AboutOrchids

The 71st Annual Pacific Orchid Expo runs from this Friday, February 16th through Sunday, February 18th, with a special preview night on Thursday, February 15th. It happens at the Hall of Flowers in Golden Gate Park, at 9th Avenue and Lincoln Way, in San Francisco. Tickets are available in advance for a discount, or at the door. It’s always a spectacular show, with great vendors, expert care demos, activities for kids, and more. These photos from last year’s event offer just a taste of the orchid wonders to expect. Don’t miss it!

Vanilla is one of the world’s favorite and costliest flavorings, but many don’t know that it comes from an orchid. Considering this, it’s no surprise that most people aren’t aware of the deeper history of these fragrant, cured seedpods. Vanilla’s roots as a valuable food go back to Mexico’s ancient Totonacs and Aztecs, who harvested seedpods from wild plants. Europeans were captivated by vanilla, and tried to cultivate it in their tropical colonies. They found they could get the vines to grow and bloom, but not to fruit. I’ve blogged before about Edmond Albius, an enslaved child who was the first to figure out how to pollinate vanilla flowers by hand. His discovery was a breakthrough in the creation of the modern, global, natural vanilla industry. Albius’ ingenuity helped make vanilla an essential ingredient in foods, perfumes, and medicines. Sadly, he died in poverty.

February is a busy orchid month. Of course, I’m most excited about San Francisco’s Pacific Orchid Expo, but there’s plenty more on offer. The world’s largest orchid show takes place in Tokyo, and the 23rd World Orchid Conference happens in Taiwan, along with the Taiwan International Orchid Show. There are also long-term exhibits in New York City, London, and Paris.

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Pansy Orchids, or Miltoniopsis, have brilliant colors, sweet scents, and delightful waterfalls. This popular genus resembles pansies, and features pink, yellow, red, purple, or white blooms. Colorful patterns on their flower lips appear to flow downwards, and are called waterfalls.

There’s lots of confusion between Miltoniopsis and Miltonia. Miltonias are a closely related genus, requiring warmer temps, less water, and brighter light. Miltoniopsis were called Miltonias until the 1970’s, and many hybrids have their old names. They’re often mistaken for Miltonias, and sometimes mislabeled. There are almost certainly old mislabeled photos on this website, although I hope I’ve learned better, and get them right nowadays.

Pansy Orchids are native to high elevations in the Andes and mountains of Central America. They need regular water, high humidity, and bright light, but no direct sun. Always keep them below 80°F (26.7°C,) with cooler nights down to 55°F (12.8°C.) They sulk in hot weather. Water less during winter dormancy, but maintain good humidity and air movement. Their thin leaves are notorious for wrinkling if they don’t get enough water. Looking like accordion folds or fan pleats, they don’t straighten out, even after watering is fixed. Underwatering may be the cause, but overwatering can make orchid roots rot. This ruins the plant’s ability to take up moisture, resulting in the same wrinkled leaves as underwatering.

Colorful drops and splashes create Pansy Orchid waterfalls. Their patterns may be symmetrical or irregular, setting yellow and white hues against bold purples and pinks. They’re spectacular orchid artistry.

Like all living organisms, orchids adapt to survive. An orchid arrived on a remote island, without the bumblebee species which pollinates it. Goodyera henryi lives in parts of east Asia, including the Japanese mainland. When it reached Kozu Island, it might have died out without reproducing. However, Goodyera similis, a closely related species, also lives on the island, along with its wasp pollinator. The wasps managed to cross-fertilize the new arrival. This created a hybrid, which looks similar to Goodyera henryi, but has a slightly different flower shape that accommodates wasps. Kobe University researchers were surprised to find the natural hybrid when they ran a genetic analysis. The discovery can help scientists understand how plants evolve in changing circumstances. If pollinators like bees become extinct, orchids may be able to adapt and survive. Be sure to click on the informative graphic at the top of the article.

Happy New Year! There are big shows in Tokyo and Miami this month, as well as extended exhibits in Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Filoli Gardens in the SF Bay Area. Many events are designed to counter winter’s chill with lush, tropical beauty.

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The winter solstice comes and goes, but Moth Orchids keep on blooming. This purple beauty was a gift from a neighbor. It’s been flowering over two months already, and doesn’t show any sign of slowing down. Certainly, it inspires warm thoughts on the shortest day of the year.

I admit that I’ve sometimes mocked Moth Orchids as “supermarket orchids.” Even though they may be common nowadays, they’re still stunning and fantastic. I love this orchid’s rich color, its elegant display, and that fascinating lip. As daylight returns, I’m looking forward to enjoying more months of flowers. Happy solstice.

What’s my favorite orchid? My answer to that question has always been “whatever’s in bloom right now.” Of course, there are special ones, but I can’t narrow it down to a single winner. Instead, I’ll invent a few categories to help out.

Favorite flowers – Masdevallias are my favorites, but it was a tough call to choose just one. It’d be easy to pick Masdevallia coccinea or Masdevallia veitchiana, but I’m going to say it’s Masdevallia chaparensis. My plant was a gift from a friend. Its charming spots look like they could belong to a purple jaguar.

Favorite fragrance – Dendrobium x delicatum is an Australian hybrid. Its flowers aren’t big or colorful, but they have a rich, sweet honey perfume. Mine grows outdoors all year, reliably blooming for a couple months each spring. I can often smell it from halfway across the garden.

Favorite overall plant – Paphiopedilum venustum var. album is a showstopper, boasting dramatic green and white flowers. The beautifully mottled leaves guarantee this Lady Slipper is attractive even when out of bloom.

Favorite for sentimental reasons – I don’t even remember when or where I got this big pink Cymbidium hybrid. It must have been during the 1990’s. I don’t know its name. Dave and I repotted this enormous plant a couple years ago into a 2-foot (61 cm) wide pot. Sometimes it stays in bloom for 11 months, only taking a short break before it begins again.

Favorite for toughness – My big red Epidendrum has flowered constantly outdoors for over 20 years, enduring heat waves, hail storms, powerful winds, cold spells, and raccoon mischief. Unusually, it readily grows from seed in the garden. It may be Epidendrum x obrienianum, but I’m not sure. I’ve shared its keikis with many friends and neighbors over the decades.

Favorite that I’ve lost – The original white Moth Orchid that got me hooked on orchids was a gift from a friend who later died. It bloomed regularly for over 20 years, but I sadly lost it to a virus. Fortunately, I still have photos and memories.

Despite being the slowest month for orchid events, December has shows, classes, and festivals listed on four continents. Many orchid societies have holiday parties, so check with your local group for more festivities.

I’m captivated by this legendary Masdevallia veitchiana with its bold colors. In mid-October, it opened a gorgeous flower. A few weeks later, it was followed by a second, and then a third! The oldest blossom has been damaged by the elements, but it’s still standing tall. Together, all three are putting on a great show in our backyard. And, there are three more flower buds emerging. You can rest assured that I’ll be blogging and bragging about this beauty as its show goes on.