Glasgow to Honolulu, Rio to Oakland, Auckland to Memphis, orchids are celebrated internationally. These events often feature exhibits __and plant sales, __and also include talks and tours by experts. May 4 – 7 Festival de Orquídeas, Gimnasio Fito Ramos, carr. #976, Bo. Florencio, Fajardo, Puerto Rico May 5 – 7 Memphis Orchid Society Show & Sale, Memphis Botanic Garden, 750 Cherry Rd., Memphis, Tennessee May 5 – 7 Platinum...
The San Francisco Botanical Garden is bursting with new growth after a rainy winter. Covering about 55 acres (22 hectares) of Golden Gate Park, the garden is always full of life. During a recent visit, there were lots of spring blooms, __and everything from tree ferns to giant redwoods were sporting new greenery. Also known as Strybing Arboretum, the garden has separate climate zones for native Californian plants,...
Its flowers resemble maggot-infested meat, __and its scent has been compared to “a thousand dead elephants rotting in the sun.” Meet the orchid species Bulbophyllum phalaenopsis, which attracts carrion flies as pollinators. , , , ...
There’s a saying that you become an orchid expert when you’ve killed your weight in orchids. Some people wince in horror when I repeat that, but orchid lovers usually just laugh __and nod. Growing orchids means sometimes making mistakes __and killing plants. I’ve grown them for over 25 years, and earned my expert status a very long time ago. Fortunately, my mortality rate is far lower than it once...
Rare orchid populations have stopped plans for an Australian race park. Orchid lovers found Leafless Tongue Orchids near the planned track. That’s pitted nature lovers against racing fans, but local officials have stated that the building plans had many flaws, including the fact that the area is home to lots of endangered species. The Leafless Tongue Orchid, Cryptostylis hunteriana, is one of many strange Australian plants. It’s a terrestrial...
Spathoglottis, or Ground Orchids, are staples of the tropics. They’re sturdy enough to serve as landscaping plants in shopping plazas, like these orchids on the island of Kauai. Grown alone in pots, or in flowerbeds with other tropicals, they make gorgeous displays. These terrestrials are easy to keep in the tropics, but hard to grow elsewhere. They need lots of direct sun, warmth, water, __and fertilizer to bloom. For...
Orchid mantises mimic flowers so well that their lunch flies right to them! Check out two great videos showing these stealthy little predators — Learn more about orchid mantises in this earlier blog post. , ...
