AboutOrchids

Long Latin orchid names can be intimidating. They’re tough to pronounce with lots of syllables, like Paphiopedilum, Coelogyne, and Lepanthopsis astrophora. For orchid growers who don’t know any more of Ancient Rome’s mother tongue than “Veni, vidi, vici,” it can be a big barrier. Many orchids don’t have common names, so Latin is unavoidable. Orchid species names are entirely in Latin, like Phalaenopsis hieroglyphica. For hybrids, the first part of their name, the genus, comes from Latin, but the following hybrid and cultivar names can be from any language, like Epidendrum Wedding Valley ‘Sakura Komachi’.

Why Latin? Well, you could blame Carl Linnaeus, the founder of modern taxonomy. However, scientists were already using Latin for centuries before him. Its main advantage as a global language of science is that Latin allows everyone to know they’re using the same names for the same plants and animals.

Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, and other Romance languages are direct Latin descendants. Latin has also had a strong influence on English, and many common English words have Latin origins, including the word “orchid.” I’ve never studied Latin, but I know some Spanish and French. That helps me guess what they sound like. Even experts make mistakes and debate correct pronunciations, so don’t be embarrassed to try. When I mispronounce something, I’ve found that other orchid lovers usually offer a friendly correction, and then joke about their own troubles with the language.

To learn how to pronounce Latin names, talk to fellow orchid growers. There are many helpful online resources like these tips for Latin pronunciation. Another helpful site is Google Translate, which can give pronunciations for any word you enter. Pick ‘English’ in the first text box, type an orchid name, and make sure your speakers are turned on. Then click on the small ‘Listen’ icon in the bottom right corner of the box. Google Translate isn’t perfect (i.e. it mistakenly says Oncidium like “Woncidium,”) but it does work for many varieties.

Want to learn more? Read Latin for Gardeners: Over 3,000 Plant Names Explained and Explored by Lorraine Harrison, and Fearless Latin: A Gardener’s Introduction to Botanical Nomenclature by Sara G. Mauritz.

Orchids take many forms, some of them familiar. With these unusual blossoms, it’s easy to see how Anguloas earned the nickname Tulip Orchids. In the wild, they hang onto steep cliffs in the Andes Mountains of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. I don’t see them in cultivation often, and don’t have any in my own collection. These are photos from recent orchid shows.

Many Tulip Orchids have long lasting flowers with a strong cinnamon fragrance. These terrestrials can grow into large, showy plants. Since they are related to Lycastes, many hybrid crosses are available under the hybrid name Angulocaste.

Tulip Orchids need high humidity, good air movement, regular water, and regular fertilizer. Give them morning sun, and take care that their leaves don’t burn on hot days. During winter dormancy, older leaves drop off. Cut back watering until they put out new growth. There are more yellow, red, and white varieties, but I don’t have pictures of those (yet!) except for the bright yellow Angulocaste flower in the final photo. These orchids are also called Cradle Orchids, and in Spanish, Cuna de Venus, or “Cradle of Venus.”

Since August, these charming Samurai Orchid blooms have been brightening our home. Their enchanting flowers don’t have any fragrance during the day, but when evening arrives, they produce a strong, sweet perfume which belies their small size.

Native to mountainside forests in Japan, Korea, and China, these prized orchids have been cultivated for centuries in Asia. Here in San Francisco, I face challenges growing my 3 Samurai Orchids. Over winter, they don’t mind living outside in our mild climate. However, San Francisco summers are too cool and foggy for them to flower outdoors. Even if the sun manages to warm up the day, our summertime temps routinely drop to 50°F (10°C) at night. To simulate a hot, muggy summer, I keep them indoors, and shuttle them between my heated office at night and a warm, west-facing room in the afternoon. In humid shade indoors, they relish summertime highs above 80°F (27°C) or even 90°F (32°C.) This keeps them happy and blooming until I move them back outside in autumn to enjoy cooler temps and more light.

Also known by their Japanese name Fukiran, Samurai Orchids continue to grow in popularity around the world. The newly established Fukiran Society of America is an offshoot of the All Japan Fukiran Society. Membership is free and open to anyone in the world who is interested in learning more about these elegant and fascinating mini orchids.

Autumn colors include the vibrant hues of orchids. For many varieties, shorter days and cooler temps spur new growth and blooms. The change in season requires changes in orchid care, so check these autumn reminders:

• Bring outdoor orchids inside before temps fall too much. Remove any leaf and flower debris, and check for pests. Closely inspect the undersides of leaves and potting media. To prevent infestations, spray with insecticidal soap, pesticidal oil, or rubbing alcohol (surgical spirits) before bringing plants indoors.
• Many orchids, except for Phals and Lady Slippers, are moving into winter dormancy. Start to reduce water for those types with pseudobulbs. Begin to cut back on fertilizer, too.
• Home and office heaters dry the air, which encourages pests like scale, mealybugs, and spider mites. Pay extra attention to maintaining high humidity and good air flow.
• Unless you live in the tropics, increase light levels to compensate for the weakening sun and shorter days. Move plants into brighter light gradually over 2 weeks. Even shade-lovers like Phals and Masdevallias can tolerate some direct sun in fall and winter.
• Don’t worry if lower leaves yellow or die. Deciduous Dendrobiums, Bletillas, Cycnoches, and Thunias will lose all their leaves by winter. Continue to give them bright light and good humidity, and new leaves will emerge in spring.
• To help Phals into bloom, give them slightly cooler temps. For 3 – 4 weeks, keep them below 80°F (27°C) during daytime, and at night, let them drop to 60°F (16°C.) Then return them to their normal 65°F (18°C) minimum. Healthy plants will start to grow a new flower spike within a month. Cymbidiums also want cooler nights to flower. Many won’t bloom if they’re kept too warm in autumn.

From Honolulu to Montreal, San Diego to Sao Paulo, and Barcelona to Cape Town, orchid shows span every corner of the globe. They all offer great chances to enjoy incredible flowers, take photos, talk to local growers, and find new orchids for your own collection.

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As the largest and most diverse flower family, orchids abound with strange shapes, exotic designs, and brilliant colors. This month’s Orchids in the Park offered plenty of floral magic. The photos start with a large Lycaste bloom, a captivating Odont species, and an elegant fan of Cirrhopetalum flowers.

Next, the twisted petals of this Maxillaria species seem to dance in embrace. Competing for attention, an unusual Oncidium sports red and green mosaic leaf patterns. Meanwhile, long chains of tiny Dendrochilum blooms dangle like holiday decorations.

More incredible sights from this magic show include the roots of a leafless Ghost Orchid. This is a Dominican relative of the famous Florida Ghost Orchid, and it has a similar spectral flower. In the middle photo, dozens of baby Cattleya plants in a flask grow in a nutrient solution, an instant orchid collection in a jar. Finally, graceful Samurai Orchid hybrids take a bow.

The Winston-Salem Journal posts a thorough response to an orchid virus question. The column covers a lot of details, including how to kill orchid viruses by sanitizing pots and clippers with a 10% bleach / 90% water solution. Streaked colors on flowers and deformed growth might mean an orchid virus has infected a plant, and that’s bad news. Orchid viruses have no cure. Some plants may continue to grow and bloom while infected, but most will eventually fade and die. The usual fate is to throw away the infected orchid.

The question of whether a diseased plant should be kept depends on the owner. For a casual grower with just a few plants, it probably isn’t a big deal. But for a serious grower with a valuable collection, a single infected specimen is a threat to the entire plant population.

The best remedy is prevention. Sterilize pots, clippers, and any tool before it comes in contact with an orchid. Wash your hands before working with an orchid, especially if you have just touched another plant. Do not reuse water or allow it to drip from one plant to another. Do not reuse potting material.

Test kits are available for the 2 most common virus types, but they are pricey, and they require precise handling. However, they can help to identify infected plants before disease spreads to other orchids.

Celebrate today’s change of season with these gems from last weekend’s Orchids in the Park. The annual event put on by the San Francisco Orchid Society featured a multitude of treasures. Here’s a small sample —

The colors, scents, and shapes of orchids are certainly spectacular. Unexpected patterns emerge, like those of the Phal species in the next Orchids in the Park photo. It’s aptly named Phalaenopsis hieroglyphica, but it’s not Ancient Egyptian or Mayan. Is it speaking Orchid? In the middle photo, the brilliant colors of a mini Dendrobium species grow even more remarkable upon realizing that these blooms survive cold winds on New Guinea’s highest mountains. In the last photo, within a single glass container, Jewel Orchids earn their name from their colors and fractal leaf patterns. They don’t even need to bloom to impress, and you can fit a bunch into a large jar. That’s my idea of a happy equinox.

There’s a lot more from Dave’s and my cameras to share, so check back soon for additional photos from another successful Orchids in the Park.

As summer winds down, floral delights abound in our back garden. A quick tour starts with a magnificent Masdevallia, which has been in constant bloom since April. This speckled purple species seems to have the resilience of a hybrid, at least in our mild coastal climate. Next is a brilliant yellow, purple, and white Cyrtochilum, an unusual Oncidium relative. Dozens of its blooms emerge from a long, vine-like flower spike which wraps around nearby plants. Finally, a cheery Epidendrum hybrid sports festive pink highlights.

These photos are just scratching the surface of what’s in bloom. Check back soon for more from our garden.

The Orchid Society of San Francisco hosts its annual Orchids in the Park show and sale this weekend, September 15 – 16. Held in the County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park, the event also includes orchid care demos, lectures, and raffles. In case you need any more enticement, check out a few photos from past years. See you there!