AboutOrchids

Admittedly, we’re spoiled gardeners here in San Francisco. It rarely goes below freezing, so we can grow lots of tropical plants outdoors all year. Many enjoy the cooler winter weather, and bloom through the season. During sunny days, butterflies and bees make an appearance to enliven the garden. These recent pictures from our backyard show how spoiled we are:

Even on the greyest, chilliest days, three colors of Epidendrums inspire warm thoughts. Other garden residents, like a trumpet flower, a lilac hibiscus, and a hebe, are happy to spoil us by ignoring the calendar. For those of you stuck in cold weather this season, remember that winter won’t last forever. In a short while, spoils like these will return to your garden, too.

Celebrate the new year with orchids! It’s no surprise to find January orchid events in Florida and California, but you might not expect to find shows in Massachusetts, Michigan, and Minnesota during the depths of winter. No matter where they are, orchids are a beautiful addition to 2014.

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Orchids have become favorite holiday gifts. Moth Orchids are as common as Poinsettias. So if you receive an orchid gift for the holidays, what should you do with it?

Fortunately, orchids are easy with a few basic guidelines. Check the tips below to help your orchid thrive and bloom for years to come.

What kind? –  It helps to identify your orchid to understand its care needs better. Most orchids sold today are Phals, or Moth Orchids. Other popular varieties include Cattleyas, Cymbidiums, Dendrobiums, Oncidiums, and Paphs.

Light – Place your orchid where it will receive bright light. During winter, direct sun is ok, but move orchids into shadier conditions for spring.

Humidity – All orchids need moisture in the air. Dry air quickly wilts flowers, weakens plants, and attracts pests. Raise humidity by grouping plants together, or placing your orchid in a humid area, like a bathroom or kitchen. Some growers use a cool mist humidifier, or spray regularly with a mister. It’s helpful to place flowerpots on trays of pebbles with water, always keeping the pots above the water level.

Watering – When watering, give your orchid a thorough soaking. Use enough room-temperature water to flow out of the holes in the bottom of the pot. Let it drain completely, and don’t let the plant sit in water. Moth Orchids should be watered regularly in spring and summer, but can stay a little drier in winter.

Warm wishes on this first day of winter! With today’s solstice, the planet spirals forward into another season. If you prefer balmier weather, some tropical inspiration may help to heat things up.

Orchids are great antidotes to the cold and grey. Dave snapped most of these beautiful pictures at Pacific Orchid Expos in recent years. Next year’s Pacific Orchid Expo is only two months away, and then spring is just around the corner. Until then, enjoy these warm wishes.

What looks like a delicate flower, but is actually an aggressive predator? The Orchid Mantis is one of nature’s most surprising creatures. Native to Malaysian and Indonesian rainforests, these insects really resemble flowers. With a cheery pink color, and legs that look like petals, their orchid disguises are so effective that their flying insect prey comes to them. That makes this species the first predator known to hunt by mimicking a flower.

Check out the three short videos below to see these tiny carnivores in action. The first two videos include footage of the mantises eating flies, so you may want to put down your lunch first. The third video is cruelty-free.

Unbelievable tiny Orchid Mantis inside a Moth Orchid! —

Close up video of Orchid Mantises —

Close up video of Orchid Mantis cleaning itself —

Greet the new year with orchids! With these calendars, everyone can enjoy 12 months of remarkable flowers. Offerings from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and the Smithsonian Institution really caught my eye. They’re just a few of the great 2014 choices.

Moth Orchids, or Phals, are some of the most popular houseplants in the world. Thanks to their beauty, elegance, and toughness, Phals now live in countless homes and offices. If you’re buying an orchid gift, especially for an orchid beginner, there’s no better choice. Here are few reasons why:

• Moth Orchids have very long lasting flowers. Kept in high humidity and warm temps, their blooms can last two months or more.
• Phals are floral masterpieces, with an endless variety of patterns, shapes, sizes, and colors. New hybrids appear frequently. They are available everywhere, from supermarkets to big box stores to florists.
• Moth Orchids need lower light levels than many other orchid varieties, so they’re easier to re-bloom. Place them in bright light, but limit direct sun so they don’t burn.
• They enjoy the same temperatures that people do, about 75°F (24°C) during the day, and 65°F (18°C) at night. Keep them away from cold drafts. Phals can easily grow on a warm windowsill or under lights.

If that leaves any doubt, below are six more reasons why Moth Orchids are perfect gifts for the holidays.

Check out great photos of wacky looking orchids at HolidaysPress.com. You have to see these bizarre flowers to believe them. The Monkey Face Orchid, the Flying Duck Orchid, and the Hammer Orchid look like Dr. Seuss invented them. It’s obvious how the Mirror Orchid and the Dove Orchid earned their nicknames. Over a dozen unusual varieties prove that orchids are among Mother Nature’s most fascinating creations.

It’s the slowest month for orchid shows, but December still offers exciting events around the world. In addition, many orchid societies have holiday auctions and celebrations, so check with your local group for more prospects.

In the UK, Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) is saving orchid seeds. As protection against extinction, the MSB stores seeds from thousands of plant species. Since orchid seeds are so tiny, they can be difficult to conserve. Orchids have the smallest seeds of any flowering plants. Some are only as big as specks of dust, 0.002 inch (0.05 mm,) while others are as “large” as ¼ inch (6 mm.) These minuscule seeds have evolved to blow in the wind. Out of millions of seeds, only a few may land in good spots with the correct growing conditions and the right fungal partners. Vanillas spread their seeds differently than other orchids. They are not dispersed by the wind, but have a sticky oil. This oil probably helps Vanilla seeds affix to visiting insects and hitch a ride. By studying orchid seeds and their conservation, the MSB is advancing knowledge of these tiny treasures.