AboutOrchids

Enjoy these photos from our recent visit to Puerto Vallarta. We really enjoyed getting out of the touristy areas and plunging into the jungle at Vallarta Botanical Gardens. It’s a great nature escape 30 minutes south of the busy city. In addition to orchids, the gardens feature lots of amazing bromeliads, succulents, and every color of bougainvillea.

Many of the tropical plants growing throughout the garden are Mexican natives. The new Conservatory of Native Plants (shown in the final photo above) houses some of these as part of the garden’s efforts to conserve endangered species. If you’re anywhere near Puerto Vallarta, enjoy the sun, the beach, and the tequila, but be sure to visit Vallarta Botanical Gardens, too.

There aren’t enough superlatives to describe the Pacific Orchid Expo, with countless stunning blooms and more floral fragrances than my nose can process. But I think an under-appreciated aspect of the show is the diversity of all of these flowers. It’s mind-bending to contemplate that these all belong to a single plant family.

This is far beyond the orchid variety to be found at an average supermarket or florist. They only sell a few limited types of orchids in different colors and sizes. (The last photo shows a Harlequin Moth Orchid as a prime example.) They’re certainly beautiful flowers in their own right, but they represent only a tiny fraction of the diverse orchid family. The Pacific Orchid Expo excels in offering so much more.

New printing technology is helping scientists to understand orchids better. Researchers used 3D printers to help create replicas of Dracula flowers, and experimented with these replicas to reveal how the orchids trick flies into pollinating them.

The orchid show schedule really picks up this month, as milder weather makes orchid handling easier. Large shows abound in Santa Barbara, Philadelphia, San Diego, Montreal, Bangkok, Maui, Miami, and Taiwan. But there are also lots of great smaller shows in areas less well-known for orchids, like Boise, Winnipeg, and Tucson.

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What does it look like when you put 150,000 orchids under one roof? Well, it looks like the Pacific Orchid Expo, and it’s pretty amazing. Dave and I are just starting to sort through our photos, and here are some of the highlights I’ve found so far.

By the time we’ve seen all the orchid exhibits, we are always overwhelmed. It’s just so many remarkable flowers, so many enticing scents, and so much color. My head may be spinning, but fortunately my camera still works. Enjoy these first photos, and check back soon for more. And if you’re in the area, today is the final day for this year’s show, so don’t miss it!

Enjoy these extended orchid exhibits, in addition the ones I’ve already listed here, here, and here.

February 27 – April 17
The Smithsonian Gardens and the United States Botanic Garden feature Orchids in Focus in Washington DC. Enjoy orchids from their esteemed plant collections, which will be on display in the Conservatory Garden Court and East Gallery. Additional activities include a workshop on orchid photography, and a youth workshop where students between 12-16 year old will dissect orchids.

February 27 – April 17
Orchidelirium arrives at the New York Botanical Garden. Head to the Bronx to learn about past orchid hunters and current efforts to rescue illegally trafficked plants. If you prefer your orchids with cocktails and music, don’t miss Orchid Evenings. Check out the promotional video below for some orchid eye-candy.

The Pacific Orchid Expo arrives next weekend in San Francisco. It’s open at Fort Mason from Friday, February 26th until Sunday, February 28th. Don’t miss the largest orchid show in the USA, boasting tens of thousands of spectacular flowers. These photos from last year’s show are just a small taste of the treasures you’ll find. See you there!

Dave and I first enjoyed a visit to Vallarta Botanical Garden five years ago. We had the privilege to return earlier this month, and we were once again thrilled by the superb gardens and plentiful orchids. I’ll start with a post dedicated to their orchids, but be sure the check back soon for more flora and fauna photos.

Vallarta Botanical Garden (Jardín Botánico de Vallarta) is an easy 30 minute drive south by taxi or bus from Puerto Vallarta. It focuses on “the propagation, study, discovery, conservation, and display of Mexican native plants.” The country’s incredible biodiversity includes over 1200 native orchid species, many threatened by habitat destruction, over-collection of wild plants, and climate change.

In the past few years, the garden has built a new Vallarta Conservatory of Orchids and Native Plants, which houses lots of orchids in an open-air display. There are also orchids mounted on trees throughout the garden’s 20 acres (8 hectares,) and many vanilla vines climbing up trees everywhere.

In case you’re captured by the floral beauty like we were, it’s easy to spend a day at the garden. It boasts lots of colorful birds, hiking trails, and a delicious restaurant with a deck overlooking the greenery. If you want to cool down from the warm Mexican sun, you can go swimming in the local river. Remember to bring your bathing suit, towel, and sunscreen. If you’re in the Puerto Vallarta area, don’t miss Vallarta Botanical Garden! You can also donate to the garden to help support its mission of sharing Mexican plants with the world.

Some Epipactis orchids get their pollinators a little drunk. They’re European relatives of the native North American Epipactis I’ve grown, and their nectar contains narcotics. Visiting wasps become sluggish, and spend extra time on the flowers, improving the odds for pollination.

Exquisite! Breathtaking! Romantic! Your valentine orchid is surely an incredible beauty. But now that you have it, what do you do with it?  Check the orchid care tips below to keep your gift thriving.

What kind is it? –  Identify your orchid to learn more about its care needs. You don’t need to find its exact name, only its general orchid variety. Phals, or Moth Orchids, are the most common types (see the white flower below for one example.) Other favorites include Cattleyas, Cymbidiums, Lady Slippers, and Oncidiums.

Humidity – Orchids hate dry air, which can wilt flowers, damage leaves, and attract pests. Raise humidity by grouping plants together, or placing plants in a humid area, like a bathroom or kitchen. To increase humidity, use a cool mist humidifier, or a spray mister. Many growers balance flowerpots on top of pebbles in trays of shallow water, always keeping the pots above the water level.

Water – Use room-temperature water to soak the pot, and then let all excess water drain out. Don’t let plants sit in water for too long, or their roots may rot. Whenever you water, remove wrappers, ribbons, or decorative containers which block the drainage holes.

Light – Place your orchid in bright light. Many varieties enjoy morning sun. Cattleyas, Dendrobiums, Oncidiums, Vandas, and some other varieties will eventually need direct sun to flower again, but you can keep them in the shade while you’re enjoying their current blooms.

Cut flowers – Give orchids the same care as other cut flowers. Place in lukewarm water, and keep out of direct sun. Change the water every couple days. High humidity will help the flowers last longer. Good luck!