Let’s be honest.
Orchids are unabashedly sexy.
Glistening, hairy, succulent, juicy, spotty, warty…it is all there.

Slipper Orchids are my favorite.
Paphiopedilum.
Paphos, is a city on the Aegean Island of Cyprus and the mythical birthplace of, who else? Aphrodite.
The Goddess of Love herself. A temple was built there in her honor for all manner of celebrations.
Pedilon is Greek for sandal.
“The Orchid Show” book explains it thusly:
“The legend is that Aphrodite lost her golden slipper. When a mortal found it and tried to touch it, the slipper was transformed into an exquisite golden orchid.”
{So much better than Cinderella.}

The slipper, of course, is not what I see at first.
My attraction is entirely subliminal.
One woman standing next to me kept reaching up to caress the proboscis like petal — the labellum.
You’re not supposed to touch.
I laughed and she said, “I just can’t stop.”

When I got home and looked at my photos on the computer screen — all big and enlarged — I gasped, Is that what I saw?
A veiny, hairy, deep burgundy pouch, umm, slipper…right there on the shelf of the NY Botanical Garden Gift Shop.
And it was brimming with water.
I know because, I had touched the slipper pouch. I could not resist.

I was tempted to bring one home with me.
I was further tempted when I learned that they are perfectly suited in the hands of an orchid newbie and that the flowers can last two to three months…
Ahh, but the price tag gave me pause.
85 bucks.
Pause.
We’re in the midst of economic turmoil for crying out loud…
Subway & bus fares are going up to $2.50.
Just walk away… just walk away.

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Paphiopedilum {paf-ee-oh-PED-i-lum} at the New York Botanical Garden Orchid Show through April 12th. Of course, the show features plenty of other orchid varieties, but not as sexy as the Paphs.

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