All orchids are exquisite. Their beauty always leaves one speechless and one never tires of admiring these wonderful creations of God. There are more than 25,000 species of orchid known to man today. They are extremely varied, and each variety has its own reasons to be admired. As a rule, the orchid flower has three inner petals that are outflanked by another three with a fourth one a little lower in a specific arrangement. You will also find that orchid mimic a great many animals in their adaptation to attract food, pollination or self-defense.

The Red Orchid (Red Moon Orchid) One of the Most Beautiful Orchids Known to Man

The Red orchid scientific name is Phalaenopsis corningiana. This flower owes its name to the mahogany color stripes that adorn its petals. The color combination sometimes has the yellow floral segments with the lip base colored deep red. This plant has not been hybridized because it does not fare too well in a green house, its life span there being less than 4-5 years. However, cross pollination with the red mahogany type and Phalaenopsis volacea, Phalaenopsis lueddemanniana and Phalaenopsis mariae has produced some amazing species, which are also most fragrant.

The Red orchid, they say, is a flower which deserves to be used as gift to the kings. Its beauty and elegance is rare even among the orchids. Though the Phalaenopsis are the most popular orchids for pot-growing, the Red orchid is part of this family; this flower is very rare because breeding this plant is quite difficult.

Generally speaking the family of Phalaenopsis is easy to cultivate and row in the greenhouse as it is a very unpretentious plant which grows well even in the hands of beginners. They have very strong roots and are adaptable to quite some variation in their ideal conditions, unlike the Red orchid which dies if not kept in the most ideal conditions.

This orchid family thrives when potted in fir bark rather the regular sphagnum moss common for orchids. The most common mistake people do with the plant is to rot its roots by over-watering it. The plants need just the right amount of sunlight never direct as this will burn the plant and create ugly freckles on it. At the same time, if it is starved of light, it will never flower.

It is common in this family of orchids to have three to four buds flowering at the same time. No sooner than the flowers fade, they should be cut off from just above the node. If things are optimal, a tiny baby orchid may come up in this spot after a while.

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Featured orchid supplier in FORTUNE (small business edition) , shop for the freshest orchids direct from our nursery today! Valentine’s Shipping …

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Beautiful Orchids Home Page
Nothing can compare to the graceful elegance of pure white Phalaenopsis in full bloom. Their popularity helped to increase the worldwide demand for orchids.

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Phalaenopsis, dendrobium, oncidium, cymbidium, paphiopedilum, and exotic orchids direct from the grower.

Halekulani Hotel - Dining - Orchids
Orchids: A colorfully unique tropical island ambience boasting spectacular… Orchids is Halekulani’s casually elegant oceanfront restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner amidst a abundance of …

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Lycaste aromatica
Lycaste aromatica February 19th, 2007 Lycaste aromatica 60001828 …

Investigating Orchid Species

The term orchid actually refers to a family of over 24,000 plants that live in every climate, from tropical to the Arctic Circle. Some orchid species are vines, some are clusters of stems, some tiny, some gigantic. Generally, their blooms are symmetrical and they produce a pod of tiny seeds.

Though there are tens of genra (smaller subdivisions) of the orchid family, the most common orchid species for the home come from just four groups: Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Dendrobium, and Vanda.

Phalaenopsis

This genre of orchids gets its name from the Greek word for mouth, phalaina, because these blossoms resemble an open mouth. Phalaenopsis grow stalks of leaves and a flower stem out of a bulb-like base.

The stem on most Phalaenopsis orchid species will produce several blooms, starting from the bud closest to the base. The bud starts small and spheroid, then it swells until it pops open as a five-petal flower with an open mouth at the center.

Cattleya

Cattleya orchid species are named for an English orchid fancier of the 19th century who grew the first of this genre known to Europe when he unexpectedly received them in a shipment of other plants.

Cattleyas are similar to Phalaenopsis except when it comes to the flowers. Each stem of a Cattleya will generally produce two to ten flowers, whereas a Phalaenopsis can actually produce many more flowers on one stem. The flower of the Cattleya also has five petals, but its mouth is a long tube, very reminiscent of a daffodil.

Dendrobium

The main difference between the Dendrobium orchid species and the other orchids above is the way the flowers bloom. Dendrobium flowers have five leaves and a mouth that may be shallow or long, but each flower is generally smaller. However, they grow on branched sub stems. Each flowering stem makes a smaller sub stem where the flower forms. The result is flowers evenly distributed around the stem just as hyacinth blooms form around the stem.

Vanda

Vanda orchids take their name from the Sanskrit word for one of the showiest orchid species in this category. To the observer, Vandas look very variable. Some have long, skinny, thin leaves, while others may have short, thick leaves. Some grow many blooms on one stem, others, a single flower. What unites all Vandas, however, is their large, extremely showy blossoms. If you see a corsage with a magnificent orchid, all multicolored and ruffled, chances are its a Vanda.

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If it don’t broken isn’t fix it..
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Kauai Orchids - Dendrobium Orchids
DENDROBIUM (den-DRO-bee-um) Dendrobiums are among the most commonly encountered orchids in the retail trade today. This is a large genus of over 1,000 species, ranging from India and Sri Lanka …

Beautiful Orchids Home Page
Nothing can compare to the graceful elegance of pure white Phalaenopsis in full bloom. Their popularity helped to increase the worldwide demand for orchids.

Orchid Plant Food: The Right Plant Food is Essential

Orchids are capturing and beautiful flowers, with a variety of species numbering close to 30,000. With all the information known for the care of orchids, the element of orchid plant food and the importance of taking carefully into consideration which type to buy, seems to be unfortunately overlooked for the most part.

Why Orchid Plant Food is so Important

Orchids are an incredibly diverse group of plants which thrive from all climates except for the Arctic. The most popular type of orchid today is the Phalaenopsis or Moth orchid, which can bloom healthily in modern centrally heated homes and offices. Orchid plant food is significantly important for several reasons. The right plant food can transform a struggling and striving orchid into a thriving, resplendent, regular-blooming beauty. A good all-around general use orchid plant fertilizer can also be used as a foliar feed.

All plants need certain basic nutrients to grow, and orchids are no different. These nutrients for the most part can be found in soil and are then absorbed by the plants roots. A lot of the time gardeners will give their plants extra nutrients and feed if their soil has lost an especially significant amount of nutrients recently or if the nutrient content is unbalanced.

Wegeners Liquid Fertilizer

One of the most revolutionary and popular orchid plant foods available today is Wegeners Liquid Fertilizer, which is made in New Zealand, and is considered to be an exceptionally high performance fertilizer. Not only does this particular orchid plant food provide long term nutrition plus all the required minerals that your orchids need for growing in pots or in the garden, it is also safe for children and pets. The formulation of this plant food includes calcium, magnesium, plus a mixture of trace minerals and elements including such things as plant based extracts which help plants to absorb and use organic nutrients.

Orchid plant food is available at various locations online or in stores, and of course depending on which type of plant you have and what type of food you personally prefer, it is in the end up to the buyer exactly which type of plant food is best to purchase. There is also the choice between the usual plant foods, which are often times synthetic and include harsh chemicals, and the ever increasingly popular organic plant foods. These issues must be considered before a final decision is able to be made.

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Orchids: A colorfully unique tropical island ambience boasting spectacular… Orchids is Halekulani’s casually elegant oceanfront restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner amidst a abundance of …

The Greenhouse I
The Greenhouse I February 20th, 2007 Managed to take some pictures in the greenhouse yesterday. Here are a couple of Vanda orchids that are blooming…

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One Wing of course it hurts to transmogrify, the flipping back and forth between angel, gargoyle angel and gargoyle. but its one hard wart grown out…

Morning surprise with…Morning Joy…
:drool: :photo: :cheer: Fresh bloom like a surprise bomb… how can it be so wonderful…?:cheer: :cheer: :cheer: Attached Images DSC07066.jpg (77.1…

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Peter Branscombe
Peter BranscombeFeb 19, ‘07 11:44 PM for everyonePeter Branscombe has been identified as a Def ‘Leper’ by the ‘Real Player’ and so shall he remain…

Nurturing an Orchid Plant

Orchids, like all living forms, need care for their growth and health. Raising an orchid plant at home or in gardens for commercial benefit, both require the caregiver to understand hindrances that thwart the normal growth and health of the plant. A number of things need to be given care, commonly including: blooming of the plant, using a suitable fertilizer, preventing the plant from fading out, health of leaves, cutting and trimming, and repotting. Though the nurturing needs of an orchid plant depends on which species you are growing, some measures are common to proper caring for orchids in general.

Blooming of Orchids

If your orchid plant is experiencing problems in maturing to bloom in effulgence, the most probable reasons are less than required exposure to light, improper potting, retention of excess water at the roots, and/or absence of optimum level of temperature change. To allow for the best plant bloom, place your orchid plant near the window to get enough light.

If sufficient artificial light is provided, you can place the plant anywhere you want. Repot the orchid plant if you come to detect signs of excessive retention of water at the roots. About ten degrees of daily temperature variation is commendable for proper growth of most orchid species. Water rich in minerals is not suitable for the plant; instead use distilled water or just clear rainwater.

Suitable Fertilizers

An orchid plant, in general, does not respond well to urea-based fertilizers. The use of suitable fertilizer depends on more than one factor including temperature, sunlight, and which particular location you are living in. Get your orchid a fertilizer that is free from urea, if you are unsure.

Fading Out of the Plant

Two types of signs are indicative of fading out of the orchid plant: (1) the leaves develop wrinkles and (2) buds grow yellowish and start falling. Wrinkling of leaves is caused mainly by either insufficient watering or by excessive watering. Check the roots of the plant to see if excess of watering has turned them brown and unusually soft. If so, repot the orchid plant and decrease the frequency of watering.

If lack of water has left them white and firm, provide more water daily. In case the orchid plant is shedding buds that have grown yellow and weak, the amount of water, light, or temperature conditions provided to the plant need be revised.
Remove the plant from the vicinity of sources of heat, placing it in a place where it can get optimum intensity of light. Take care to position the plant in a room with no harmful chemical fumes (paints etc.). Keep from overwatering the plant.

Repotting an Orchid Plant

Repotting an orchid plant requires different considerations in case of different species. As a general rule, repot the plant after a year or two when the roots break the medium. Carefully remove the old mix from the plant roots, rinse the roots, and place it in a new pot. You can cut the hollow or excessively soft parts of the root: they are dead anyway.

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A Rose or Orchid Bouquet: How Does One Know What to Choose and For Whom?

Flowers are meant to soothe ones eyes and mind; they are beneficial not only to look at but also to coexist with. Plants and flowers use nitrogen and release oxygen and by this process they cleanse the air we breathe everyday.

An Orchid Bouquet

So, we all know they are beneficial to have around in the house or office as well as great to look at but, how many times have flowers got you out of a little argument you had with your better half? Yes, women love flowers; I think most of them identify themselves with some flower or the other and thus, have their preferences. Thus, flowers can sometimes get you out of the doghouse and off the sofa.

Flowers can do a lot more then get one out of a jam, they literarily can speak for you expressing your sentiments most of the time; usually men and not only, find it hard to say some words such as, sorry or I love you and those are the times when flowers do it best for you. Flowers can touch anyones heart whether it is a single rose or an orchid bouquet.

Picking the Right Flowers For the Right Occasion

There are no right flowers for the right occasion; the fact is one should not always wait for an occasion to give flowers to someone dear. Any and everyday is a great time to show your love and appreciation to the one you love; from ones mom to ones wife or sister. However here are some helpful points in choosing the right flowers for the right occasion:

If you are choosing flowers for someone very close such as your wife, mom or sister, it is good to know what flowers she likes best; this usually shows you care beyond just buying flowers, you actually remember which types she likes.

If you cannot remember the type of flowers she likes go with what flower would characterize her best such as elegant as a rose, exotic as an orchid bouquet or cute as a bouquet of daisies.

If you are purchasing flowers for someone more formal such as your teacher or boss go with a formal bouquet; no roses but an orchid bouquet is in order. Flowers are made to delight the mind and soul with their beauty, smell and elegance; which ever one you choose (a rose or orchid bouquet) even if you have no idea what you are doing, remember in the end its the thought that matters and the receiver will definitely appreciate the gesture.

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Kauai Orchids - Dendrobium Orchids
DENDROBIUM (den-DRO-bee-um) Dendrobiums are among the most commonly encountered orchids in the retail trade today. This is a large genus of over 1,000 species, ranging from India and Sri Lanka …

Orchidaceae - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Orchids (Orchidaceae family) are the largest and most diverse of the flowering plant (Angiospermae) families, with over 800 described genera and 25,000 species. Some sources give 30,000 species, but …

Not one word, folks!
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The Fruit of the Vanilla Orchid

Vanilla flavoring, from the pod of the vanilla orchid, has only been known to old-world kitchens for about 400 years. However, how long Central Americans have been using this time of flavor is unknown.

If you have ever accidentally omitted the vanilla from any baking recipe, you know the flat taste without it. Europeans, however, were the first to get addicted to the magical combination of vanilla with another new-world ingredient, sugar.

Just as you carefully pour just one spoonful of vanilla into your cooking, vanilla orchid farmers carefully nurture, fertilize, and harvest this invaluable spice.

Where is it From?

The vanilla orchid generally refers to a specific species named Vanilla planifolia, which produces the pods used to make commercial vanilla extract. There are a few other species in the vanilla orchid family; most are never used in industry.

When we think of orchids, we may think of upright flowers with a few leaves. However, the vanilla orchid is actually a vine. It snakes up the trunk of a tree and makes it look like the tree trunk itself is sprouting leaves.

Commercial vanilla farms are found in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Java, though the worlds biggest producer is the island republic of Madagascar off the east coast of Africa. Cultivation methods vary as some farmers set the vines to grow on trees because it is a good way to get an additional crop out of an orchard. Other farmers may set up frames or stakes to support the vine.

In either case, the vine should not be allowed to grow too high because vanilla orchid blooms must be hand-fertilized to produce fruit. Because vanilla is an imported plant, there are not always insects around that are adapted to pollinate it.

The vanilla orchid vine will produce a vanilla pod when the flower withers, but the vanilla bean is not ready to be harvested until it has cured on the vine an additional six to nine months. As the pods ripen, they produce a strong vanilla smell. After the harvest, the six to eight inch long pods must then be cured before they are ready for the final step: becoming vanilla extract.

The final step is basically to chop up or mash the pods and let them soak in alcohol from a few days to a few weeks. The manufacturer then filters the liquid, which has become a nice rich brown, bottles it, and sells it. You can do the same process at home. Place two long vanilla bean pods (available at specialty grocery stores) into a bottle of vodka, close it back up, and put it in a dark place for a few months. Then voila, vanilla!

Bits and pieces
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Silk was first developed in China, where silkworms and mulberry trees lived naturally. To produce silk fabric, weavers must collect silkworm larvae, and first spin it, as almost any other natural fiber, then weave the fine threads.

Hand-Made Silk Flowers

This fine fabric, perhaps first woven 8,000 years ago, was originally reserved for the Chinese Imperial family. Just as they developed the first silk garments, they developed the first silk flowers. A ladys elegant costume might include a silk orchid flower, or some other type of bloom, tucked into her hair.

As knowledge of silk cultivation spread west, so did the art of making artificial flowers. By the 1100s, Italians were making these flowers, and they probably produced a silk orchid flower, among many other varieties.

Machine-Made Silk Flowers

Until this point, artificial flowers, like almost everything else, had been hand-made. But as Europe experienced the industrial revolution, they invented machines to help make more life-like silk plants.

The Powerhouse Museum of Sydney, Australia displays an excellent late-Victorian machine used to make artificial flowers. This little machine looks something like a small die press, but in fact, it was the culmination of Victorian flower-making technology.

A flower-maker would use dies in this press to cut flower petals out of silk or other fabric. He would have had many sets of dies to produce different species of flowers. Though a silk orchid flower may have only five or six petals, the next step, shaping the blossom, would take some patience.

Silk flower petals were then joined together using glue and wires. Then each petal was shaped with a warm soldiering iron and molds that fit the curvature of various flowers. The final step was dyeing and painting, which on some species of silk orchid flower, must have taken hours on each petal.

Today, artificial flowers usually do not contain any actual silk, unless they are very fine pieces of art. Other materials, like polyester, muslin, and satin are much easier and cheaper to work with. However, in a nod to the old art of artificial flower making, most blossoms are still referred to as silk flowers.

What was once exclusive, available only to the richest members of society, is now every where. Not only in arrangements, but also a silk orchid flower might make a nice, everlasting Mothers Day corsage or a decoration on a wedding dress.

A-Trader-Joe’s-Paph-3

dbcampbellwa posted a photo:

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Flower arrangement is a beautiful hobby for many people. It brings joy to the people who practice it, and also beautifies the home or office where these flower arrangements are later placed. When it comes to orchids the flower arrangements gather a third dimension they also save a lot of money.

Orchids are one of the most expensive plants today. At the same time they are also some of the most exquisite flowers for which they are preferred at special occasions such as birthdays and weddings. The orchids themselves are quite expensive, and when you want them organized in special flower arrangements, the cost escalates further.

Making Your Own Orchid Arrangement Gives a Lot of Satisfaction and Joy

People learn to make orchid arrangement because it is a wonderful hobby. This hobby, when applied to occasions such as weddings and the like can also save a lot of money. The orchids themselves are very expensive; when needed in special flower arrangement the cost almost triples. Hence, doing your own orchid arrangement can make a lot of sense, provided you are confident you can do it well, and you have the right ingredients.

When you choose to make your own orchid arrangement you should be careful that you have all that is needed for the purpose well in advance. The extra sticks, ribbons, leaves and other extras should be ordered well in advance. Extra care should be taken to ensure that the florist stocks the orchids you will need for your orchid arrangement at least two days in advance. This will give you sufficient time to seek the flowers elsewhere if the florist cannot provide you the exact type of flowers you need.

The satisfaction of making your own orchid arrangement is intense; more so when your creation(s) will be admired by the guests. The joy you get from being able to use your creative talents will be doubled when you realize that you have saved yourself a small fortune by making your own orchid arrangement for the party.

For best results, ensure that the orchid arrangement is completed one day before the event. This will help you in blending the flowers with the overall dcor of the room where the party or function is to be held. Also having it done one day ahead, will keep your last moment touches at the minimum, giving you time to enjoy the party without worrying about the details.

A-Trader-Joe’s-Paph-3

dbcampbellwa posted a photo:

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When we think of an orchid, pink is one of the first colors that comes to mind. In fact, many Phalaenopsis orchids, the easiest to grow at home, come in a variety of shades of pink.

In the Victorian language of flowers, orchids had two meanings. A large, ruffled Cattelya bloom stood for mature charm. This is why an orchid corsage is such a popular Mothers Day gift. Orchids of any type generally stand for love, beauty, and refinement. Considering how rare orchids were in Victorian Europe, giving an orchid blossom must have been a strong statement indeed.

In Chinese tradition, the orchid stands for anything rare, elegant, and precious. The orchid is a widely used symbol in Chinese art, and is even a standard symbol on mah-jongg tiles.

Well-Known Pink Orchid Plants

The pink orchid Vanda Miss Joaquim is the national flower of Singapore and is featured on some of the countrys money. It was the first hybrid orchid created in Singapore. It is fitting that an orchid should be the national flower of Singapore, because orchids are their main agricultural export, they grow easily there, and for a few dollars, you can buy an armload of yellow, white, orange, and pink orchid blooms at any local market.

Colombias national flower is actually many flowers. The species is Cattelya trianaei, but it comes in hybrid colors from white to dark purple to pink orchids. These plants with their large blooms are abundant in Colombian gardens. They are named for a Colombian botanist who made the first systematic catalog of this species.

Like Colombia, Costa Ricas national flower is also an orchid, but it only comes in two colors, white and pink. They bloom around Easter, so they are usually a part of Costa Rican Easter decorations.

In Eastern North America, you may see a pink orchid in the wild. Many of the orchids native to the area are pink or partially pink orchid. The family usually called ladys slipper orchids are found in the Eastern US, Canada, and parts of Europe. The pink lady slipper is the official wild flower of New Hampshire. Lady slippers are not carnivorous plants, but they do form a lip into which insects slip, and the flowers are pollinated by the motion of the bug climbing out.

Another North American orchid family is commonly called grass pinks. These pink orchid plants live in swamps or bogs. Their flower spikes can be up to about eighteen inches tall, and the flowers always have a beard of hairy stamens.

20070220_1137

mad plumerian posted a photo:

…ahhh one of my favorite orchids!
This bloom today and is smelling my whole yard with a strong pungent raspberry smell.
;=)

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Treasure trove of rare species (The Star Online)
WHEN Tai Teck Boon was a young boy growing up in Cameron Highlands, he witnessed constant deforestation for vegetable farms and other development projects. He saw huge ancient trees brought down together with many wild, epiphytic plants such as orchids.

Hopeful of discovering new orchids (The Star Online)
IN 2002, Dr Jaap Vermeulen purchased an orchid plant from a nursery in Cameron Highlands because he knew it could well be a species new to science. He later described the plant and named it Bulbophyllum ochthodes.

Napa Valley Orchid Society meets Friday (Napa Valley Register)
The regular meeting of the Napa Valley Orchid Society takes place next Friday (Feb. 23) at 7:30 p.m. at the Napa Senior Activity Center, 1500 Jefferson St., Napa.

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Orchid Cactus: What They Are and How to Make Them Grow

The orchid cactus is a beautiful and delicate plant sure to capture a special focal point in your home. The orchid cactus is a stunning plant that blooms in a variety of colors and unique petal shapes. Easy to maintain and collect, orchid cacti make a great addition to any plant collection. Read below for details on the nature of orchid cacti and how to best take care of this unique type of cactus.

What is the Orchid Cactus?

The orchid cactus is in fact not an orchid at all, but a specific genus or cactus: epiphyllum. Naturally, these beautiful plants live in South America, Central America and Mexico. Why is this plant referred to as an orchid cactus? The answer lies in the beautiful bloom that stems from the leaves of the plant. The leaves of an orchid cactus are flat and wavy. The stems and blooms that project from the plant are what give it the name orchid cactus.

How to Take Care of Your Orchid Cactus

An orchid cactus usually blooms between spring and summer and can be brought inside or kept outdoors depending on the climate. Light is very important in promoting blooms of your orchid cactus. Even though you may think a cactus would prefer hot sun, direct sunlight should actually be avoided. Sunlight should be filtered through blinds or a curtain.

Two other key issues in taking care of your orchid cactus include watering and fertilizing. Orchid cacti do not like to have their feet wet, so the plant should be planted in a way so water can drain. The soil should not be packed tightly, but rather a blend of organic material, inorganic material and sand should be used. When the top layer of soil grows dry, it is time to water again. In addition to watering, it is also important to fertilize your plant on a month to month basis.

How to Collect More Cacti

So how do you make more of your new favorite plant? The best way to grow multiples of orchid cacti is by taking cuts of the mature plant and planting them into moist soil. While orchid cacti also produce seedpods and can be propagated by using seed, the plants that grow from the seed are less likely to look like the parent plant than those that have been produced though cuttings.

Foliage and flowers (The Pantagraph)
Learning why moths fly at night was a painful lesson for a group of excited second-graders. All winter, they kept close watch on a paper-thin cocoon resting in a sunny window.

Lessons on orchids (The Cincinnati Enquirer)
Smith & Hawken and Cottage Living magazine to offer free seminars on the care and maintenance of winter orchids.