AboutOrchids

Chinese scientists have studied an orchid’s genetics to learn the secrets of its success. They’ve sequenced the genes of the species Apostasia shenzhenica, which is an early offshoot of the orchid family tree. Their study shows that important orchid traits, like massed pollen, tiny seeds, and the ability to live as air plants, emerged at the beginning of their evolution. These features help orchids survive in almost every corner of the planet. Find the scientific paper at Nature.

Every three years, orchid lovers from around the world gather for an event nicknamed the Orchid Olympics. Officially known as the 22nd World Orchid Conference, this year’s event is happening in Guayaquil, Ecuador from November 8th – 12th. The conference includes science, horticulture, and conservation sessions, as well as an enormous orchid show with vendors from around the globe. Check out the video below for more info —

These photos highlight just a few of the orchids on display at San Francisco’s Conservatory of Flowers. Their extraordinary collection spans the vast range of the orchid world. Big and small, hybrid and species, common and rare — they’re all well represented.

One of the benefits of air plants like these is that they live in different levels of the glasshouses, and visitors are not simply looking down at the ground to see flowers. Some are at eye level; others are high over our heads. As Dave and I pointed our cameras up into the trees, it was a delight to see other visitors look up and suddenly realize that there were orchids above them. Like the rainforests they’re modeled after, the Conservatory is a prime example of vertical gardens. Be sure to check out what’s in bloom the next time you’re in Golden Gate Park.

Enjoy this adorable animation explaining how deceptive orchids can be. Some orchids trick pollinators, steal from fungi, or take advantage of trees to grow above the forest floor. And they’ve convinced lots of humans to do their bidding, too. The video below comes courtesy of the University of Western Australia and Curtin University.

Each month, I try my best to track down all the orchid shows I can in the English-speaking world, and also events in other languages I can handle. As many as I’ve found for this busy September, there are certainly more shows than this. So, if somehow you can’t find an event near you in this list, check with your local orchid society to find more.

Read the rest of this post »

Surely, we’re spoiled for orchids around here. Only a few weeks after Orchids in the Park, Dave and I headed over to Golden Gate Park again. This time, we went to the historic Conservatory of Flowers, and found lots of orchids and other stunning blooms.  Here are a few of the sights —

The Conservatory consists of five separate rooms, each with a different climate zone. When we visited, the blooms included a brilliantly hued vireya rhododendron, and a dazzlingly variegated hibiscus. Plants with colorful foliage added even more to the tapestry. Orchids were well represented in the Aquatic Plants, Highland Tropics, Lowland Tropics, and Potted Plants galleries. Many of their beautifully grown orchids are rare species, so it’s a pleasure to see them thriving.

As usual, I’ve got plenty of pictures, so check back soon for more. For anybody in the San Francisco Bay Area, resident or visitor, don’t miss the amazing botanical gems at the Conservatory of Flowers. And check out the flower power of the Conservatory’s popular, nightly light show, which runs until October 21st.

Duck Orchids, Bluebeard Orchids, Helmet Orchids, and more! Victoria, Australia’s weird and wonderful orchids are highlighted in this article with a great photo gallery. To learn more about fascinating flora down under, check out the Australasian Native Orchid Society.

There was so much to enjoy at this summer’s Orchids in the Park that I still have plenty of photos to share. Longtime readers already know that my orchid tastes often run to the bizarre, the uncommon, or varieties that I’ve never seen in person before. So here are some of my freaky favorites from this year’s show.

I mentioned earlier that there were lots of Stanhopea and Sobralia flowers at the show, both types remarkable to see because of their notoriously short-lived blooms. But I also found a peculiar Lady Slipper species which I’d only known from pictures before, Phragmipedium lindenii. It lacks that defining pouch-like lip of its cousins (in other words, it’s a Lady Slipper without the slipper part.) A green, star-shaped Aeranthes, which is an Angraecum relative, was among the other unusual finds. And there are always plenty of strange Bulbophyllums. For yet another year, Orchids in the Park has maintained its tradition as an outstanding event, full of fascinating sights.

No matter where you live, every orchid lover needs A Bay Area Guide to Orchids and Their Culture by Mary E. Gerritsen and the San Francisco Orchid Society. This well-written book has hundreds of beautiful photos and lots of helpful orchid info. There are concise sections on care basics, explanations of the Bay Area’s varied microclimates, and lists of which orchids work best where. Don’t be fooled by the title — this book has more than the cool and intermediate orchids we’re lucky enough to grow outdoors here. It also has plenty of great info about warm growers, so it really is suited for everyone. Definitely add this one to your orchid reference library. Buy it from the Orchid Conservation Alliance, the British publisher Redfern Natural History Books, or Amazon. And if you’re not one already, this gorgeous book will turn you into an orchid addict!

How many botanical wonders can be found at Orchids in the Park? Lots!!! Here are more of our photos from this year’s event.

Big flowers or small, hybrid or species, fragrant or not — it’s just a tiny fraction of the orchid world’s diversity. The show included an Antelope Dendrobium, the aptly-named Dendrobium helix. There were also Coconut Orchids, Jewel Orchids, and an Oncidium species with small flowers that look like bumblebees. In other words, it was another great Orchids in the Park. I’m already looking forward to next year!