Popular Orchid Species

Perhaps the best way to narrow down your choices is to look at some of the more popular orchid species. These particular varieties have been developed for their adaptability to a home environment and are relatively easy to care for. Dendrobiums are at the top of this list. This species of orchids offer a wide variety of colors, from white to purple to yellow. Originally found in most of Asia as well as the Philippines, Australia, New Guinea and Borneo, these plants are in great demand. Because of their desirability, hobbyists have created hybrids for this orchid species.

Cattleya is another popular orchid species that is naturally found in parts of South America and Asia. The blooms of this plant are especially gorgeous. The colors are usually, white, yellow or a deep purple. An interesting aspect of the Cattleya is that it gracefully spreads out, rather than grows in a compact pattern. The orchid species, Vanda, has a very unique look and exotic flowers. The leaves come out from a single stalk with the flowers growing from one of the leaf’s bases. The blooms can number anywhere from five to twenty per plant. This orchid species originally made its home in China, Australia, the Himalayas, Indonesia and New Guinea.

Choosing the Right Species of Orchids

While these three species of orchids are both popular and beautiful, there are literally thousands of varieties in the world. The key to choosing the species that is right for you is dependent on where you live and what type of environment you will be offering the plants. With the increasing demand for orchids, and more people becoming orchid enthusiasts, growers are experimenting and developing new hybrids. These plants are often hardier for the indoor gardener to enjoy, while being easier to care for by the novice. With all of these recent changes, now is the best time to start a lifetime hobby of growing these impressive plants.

Related posts:

1. Hawaiian Orchid Species
2. Orchids – Hawaiian Orchid Species
3. Some Orchid Species to Choose From

Sparrow’s Egg

Also known as the Ladyslipper Orchid or Franklin’s Ladyslipper, this small species of wild orchid grows from Montana to British Columbia.  America has listed this orchid as a “species of concern”, meaning it is endangered.  If you find one of these wild orchids, you better leave it where you found it.  You may get into legal trouble by taking it home.

This is a small yet sturdy mostly white orchid with tiny red spots.  The main flower is shaped quite a bit like an egg.  The petals of the flower tend to droop.  They grow in one or two flowers per jade green lance-shaped leaves in wooded areas, especially in coniferous (evergreen) forests.

Northern Green Orchid

Blink and you might miss this small, delicate and grass-green curly member of wild orchids.  They once could be found all over North America, even in this writer’s home state of Pennsylvania.   They are a lot rarer today, because of overdevelopment and the destruction of wetlands.  They need moist and boggy areas in order to grow.  They can also grow in wet woodlands.

They are very small curling flowers piled on top of each other in stalks.  The flowers and stalks are the same color.  Since they are grass-green, they blend in easily with other plants.  You might have to find them by watching where bees and other nectar-eating insects go buzzing to.  Their blooming season is June to August.

Heart Leaved Twayblade

This is another teeny-tiny species or wild orchid that also is threatened due to loss of habitat.  However, this has a little more color than the Northern Green Orchid.  They still can be found from New England to Alberta, Canada.  These plants grow only three to ten inches high, so watch where you step when looking for them.

They have a central straight green or brown stalk where tiny little five petaled flowers poke out.  A stalk can have around a dozen of these little pinkish to purplish-brown colored flowers.  They also bloom from June to August.

Related posts:

1. The Attraction Of Jewel Orchids
2. Orchids And Trees – A Great Medium For Some Extraordinary Orchids
3. A Few Interesting Facts About Vanilla Orchids

The miniature orchids are very much similar to the regular flowers with the only exception that they are tinier. Since this means they would be accommodated in smaller pots and so you would need to water them more frequently than the regular blooms.  The best medium for these flowers would be tree fern plus fir bark and perlite because this would provide adequate aerating as well as hold in sufficient water.

There are three types of miniature orchids classified after the climates they prefer, i.e. those which love the heat or the tropical ones, those which are okay with the in-between climates and lastly those who prefer freezing temperatures.

Tropical Miniature Orchids

These orchids love the tropical climate and would grow best when there is a lot of sun and warmth in the air. Among those who could be mentioned here are the Aerangis distincta from Africa which has some exceptionally beautiful white flowers, the Aerangus citrata, a native of Madagascar, which has immensely fragrant flowers, the Leptotes bicolor from Brazil which given white and fuchsia flowers only twice a year and the Polystachya bella from Kenya which has exceptionally beautiful yellow flowers.

In-Between Miniature Orchids

These plants thrive best in medium temperatures where there are mild winters and cold summers. In this bracket you have the scented Laelia pumila from Brazil which gives an amazing yellow and lavender combination flower, the Pleurathallis ornate from Mexico which has very unusual but very beautiful fringed flowers, the Epidendrum porpax from Central America which is just three inches tall, and the Masdevallia infracta – another miniature from Brazil – which gives a copper and lavender mix color flowers.

Ice Maidens

These miniatures thrive in cold climates where winters are severe and summers are cool.  Some examples for these types of orchids are the Cochlioda densiflora from Peru which has an astounding bloom of flame color flowers, the Encyclia mariae of Mexico which grows about five inches in height  and gives delicately sculpted green flowers as big as the plant itself, and the Sophronitis coccinea from Brazil which gives bright red flowers that grow even after they bloom.

Related posts:

1. Grow Your Own Collection Of Fragrant Orchids
2. Orchids And Trees – A Great Medium For Some Extraordinary Orchids
3. Why Are The African Orchids So Popular All Over The World?

The difference between jewel orchids and the more common orchids lie in the leaves of these plants as well as where the plants grow. While most orchids are grown for their beautiful flowers, jewel orchids are primarily grown due to their leaves.

What Is In The Jewel Orchids’ Leaves?

The leaves of the jewel orchids are a unique velvety texture that renders their colors with more depth. Sometimes, the velvety texture makes for different colors depending on the angle of the viewer. The jewel orchids’ leaves also have very obvious veins that stand out from the base color of the leaves. These veins are what make the foliage of the jewel orchids very unique and rare. The veins’ colors range from deep red to silver and more colors in between. Many of the leaves of the jewel orchids are typically green, from light green to very dark, almost black.

The leaves are usually oblong or heart shaped and seldom long. These types of orchid plants do not grow very tall or very big. Although they also flower, the blooms from these orchids are not as attractive as the leaves. Some flowers are pretty to look at and do have exceptional scents but the leaves take your breath away. To make a jewel orchid plant look bigger, you can pant several pieces together to make an impression of largeness. One great thing about growing jewel orchids is that they are easy to multiply. Some grow from cuttings while others grow beside the mother plant.

Jewel orchids are highly suitable for indoor growing. This is because they like low light conditions as well as high humidity. Some people even grow these types of plants in their bathrooms due to the high humidity generated there. Jewel orchids can be grown more successfully indoors compared to outdoors but a little skill and effort can grow them outdoors as well.

Related posts:

1. Are There Such Things As Easy To Grow Orchids?
2. A Guide to the Different Types of Orchids
3. Orchids And Cold Weather

Watering

As with most other types of plants, watering is one of the most important parts of caring for the white orchid plant. You can tell when the plant needs watering by simply lifting it up and feeling the weight of it. When it feels light it needs water, and when it feels heavier there is still enough water in the soil.

You want to make sure that you water them well where the water soaks through the medium that they are planted in, and be careful to not let water sit on the leaves overnight. If you accidentally put too much water in you can dry the leaves and pat the soil with a paper towel gently and this will help to soak up a bit of the excess water.

Temperature

The temperature of the area around the plant is also very important when growing white orchids. Generally a temperature of about 55º is the coolest that you can have before the flowers will suffer, and it is important not to let these plants get either too cold or too hot because they do not deal well with shock and take a considerable amount of time to recover.

Light and Air

White orchids prefer to have little to no direct light on their leaves because they burn so easily, and so it is best to keep them in the sun during the early morning hours but then remove them before the harsh UV rays of the midday sun come out.

The orchids are a large and incredibly diverse family of plants, and they are a favorite of plant enthusiasts everywhere. They are truly wonderful plants and produce beautiful flowers. They will live a long and healthy life as long as they are well cared for, so take the time to educate yourself on the plant before attempting to grow on one your own. There are many different ways in which you can obtain this information, such as by attending orchid shows and going to nurseries and private orchid growers.

Related posts:

1. Are There Such Things As Easy To Grow Orchids?
2. What You Should Absolutely Know About Watering Orchids
3. How to Care for Orchids

Did you know that vanilla is an essence that comes from vanilla orchids? If you did not, you know now. The vanilla that you love so much in your cake and ice cream is derived from a beautiful orchid species from the Vanilla genus and is grown in Mexico.  The meaning of vanilla is Spanish – the language spoken in Mexico – is ‘the little pod’.

Some Not So Well Known Facts About The Vanilla Planifolia

Did you know that vanilla (Vanilla planifolia – its Latin name) is the only agriculturally profitable by-product derived from orchids? No other orchid produces an agriculturally important crop.  All others are valued by their show quality rather than agricultural value.

The vanilla orchids grow as a huge vine which often exceeds one hundred feet in length. This huge plant gives some tiny pods as fruit and there you are – you find the vanilla essence there.

The orchids as a plant family are one of the oldest flowering plants in the world as well as the largest.

The vanilla essence is not a modern discovery; it was well known to the Aztecs for flavoring another popular food, the cocoa drink.

A Brief Description Of The Vanilla Orchids

You will find the vanilla orchids normally growing in tropical forests. You would recognize these flowers by their typical light green color which open very early in the morning for pollination by bees and hummingbirds, though there is no trace of the vanilla essence at this stage.

The flowers which are hermaphroditic (contain both female and male parts which are divided by a thin membrane to prevent self pollination) will develop into little pods after they are pollinated with each pod containing thousands of small black seeds. These pods are long and thin very similar to the string beans but quite smaller in comparison.

Since the flower does not develop into a fruit unless it is pollinated, artificial pollination needs to be done in places where natural means are not available. It takes the pod about one month to mature and once they are fully developed they are harvested and dried. The curing of the vanilla pods would at last give you the aroma that is so much loved and used throughout the world.

The vine grows huge in length and has the tendency of growing upwards therefore every year after the harvest the farmers get the vine pushed downwards to keep it ‘within hand’s reach’. This process – it was observed – increases the flowering capacity of the vanilla orchids.

Vanilla Orchid Photo Credit : Everglades National Park

Related posts:

1. Orchids And Cold Weather
2. Growing Orchids From Seeds: For Serious Gardeners Only
3. Interesting Facts About Well-Known Exotic Plants

Hawaii is trying hard to stop overdevelopment to save what is left of its unique environment, which includes species of birds and orchids found nowhere else on earth.  Haiku orchids and birds are a big draw for tourists to come visit Maui.  Unlike most plants that grow from the ground, orchids like Haiku orchids grow from the bark of trees in humid and moist conditions.

Since Maui is an island, another big draw for tourists is the beach.  Consequentially, a lot of the businesses in Haiku are set up to cater to the tourists.  There are many bed and breakfasts in Haiku.  Orchids grow around these places, as well, as long as they are not too close to the beach.

Orchid Tours

Haiku knows orchids bring about a certain religious fervor in some people.  You become as devoted to orchids as living art forms as an art collector would about seeing all Leonardo daVinci paintings in the world.  Traveling to Hawaii has many rewards, but for some people it is the orchids that make such an expensive and luxurious trip essential.  It is like going to an orchid-lover’s Mecca.

You don’t have to go around trying to find all of the kinds of Haiku orchids all by yourself, trying to explain all to all of the other non-orchid lovers looking at you as if you were crazy.  You can ask your favorite travel agent to book you on an orchid tour of Hawaii, which usually includes a stop in Haiku.

If you want to be more selective in your orchid tour, you can book yourself to a trip of orchid nurseries in Hawaii or to one of the many orchid gardens in Hawaii.  One of the largest is the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden in Papaikou, very close to the beach.  It is located on the Big Island of Hawaii, not the island of Maui, but those two islands are right next to each other.

You will find a lot of artistic inspiration for flower growing or for writing poetry in an orchid tour of Hawaii.

Related posts:

1. HOGA – Learn About The Hawaii Orchids Growers Association
2. Where to Buy Tropical Flowers: Orchids of Hawaii Company
3. How To Identify Orchids Received Without Tags

One of the most popular types of orchids is the cymbidium orchids. These orchids are typically found growing in locations around the world such as Japan, China, South East Asia and Australia. These are large and grassy plants which are amongst the best known of orchids because of their popularity as cut flowers.

Known as the king of the orchids, these orchids are popular and desirable because of the beautiful flowers they produce. They make great houseplants and are very common in floral arrangements. There is also a lot of variety with these orchids because they show very diverse color patterns, different for every species.

Denrobium Orchids

Another of the more popular types of orchids is the denrobiums. These orchids are considered as being quite exotic, and are also known as the Singapore orchid. They ooze with glamour and elegance, but are much more commonplace today as opposed to in the past.

Vanda

These orchids are usually flat with petals all of the same size, and are one of the most common or popular types of orchids that orchid growers love. They are monopodial orchids and there are about 80 species plants, native to China, the Himalayas, Indonesia and northern Australia. When it comes to the cultural requirements of the vanda orchids it is most important to remember that all vanda orchilds are of monopodial growth habit which means that they grow from the tip of the plant.

They are heavy feeders and should be given a solution of complete nutrients at least once a week. You should avoid using high nitrogen fertilizers on these plants as they will inhibit flowering.

Care and Maintenance

There are many other types of orchids that you can choose from as well, and it is important to be aware that each different type of orchid is going to require a different type of care. There are many effective ways to educate yourself more on this matter, including attending orchid shows and visiting nurseries.

Here there will be knowledgeable and experienced professionals who can offer you valuable information and make you feel more comfortable with growing and caring for orchids.

Related posts:

1. The Most Popular Orchid Species
2. Grow Your Own Collection Of Fragrant Orchids
3. Orchids And Trees – A Great Medium For Some Extraordinary Orchids

Rare Orchids

Orchids are truly beautiful flowers, but there are some rare orchids which are particularly sought after. Of all the rare orchids that one can choose from, the Phal amboinesis ‘flava’ which is the rare albino variety of the Phal amboinesis ‘yellow’. These are known as monopodial orchids which have stems that grow indefinitely.

With these types of orchids the leaves always grow from the end of a stem and they also often produce aerial roots along their stems.

Then there are also sympodial orchids which are characterized mainly for their succession of shoots or bulb like stems. With these orchids the roots tend to form at the base of pseudobulbs. The rarest of these orchids include cattleyas and dendrobiums.

Cattelyas are very rare orchids and unbelievably beautiful flowers. They are best grown in a well drained pot or basket, and although of course watering is necessary you need to be sure not to overdo it with these plants because they will die almost immediately if over watered. They require a warm climate to grow and so if you live in a seasonal location you should be sure to take them indoors once the weather begins to get colder.

As for the dendrobiums, these are vigorous and easy to grow rare orchids that produce large numbers of flowers throughout the year, in varying colors. In order to keep your dendrobiums healthy there are a few tips you should keep in mind.

This includes fertilizing them weekly and frequently with a balanced fertilizer, and you should never use water that has been softened in salt consuming water softeners because this will be damaging to the plant. It is important to always remove any dead or dying parts of the plant as they will weigh the entire plant down and over time result in killing it.

There are many other orchids which are rare and beautiful as well, but it is important that you be aware of how to care for the specific type of orchid that you are interested in because there are different methods and tips that will be helpful, depending on the genus of orchids that you are growing.

Related posts:

1. Information on Purple Orchids
2. The Attraction Of Jewel Orchids
3. Information on Where to Buy Orchids

If you are among those who love fragrant orchids the following brief description of some very fragrant orchids would be of great help. The list has the orchids in alphabetical order for your ready reference.

Aerangis – these orchids are smaller than the regular plants and you will find them filling the air with fragrance in the early hours of the evening. This is an excellent choice for those who love spending their evenings in the garden

Brassia – this is a family of very beautiful orchids which will definitely attract you with their delicate and large spider like flowers. Brassia family is one among the rare and all round fragrant orchid plants.

Dendrochilum – this family of orchids are characterized by flowers manifested in tiny chains which look simply amazing. The fragrant orchids of this family are the magnum, the glumacaeum and the cobbianum.

Gongora – these orchids are very beautiful and highly fragrant. Most people complain though that their flowers are very short loved.

Harella Odorata – this is one of the miniature orchids families which are delicate and incredibly beautiful at the same time. Plus they give off a very attractive fragrance.

Sedirea Japonica – these orchids are coming from Japan with longish and very attractive flowers. They give off fragrance throughout the day, but in the night you will find it a little more pronounced.

Vanda – the smaller species of this family are exceptionally well scented, such as the Suavis, tehe Denisonia, the Cristata and the Tessellatta.

At Z we have the Zygopetalum family of orchids whose majority hybrids are highly fragrant. This family comprises of both small and large flowers.

The above list of fragrant orchids is by no means all inclusive. For more details you could look up the Internet or ask the assistance of an expert. As such you have enough information here to start your own orchid greenhouse if you so desire. Growing orchids is an exceptionally lucrative and highly satisfactory hobby and business – more so when your specialty would be only fragrant orchids. You could start a hobby cum business and earn a handsome living while doing something you love.

Related posts:

1. Discover The World Of The Miniature Orchids
2. Orchids And Trees – A Great Medium For Some Extraordinary Orchids
3. Orchids And Cold Weather