AboutOrchids

Orchid care changes with the seasons, and many orchids begin dormancy as winter approaches. During this rest period, they need less water and fertilizer. Winter dormancy mimics a dry season in the orchids’ native habitats.

Orchids like the Cattleya, Dendrobium, and Oncidium in the pictures below won’t bloom without a dry period. Cut back on watering in autumn. During winter, wait until their pseudobulbs start to shrivel, and then water thoroughly. Reduce fertilizer, also. Always keep humidity levels high.

Popular orchid varieties like Phals, Lady Slippers, and Pleurothallids do not go dormant. With winter’s lower light and cooler temps, however, it’s ok to give them less water. Don’t let them dry too much. When temps warm in the spring, resume their regular watering schedule.

The endangered Caladenia Spider Orchid is on the edge of extinction. With only two plants known, it’s Australia’s rarest orchid. Fortunately, botanists and volunteers are fighting to rescue it. For security, scientists have kept the plants’ exact location near Melbourne a secret. They’re not even saying which of the hundreds of species of Caladenias this one is. One of the plants bloomed this year, so there’s extra protection. It’s surrounded by a cage, and monitored by a video camera. In addition, scientists are collecting the orchid’s pollen and germinating its seeds at the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. They hope someday to return plants to the wild. Check out the video below for more about this rare beauty:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXuk7Fantkk (video no longer available)

Palm Beach Daily News reports that a local botanical garden is bringing native orchids back to Miami. Thanks to efforts by Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, young plants will be attached to trees in Miami’s roadways, public spaces, and schoolyards. Both the Florida Butterfly Orchid, Encyclia tampensis, and the Cowhorn Orchid, Cyrtopodium punctatum, once covered oak and mahogany trees in the region, but now are rare. To reintroduce the species, Fairchild is following guidelines created by the world-renowned Singapore Botanic Gardens. Fairchild is helping local students to raise the orchid seedlings, and to conduct scientific research, too. After two more years, they’ll attach the young plants to nearby trees. They won’t see any flowers for at least four years. With some hard work and good luck, Miami’s native orchids will return.

Cymbidiums, or Boat Orchids, are some of the most popular orchids in the world. Their beauty and hardiness have helped turn them into favorite houseplants, cut flowers, and corsages. This current popularity is merely the latest chapter in their long history, since Cymbidiums have been cultivated in East Asia for thousands of years.

There are over 50 species of Boat Orchids, which occur naturally from the Himalayas through South Asia and East Asia, and into Northern Australia and the Philippines. Thousands of hybrid varieties, with new ones appearing all the time, ensure that Cymbidiums are always fashionable. Each flower stem can hold dozens of blooms, which can last for months. Some kinds have rich fragrances, but many are unscented.

To bloom, Cymbidiums need cool nights, with temperature drops of at least 10° – 15°F (6° – 8°C) below daytime highs. Boat Orchids can handle a wide range of temperatures, and they can even survive a light frost. They enjoy regular water and fertilizer. Some types have been grown in China, Korea, and Japan for over 2000 years. Traditionally kept in tall, slender pots, Boat Orchids have been frequent subjects for Asian art, literature, and poetry. For centuries, they have stood as elegant symbols of nobility and friendship.

There’s much more to the California Academy of Sciences than a rainforest. As one of one the nation’s preeminent natural history museums, it also features an extensive aquarium, a planetarium, a living roof, and even a small penguin colony.  This post highlights some of the creatures living in the museum.

Starting in the aquarium, the Leopard Shark in the first photo is native to local waters. Next, a Leafy Seadragon resembles a floating plant, but is actually a seahorse relative. Black-footed Penguins are native to the southern coasts of Africa, the only penguins which live on the continent.

Within the rainforest exhibit, birds and butterflies fly around the human visitors. The other critters are inside tanks or behind glass, so there’s no need to worry about an accidental encounter with a tiny poisonous frog.

While butterflies are free to flutter in the 4-story rainforest, a colorful flying snake is safely contained behind glass. These species not only engage visitors, but are also part of research and educational programs taking place at the Academy.

From Seattle to Sao Paulo to Auckland, orchid shows abound in November. Visit any of these events to enjoy some orchid inspiration.

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Autumn is a good time to check orchid light levels. As days grow shorter and the sun weakens, natural light levels fall sharply. Low light can prevent orchids from blooming. To compensate, growers in temperate latitudes should increase illumination during fall and winter. Your orchids will reward the extra care with strong growth and blooms.

• Orchids need enough light to keep their leaves a light green color. Too little light can cause dark green or floppy leaves. Too much light can turn leaves yellow or cause burns. If leaf edges turn red, then the orchid is receiving the maximum exposure it can tolerate.
• In autumn, increase light levels by slowly moving orchids into direct sun. Cattleyas, Cymbidiums, Dendrobiums, Epidendrums, and Oncidiums can adjust to full sun. Even shade lovers, like Phals, Paphs, and Masdevallias, can tolerate winter sunshine. Move plants into sun gradually to prevent burns, taking two weeks to allow them to adjust. If leaves burn or turn yellow, move the plant back into shadier conditions.
• If the sun isn’t cooperating, supplement with artificial lights. Fluorescent bulbs work well since they last a long time, use little electricity, and don’t get too hot. Keep leaves 6 – 12 inches (15 – 30 cm) from bulbs, but not so close that leaves or flowers burn. Just like natural light, increase artificial light gradually over two weeks.
• Take advantage of white walls and other reflective surfaces to add brightness.
• Always maintain high humidity. Air may dry quicker in brighter conditions.
• In the tropics, the sun remains strong all year, so orchid growers in tropical areas don’t need to add light.
• When spring returns, remember to move orchids back into the shade.

San Francisco’s very own tropical rainforest lives in the Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park. Encased within a 4-story glass bubble, plants and animals bask in light, warmth, and humidity. Birds and butterflies dart between trees, flowers, and human visitors.

Walking up from the forest floor into the tops of the trees, there’s living beauty at every level. A yellow and brown Dancing Lady Orchid dangles from a tree, illustrating how orchids grow in the wild. Nearby, a tiny, tropical frog boasts similar colors, and adds a croaking chorus to the jungle. Occasionally, one of the butterflies briefly pauses for the camera before flitting away.

The rainforest exhibit highlights a small sample of evolution’s miracles from Madagascar, Costa Rica, Borneo, and the Amazon. Fascinating creatures abound, like a praying mantis which mimics a leaf so well that even a close up photo doesn’t look real. It’s just one of the remarkable sights in San Francisco’s tropical jungle.

The Wall Street Journal examines the business of orchids. Scientific advances and industrial efficiency have helped make these flowers the best selling potted plants in the USA. Most orchids begin their lives in Taiwan or the Netherlands. Both countries use an “intricate orchid-production chain” to compete in the business. However, profit margins have fallen since many varieties, especially Phals, became a cloned, mass-market commodity. Growers in Taiwan bemoan the days when a rare specimen could sell for $100,000. “An orchid is no longer worth what it used to be,” said Wu Po-Hung, one of Taiwan’s biggest producers. “We learned how to grow them too well.” As a result, growers are experimenting with industry reforms and new orchid products. They’re even selling “gold-coated orchids.” With the help of their precious orchids, they can thrive in an expanding market.

Dave took so many great photos at this year’s Orchids in the Park that it was easy to find enough for another post. The first set includes a shapely Paph, a haunting Dracula, and an intriguing Vanda close-up.

Once again, these photos highlight the incredible diversity of the orchid family. Each appeals to a specific bug or bird as a pollinator. Of course, these fantastic shapes, colors, and scents appeal to lots of humans, too.

From the artistic yellow, white, and brown bloom of a Rossioglossum, to tiny, intricate Dendrochilum flowers dangling in a chain, there’s endless variety. You’re not alone if it’s tough for you to imagine how all these plants could possibly be related. It’s a guarantee that orchids are never boring.