AboutOrchids

Orchid poaching is a global problem, as plants are torn from the wild for profit, or as a selfish person’s trophy. Around the Great Lakes, poaching is threatening many native plants, including orchids. True orchid lovers know that they need to keep locations secret when they find native species. If word gets out, the plants will, sadly, be poached, and likely be killed in the process. Scientists try to monitor populations, and orchid lovers, photographers, and park rangers try not to accidentally reveal precise locations. “When you post photographs on the internet, people can track the area you’re in by seeing the flora and plants in the habitat around the orchid — it’s like CSI orchid edition.” said Mark Carlson, a Michigan nature photographer. Citizen science projects around the region have yielded positive results, and allowed scientists to better protect rare species. Thanks to Becky Wildt, Megan McDonnell, and Great Lakes Echo for this story.

Scientists have long wondered what awakens orchids, like the Small-Whirled Pogonia, after they’ve hidden underground for extended dormant periods. Smithsonian.com reports that a soil fungus holds the answer.

For years, I’ve had great success growing a Giant Hyacinth Orchid outdoors. With long, graceful leaves, it’s an elegant plant even when not in flower. But certainly, it’s at its best when it bursts into bloom. Tall stalks emerge, each boasting dozens of small, purple flowers. Every winter, this orchid reliably puts on a great show, usually lasting for months. It’s currently outside our front door, where it started blooming a few weeks ago.

After a dozen years of spectacular blooms with this plant, I spotted a closely related subspecies for sale at last year’s Pacific Orchid Expo. Some friends successfully grow this smaller Hyacinth Orchid variety in their gardens, so I decided to try it, too. I’m happy to see that Arpophyllum giganteum subspecies alpinum is just as easy to bloom as Arpophyllum giganteum. Instead of purple, it has vivid crimson flowers.

My new plant is still small, but even at its largest, this subspecies has smaller leaves and shorter flower stalks than the purple variety. Despite these differences, these two plants are very closely related. They are considered the same, not separate, species. And I’m very happy to have them both in the garden.

Looking for a winter escape? Don’t miss these long-term exhibits featuring beautiful flowers inside warm glasshouses.

January 6 – February 20
Find a floral wonderland at Denver Botanic Gardens’ Orchid Showcase. Enjoy hundreds of blooms in the Orangery and Marnie’s Pavilion.

January 7 – March 5
Take an opulent garden stroll through the 1920’s at the Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus, Ohio. Orchids and other tropical plants combine with Art Deco designs for an amazing winter display.

January 14 – March 5
Delight in the Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show at Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh. And don’t miss the Pittsburgh-themed Garden Railroad. Wear a tropical shirt on a Sunday in February for half-priced admission.

January 14 – May 14
The Hirshhorn Museum in Washington DC, along with Smithsonian Gardens, present Orchids: A Moment. Hundreds of fragrant orchids are complemented by time-lapse videos of emerging blooms and the museum’s famous architecture.

January 21 – March 31
Enjoy an Orchid Extravaganza at Longwood Gardens near Philadelphia. Wonder at 4500 orchids inside the warm Conservatory, Peirce-du Pont House, and Visitor Center.

January 28 – March 5
Look for orchids among the hanging jungle of Cleveland Botanical Garden. Don’t miss special Orchid Mania programs, including Ask the Orchid Doctor and Build an Orchid Terrarium.

The Miami Herald reports on the Million Orchid Project, which is returning native orchid species to South Florida. After years of growing seedlings in labs, scientists and volunteers are transplanting young orchids into urban areas around Miami-Dade County. It’s a big experiment in orchid conservation and citizen science. So far, over 30,000 plants from several native species have been transplanted. Local high schools are also getting in on the act. An old school bus converted into a mobile science lab brings the experiment around the area, and allows students to participate in the research. Learn more or volunteer for the Million Orchid Project at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden website.

With a chilly rain here on the California coast, and more storms in the forecast, these orchids are perfect for inspiring warm thoughts. Enjoy a few more photos from our visit to Vallarta Botanical Gardens in Mexico last winter.

With blooms in every hue, rich perfumes, and amazing flower shapes, these orchids are embodiments of the word tropical. Vallarta Botanical Gardens is just outside Puerto Vallarta. It’s full of both native and exotic species, and always worth a visit.

Begin the new year with orchids! From Tokyo to Miami, from Portugal to Minnesota, orchid shows let you enjoy stunning flowers in any language.

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Orchids are the opening act in this Smithsonian podcast about trickery. Many different orchids have become masters of disguise to attract pollinators. These include Hammer Orchids and Bulbophyllums, which mess with some insect minds to improve their pollination odds. Just as importantly, orchids have enlisted human help. Listen to learn more —

Today’s winter solstice brings the darkest time of the year. Short days with a weak sun hardly seem like a time for flowers. But there’s always joy and beauty to be found, and even on the darkest days, there are orchids blooming. Enjoy these stunning examples from last winter’s Pacific Orchid Expo.

Orchid lovers know that many tropical varieties bloom over winter, corresponding to their own dormant seasons. How welcome these exotic blossoms are, especially when light and warmth seem far away.

As most life rests in the darkness, it hasn’t disappeared. It only waits for the next chance for growth. Orchids which choose to flower now are emblematic of the life that always remains, and the light that will return.

As winter’s chill arrives, this brilliant tropical Cattleya is inspiring lots of warm thoughts in our home. It’s been boasting vivid purple and white blooms for over a month. In addition to their stunning colors, they emit a sweet, spicy fragrance.

It’s no wonder that Cattleyas have been favorite corsage orchids for decades. Along with their captivating hues and rich scents, many varieties have fascinating wavy, fringed petals, especially on the flower lip. The undulating edges on these eye-catching blooms add interest and allure.

This hybrid is Laeliocattleya Nice Holiday ‘Suntopia’ HCC/AOS. A complicated name like that provides a good chance for a refresher on deciphering orchid nametags. The first word, Laeliocattleya, is a combination of the genus names Laelia and Cattleya. The hybrid name is Nice Holiday, and the cultivar name is ‘Suntopia’. This cultivar has earned a Highly Commended Certificate from the American Orchid Society, and that award becomes part of the plant name, too, as HCC/AOS. All together, it’s a lot of syllables to describe Cattleya charms.