{ HOME }
MAGNIFICENT ORCHIDS
One of the most popular houseplants of all time
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Noushin Nourizadeh
Orchids By Bridget’s Blooms
10 Fun Orchid Facts
1. Orchids are the largest family of flowering plants. They have also been around the longest as they are one of the oldest flowers in existence.
2. There are more than 25,000 documented orchid species throughout the world. This means the number of orchids on the planet is four times the number of birds and four times the number of mammals!
3. The smallest orchid is the size of a dime. This amazing orchid is small enough to fit in a doll house!
4. The vanilla orchid (and its vanilla bean) is the only commercially grown orchid crop (Vanilla planifolia). These orchids are yummy enough to eat and cook with!
5. Orchids have the tiniest seeds in the world. This makes them a challenge to grow and cultivate. They take forever to sprout and actually turn into a plant! Growing orchids from seeds is only for the patient and very green-thumbed.
6. There can be up to three million seeds in a single orchid seedpod. You’ll never see them though, because they are the size of a speck of dust and are only visible under a microscope. They require contact with a particular fungus to germinate and grow.
7. It takes patience to grow an orchid. The plant’s first flowers won’t appear until at least five to seven years after germination. The houseplants you find in stores are often a decade old.
8. Some orchid flowers bloom for mere hours, while others last up to half a year. Phaleanopsis orchids are versatile enough to last in a cut flower arrangement longer than most.
9. Orchid flowers always grow upside down when mature. The orchid can have enough blooms to be heavy enough for it to hang down.
10. Orchid plants can live to be up to 100 years old.
Local Orchid Resources
San Diego County Orchid Society
The San Diego County Orchid Society has a three-fold aim: to promote interest in orchids and their cultivation; to educate by exchanging information and experiences related to successful orchid culture; and to support the conservation of orchids in the wild. Go to sdorchids.com to sign up for their monthly newsletter and to learn more about membership, meetings and shows!