When people hear about orchids, they think of beautiful, delicate and fragrant flowers. No one ever thinks of the word "danger" when talking about orchids. But did you know that orchids can also be dangerous in some ways?Have you heard of orchid hunters? If not, then let me tell you who they are and what they do. Orchids are one of the few plants in the world that people become addicted to. When growers start collecting them, it's very difficult...more
It may be far from being Halloween, but allow me to share with you this story about this particular mysterious ghost orchid I found while reading an article. So I got curious and did some research. And who would have known it? There are actually not one but two species which share the name "ghost orchid".Both of these orchids have unique characteristics that make them ghostly to begin with. But more importantly these orchids are one of the rarest...more
You may not realize it, but many pollinating insects are not doing well. There may, someday, not be enough of these helpful creatures like bees. This could be a devastating blow to humanity, as more than half of the world's crops are pollinated by insects. It is important for everyone to do their part to stop this problem before it affects the planet. One good way is to plant crops and flowers that attract these insects. This will give them a safe home and a chance to reproduce.What You Can DoOne of the most important things is to avoid the use of harmful chemicals. You may need to exchange spots and little holes for a safer environment. The chemicals that are used to kill pests do not discriminate on which type of insect they kill. You can use natural pest control in your garden as a substitute. If something is attacking your crops, it has a natural enemy. Figure out what that enemy is and allow it to go to work for you.Plants MatterYou should use as many local plants as you can. This means plants that are native to your part of the country. Pollinating insects will be attracted to the plants that they know. Plant for all of the seasons and it will help the pollinating insects. If...more
When orchids first came out, they were considered to be plants for the rich and affluent only. They were seen in gardens of the famous and were a symbol of class and of high status. Nowadays anyone can access these plants. Orchids have been one of the most inexpensive plants in the world. With over 32,000 known species, there is certainly one that...more
Cattleya Orchid is one of the specially and durable kind of flowers that requires good cares to grow. These flowers are highly used in floral designs, wedding, ceremonies etc. The reason behind its popularity lies in its colors and attractive looks. Though every flower has its own significance, color, beauty and aroma etc but Cattleya Orchid is...more
In the tradition of the ever popular vampire movies and TV shows, I would like to tell you that we in the orchid world have our own set of vampires - a species known as the "Draculas". Well, I may be misleading you a bit. The word dracula, although it shares a name with a very famous vampire, really means "little dragon". Nevertheless, isn't it quite intriguing that an orchid species has this weird name?If you look deeper into their characteristics, you will really be amazed how this orchid species resembles some of the characteristics of the vampires that are described in books, TV shows and movies nowadays.First of all, this orchid genus has a total of 118 species all in all. They are mostly epiphytes and terrestrials living wildly in Central America and the northwest Andes. These orchids share a trait of the vampires when it comes to the place they love to thrive. They prefer places where the sun doesn't shine on them, especially the shadows. If that is not weird enough, they prefer very cold temperatures.These orchids aren't only weird in the places where they love to grow. Some of the weirdest looking orchids are also in this genus. They were basically called Dracula orchids...more
Orchids come various sizes and shapes. But it is once in a while that we see the tiniest and largest of all. There is an orchid which can top all other orchids in the world. Its size is considered the "Goliath" of all orchids. And of course, this...more
Orchids in the wild are very different from orchids found in greenhouses and in gardens. These orchid types are very much dependent of the natural providence they find around them. Some of them cannot live in the confines of our houses. That is why...more
When taking care of plants, like most orchid growers would know, at some point you will encounter insect pests. It's part of growing plants. So like any other plants, orchids are also vulnerable to insect pests that give your plants unpleasant spots...more
Sometimes we can be so obssessed with something that we have a hard time taking a step back from it, and the only way we realize this is when someone calls us on it. This certainly applies when it comes to orchid addiction.When orchid growers talk...more
Flowers are the most famous herbs in the world. Every occasion from birth to death is incomplete without the flowers. Flowers are beautiful, smell good, spread a good aroma and always considered as auspiciousness across the many countries in the...more
With the advances in technology and lighting today, it's much easier to grow cymbidium orchids than it used to be. This is because cymbidium orchids need a good amount of sunlight and the proper temperature. They can receive a good amount of lighting...more