AboutOrchids

National Geographic has published an orchid article and photo gallery with all the exceptional quality we’ve come to expect from that worthwhile organization. “Love and Lies” tells fascinating tales of the complex relationships that orchids have with their pollinators. The article explores how orchids “have managed to colonize six continents and virtually every conceivable terrestrial habitat, from the deserts of western Australia to the cloud forests of Central America, from the forest canopy to the underground, from remote Mediterranean mountaintops to living rooms, offices, and restaurants the world over.” Truth is stranger than fiction when it comes to orchid tactics to spread around their genes. Some have sweet scents to lure hungry butterflies and bees, but others have stinky smells to lure flies and gnats. Some orchids employ slingshots with pollen, while others reflect the blue Mediterranean sky to trick their pollinators. The picture gallery titled “Sneaky Orchids” is full of stunning floral photography. It includes many bizarre, rarely-seen Australian species, like the Flying Duck Orchid.

If you didn’t know better, you might think that these flower buds look like the very hungry plant Audrey II, from the classic film and musical Little Shop of Horrors. Fortunately, this orchid doesn’t have teeth and doesn’t eat people, so there’s no danger.

Once the buds open, these flowers lose their threatening facade, and look like bizarre insects in flight. They belong to the Swan Orchid, or Cycnoches. That’s easier to pronounce than it looks — it sounds like “sick NO keys,” with the emphasis on the “no.” The Swan Orchid nickname comes from the graceful shape of the flower “neck,” properly called the column. It’s easier to imagine the swan if you look at the flower upside-down.

These blooms last for over a month, and have a strong, spicy perfume. Many orchids go dormant for the winter, but Cycnoches is actually deciduous, with leaves that yellow and drop in the fall. At this point, the plant will quickly rot if overwatered. I water as seldom as once a month in the winter, but maintain good humidity. Watering and fertilizing resume when new spring growth is about 2-3 inches (5-8 cm) tall. This dormant cycle reflects the long dry season in the Swan Orchids’ tropical jungle homes, which are centered around the Amazon.

Some orchids are under attack by hornets, and that’s how they like it. According to the journal Current Biology, scientists have discovered that a Dendrobium species native to the Chinese island of Hainan uses an ingenious trick to attract hornet pollinators. Dendrobium sinense produces a chemical compound that mimics an “alarm pheromone,” a scent that bees emit when they are in distress. Predatory hornets think they’re finding a free lunch, and swoop in to attack the flower. Instead of lunch, however, they leave with orchid pollen attached to them. When they fall for the trick again, they transfer the pollen and pollinate the orchid.

Orchids have amazed scientists for years with the multitude of methods they have evolved to attract pollinators. Many use the tried-and-true floral method of offering nectar. Others, like Lady Slippers and Pterostylis, temporarily trap an insect and force it to exit past their pollen. Some species have chemical fragrances to fool insects into thinking they’re finding a mate. But this trick of luring in a predator has never been seen before. Undoubtedly, there are many more surprises to learn from the sneaky orchid family.

This little beauty belongs to the enormous Bulbophyllum genus of the orchid family. Its bright orange flowers have dark red spots that inspired its scientific name, Bulbophyllum pardalotum, which means spotted like a leopard. The small flowers are 3/4 inch (2 cm) across.

This species is native to the Philippines, where it’s a neighbor to this Oberonia on the island of Luzon. The flowers open during the day and close at night, and last about a week and a half.

The Bulbophyllum genus contains hundreds of fascinating and unusual species. Some are enormous, others microscopic. Many have bizarrely shaped flowers. This spotted species doesn’t have a scent, but some in the genus produce the smell of rotting meat to attract flies to pollinate them. Although these aren’t commonly offered for sale, it’s reason enough to check the fragrance of an orchid before you buy it.

Mini orchids have all the charms of larger plants, but you can fit a lot more of them in the same space. With small leaves and tiny flowers, this Oberonia certainly qualifies as a mini. Each flower is only the size of a grain of sand at 0.06 inches (1.5 mm.) I tried to count the flowers to see exactly how many there are, but I gave up before it gave me a headache. Let’s just say that there are dozens that encircle a thin, 4 inch (10 cm) flower spike.

Besides the fact that mini orchids are easy to fit in a city apartment, the flowers are fascinating in their own right. The densely packed blooms give the effect of a fuzzy orange cat’s tail. The individual flowers are tough to see without a magnifying glass. They sure put Dave’s photography skills to the test. Through the magic of his macro lens, you can see how beautiful they are up close.

This species of Oberonia is native to one small province on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. It needs regular water and high humidity. With light shade and warm temperatures, these miniature works of art bloom on a microscopic scale.

Good news is always welcome in the battle for orchid conservation. I was happy to see a story in a Virginia newspaper about changes made in a hospital’s construction to save a native orchid found on the grounds. The Small Whorled Pogonia is one of the rarest orchids in North America, ranging from Ontario and Maine south to Georgia. The building will be named after the endangered orchid, hopefully providing even more awareness of its plight. This may seem like an extreme measure for one plant, but as the article points out, protecting one plant’s habitat can help other endangered species also.

If you’re interested in learning more about orchids that are native to the USA and Canada, Wild Orchids Across North America is a great read, and has a chapter devoted to the Small Whorled Pogonia.

Dozens of orchid shows are happening all around the globe this month, from Florida and Hawaii to Australia and New Zealand. Melbourne’s Orchid Spectacular is one of Australia’s biggest shows. Take advantage of these amazing opportunities if you can.

Our summer garden is in full swing, with lots of great blooms. There are plenty of big flowers, like these giant lilies. When a neighbor had some old bulbs destined for the trash, Dave rescued them and stuck them in the garden, hoping they would survive. Imagine our surprise when the plants grew 6 ft. (1.8 m) tall with blooms the size of dinner plates. They have a wonderful scent, also.

On the other end of the size spectrum, these tiny Jewels of Opar flowers are only 1/4 inch (6 mm.) I grew these from seeds which were a gift from Dave’s Mom. They’re not very fond of our cool coastal climate, but they seem happy enough indoors, sitting in a sunny, warm window.

I’ve never understood why this Agapanthus is commonly called “Lily of the Nile” when they’re native to South Africa, nowhere near the Nile. No matter the misnomer, they love the California climate, and reliably provide beautiful blue blooms every year. The orange and yellow flowers belong to Mexican Asclepias, better known as milkweed. We originally bought these to try to attract Monarch Butterflies, but haven’t seen any caterpillars eating their leaves. The beautiful, long-lasting flowers more than compensate for the lack of Monarchs. Finally, Dave spotted this orchid seedpod on our San Francisco native orchid, Epipactis. The brown part on the bottom is the flower, which dries up after pollination. I’ve grown this plant for years, but it’s never been pollinated before, so I’m eager to see if the seeds are viable. It may take a few months for the seedpod to mature, but I’ll keep you updated.

The best methods to fertilize orchids are constant subjects of debate. Many orchid experts subscribe to the maxim “weakly, weekly,” meaning that a weak mixture of fertilizer given on a regular basis can go a long way to improving orchid growth and blooms. With my own orchids, I’ve used specialized orchid fertilizer, diluted regular plant fertilizer, and time release fertilizer (not at the same time, of course!) They’ve all worked fine for me over the years, so when I tried using homemade compost, it felt like a radical experiment.

Compost is, after all, rotting stuff. Orchids are sensitive to rot because they live in high humidity, where rot flourishes, and also because rotting stuff can block essential air flow to orchid roots. Even though I have a few books that mention the use of compost for orchid fertilizer, when I first tried it, I was worried that the plants would simply turn to mush. I started with a weak solution of compost tea, and when I saw the good results, I cautiously tried straight compost. Despite my fears of exposing my orchids to rotting material, homemade compost has worked better than I ever expected. After a good shot of compost, some of my orchids, like this Laelia and Zygo, will quickly put up a new flower spike and bloom within a few weeks. My Cymbidiums, Sobralia, and Vanilla quickly start growing new leaves. My Phals and Epidendrums also love the nutrient boost.

I haven’t yet had any problems with orchids rotting, and excess compost doesn’t cause problems like excess artificial fertilizers. Too much artificial fertilizer can burn roots and leaves, and while overdoing the compost won’t damage the plant, there is a downside. With excessive compost, some orchids put out new growth that remains weak and soft, and ultimately dies back. For instance, after a dose of compost, my Dendrochilum starts with new growth, but then some new leaves fall off. The rest of plant isn’t hurt, but nothing’s gained either.

If I’ve inspired you to try using compost on your orchids, I suggest you test with a small amount or weak compost tea first, and wait a few weeks before trying any more. Making your own compost is really very easy; as the saying goes, compost happens. Whether you live in a small apartment or a large farm, you can find great info about how to make your own compost here. Orchids can bloom wonderfully with many fertilizers, and compost is not at all a requirement for growing orchids. But if you have the opportunity to try it, I recommend that you add some compost and stand back!

A major emphasis of this blog is demonstrating that orchids are easy to grow and flower, but we’re all human, and mistakes are always going to be part of the process. Many mistakes can be fixed, but unfortunately some may be fatal. These photos show my Sedirea in happier times, before it died a few weeks ago. I always try to treat such experiences as learning opportunities, so that I don’t repeat the same mistake with another orchid.

This little charmer has a strong, sweet scent. It’s native to temperate forests of Japan and Korea, and it can handle a wide range of temperatures. Mine seemed happy living outdoors in our mild climate for the past few years. I kept it shaded for spring and summer, and moved it into brighter light during winter’s weaker sun. This year when I moved it back into shade for spring, I put it alongside a larger orchid, my Zygo. In shadow of the larger pot, it was fine for light, but not for water. I didn’t notice that the larger pot was blocking the Sedirea from the hose until a heat wave, when the leaves flattened and shriveled. It was all downhill from there, despite my attempts at resuscitation with extra water for a few weeks.

While I won’t be enjoying these blooms again in my garden anytime soon, I do get to take away some lessons. First, Sedireas need regular water, and second, I have too many orchids to keep track of them anymore!