Orchids
Cattleya Gravesiana
©Alan Fraser
The Orchid Conservatory
Used by Permission
Orchids
| Welcome to my page dedicated to my favorite flower, the orchid, and my passion for its beauty. In most people's minds, and in the popular depictions in our societies, the rose is usually seen as the symbol of beauty and romance. The rose is beautiful, no doubt about it, but for as long as I can remember I have been drawn to the orchid. It is an exotic, wildly beautiful, elegant flower. |
| I am not a gardener and claim no expertise other than being a passionate admirer of its beauty. The orchid is the largest plant family in nature and by far the most diverse. The variety of orchids is truly huge with a wide range of colors, shapes, sizes and environments they grow best in. The orchid we most commonly think of is the Cattleya, which is fairly common and is normally attached to corsages, purple in color with gold flecks and fairly large petals. Realistically though, though some will flourish better in certain places than others, the orchid appears to be strong enough and flexible enough that it can be adapted to many different environments. |
| The orchid grows naturally in most parts of the world except very cold climates so it is not true that the orchid is just a jungle plant. This fallacy has contributed to the conception that orchids are rare. It is certainly true that many varieties grow naturally only in the tropical rainforests of Latin America, Africa and Asia. We will perhaps never know exactly how many species and sub-species of orchids grow only in the rainforest, though the number is surely quite large. With the destruction of the rainforest in so many places one can only wonder about the natural richness we are losing. Even in the rainforest, there are many varieties of orchids that are only known to grow naturally in certain parts of the world. |
| Many varieties of the orchid can be grown fairly easily in a common windowsill. Others require a good deal of humidity to grow properly. It is a fallacy that one needs a greenhouse to grow orchids. Many orchid collectors and growers report great success with a wide varieties of orchids. Many orchids will even grow well without a greenhouse given proper light and water. Do orchids need soil? Most require none. In nature, orchids can be divided into four types according to growing conditions. Most are classified as epiphytes, or air plants, which grow on trees. The rock growers, or lithophytes, cling to the surfaces of rocks. Saprophytes are those that grow in mulch, often on the forest floor. Finally, there are the dirt growers, or terrestrials, which anchor themselves in soil or sand. As most orchids are epiphytes, they can be grown in tree bark, crumbled charcoal, pebbles, or on wooden or cork plaques. |
Ophrys Sphegodes (Early Spider Orchid)
© by Marco Bleeker
Chez
Marco's Plant Pictures
Used by Permission
| One of the exciting things about orchids is how beautiful they are. As you can see from some of the photos on this page the shape, size and color of orchids varies considerably from the gentle purple of the common Cattleya to the firey colors in various types. One thing I remember about my childhood was the unmistakable aroma and the sea of colors. |
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