AboutOrchids

Orchid pros sometimes say that you’re not an orchid expert until you’ve killed your weight in orchids. Since I started growing them 20 years ago, I believe I’ve passed that benchmark, and here’s another for the scales. This African orchid, a Polystachya, looked fine in these 2006 photos. I bought this unusual specimen years ago at an orchid show, and even though it bloomed for me several times, it recently bit the dust.

It’s frustrating enough to kill an orchid, but it’s more frustrating when I can’t figure out what went wrong. Mine started going downhill a couple years ago, when its annual cycle of new leaves pooped out. The old leaves and pseudobulbs stayed green until recently, but then gave out without producing any healthy new growth. Photos show the interesting yellow flowers which face downward.

Since I’d been able to provide adequate conditions for blooming in the past, I’m left to wonder what changed. It’s possible that it acquired a plant virus during a pest invasion, and declined over time. It may have been that our foggy summers, which have been extra cool for the past couple years, didn’t offer it enough warmth to continue. In its native range from South Africa to Tanzania, it’s undoubtedly used to warm conditions. Maybe some unidentified problem popped up, and some future orchid trivia will jar loose an explanation. Its cause of death may elude me, but at least its photos live on.

Pruning orchids is easier than pruning roses or hydrangeas, because orchids don’t need shaping. Instead, pruning serves to remove dead or damaged parts of the plant. Dead leaves, flowers, or roots should be removed before they attract pests or disease. Pruning is sometimes necessary when dividing and repotting an orchid.

Start by cleaning sharp garden clippers with rubbing alcohol, dilute bleach solution, or hot water and soap. These methods don’t completely sterilize the blades, but they’re sufficient to prevent the spread of plant infections. Prune away any dead or damaged parts of the plant. Cuts can be made as close as possible, taking care not to harm nearby leaves or roots.

If there’s more than one orchid to prune, clean the blades in between each plant. The idea is to prevent the spread of nasty viruses or bacteria. Tackle each orchid’s pruning needs all at once to minimize the number of times you’ll need to clean your blades.

It’s also possible to prune a Phal’s fading flower spike, and force it to rebloom. Always clean your clippers or scissors before attempting this pruning trick.

No long orchid name to battle here! Adas announce themselves with brilliant color. This mass of orange petals contains multiple flowers, and looks somewhat like a mound of shredded carrots. Fortunately, a solitary blossom also stands out for the camera.

Related to Odontoglossums and Oncidiums, this Ada species is native to the Andes. It lives as an epiphyte up to 8200 ft. (2500 m) in the mountains of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela,. It’s an easy grower if kept in cool, moist, breezy conditions, and requires a winter dormant period.

These small, tubular flowers open just slightly. Each bloom is about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long. While they may not readily reveal themselves to human eyes, they’re each perfectly shaped to fit a  hummingbird bill. They share their beauty and hardiness, but not their short name, with Ada hybrids like Brassada, Adaglossum, and Kriegerara.

Welcome the new year with orchids! The globally televised Tournament of Roses Parade features plenty of Phals, Cymbidiums, Dendrobiums, and Vandas alongside the countless roses. For the rest of the month, orchid shows provide opportunities to celebrate around the planet.

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Growing orchids in cold northern climates brings extra challenges in winter. First, cold temps mean that heaters run frequently, drying the air in the process. Low humidity can cause lots of problems for orchids, such as wilting blooms, pests, and disease. Tried-and-true methods to raise humidity include:

• Grouping plants together
• Placing orchids in humid areas of the house, like a bathroom or kitchen
• Using a cool mist humidifier
• Putting flowerpots on top of a tray of pebbles with water (keep the pots above the water level!)
• Spraying regularly with a mister

Another winter challenge is insufficient light. Most commonly grown orchids originate in tropical regions of the world, where the sun is strong all year. Low winter sun and short daylight hours leave plants in a light deficit. Growers who see little sunlight during the winter should move orchids into brighter light, or consider adding some artificial light for the season. In time, your orchids will reward your extra winter care with strong new growth and blooms.

The solstice seems a little like an afterthought this year. Winter’s early arrival across the northern half of the planet has kept record cold temps and snowfalls in the news. Here in SF, our winter rainy season started in earnest last month. Although the Phals and Cymbidiums are starting to grow flower spikes, not much is in bloom. But the change of season always merits acknowledgment, so I’m happy to share a few photos from past orchid shows. A Miltonia, a Cattleya, two Vandas, and a Paph should inspire warm thoughts. The last of these photos is not from a show, but from the back garden. Bright orange flower buds emerging from an Ada orchid serve as a promise for the return of the sun.

Blooming orchids make wonderful holiday gifts, and smart shoppers start by checking out these buying tips. Even after you’ve picked the right orchid, however, you may have a problem. Some people are terrified of orchids. I’ve seen an orchid gift provoke such fear in a friend’s eyes that it made me wonder if he would have preferred a poisonous snake instead. I told him to relax; orchids aren’t so scary. Most orchids sold today are tough, modern hybrids, and you just need to know a few basics:

• When you water, water thoroughly, and then let the water drain completely from the pot. Never allow the pot to sit in water for an extended time, or the roots will rot, and the plant will die.
• Always provide high humidity for your orchid.
• Light, watering frequency, temperatures, fertilizer, and dormancy depend on what kind of orchid it is. (Here’s where your giftee hopes you bought a plant with a name tag, or at least know its orchid family.)
• After the flowers are gone, if you want to keep the plant and try to make it bloom again, it’ll need bright light and good basic care. Phals and Paphs are great for low light conditions common in homes and offices. Other varieties, like Cymbidiums, Dendrobiums, Oncidiums, and Vandas, will need some direct sun to bloom again.
• Check out AboutOrchids for lots of helpful info, FAQ, and great photos.

I’ve always known that orchids are good for me, and now I have proof in How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants that Purify Your Home or Office by Dr. B.C. Wolverton. Common orchid varieties like Phals and Dendrobiums are among the top houseplants to filter airborne toxins. Wolverton details the best plants to clean dangerous pollutants such as formaldehyde, benzene, and chloroform. The author includes helpful ratings for each plant, showing ease of care, resistance to pests, and efficiency at removing chemical vapors. Better than any electronic air cleaners, these plants don’t run up your electric bill or require expensive filters. The author also points out, contrary to popular myth, that indoor plants suppress mold spores, bacteria, and harmful microbes in the air. They’re the perfect solution, whether you’re fighting sick building syndrome, or just looking for a little extra oxygen and humidity. Give the gift of clean air by giving an orchid, or by giving this helpful, practical book.

Australian conservationists have had notable success lately, and now they’ve rediscovered an extinct orchid species. The Robust Greenhood Orchid, Pterostylis valida, is a long-lost cousin of the Greenhood that I grow. Believed extinct since 1941, it’s been rediscovered in an area outside of Melbourne. It’s no coincidence that the new-found plants are growing on land owned by the conservation group Bush Heritage Australia. They’ve gone to great lengths to purchase important ecological sites, and remove invasive, nonnative species doing damage to Aussie natives. Rather than becoming rabbit food or overshadowed by fast growing weeds, the species has been able to bloom again. It’s a rare pleasure to find that something has come back from extinction. With only 8 plants known, the work is now starting to keep it from going extinct again.

If long Latin orchid names aren’t your thing, you’ll be happy to know that Odontoglossums are nicknamed Odonts (which rhymes with “no fonts.”) The Odont family includes over 100 species and countless human-made hybrids. Many varieties have long-lasting flowers. I’ve had this first one for years, and its brilliants pinks and yellows always take my breath away.

Native to high elevations in the Andes and the mountaintops of Central America, Odonts topple the myth that orchids only grow in warm greenhouses. These are cool growers, and mine are happy outdoors all year on the California coast, unless it stays above 80°F (27°C) for too long. Both the pink hybrid pictured above and the yellow one below survived our recent hailstorm completely intact, with barely a scratch on their leaves or flowers.

Odonts require frequent waterings and bright light, and enjoy direct morning sun. They always need high humidity and good air movement, even during winter dormancy. Many hybrid crosses have also been made with members of the large Oncidium family. These hybrids, including Colmanara, Odontocidium, and Maclellanara, are better choices if you don’t have consistent cool temps. They’re all great proof that you don’t need to live in the tropics to grow orchids.