AboutOrchids

The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center explains the life lessons offered by North American orchids. If the Queen’s Lady Slipper can take 16 years to bloom, certainly we humans can learn to take our time. When Three Bird Orchids bloom en masse to better attract pollinators, they are exemplifying the importance of teamwork. For all that there is to learn from our native species, it’s important to protect them. Support the fight to save our native plants at the North American Orchid Conservation Center.

The science of orchids is marching forwards. Taipei Times reports on cutting edge genetic discoveries that will change orchid commerce. Researchers in Taiwan, which has a large orchid industry, have identified genes to control flower color, and to prolong the life of blooms. In time, they will be able to create varieties with new colors, quicker growth, and tougher plants. Scientists may be able to extend flowering times, and produce new strains faster. In the future, genetically engineered orchids may be coming to a market near you.

Fortunately, I still have plenty of pictures to enjoy from last year’s orchid show. The Pacific Orchid Expo was spectacular, as always, in late February, 2020. A few weeks later, the San Francisco Bay Area was the first part of the nation to go into lockdown for COVID19.

This year’s show was cancelled, of course. I missed taking loads of pictures, buying a few plants, and chatting with old friends. Last year, I wrote that it’s a shame that San Francisco’s big orchid show only comes around once a year. Now, I’m just hoping that it will happen again. The annual summer show, Orchids in the Park, has already been cancelled for 2021. Meanwhile, it’s easier than ever to stay connected digitally. The San Francisco Orchid Society, like many others, has moved all its activities online, making them accessible from anywhere in the world. Till we meet again…

This month features several online events and a Bay Area Cymbidium sale with COVID19 precautions.

The Species Identification Task Force (SITF) sorts out difficult orchid identities. There are about 30,000 orchid species, and experts with the American Orchid Society work to verify whether awarded plants’ nametags are accurate. Whenever a species receives its first award, it’s automatically reviewed to authenticate its identity. Orchid judges may also ask for confirmation of previously awarded varieties. The SITF examines detailed photos and measurements of the flowers and plants. You can track their progress as they make tricky determinations at the SITF blog. Check out the high quality photos, and see which details help distinguish one orchid from another.

If we find life on Mars, will it be as strange as Australia’s Underground Orchids? These bizarre plants, also known as Rhizanthellas, live their whole lives below ground. They even bloom underground, and smell like vanilla. Known to science since 1928, there are now five identified species around the continent. All five are endangered, and pose unusual conservation challenges, since it’s tough just to find them. Their small tubers and weird pink flowers rarely break the soil surface.

Almost all other orchids have tiny, dust-like seeds which blow in the wind, but Rhizanthella seeds are like little, vanilla-scented ball bearings. They’re probably eaten and dispersed by wallabies and bandicoots, but those animals are extinct in some areas. Reestablishing their populations may be necessary for the long-term survival of these orchids. For now, these alien flowers are still among us.

Orchids have become a big part of Valentine’s Day. If you’ve received one as a gift, here are a few tips to keep your orchid happy and healthy:

To help flowers last longer, place the orchid in an area with high humidity. You can raise humidity levels by grouping plants together, placing them in a bathroom or kitchen, spraying with a mister, or using a cool mist humidifier.

When watering, remove wrappers or decorative containers, at least temporarily, if they block drainage holes. Soak the plant thoroughly with room-temperature water, and let all excess drain from the pot. Don’t let the flowerpot sit in water for too long, or the roots may rot.

Place cut flowers in lukewarm water, and keep out of direct sun. Change the water every couple of days. High humidity can help the blooms last longer.

Daisy Orchids, or Cirrhopetalums, earn their nickname from their resemblance to daisies. However, with Daisy Orchids, what looks like separate petals of one large flower are actually separate flowers, each magnificently complex. These blooms are arranged in a circle or semicircle around a center stalk. Many varieties have long, tapering sepals, adding to their charms.

Scientists have debated whether these orchids should be classified as Cirrhopetalums, or whether they belong in the vast and weird Bulbophyllum genus. Currently, they’re considered to be Bulbophyllums, but like many orchid name changes, the old names persist in common use. They’re native to a large area from India and China, throughout Southeast Asia to Indonesia, New Guinea, the Philippines, and as far as northern Australia and southern Japan.

Daisy Orchids are considered among the easiest Bulbophyllums to grow if you can maintain consistently high humidity. They enjoy regular water and fertilizer, and do best on mounts or in baskets to accommodate their rambling growth. Depending on their native habitats, some are warm growers and some are intermediate. Most do not share the foul scents of their fellow Bulbophyllums, but I would still smell one before buying it to be sure. This post shows 14 different species, and one hybrid in the final photo, that have been called Cirrhopetalums, but there are many more Daisy Orchids going around.

In the Himalayan foothills of northeastern India, the country’s only orchid sanctuary has had a facelift. Founded in 1989, Sessa Orchid Sanctuary covers 39 square miles (100 square km) in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, a biodiversity hotspot which is known as the “Orchid State of India.” Sessa villagers and government forest officials have installed a prominent new front gate and a boardwalk. There is also a new visitors’ trail with orchids identified along the way. The sanctuary contains over 230 native orchid species, including Cymbidiums, Dendrobiums, Coelogynes, and other endangered plants. The hope is to increase ecotourism to the area, and help to counter the threats of deforestation, overgrazing, and the illegal orchid trade.

In addition to this short list of online events, many orchid societies have moved all their gatherings online. Monthly meetings, sales, auctions, and expert talks are easy to access with an internet connection. Check with your local society for more.