AboutOrchids

What do rare orchids and particle physics have in common? The folks at Fermilab are in the business of subatomic discoveries, but they’re also part of a project to restore native prairie. On their campus outside of Chicago, they’ve been bringing back native plants like the Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid. This species is endangered throughout its range in Canada and the USA. Fermilab ecologists have recreated its wet prairie habitat, removed invasive species, and started planting the rare orchids. With continued care, they hope to reestablish a healthy ecosystem on their grounds. It should be a great boost for the prospects of the Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid.

The Smithsonian illustrates why orchid conservation is tricky. Orchid seeds require a symbiotic fungus to grow, so saving seeds isn’t enough. Experts need to understand each orchid species’ relation to its essential fungi. “First you have to find the fungus,” says Smithsonian botanist Melissa McCormick, “then you have to figure out what it is, and what it needs to survive, which is of course, what the orchid needs to survive.” In addition, scientists have to study growing conditions and pollinator relationships. Read more about the challenges and successes of orchid conservation, and enjoy great orchid photos, at Smithsonian.com.

There aren’t enough superlatives to do justice to the Pacific Orchid Expo. These photos, and those in the first post, are just a drop in the bucket of the plants that recently adorned the Hall of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. Every year, the show features extravagant colors, rich perfumes, and fascinating orchid diversity. With award-winning flowers and elaborate displays, it’s a brilliant orchid spectacle. Enjoy the pictures.

Tropical beauty abounds at the New York Botanical Garden’s annual Orchid Show, running from March 3rd – April 22nd. Check out a preview of the floral artistry in the video below. Visitors can enjoy the blooms during regular daytime hours, or with music, dancing, and cocktails during Orchid Evenings.

March is a busy month for orchids, with events on every continent (ok, except Antarctica.) Majors shows are happening in Taiwan, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Montreal, Paris, and Shanghai. All of these events are great opportunities to enjoy amazing flowers.

Read the rest of this post »

San Francisco celebrated another wonderful Pacific Orchid Expo this past weekend. A first pass through my photos has yielded these stunning blooms from the event. Now in its second year at the Hall of Flowers in Golden Gate Park, the show is smaller than it was for many years at Fort Mason’s larger facility. However, it’s easy to see that the quality has not diminished one bit. The show is always full of brilliant exhibits, new sights, and euphoric orchid lovers. Among the improvements this year, Dave and I appreciated that many displays used black cloth as backdrops, which made taking pictures much easier. Check back here soon for more photos!

The 66th Pacific Orchid Expo takes place this weekend in San Francisco, February 23rd – 25th. This year’s theme is “Curiouser and Curiouser, Orchids in Wonderland.” It’s one of the largest orchid shows in the world, and features tens of thousands of orchids, as well as other fascinating plants. It’s truly a wonderful sight, and these photos from last year are just a drop in the bucket of what to expect. Buy advance tickets online for a discount. Don’t miss it!

The American Orchid Society (AOS) invites orchid lovers to submit their digital photos as candidates for the Orchid Photo of the Week. One picture is selected each week to feature on the AOS homepage. Photos must be posted to the AOS Flickr group (it’s free to open a Flickr account if you don’t already have one.) Submissions should include a short text description of the orchid or the photography process. Even if you’re not a shutterbug, definitely check out the Flickr page to enjoy lots of stunning floral beauty.

Now that you have a beautiful Valentine orchid, what do you do with it? Don’t panic! Most orchids don’t deserve their difficult reputations. A few care tips can help you keep your orchid happy.

Identify your orchid – Moth Orchids, like the three in the row of photos above, are the most popular. Lady Slippers are shown in the second row of photos. Oncidiums, or Dancing Lady Orchids, are in the third row of photos, and Cattleyas are in the last row. They all come in many colors, sizes, and patterns, so use these pictures as general guidelines, not strict standards. Find more pictures and more tips to help identify orchids here.

Add humidity – Orchids need humidity, or water vapor, in the air. Dry air wilts flowers and attracts pests. To raise humidity, group plants together, or put plants in a humid area like a bathroom or kitchen. Use a cool mist humidifier, or a spray mister. Place flowerpots on a layer of pebbles in trays of shallow water, always keeping the water level below the bottom of the pots.

Add water – Remove wrapping paper or decorative containers, at least temporarily, if they block drainage holes. Soak the plant with room-temperature water, and then let all excess drain out. Don’t block drainage or let the flowerpot sit in water for too long, or roots may rot.

Add light – Place your orchid in bright light, but keep out of full sun while you’re enjoying the flowers. Many varieties will eventually need some sun to rebloom.

In a vase – Provide orchids the same care as other cut flowers. Place in lukewarm water, and keep the vase out of direct sun. Change the water every couple of days. High humidity will help the blooms last longer.

At AboutOrchids, we love all types of orchids, but some really stand above the rest. For example, the stunning Lady Slipper ornament pictured below is a priceless antique, full of gold, diamonds, and rubies. If it weren’t locked up in a museum, it could be a great Valentine’s Day gift.

Dave spotted this beauty at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum when he had some free time after a recent work trip. It’s a remarkable hair ornament in the shape of a Lady Slipper bloom, made in Belgium between 1905-7 by Art Nouveau jeweler Philippe Wolfers. The piece is considered an exceptional example of a difficult enameling technique called plique-à-jour, which creates a translucent effect. The Art Nouveau movement was fascinated by exotic flowers, and orchids are frequently found as artistic subjects.

Of course, this one isn’t for sale, so here are tips for buying Valentine’s Day orchids which aren’t made from precious gems. They’ll certainly be much more affordable.