AboutOrchids

Two recent news stories highlight fascinating discoveries about orchids. First, from the Imperial College of London, there’s news about orchid trickery. Scientists studied Trichocentrum ascendens, a member of the Oncidium family. Its cheery yellow blooms don’t have any reward for its pollinators. Instead, it mimics flowers of neighboring plants which are full of oil. The orchid tricks bees into visiting, and they pollinate the plants. The flowers may look distinct to human eyes, but the ruse is meant for bees. Biology professor Vincent Savolainen explains:

“These reward-giving flowers have evolved a very special colour called bee-UV-green, that is highly distinguishable to bees’ sensitive eyes. The Trichocentrum ascendens and other Oncidiinae orchids copy the special colour so precisely that bees are unable to distinguish between the flowers, visiting an orchid and pollinating them without the reward they may expect.”

Next, AoB Blog reports on an orchid pollinated by raindrops. Acampe rigida is a pretty Vanda relative which lives in Southeast Asian jungles. It flowers during rainstorms. This is unusual, since most orchids bloom during dry weather. Scientists observed raindrops knocking around the Acampe pollen, causing the flowers to pollinate themselves. This is the first time this strange reproduction method has been proven for any plant. It’s an innovative strategy, allowing this species to take advantage of a pollinator which is as reliable as rain.

Are your orchids shrinking instead of growing? Changing your orchid care can help your plants grow larger. Healthy plants expand over the years. Added leaves can translate into added flowers. While bigger isn’t always better, it’s often an indication of vigorous plants.

Address any of these potential problems which can cause orchids to shrink:

• Low light – Many varieties can survive for a long time in low light without blooms or new growth. They may shrink slowly enough to avoid notice, but eventually they die back. Healthy orchid leaves should be a light or medium green color; dark green leaves can mean inadequate light levels.
• Low light in winter – If your plant grows during spring and summer, but shrinks during winter, add supplemental light. In autumn, move plants gradually into brighter positions, or add fluorescent lights. In spring, move plants back into normal light.
• Watering problems – The wrong amount of water can cause orchids to shrink. Whether it’s too little or too much water, roots become damaged, inhibiting growth. Never let orchid roots sit in water or stay saturated, or they may rot.
• Low humidity – Orchids don’t like dry air. Raise humidity levels by grouping plants together, using a spray mister, or keeping pots on trays of pebbles and water, with the pots always kept above the water level.
• Old potting material – Decomposing, stale potting material damages new roots, and stunts plant growth. Check these tips to see if your orchid needs repotting.
• Pests or disease – Insects and infections can kill all or part of a plant. Try beneficial insects and carnivorous plants. Use non-toxic pesticides when necessary, like Neem Oil, BT, pyrethrins, or rubbing alcohol/surgical spirits. Address underlying concerns which encourage pests and disease, like low humidity or poor air movement.
• Not enough fertilizer – Orchids don’t need much fertilizer, but nutrient deficiencies will inhibit growth. Fertilizing orchids weakly, weekly works best.

Are these orchids really black? Though common in fantasy novels and perfume names, black orchids exist only in legend. Even varieties which appear black are actually dark purple or dark brown. The fact that they don’t exist in nature doesn’t stop the orchid world from trying. Many orchid breeders labor to turn myth into fact by raising ever darker hybrids.

These almost-black orchids exude exotic beauty, intrigue, and mystery. Many have “black” or “midnight” in their names, like the Black Orchid which is the national flower of Belize. Members of the Dracula and Paph families above, and the Catasetum and Oncidium families below, show how closely these flowers approach an ebony color.

Some of these orchids are dark enough to inspire the claim to being black, but some just seem to be wishful thinking, or an attempt to boost flower sales. The Coelogyne and Cymbidiums below don’t need to claim an obsidian pedigree to look classy and luxurious. Maybe orchid hybridizers or scientists will someday create the elusive color, and finally claim the title of a truly black orchid. Until then, the black orchid legend lives on.

What would it be like to travel the world visiting orchid shows? Let August’s events be your guide. Take an incredible orchid tour, from Brisbane to Singapore to Hilo to Toronto to London.

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Orchids are important symbols for many nations. The countries listed below have picked native orchids as national flowers, and proud emblems of their natural heritage. Many hold special meanings, often associated with important holidays. Some of these species are endangered, and their national status helps promote their conservation.

• Belize – The Black Orchid, Prosthechea cochleata, is actually dark purple (first photo below.)
• Brazil – Many Brazilians regard Cattleya labiata as their unofficial national flower, alongside the official flower of the Golden Trumpet Tree.
• Cayman Islands – The Wild Banana Orchid, Myrmecophila thomsoniana, grows on a few islands in the Caribbean.
• Costa Rica – Known locally as Guaria Morada, Guarianthe skinneri is in the Cattleya family.
• Colombia – The Christmas Orchid, Cattleya trianei, blooms in winter.
• Guatemala – Monja Blanca, or “White Nun,” is a white variety of the pink Lycaste skinneri (second photo below.)
• Honduras – Rhyncholaelia digbyana, known locally as Orquídea Brassavola, has been a popular Cattleya hybrid parent for over a century.
• Indonesia – The Moon Orchid, Phalaenopsis amabilis, is one of the country’s three national flowers.
• Panama – La Flor del Espíritu Santo, or “The Holy Ghost Orchid,” has ivory white blooms. Its scientific name is Peristeria elata.
• Philippines – Euanthe sanderiana from the Vanda family is being added to the Philippine’s list of national flowers.
• Seychelles – The Tropicbird Orchid, Angraecum eburneum, has a long nectar spur resembling the long tail of a Tropicbird.
• Singapore – Vanda Miss Joaquim is a hybrid between two Vanda species (third photo below.)
• Venezuela – Flor de Mayo, or “May Flower,” Cattleya mossiae, blooms in spring during Easter celebrations.

Exciting news from Buckingham Palace! Yes, there’s a new baby prince, and there’s also a rare orchid growing on palace grounds. Orchid lovers are excited about the news of the orchid species, which hasn’t been seen anywhere in London for over a century. The unexpected find is a White Helleborine Orchid, or Cephalanthera damasonium, a terrestrial native to Europe and Asia. Botanist Dr. Mark Spencer remarked “It is quite unusual to find the white helleborine north of the Thames, let alone in the middle of the city in the Queen’s back garden. It shows just how important green spaces are in built-up areas for giving wildlife a refuge.” The orchid was found by the London Natural History Society and the Botanical Society of the British Isles, which are jointly cataloging London’s greenery. So far, they’ve found over 450 types of plants in the palace garden. It makes a great botanical welcome for the new royal heir.

South Africa has so many fascinating native orchids that they seem to overshadow this mini species. Maybe that’s why this charming Mystacidium isn’t common in cultivation. However, it is one of the most common orchids found in South Africa. Last summer, I blogged about my plant’s impressive display, and this year, it’s unfurled an even bigger show. Its masses of elegant, pure white flowers hang from the small plant, and emit a strong jasmine scent after sunset.

Don’t be fooled by this plant’s delicate appearance. Mystacidiums are tougher than they look. They can handle high heat and dry air better than most orchids. In their native habitats, they live in arid climates where few other orchids can survive. In dry woodlands and savannas, they grow attached to trees and succulents. These Vanda relatives have also adapted to South African citrus farms, where they grow as weeds on the trees. With this tenacity, Mystacidiums are great choices for growers in warm climates, and also for orchid lovers who want to grow mounted plants.

The New York Times uncovers an orchid weed. Epipactis helleborine, known simply as helleborine, is an old world orchid species which has taken over North America, too. The fact that it’s happy in a wide range of growing conditions and soils, and can even grow in asphalt, helps explain its spread from coast to coast. Even in New York City, helleborine reliably sprouts in sidewalk cracks, driveways, rock walls, and gardens every year. “As a weed, helleborine proudly holds its head up with dandelions, dayflowers, horseweed, mugwort, plantains and smartweeds, but helleborine is an orchid, whose modified lip and floral structures are as tropical looking as any orchid growing in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden or the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx.” Helleborine is closely related to the Stream Orchid, the native North American species that I grow.

Conservationists in Australia are relying on fungus to save endangered orchids. Like most orchids, the Rosella Spider Orchid and The Wine-Lipped Spider Orchid grow with the help of fungus. Both orchid species have declined due to habitat destruction, grazing, invasive species, and development. To help reinforce the remaining wild populations, researchers and volunteers plan to start seedlings at the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, and then transplant them into the wild.

However, growing orchids from seed is complicated. Orchids and fungi form symbiotic relationships to exchange nutrients, and orchid seeds need a fungus to germinate and grow. Since different types of orchids need different types of fungi, conservationists need to identify and cultivate the correct fungus for each variety. After seeds germinate, it will take two years before the young plants can be transplanted into the wild, and four or five years before they are mature enough to flower. It’s intricate work that requires lots of patience. Biologist Tom May commented ”What is happening in nature is so complex. The interactions between the fungi and the orchids being pollinated by wasps is just the start. You’ve got to put all the pieces back together again.”

It’s been awhile since I’ve shared pictures from our back garden, so I went out with my camera during this week’s warm spell to snap a few shots. From Violas to Lily of the Nile to Nasturtiums, there’s plenty in bloom.

There are always orchids in bloom on the back deck. One of my favorites, a Masdevallia species from Bolivia, flowers reliably every summer. My old pink Cymbidium blooms over winter, and usually drops its flowers in spring. However, this year it’s been happy enough to keep blooming into summer. The last picture shows a fuchsia. From similar humid jungles as orchids, they all love San Francisco’s fog.

Another fuchsia with smaller blooms shows why they’re local garden favorites. Finally, small succulents have interesting architectures, demonstrating that flowers aren’t always necessary to stand out in a summer garden.