AboutOrchids

If you don’t live in the tropics, you may be surprised that this beautiful flower belongs to a pesky weed. If you live in a rainy area of the tropics, you probably recognize it. It’s Arundina, commonly known by its nickname “Bamboo Orchid.” The small plant in the 3rd photo shows the strong stems and pointy leaves that mimic bamboo with a flower on top.

Originally from Southeast Asia, the Bamboo Orchid has spread throughout the tropics, and even to subtropical areas like Florida. In Hawaii where these pictures were taken, it was intentionally introduced in the 1950’s to grow as cattle fodder. On the east side of the Big Island, we saw it growing in fields and forests, along roadsides, and even next to parking lots. It’s also one of the first plants to start growing on new lava fields. In fact, it’s such a prolific grower that Hawaiian locals use it as green filler for flower bouquets instead of ferns. There were buckets of the tall green plants at local farmers markets.

Bamboo orchids usually grow as terrestrials in soil, and can grow quite tall. We routinely saw 6 ft (1.8 m) plants, with some as tall as 10 ft (3 m.) The final picture shows a common sight along the roads near Hilo, with white and purple Arundina flowers sticking above the tall grasses. Call it a weed if you must, but at least it has a pretty flower.

I said that March was a busy month for orchid shows, and I wasn’t kidding! This is only a partial listing of shows around the world, from here in San Francisco to Atlanta, Buenos Aires, and Costa Rica. The Philadelphia Flower Show, while not specifically an orchid show, is the largest flower show in the world, and definitely worth a visit if you’re in the City of Brotherly Love.

The New York Botanical Garden Orchid Show starts tomorrow for its 6-week run, February 28 – April 12. This year the theme is Brazilian Modern, and showcases contemporary Brazilian design and plenty of orchids from Brazil. The show will include other tropical plants native to Brazil, educational programs, and a show for kids called “Chocolate and Vanilla Adventures.”

In case you don’t have the opportunity to be in New York soon, take heart. March is loaded with orchid shows throughout the world, and I’ll have an extensive listing in my next post. It’ll include some of the year’s largest and most amazing shows in Santa Barbara, London, Taiwan, Montreal, and of course, San Francisco. Don’t worry– we’re already warming up the cameras.

Jewel orchids are a fascinating group of plants that are grown for their beautiful foliage. Usually, mention of their colorful leaves includes a statement that the flowers are uninteresting. I always find that an amusing statement, but maybe I’m biased as an orchid geek that all orchids are interesting. I do believe that this mini jewel orchid, a Malaxis, proves my point. Its flowers look more like a tiny yellow bug than an orchid. The little blooms are less than 1/4 inch (6 mm) wide, and open in succession along a lengthening flower spike. The first picture shows the flower spike with unopened buds.

I bought this unusual orchid a couple years ago, and set it in a shady spot. It grew well for a few months, and then started dropping its leaves. Soon it was down to a single leaf, and I was ready to sacrifice it to the compost. In a last-ditch attempt to save it, I placed it in my terrarium, which has constant high humidity. Instantly it perked up, and over the next few months it grew more leaves. Finally it’s rebounded well enough to bloom. Moral of the story: high humidity is essential for this orchid, since its thin leaves dry out quickly.

The pictures below show the beautiful iridescent bronze leaves and bright pink stem that make this a gorgeous plant, even when it’s not in bloom. I’m certainly not denying that the plant is beautiful, but I don’t think that makes the flowers any less interesting.

Okay, so you’ve been seriously bitten by the orchid bug, and you’ve acquired so many that you’ve run out of room to grow any more. A reasonable person would maintain their hobby at a manageable level. But with orchids, why be reasonable when you have the opportunity to expand your hobby outside? Growing Orchids in Your Garden, by Robert G. M. Friend, is the guide for you. Whether you live in Puerto Rico or Canada, the UK or Australia, there are orchids you can grow outdoors for at least part of the year. This clearly written and beautifully illustrated book will show you how.

Even if you don’t plan on replacing the lawn with Cymbidiums, you can still learn a lot by understanding how orchids grow in the wild. Friend explains how epiphytic orchids grow as air plants, how lithophytic orchids grow as rock plants, and how terrestrial orchids grow in the ground. There are concise instructions for each variety, and a great extensive table of recommended orchid species in the back of the book. In case you think your climate is too cold for orchids, there are plenty of varieties from cold regions, like Bletilla and Calanthe, that are deciduous and go dormant in the winter.

You may be surprised to learn how many orchids are easy to grow in your own backyard. So if you think your garden is impressive now, just wait until you fill up that rock wall with Dendrobiums and Laelias.

Valentine’s Day means roses and chocolates for many people, but they’re not the only holiday gifts. If you received an orchid as a gift for Valentine’s Day, you may be wondering how to properly care for it. It will help to first identify it so that you can know its specific needs. It’s usually not necessary to find the exact name, but instead to know what family of orchids it comes from. That way you can understand the growing conditions that will help it thrive and bloom again.

The most common kind of orchid sold is the Phalaenopsis, or Moth Orchid. If the shape of your flower looks like the picture below, then that’s probably what you have. Remember that they come in many different colors and patterns, so it’s the shape of the flower that really helps in identification.

If you can’t identify your orchid, start with these basic care tips:

• Light – Give orchids bright light, but no direct sun.
• Water – Water them thoroughly once or twice a week — more when it’s warmer, less when it’s cooler. Make sure the water drains completely out of the holes at the bottom of the pot. Never leave the plant sitting in water!
• Fertilizer – Add diluted plant fertilizer when they are growing.
• Air movement – Provide gentle air circulation for the plant.
• Humidity – Provide some humidity for the plant; orchids do not like dry environments.
• Proper temperatures – Keep the daytime temperature between 65°- 75°F /18°- 24°C, and a few degrees cooler at nighttime.

Good luck with your Valentine’s gift! Meanwhile I’m getting back to my chocolates…

In honor of Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday today (by the way, he was born the exact same day as Abraham Lincoln!) I have some remarkable pictures of “Darwin’s Orchid.” This stunning orchid has a long scientific name, Angraecum sesquipedale. Easier to pronounce is its nickname, Darwin’s Orchid, so named since it played an important role in the development of the theory of evolution. I was thrilled to find this exquisite specimen in bloom at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden last month. Although it was up in a tree and difficult to see, Dave’s superb photography brings us up close.

Darwin was fascinated by orchids, and tried to understand how they evolved to attract a single insect or bird species to pollinate them. This orchid presented a particular challenge for Darwin, since its flower can have a 14 inch (35 cm) nectar tube. Darwin theorized that somewhere in the jungles of Madagascar, there was a moth with a very long tongue capable of reaching the bottom of the nectar tube, and which was the pollinator of this orchid species. He was ridiculed for the outrageous suggestion, but the predicted moth species was discovered in 1903, proving him correct and adding compelling proof to evolutionary theory.

Pictured below are an open flower and an unopened bud positioned back to back. Dave worked some computer magic to make the flower and nectar tube really stand out against a black and white background.

I estimated, using the picture with my hand, that the nectar spur on this flower is a respectable 10.5 inches (27 cm) long. That’s still 3.5 inches (9 cm) short of the maximum length this species can achieve for just one segment of the flower. The final shot shows part of the Angraecum plant itself on the right, looking like a Vanda plant, while its roots hold on to a palm tree trunk. This remarkable orchid is a fitting birthday tribute to Darwin’s profound contributions to modern science.

In the town of Volcano on the road to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Akatsuka Orchid Garden has one of the aloha state’s largest orchid collections. We couldn’t resist a trip to their store and showroom, and found ourselves there with busloads of tourists who had just visited nearby Kilauea Volcano.

Many of these spectacular hybrids are award-winning varieties grown by Akatsuka. While these pictures can convey a few of the thousands of flowers, they cannot convey the wonderful smells throughout the large showroom. Some of these orchids had strong, sweet scents, and they perfumed the air during our whole visit.

Besides lots of flowers, we enjoyed seeing how this large commercial greenhouse was set up. The final 2 pictures below show orchids on greenhouse benches, and spray misters that help maintain high humidity. In addition, there’s a gift-shop with all sorts of orchid goodies, from books to t-shirts to fridge magnets, for those who want souvenirs that don’t require light and water.

We have so many great pictures from Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden that I couldn’t fit them into just one post. So here are a few more orchids photos:

And here are a few more non-orchid photos:

And here are some great examples of how orchids grow in the wild. In the tropical rainforest, orchid roots hold on to tree trunks and branches so they can take advantage of brighter light above the forest floor. In the last picture, a Phalaenopsis seems to defy gravity holding on to a vertical surface, a mossy tree trunk.

While we were visiting the Big Island of Hawaii, Dave and I took a trip to Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden. Located north of Hilo in a real tropical rainforest, the garden is a lush paradise of exotic plants from rainforests around the world, including lots of orchids.

We spent half the day soaking in the stunning floral beauty. Innumerable tropical flowers, a koi pond, waterfalls, jungle birds, and ocean vistas kept our cameras clicking away. The garden is a non-profit sanctuary for many rare plants, helping to preserve them against the threats of habitat destruction and climate change. Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden also provides educational programs, and spreads Hawaiian beauty by shipping tropical flower bouquets within the USA.

And to prove that we actually did take pictures besides orchids, below are a baby pineapple, a pink ginger flower, and a yellow heliconia flower. In the last photo, Onomea Falls rushes through the garden valley. What a paradise!