AboutOrchids

Today’s orchid related vocabulary word is lithophyte. Pronounced “LITH-ah-fayht,” it rhymes with “lip-oh-fight.” A lithophythe is a plant that grows attached to rock. Sound like science fiction? Well, just as orchid roots can attach to tree trunks and branches, some can also attach to rocks. Lithophytes may sink their roots into crevices and absorb nutrients from decomposing plant and animal debris, or they may simply attach to the rock surface, and absorb water and nutrients that wash over them. By growing on rocks, lithophytic orchids take advantage of valuable rainforest “real-estate” where most other plants cannot survive.

This photo shows Epidendrum roots growing on the surface of a large rock at Kula Botanical Garden, Kula, Maui, Hawaii. The long white roots attach to the stone surface and anchor the orchid, which is visible at the top of the picture.

In cultivation, many lithophytes are grown in the same manner as epiphytes, potted in bark or moss.

Climate change, pollution, habitat destruction, and over-collection threaten the survival of orchid species all over the world. IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, is one of many worthy organizations working hard to save orchids and the environment. They maintain a list of plants and animals facing extinction, and this list includes many orchids. A search of the IUCN Red List for Paphiopedilum shows dozens of endangered & critically endangered Paph species. A search for Dendrobium shows well over 100 endangered species. IUCN has provided essential scientific data for more than 4 decades, and works with experts around the world to help save species.

So many people think of orchids as delicate and fragile, but this little Sarcochilus hartmanii is one tough plant. Related to Phalaenopsis and Vanda, in the wild Sarcochilus grow as lithophytes, or rock plants. Their roots attach to cliff-face rocks in eastern Australia, holding on despite strong ocean winds. They can handle a wide range of temperatures, and can even survive mild freezes in winter.

Part of their toughness is the durability of their blooms. These Sarcochilus flowers last 2 or 3 months through the spring, surviving rain, wind, and heat waves. I keep the plant growing outdoors on my back deck, where it receives bright light, including some direct sun.

So you like orchids, but you don’t want to do the work? Orchid shows are a perfect solution. You’ll enjoy lots of amazing flowers, and you don’t have to water a single one. Here’s a small sampling of orchid shows happening in June.

It may look like just another orchid, but this blooming Epipactis gigantea is special for a few reasons. Unlike most commonly cultivated orchids, which come from tropical regions, this orchid is a San Francisco native. In fact, it’s native to a wide part of western North America, spanning from SW Canada to NW Mexico, and from California to Texas.

Known as the Stream Orchid or the False Ladyslipper, this Epipactis is not an air plant. It lives in moist soils alongside streams, on cliff faces, and in mountain bogs. The plant goes dormant during winter, re-emerging from underground tubers the next spring.

Many terrestrial orchids are difficult to grow, requiring highly specialized conditions (yet another reason that you should NEVER remove wild orchids from their natural homes.) However Epipactis gigantea is relatively easy to cultivate, and adapts to a wide range of conditions. I keep mine in regular potting soil, and set the pot in a tray of water so it never dries out.

I’ve been collecting orchid books for years, but this ranks as one of my favorites. Manuel Aubron’s fantastic photos capture the beauty and strangeness of orchids, and the text provides concise descriptions of how these plants grow in the wild. As a bonus it’s 2 books in 1, combining a large coffee-table book of detailed flower photos, and a mini orchid care book embedded in the back. With a focus on species across different regions of the world, they feature a great variety of uncommon orchids.

Orchids, photos by Manuel Aubron, written by Pascal Descourvieres, DK Publishing, NY, 2007

A gardener friend once told me that if I’m not killing plants, I’m not learning anything. I do try to avoid fatalities in my learning process, but they still happen sometimes.

This beautiful bloom is from last year, when my little Sophronitis cernua was doing well. This Cattleya relative is native to Brazil. I’ve kept it inside during Winter, and moved it outside on the deck when temps warmed in Spring. This year it went out in April, but unexpected chilly nights down to the 40s F (5-10 C) killed most of the plant. The last few leaves that survived the cold damage finally dropped this week, and the dead plant went into the compost bin.

So I’ve learned a couple lessons in my orchid post mortem:
1-Sophronitis cannot handle cold temps
2-San Francisco weather is tough to predict (I shouldn’t need a reminder for that one.)

Tiny Lepanthopsis astrophora has a name that’s bigger than the plant itself. I bought this Masdevallia relative at a sale at OrchidMania last year, and it’s been in constant bloom for a year. The flowers only last a few days each, but there’s a constant resupply.

If they look small in the pictures, they are! Each flower is just a speck of color, only 1/7 inch (4 mm) tall. The whole plant is just 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) across. Dave took these photos with a macro lens.

Found in coastal rainforests in Venezuela and Colombia, these orchids need daily water and constant high humidity.

With lots of cool days this Spring, our backyard garden has been slow to start. But with mild temperatures and longer days, it’s finally filling in. Enjoy these (non-orchid) photos.

Our yard is partially shaded by our neighbors’ trees, so the poppies don’t receive enough sun until mid-Spring. This was one of the first to open this year.

This variety of Iris is a California native, and it’s been blooming for a few weeks now. This latest flower is a bit damaged by the elements, but beautiful nonetheless.

Dave noticed a Valerian plant growing in one of the flower beds a few weeks ago. They’re not natives, but they grow wild all over the SF Bay Area. This one probably volunteered from a seed arriving via wind or bird. The flower buds are just starting to form in this photo.

And here’s 1 more pic of some small yellow flowers on an unidentified plant in the back of the garden.

If you’re missing your orchid fix, don’t worry. I’ll have another orchid post for you soon.

Nicknamed the Hardy Chinese Orchid, Bletilla striata is a terrestrial that grows in soil. Originally from China, Japan, and Korea, Bletillas go dormant over the winter, and can handle light freezes. These flowers have been slowly opening over the past few days. They’re still not completely open in these photos, but you can see their light purple color and the ruffly ridges on the flower lip. Variegated forms of this flower are grown as bonsai in Japan.