AboutOrchids

Tiny Lepanthopsis astrophora has a name that’s bigger than the plant itself. This miniature orchid species is an eager bloomer, with lots of flowers resembling little purple stars. Fortunately, this small Masdevallia relative is easier to grow than it is to pronounce.

It’s a challenge to get pictures of these mini blossoms, which seem to sparkle in bright light. Each fully formed flower is just 3/16 inch (5 mm) tall. New blooms keep appearing for months, helping this orchid earn its species name, astrophora, which means “star producing.”

As a native to coastal rainforests in Venezuela and Colombia, these plants needs daily water, constant high humidity, and good air movement. Don’t be intimidated by the long name — Lepanthopsis astrophora is a great little orchid gem.

What if you could improve the health of your garden by adding more flowers? Washington State University researchers have discovered that Sweet Alyssum attracts lots of beneficial insects. These insects provide natural pest control by hunting bugs which munch on garden greenery. After experimenting with a few types of plants, researchers found that Sweet Alyssum attracted the most beneficials.

Sweet Alyssum is a fragrant Mediterranean native, often grown as a tough, drought-tolerant groundcover. Clusters of tiny flowers emit a strong, sweet honey scent. This annual species is easy to grow, and reseeds readily. In hot climates, it prefers shade, but in cooler climates, it enjoys full sun. Cut the old flowers back to encourage new blooms. I’ve seen many varieties of pink and purple, but white flowers seem to be the most popular.

Attracting beneficial insects is a great non-toxic way to control pests. This and other natural strategies, like using carnivorous plants, can spare you dangerous chemicals, and actually add life to your garden. For those growing orchids outdoors, Sweet Alyssum is a winning addition.

Much to everybody’s surprise, there’s a rare, native Lady’s Slipper blooming in Central Park. The New York Times reports that a dozen flower buds have been growing over the past few weeks, and they’re starting to open. The plant is the Yellow Lady’s Slipper, also known as Cypripedium parviflorum var. pubescens. This orchid species is native to almost all of the USA and Canada, but increasingly rare. It once bloomed in New York City, but its large, brilliant flowers can’t help but be noticed, and it disappeared long before the skyscrapers arrived. In an attempt to bring it back, Central Park staff had purchased and planted one in the Ramble.

Introduced by woodland managers for the Central Park Conservancy well over a decade ago, the plant was purchased from a reputable grower and planted at a time when the orchids were only beginning to be commercially available. It was then forgotten until it began blooming two years later, to the surprise of both staff and urban ecologists. I imagine the first naturalist to recount this rarest of Manhattan sightings must have been greeted as if he were reporting an alien abduction.

The return of this “ethereal masterwork of nature” to New York City is surprising enough, but its public location is even more so. Despite thousands of park visitors passing the orchid daily, it has not been damaged or dug up, which often seems to be the fate of these beautiful Lady’s Slippers. Please remember that native orchids are endangered, and you should never pick a wild orchid or dig up the plant. It’s illegal, and the trauma almost always kills it.

Whatever the Coconut Orchid lacks in showiness, it makes up with fragrance. This tropical species features brilliant red flowers, but they’re often hidden in the foliage. However, their sweet coconut scent always gives them away.

Coconut Orchids are easy to grow, and with their delicious aroma, they are popular choices for orchid lovers. Their deep red flowers can last more than two months. This species is better known by its old name, Maxillaria tenuifolia, than its new name, Maxillariella tenufolia (trust me — there are a few extra letters in the new name.) Whatever it’s called, it’s native to tropical rainforests from Mexico south to Costa Rica.

To care for Coconut Orchids, provide morning sun, regular water, fertilizer, high humidity, and winter dormancy. My Coconut Orchid has been a faithful harbinger of spring for over a decade, blooming with dozens of flowers each year. I rely on my nose to know when they’ve opened. I’ll be enjoying their sweet coconut scent until they finish.

With brilliant colors and fascinating shapes, orchids have become favorite gifts for Mother’s Day. Don’t worry if you don’t have a green thumb; most orchids don’t deserve their finicky reputations. A few care basics can help you enjoy your tropical flowers for a long time.

To get the most out of your gift, check these helpful care tips:

• Identify your orchid to better understand its light, temperature, and water needs. You don’t need to find its exact name, just its orchid family. Phals, or Moth Orchids, are the most popular (shown in the three photos above.) Cattleyas, Dendrobiums, Oncidiums, and Paphs are also favorites.
• If you cannot identify your orchid, use these general care tips.
• To water, soak roots and potting material thoroughly. Let the excess drain out of the holes in the bottom of the pot. Don’t allow the pot to sit in water for more than a few hours, or the roots may rot.
• When you water, remove ribbons, wrapping paper, or decorative containers if they block drainage holes.
• All orchids need high humidity and good air movement. Dry, stagnant air can cause blooms to wilt.
• As cut flowers, orchids don’t need any special care. Keep out of direct sun, and change their water every couple days to keep blossoms fresh.
• Browse AboutOrchids for more growing tips, FAQ, and beautiful photos. Enjoying orchids has never been easier.

Shopping for the perfect Mother’s Day gift? An orchid hybrid is your best bet. Hybrids are crosses between closely related plants. Breeders cross-pollinate different orchid varieties, and then choose the best offspring. Hybrid vigor emerges when the best traits from both parents create tougher descendants. They are often easy to grow and flower, and hardy enough to survive some neglect. Hybrids usually have larger and longer-lasting blooms. With basic orchid care info, they’re as easy as other common houseplants.

Fortunately, most orchids sold today are hybrids. If you buy from a supermarket or home improvement store, you’re almost certainly buying a hybrid. If you buy from a florist or garden center, it’s likely to be a hybrid, but you should always ask if you’re not sure. Orchid species can have finicky care needs, and you wouldn’t want your gift to cause your mother any stress. Tell her not to worry, and that’s it’s easy to care for an orchid with hybrid vigor.

Orchid shows are one of the best places to learn about orchids. Most shows feature local experts, knowledgable vendors, and orchid society members who are eager to share their love of this amazing plant family. Many events are timed for Mother’s Day celebrations on May 10th.

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After blogging about the spectacular orchids at the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley, it only seems fair to give the rest of the flowers a chance. There’s plenty more to the garden’s collections, with plants from around the world. Here are some of our best photos. The first six pictures highlight a few of the drought-tolerant plants growing outdoors.

The next photo presents one of the garden’s best vistas: an incredible view of San Francisco Bay, with Alcatraz in the foreground, and the distant Farallon Islands appearing faintly in the background over the Golden Gate Bridge. The final row of pictures shows a few of the prickly gems of the Arid House. They all point to a beautiful visit!

Enjoy an amazing orchid photo tour of RHS Garden Wisley, south of London. Expert photography captures sights from the garden’s tropical glasshouse. It’s easy to spot the brilliant colors of the orchids popping out of the lush, steamy jungle display. RHS Garden Wisley is one of the most popular gardens in Britain, and covers 240 acres (97 hectares) in Surrey.

I’ve blogged several times about the world’s most delicious orchid, vanilla. But did you know that there are other edible orchids? One of the most popular orchid foods is salep, or sahlep. In Turkey and the lands of the former Ottoman Empire, the roots of Mediterranean orchids are milled into flour, and added to ice cream in warm weather, and hot drinks in wintertime.

Salep is traditionally made from the tubers, or thickened roots, of the orchis family. The Early Purple Orchid, or Orchis mascula, is one of the most common sources. Harvested from wild orchid populations, the tubers are made into starchy flour. This is added to water or milk to make ice cream, and flavored with pistachio, apricot, vanilla, or peach. When added to hot water or milk, it’s often flavored with cinnamon.

I’ve never had the opportunity to try salep, but others describe it as tasting sweet, nutty, and earthy. Orchid ice cream has an elastic texture that stays frozen longer than regular ice cream. In the videos below, salep vendors in Turkey entertain their customers.

To learn more, check out this authentic salep recipe. You can also read a tale of buying salep in Turkey, including a photo of dried orchid tubers. Salon explores orchid ice cream and salep’s Turkish birthplace.