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Orchids move quickly into popularity

By Joel M Lerner

Medieval herbalists considered orchids to have aphrodisiac properties, a concept amusingly explored in the 2002 movie Adaptation, in which Meryl Streep, playing The Orchid Thief author Susan Orlean, sniffs orchid powder and falls in love with orchid collector John Laroche, played by Chris Cooper.

Orchids were so popular in 19th-century Europe that auctions created “orchidelirium’’ among collectors and prices soared in a way that resembled the “tulipmania’’ of 17th-century Holland. Charles Darwin was fascinated by orchids and studied them extensively.
The word “exotic’’ seems to have been invented to describe orchids, and the word “difficult’’ is almost always attached to any mention of them. Whether it’s because of their mystique or in spite of it, orchids are highly popular today — they are the second-most-popular potted flowering plant in the country, after poinsettias and before chrysanthemums, according to the Agriculture Department. From 2004 to 2005, orchid sales grew 5 per cent, to a wholesale value of $128 million annually.

There are several reasons for the increase, and not all of them exclusive to orchids. The Agriculture Department’s Economic Research Service says flowering potted plants and cut-flower bouquets are expanding markets that account for about $20bn in sales a year.

Mass marketing accounts for the expansion of floral selections from the traditional florist shops and nurseries to giant retailers such as Home Depot and Wal-Mart Stores. Former tobacco farmers in the Southeast are switching to floral crops; other farmers are switching from raising livestock and vegetables to flowers, which have a higher market value. In the case of orchids, sales are also growing for another reason: They’re losing their bad-boy reputation.

According to the American Orchid Society (www.orchidweb.org), orchids “are not the delicate plants that they were once perceived to be, but are hardy, easy-to-maintain plants that can bloom all year long.’’

And there are a lot of them. They are the largest family of flowering plants in the world, with more than 500 genera of orchids. Between the orchids that naturally occur and those in cultivation, the National Capital Orchid Society (www.ncos.us) estimates there are 28,000 species and 100,000 hybrids of this perennial. They grow from thimble-size to 20 feet tall.

Despite the enormous variety in appearance of their blooms, orchids are fairly simple flowers, with three sepals, which protect the blossom in the bud stage, and three petals. Usually one of the petals is enlarged, and forms the “lip,’’ often the showiest part of the flower. In orchids, the sepals, which usually stay green in other flowers, are also showy, with colors ranging from yellow and lilac to mixed colors. The lip is the lowest-most petal and forms a convenient spot for insects to alight on their way to the column, which encloses the reproductive organs and is where the pollen is. Orchids are typically pollinated by bees, wasps, butterflies and other insects; some are fertilized by snails, frogs or birds.

The introduction of tissue culture and other artificial means of manipulating plant propagation have allowed orchids to become an economically viable nursery crop.
Orchids generally fall into four categories. There are terrestrial orchids, which live with their roots in soil; climbing orchids, or epiphytes, generally the most popular, which have roots in the bark of trees; lithophytes, which grow on rocks or in other places with little soil; and saphrophytes, which have symbiotic relationships with fungi (not popular because they are almost impossible to cultivate).

Epiphytes are not considered parasites because they do not harm the trees — they’re just using them as perches. Terrestrial orchids grow in woodland settings and are hardy if properly mulched. But you can also grow some of the more tender epiphytes, such as phalaenopsis, or moth orchids, on decks and patios from April through November. In winter, bring them indoors to bright but not hot sunlight or artificial light. Put them on trays filled with pebbles and water.

Moisture seems to be the essential ingredient for most orchids, but too much moisture is deadly. Over-watering is probably the most common cause of orchid failure. You might call orchids the Goldilocks of flowers — what they like varies from variety to variety, but what they all want are conditions that are “just right.’’ They demand good drainage and a bit of food. The best idea is to use products designed especially for orchids, including pots, potting mix and fertiliser.

Orchids can be sensitive to environmental extremes, even gases given off by fruit, vegetables and dying flowers. So good air circulation is necessary. Keeping them away from produce and ornamental plants that are not thriving is a good practice.

For more information on orchid culture, see www.orchidweb.com/faqs.htm, a Web site maintained by a Minnesota orchid nursery. An excellent how-to reference is “Growing Orchids in Your Garden,’’ by Robert GM Friend (Timber Press, 2004).

Here are some popular orchids:

• Chadds Ford ladies tresses (Spiranthes odorata), a woodland terrestrial native to North America, has spires of white, highly fragrant flowers in summer. Plant in groupings for a visual and olfactory treat.

• Cattleya blooms red, white, pink, yellow and purple. Light is the most important factor for flowers. Allow these epiphytes to get bright sunlight, ensuring that they do not get direct sun in the middle of the day.

• Chinese ground orchid (Bletilla striata) is an easy-to-grow terrestrial orchid, fully hardy to this region. It grows two feet tall, with lavender or white flowers. Mostly sun with afternoon shade is best.

• Cymbidium orchids are easy to care for. Varieties grow from 18 inches to four feet tall. Give bright indoor light, day temperatures of 65 to 85 degrees, nights of 45 to 60 degrees. Place outside in summer. Cool fall temperatures will bring them into bloom.

• Dendrobium has large sprays of flowers in a wide range of colors and more than 60 species. Although this genus is primarily epiphytic, a few types grow admirably in well-drained garden beds.

•Downy rattlesnake plantain (Goodyera pubescens), grows in shade and rich, well-drained soil and is valued for its slender, silvery-veined foliage. It’s considered one of the easiest orchids you can grow.

• Lady’s slipper (Cypripedium species) is an exceptionally hardy orchid. This plant is native to North America, Mexico, Europe and temperate Asia. It grows in woodlands. The domestic varieties are endangered and should not be taken from the wild.

• Miltoniopsis, also called the pansy orchid, is a Brazilian epiphyte noted for its “mask’’ or “waterfall’’ markings on red, yellow, or purple flowers.

• Oncidium, another epiphyte, is also called the Golden Shower orchid for its sprays of yellow blooms with brown spots.

• Paphiopedilum, a semi-terrestrial, grows in humus and other material on the forest floor, on cliffs in pockets of humus and occasionally in trees. This slipper orchid’s flowers can be striped or spotted and sometimes hairy.

• Phalaenopsis, or moth orchids, are among the most popular houseplants in the world and available in colours from hot pink to yellow. Orchid growers recommend that species from this genus receive the same light and temperature as African violets.

 

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