AboutOrchids

The International Odontoglossum Alliance (IOA) is a great resource for everyone who loves this family of cool growing orchids. Odontoglossums, called Odonts for short, are native to high elevations in the Andes. There are many popular varieties like the species and hybrid in the photos above. Foggy climates, like the San Francisco Bay Area, suit them well. The IOA aims to educate orchid growers and support conservation measures to protect these beautiful blooms. Find helpful info about growing Odonts and the IOA’s newsletters in English and Spanish on their website. Membership is free and open to all who are interested in these cool orchids.

Orchids are not just denizens of the tropics; they live almost everywhere in the world. Even the high elevations of Colorado’s Four Corners region host many native species. Two of them are shown here: the Fairy Slipper, or Calypso bulbosa, and the Bog Orchid, or Platanthera. My mother-in-law took these photos in early July while she was hiking in the Colorado Plateau.

Fairy Slippers are native to Canada, the northern USA, northern Europe, and northern Asia. They’re some of the most colorful little orchids in their cool forests, with bright pink, yellow, and white blossoms.

I’m not sure which type of Bog Orchid shows in the final five pictures because they mostly have buds, and not many flowers are open. There are several species of Platanthera local to the area, and they can be tough to distinguish. They lack the charming colors of the Fairy Slippers, but have tall clusters of small, fascinating blooms. For a detailed look at native Colorado varieties, check out the North American Native Orchid Journal.

Photos courtesy of Brenda Hogue.

Head to the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney this week to see a native Australian orchid in its full splendor. Dendrobium teretifolium is sometimes called the Rat’s Tail Orchid because of its long, skinny leaves. However, when it bursts into bloom, it earns another nickname, the Bridal Veil Orchid, with cascades of creamy white flowers. The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney harbors an exceptional old specimen hanging off a fig tree near its Palm House. The garden is open daily from 7:00 am to 5:30 pm during August.

Orchids in the Park is San Francisco’s summer orchid show, and it’s always full of delights. At last month’s event, I heard many visitors gasping in wonder as they walked though the front door. Everyone from novices to experts could find something to marvel at. The weird and wonderful flowers in this post were only a few of the amazing sights. Check back soon for more photos.

This monthly show listing always demonstrates that there are orchid lovers around the globe, but surely, Australia must have more orchid lovers per capita than any nation. At this time of year, their show schedule surpasses any other place I can find online. There are over 30 shows this month in a country that has less people than the state of Texas, so I think my orchid math checks out.

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Meet the 10 rarest orchids in the world. Many are Lady Slippers, but there are also others, like the strange Australian Western Underground Orchid. Habitat destruction and over-harvesting of wild plants have been big problems, and now climate change is a growing threat. Since there are almost 30,000 orchid species, and many are highly endangered, I’m not sure if this is a definitive list, but certainly these are at risk. Others orchids are already extinct, or gone from the wild, but hanging on in cultivation. You can help by never buying plants taken from the wild, by supporting conservation groups, and by fighting climate change.

National Geographic reports on important discoveries about Florida’s famous Ghost Orchids. Scientists and photographers have found that they aren’t just pollinated by one species of moth, but by several different species. That’s good for the strange and fascinating leafless orchids, which are very endangered. After spending thousands of hours taking photos at the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, they observed that Ghost Orchids use at least five moth varieties for pollination. That means they’re not as vulnerable if some of the moths go extinct. There has been progress in conserving Ghost Orchids. Lab-grown plants are helping to replenish wild populations, and anti-poaching measures have had success. Check out amazing Ghost Orchids in the video below —

Mark your calendars for Orchids in the Park next weekend! These photos from last year’s event are just a small taste of what to expect. In addition to the show, there will be vendors from around the world, orchid care classes, and a class on botanical illustration. Orchids in the Park takes place July 20th – 21st in Golden Gate Park’s County Fair Building, at 9th Avenue and Lincoln Way. Buy discount tickets online in advance, or pay regular price at the door. Don’t miss it!

The Sixth Scientific Conference on Andean Orchids takes place next month from August 6th – 8th. Experts from around the world will gather in Medellín, Colombia, to discuss the latest advances in orchid science. The conference will offer simultaneous translations between English and Spanish. This event is in conjunction with the Orchids, Flowers and Crafts Exhibition at the Joaquín Antonio Uribe Botanical Garden in Medellín, which runs from August 6th – 11th.

Sadly, I lost this beautiful Dendrobium victoriae-reginae, or Queen Victoria’s Dendrobium, in a heat wave. I blogged about this plant a few years ago. Living outdoors, it’s been a tough orchid and a reliable bloomer, surviving numerous travails to flower again. But during a heat wave that went up to 95°F (35°C) over several days, I mistakenly didn’t water and mist it enough. Since it grew on a mount, not in a pot, it was extra susceptible to drying out, and it fried.

The same heat wave left some of my Masdevallias with sunburned leaves, too. Fortunately, those plants didn’t suffer as much and have survived. This Dendrobium wasn’t so lucky. Native to high elevations in the Philippines, some varieties of this species have striking blue flowers, but mine was more purple than blue. It was named in honor of Queen Victoria.

It’s another disturbing reminder that worsening climate change will make this happen more often. With our plentiful fog and mild temperatures, the Northern California coast has been a great place to grow cool and intermediate orchids outdoors. But our infrequent heat waves have become hotter and longer-lasting. San Francisco Bay Area residents often assume that Pacifica is so close to the chilly ocean that we’re immune, but that’s not the case. We can heat up just as badly.