AboutOrchids

What’s the difference between a Fen Orchid and a Bog Orchid? Best to consult A Beginner’s Vegetative Guide to the Orchids of the British Isles. This great, free resource from London’s Natural History Museum is expertly written, with beautiful illustrations and clear-cut explanations for botanical concepts. The guide focuses on identifying species by their leaves, so that orchid lovers can tell them apart even when they’re not in bloom. Helpful graphics, detailed descriptions, and numerous photos will have novices distinguishing a Bee Orchid from a Fly Orchid in no time.

Despite wind, fog, bugs, raccoons, and other gardening obstacles, our backyard in Pacifica is full of blooms for the start of summer. There’s lots of lush growth from our drought-busting winter. Even orchids that like a dry winter dormancy didn’t seem to mind the heavy rains, like the purple Zygo and white Dendrobium in the next two photos below. By the way, those same two orchids have powerful, sweet fragrances which are my favorite scents in the garden.

Among the non-orchids in bloom, nasturtiums have happily taken over parts of our yard, each a sunnier color than the last. Pink Clover has spread from nearby flowerpots to sprout out of cracks in the concrete patio. And I normally pull out any weeds growing in my orchid pots, but my biggest Cymbidium is hosting a few volunteer violets for now. I don’t know where they arrived from, but they’re my kind of weeds. Check back soon for more of our garden blooms.

The show schedule may slow for the Northern Hemisphere this month, but Australia and Brazil have busy calendars. Whether it’s Rio, Brisbane, or Baton Rouge, don’t miss these great chances to enjoy amazing orchids.

Read the rest of this post »

The Cymbidium Society of America (CSA) began in 1946 to further the growth of Cymbidiums and other cool growing orchids. The group has branches throughout California, and one each in Hawaii and New Zealand. It also has members around the world who enjoy helpful online orchid tips and the quarterly CSA Journal. Activities include shows, auctions, and an annual Cymbidium Congress, with expert speakers and a banquet. And despite the name, they’re not only about Cymbidiums. Many other orchid varieties which enjoy the same care, such as cool growing Paphs, are included as well. Visit the CSA website for more info, or to become a member.

To celebrate today’s solstice, enjoy this rainbow of orchids. Depending on which hemisphere you’re in, it’s the summer solstice or the winter solstice, the longest day or the shortest day. The seasons, and the cycles of life, march on everywhere.

The Million Orchid Project continues to return rare native plants to Florida’s cities. While earlier efforts have focused on Miami-Dade County, volunteers recently attached 250 endangered species to trees, or planted them in the ground, in Boynton Beach, making them the first in Palm Beach County. This ambitious experiment is based on a wildly successful project underway for many years in Singapore. South Florida’s attempt is being led by Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, and hopes to create thriving populations of rare, native orchid species. Learn more from earlier posts about The Million Orchid Project, and An Orchid Revival in South Florida.

The Ram’s Head Lady Slipper is very rare. Typically, this small orchid species grows in isolated patches with only a few dozen plants. Cypripedium arietinum is native to alvar forests in the northeastern USA, the Great Lakes region, and from Nova Scotia to Saskatchewan. Recently, an Ontario quarry, wanting to expand, hired field ecologist Dan Brunton for an environmental study of the area. To everybody’s astonishment, he discovered a field with hundreds of thousands of Ram’s Head Lady Slippers. And he now estimates that there could be a half million plants in the area! Fortunately, the quarry owners have agreed to set aside 64 acres (26 hectares) of land to protect these and other rare species. That should help Canada continue to have lots of Lady Slippers.

Ever heard of Chain Orchids? Also called Dendrochilums, they’re an unusual orchid family, lesser known than their close relatives, the Coelogynes. With multitudes of small, densely clustered flowers, they’ve earned the nickname Chain Orchids. Each “chain” consists of mini star-shaped blooms. Some people may sneer at tiny flowers, but massed by the dozens, or hundreds, or thousands, they are always impressive. Many varieties are fragrant, too.

The genus Dendrochilum shouldn’t be confused with Dendrobium; they share their first two syllables, but not their last two. Dendrochilums are mostly intermediate and warm growers, but there are varieties which can handle cooler temps. All need regular water, fertilizer, high humidity, bright light, including morning sun, and winter dormancy.

Chain Orchids are native to tropical rainforests in Southeast Asia. Many species occur in the Philippines, Sumatra, and Borneo. Their small flowers invite you to slow down, and take a closer look. Even if, like me, you need reading glasses, or the zoom on your camera, to really see them in detail, Chain Orchids are worth the time. For more info, check out www.Dendrochilum.com.

Cape Town, Calgary, Adelaide, Orlando, São Paulo — every month orchid lovers assemble in every corner of the earth. Shows, sales, auctions, and potluck dinners celebrate hypnotic orchid flowers. Don’t miss these spectacular events!

Read the rest of this post »

The Philippines is full of fascinating orchids, and eight recently discovered species add even more to the country’s total. The article includes good pictures of the new flowers, which are all found on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. There are three new Dendrobiums, two Bulbophyllums, a Dendrochilum, a Glomera, and a stunning Thrixspermum.