AboutOrchids

The Pacific Orchid Expo is coming! San Francisco’s big event begins with a special opening gala on Thursday, February 26th. The show and sale run from Friday, February 27th to Sunday, March 1st. In Golden Gate Park, the County Fair Building at 9th Avenue and Lincoln Way will be packed with incredible blooms, vendors, and orchid lovers with mouths agape. Check out these spectacular sights from last year as a preview of what to expect. Discounted tickets are on sale now.

Given the right growing conditions, some orchids can flower for a really long time. I have bragging rights for a few reliable and consistent plants in my collection. Pictured in the first row of photos above, my grand champion is the red Epidendrum which has bloomed continuously for 23 years. Living outdoors, it endures strong winds, chilly weather, heat waves, hail, and pests, but never stops flowering. The plant constantly produces new blossoms as old ones drop.

My second-place super-bloomer is Scaphoseaplum verrucosum, which also grows outdoors. Its tiny yellow flowers belie its toughness. This mini pleurothallid lives in a sheltered spot under a Camellia tree, but still must endure the elements. It flowers for years at a time, only rarely taking a break. Its last pause was a dozen years ago.

The remaining long-term bloomers in this post are indoor plants. Moth Orchids are well known for their extended bloom periods, and mine routinely flower for two years or more. Whenever they stop, I take advantage of their brief breaks to repot them.

Little Lepanthes regularis may look too delicate to be a super-bloomer, but mine has been going for almost two years. It’s another pleurothallid with staying power.

My incredible Spider Orchid, a fragrant Brassia hybrid, blooms twice a year, usually for two months each time. With enormous blossoms that can stretch over 14 inches (35.6 cm) tall, they’re certainly the biggest orchid flowers I have.

Paphs, or Lady Slipper orchids, are also known for long-lasting flowers. Many varieties can bloom for two months. My plant, shown in the final picture above, is an unnamed hybrid which came from a grocery store. Last year, it remained in bloom for four months, an extra long display.

Understanding care needs is essential to parent a super-bloomer. I give my orchids as much light as they can tolerate. Good watering, fertilizing, and humidity are required. I think it helps that our climate on the Northern California coast is mild. Temperatures are almost always between 40°F – 80°F (4.4°C – 26.7°C,) and extreme temps are rare, although hot weather is definitely becoming more common. I don’t know how much longer we’ll be able to enjoy a moderate environment. But until then, I’m going to try to keep these orchids blooming.

The world’s biggest orchid show happens this month in Tokyo, with major events in Taiwan and San Francisco, too. Numerous botanical gardens offer extended exhibits, including New York City, Atlanta, and Kew in London. Many of these events make great Valentine’s Day activities.

Read the rest of this post »

Do you want to take an orchid vacation and support orchid conservation at the same time? The Orchid Conservation Alliance (OCA) has 2026 trips scheduled to Greece, Italy, China, Colombia, and Nepal. All feature small tour groups, led by orchid experts. New tours may be added if demand is high enough. In addition, the OCA offers Bespoke Orchid Tours, and can design custom trips. You can also support the OCA’s important work in other ways, like becoming a member, making a donation, or shopping at their online store. The OCA is a non-profit organization.

Here are additional photos from last fall’s Peninsula Orchid Society Show in San Mateo, which was packed with spectacular blooms, much more than I could put into my previous post. In the first row above, there are three Moth Orchids, very different from the types found in grocery stores. They feature one of my favorite Phal species, Phalaenopsis hieroglyphica, whose variable spot patterns inspire thoughts of Ancient Egyptian writing.

There are also great Dendrobium species, Cattleya hybrids, and other uncommon orchids pictured here. They include an incredible range of colors, sizes, shapes, and fragrances. It’s a small sample of the dazzling diversity of the orchid world.

Orchids are ringing in the new year on six continents. To offset the winter cold, botanical gardens in Denver, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and St. Louis offer extended exhibits in warm glasshouses. Large events or small, they’re all worth a visit.

Read the rest of this post »

Don’t miss the stunning Lightscape show shining in the San Francisco Botanical Garden within Golden Gate Park. Nightly light displays are adding beauty to the garden. Even without orchids, it’s a spectacular botanical exhibit. I’ve been to the garden many times over the decades, but never at nighttime. It’s a very different experience. The lights constantly change colors along a mile-long (1.6 km) trail. There are luminescent dragonflies and giant glowing peonies. Highlights include a large tree with rainbow lights extended down its roots, and a balloon replica of the moon suspended between trees, against a background of twinkling lights and color spotlights. There are several food and beverage vendors among the displays. The show has been a big hit, and extra dates have been added. It’s great for the holiday season, and a perfect way to celebrate today’s solstice. Buy your tickets online in advance. Lightscape runs through January 4th.

The Orchid Pod Podcast features monthly episodes with interviews, care info, show reviews, and trends. Orchid experts Caleb and James are based on the Big Island of Hawaii, and are “just geeking out about orchids.” Recent topics include the 8th Andean Orchid Conference, Rupicolous Laelias, and answering listeners’ questions in Mailbag – Phrags and Terraria. Listen to their orchid chats and musings at your convenience.

December may be the slowest month for orchid events, but there are still big shows in Sydney and Madrid. Many orchid societies have holiday parties and auctions which are not listed here, so check with your local group for more.

Pleurothallis orchids don’t have the largest or most colorful flowers, but they can be fascinating. These two species exemplify their charms. In the photos above, the first is Pleurothallis viduata, a miniature from Ecuador.  I bought it at Orchids in the Park this past July. Its white and purple flowers bob in the breeze on thin, wiry stems, resembling little white birds in flight. So far, it’s stayed in bloom for over two months.

The photos below show the Clam Shell Orchid, Pleurothallis palliolata, native to Costa Rica and Panama. I’ve had it for ages, and it’s a very reliable bloomer. The unusual blossoms emerge from the tops of the leaves, and look like clams sticking out their tongues.

Both of these pleurothallids are cool growers from mountain cloud forests. They seem to be less demanding than other finicky species, at least when living outdoors on the foggy northern California coast. They need regular water and high humidity. I repot every few years using small bark and perlite. Despite their size, these mini orchids leave a big impression.