AboutOrchids

No, this Dracula orchid doesn’t bite your neck or sleep in a coffin, but this miniature is interesting in its own right. Dracula means “little dragon” in Latin, and the botanist who named this genus thought that the flowers looked like dragon’s teeth. I think they look more like orange bells, but I’m grateful for an orchid rarity: an easy to pronounce name. Like their Masdevallia relatives, Draculas like cool temperatures, low light, high humidity, and constant air movement, similar to their homes high in the Andes.

This particular species is called Dracula sodiroi, and comes from the mountains of Ecuador, not Transylvania. It needs daily water, and sulks from the added chemicals of regular tap water. Even San Francisco’s high quality, clean tap water isn’t pure enough, so I use rainwater or filtered water instead. The flowers are pendant, hanging down so they open from below. Looking up from underneath, they look furry on the inside.

This orchid does bear some similarity to vampires with its dislike of direct sun. Draculas want shady conditions, and can even be grown under artificial lights, but I keep mine outside where it can enjoy the fog. While I doubt that Anne Rice will be writing books about this orchid to be made into movies starring Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise, it’s a fascinating Dracula nonetheless.

Happy equinox! Welcome to the first day of spring, unless you’re in the southern half of the planet. In that case, welcome to the first day of autumn. No matter where you are on earth, day and night last 12 hours each. Like all plants, orchids detect the lengthening days and increasing strength of the sun. Some may spring into new growth with fresh new leaves and roots. That’s great if your orchid and its potting material are in good shape. But if those beautiful new leaves and roots suddenly start to show black spots, or turn to mush, your orchid is probably overdue for repotting. Step by step instructions for repotting can be found here.

Repotting may be the most intimidating part of being a new orchid owner. Fortunately, it only has to be done once every 2 or 3 years. If you purchased your orchid in the past year from a reputable vendor, the potting material should be fresh enough to allow you to skip the chore this year. If you’re not sure, here are some tips to know when it’s time to repot:

• If the orchid is potted in bark, dig out a piece of the bark and squeeze it between your fingers. Bark that remains solid is still in good shape; bark that squishes or breaks apart is telling you that your orchid’s roots cannot get enough air flow, and it’s time to repot.
• If the orchid is in moss, repot every year, or whenever the moss becomes moldy or slimy.
• If new leaves suddenly start to rot, the cause may be that the corresponding new roots need better air flow. Those new roots may be out of sight underneath, but they are essential for the plant’s health. Remove the orchid from the pot as soon as possible and repot it.
• If you water the orchid, and the excess water is slow to drain out of the holes at the bottom of the pot, then it’s time to repot.
• Orchids that have just finished blooming often enter a cycle of new leaf and root growth. This is an ideal time to repot so the new roots can grow into fresh potting material.

If all of this is just too bewildering, start with these helpful videos showing what potting mix to choose, how to repot an orchid in bark, and how to repot in moss. And then go enjoy the first day of spring.

The Native Orchid Conference (NOC) is a non-profit organization whose purpose, in its own words, is “to foster the study, conservation, and enjoyment of the native orchids of the United States and Canada.” These North American orchids are sometimes less glamorous than their tropical counterparts, but no less fascinating or beautiful. Ranging from Florida to northern Canada, from subtropical to Arctic, native orchids often grow in specific habitats, like marshes or pine forests. They face threats to their survival such as habitat destruction, climate change, and over-collection (illegal removal from the wild for fun or profit, often killing the orchids in the process.) Unfortunately, many native orchids are difficult to keep alive in cultivation.

NOC’s website contains a great photo gallery where you can see a broad range of North American orchids. There are some great Epipactis photos, like the one I blogged about last year from my own garden. Check out the stunning pictures of Cypripediums, Arethrusa, and many other varieties. Membership benefits include receiving the quarterly publication The NOC Journal about native orchids. Members are also invited to NOC events, like their upcoming annual conference in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They welcome everyone from professionals to newcomers who wish to promote conservation and learning about native orchids.

We have so many great pictures from this year’s San Francisco Orchid Show that 2 posts weren’t enough. As usual most are Dave’s, but I took a couple of these. The 1st shot shows a nice close-up of Darwin’s Orchid, the same species we saw at the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden growing up in a tree. Unlike Hawaii, this photo required no climbing. The 2nd picture shows a bunch of Phals, and the 3rd, an Epidendrum relative named Oerstedella.

The next set of photos shows a Miltonia, long chains of mini flowers on a Dendrochilum, and a pink Lycaste.

Can you tell that Dave really likes Masdevallias? The last set of photos has some beauties.

The 30,000 or so species of orchids around the world have tremendous variations in their flower shapes. Some of them have shapes that are truly surprising. Others are so unusual that it can be tough to believe that they’re real. And some have flowers that are just plain weird. Here are some great examples from last weekend’s Pacific Orchid Exposition. I’ll call this first set of pictures the fish group, since I think they look more like sea creatures than orchids.

Each of these unusual flowers has evolved to attract a specific pollinator in the rainforest. A flower shape that may seem bizarre to us serves as the perfect lure to convince an insect to carry pollen from one flower to another. This specific relationship is one of the successful strategies that orchids use to survive in a competitive, densely crowded rainforest. Since bugs may see a meal in these funky flowers, I’ll call this set the food group. I see a piece of spiral pasta, orange caviar, and bunches of grapes.

Most of the orchids here require specialized conditions, and are for advanced growers. They aren’t commonly seen in cultivation, but maybe if they were, their strange shapes wouldn’t be so incredible. I’ll call this last set the bird group, and I think you’ll see why. I’m open to other interpretations as to what they look like, but you’ll have to agree that they’re amazing flowers.

Question:  if you put 150,000 orchid flowers in a room, what will you have? Answer:  the 2009 Pacific Orchid Exposition in San Francisco.  You’ll also have Dave and me running around with our cameras, trying to take pictures of as many of those flowers as possible. Here are a few samples:

This year’s theme was “Green…with Envy,” highlighting environmental responsibility with these treasures of nature. The Phalaenopsis and Dendrobium flowers below could certainly make any orchid lover envious.

Besides green, there were plenty of incredible colors to be seen. Here are an orange and red Eriopsis, yellow Masdevallia, and diverse varieties of Paphiopedilums.

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.