list like this. As the show schedule slows down in the northern half of the planet, it picks up in the southern half. Santa Barbara bucks the trend to offer a major American event. No matter where, these shows are full of orchid sights and scents.

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Since most orchids sold are hybrids, let’s continue the Orchid Names category with more about them. When a hybrid is a cross between plants from the same genus, it uses that genus name. For example, 2 Phalaenopsis parents produced the hybrid Phalaenopsis Bonita:

• Phalaenopsis Bonita = Phalaenopsis stuartiana x Phalaenopsis buyssoniana

If a hybrid is a cross of more than one genus, it’s known as an intergeneric hybrid. Its genus name is a combination of the parents’ names:

• Vandofinetia = Vanda x Neofinetia
• Miltonidium = Miltonia x Oncidium
• Brassolaeliocattleya = Brassavola x Laelia x Cattleya

If a hybrid has 3 or more orchid families in its parentage, then the hybrid creator chooses a name (often their own) and adds “ara” to the end:

• Wilsonara = Cochlioda x Odontoglossum x Oncidium
• Colmanara = Miltonia x Odontoglossum x Oncidium
• Iwanagara = Brassavola x Cattleya x Diacrium x Laelia

Here’s an extensive list of orchid genus names, their standard abbreviations, and their parentage. It’s helpful when deciphering name tags or exploring hybrid composition.

A South Florida news team is hot on the trail of a blue Phal mystery. Blue Phals sell at major retailers like Home Depot and Lowe’s. They’re not naturally blue, but dyed instead. The horticulture industry has been dying other flower varieties for years, but the patented process is relatively new to orchids. Nobody paints the blooms; the producers infuse a dye internally. There are naturally blue orchids, like some Vandas and Dendrobiums, but none in the Phal family. In this case, the news team is investigating customer complaints about the blue blossoms’ high price and lack of a disclaimer on the plant label. To resolve the mystery, the stunning “Blue Mystique” Phals will have new labels clarifying that their color is artificial, and any future blooms will be white. Maybe someday an orchid breeder will create a similar hybrid, but for now, orchid lovers have a brilliant blue ruse.

With late spring rains followed by warm temps, our urban garden is offering lots of blooms for today’s solstice.  The flowers range from a small, pastel Epidendrum to an Orchid Cactus with brilliant red blossoms as big as dinner plates.

Fittingly for the first day of summer, we’re having a heat wave. I’ve got my work cut out for me watering and trying to keep the humidity up for the orchids. The season’s bounty will be easier to enjoy if the fog returns tomorrow as predicted. It promises to be a colorful summer.