The Rare and Beautiful Ghost Orchid

The Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii), also know as the Palm Polly or White Frog Orchid, is one of the rarest Orchids in the world. The Ghost Orchid was discovered by the Belgian plant collector Jean Jules Linden. Jean Jules Linden came across the Ghost Orchid while in Cuba in 1844 and it was not until much later that the Ghost Orchid was found growing in the Everglades at the south of the state of Florida in the United States.

An epiphyte the Ghost Orchid can be found most notably growing on the trunks of trees such as the pond apple and pop ash trees. Royal palm, live oak and cypress trees also support the Ghost Orchid thought this is less common.

Preferring moist and somewhat humid conditions the Ghost Orchid resides in swampy forests in the southwest of Florida and Cuba. The Ghost Orchid flowers from May through to September with June being the time when the blooms of this wonderful Orchid are at their peak.

One of the reasons that the Ghost Orchid is so rare, classed as an endangered species, is because it has proved very difficult in the past to cultivate the Orchid outside of its natural environment.

Made famous by Susan Orlean’s book “The Orchid Thief” and consequently by the film “Adaptation” the Ghost Orchid, now fully protected by state and federal laws in Florida, cannot be removed from the wild.

In Florida the Ghost Orchid grows predominantly in the Big Cypress Swamp as well as the adjacent areas of Corkscrew Swamp and Fakahatchee Strand.

Flowering on Spikes that grow from its root network the Ghost Orchid can produce up to ten fragrant blooms at a time. However it is extremely rare for a Ghost Orchid to have more than one flower in bloom at a time. Nicknamed the Superghost the Ghost Orchid at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is famous for having the greatest known amount of flowers in bloom at one time; twelve.

Because of low growing Ghost Orchids being poached if you would like to view Ghost Orchids in the wild then some kind of telephoto lens must be used. It seems that one of the most beautiful Orchids in the world is also a victim of its own fame and popularity.

Orchids as a Gift

Long lasting Orchids in beautiful shades of pink, yellow and cream when combined with a few fern leaves and placed in a clear vase make the perfect gift at work or home. The exotic Orchid is appealing to both men and women, which can only be a good thing as it becomes more and more common for men to receive flowers as well.

Pink Orchids are said to be a symbol of love and affection and are also associated with fourteenth wedding anniversaries. The Orchid is also the birth flower for people who have the zodiac sign of Aquarius, making an Orchid an ideal gift for anyone with a birthday between 20^th January and 18^th February.

Known for their elegance and beauty Orchids are many times used at weddings most notably as a focal point in a bride’s bouquet. So anytime you are running short of ideas as to what to give a couple for their anniversaries or any other special occasions a bride may have then think of Orchids as an option.

Cymbidium Orchids are perhaps the most appropriate to give as a gift. Cymbidium Orchids are the most common commercially available Orchids, as well as lasting for a very long time when used as a cut flower, Cymbidiums can also be purchased throughout the year. With a multitude of both vibrant and pastel colours it only takes a few extra leaves of green spiky foliage and you have a bouquet that will last longer than most other flowers when it reaches its destination.

Orchids delivered by post are fast becoming the most popular way to send flowers to someone quickly. Now that you can have a florist arrange and send the flowers for you it really is as simple as selecting the flowers of your choice.

Orchid Potting Material – Get the Right Mix

To grow an Orchid successfully takes a lot larger variety of materials than say a standard house plant. Instead of a soil Orchids must be potted in a mixture of materials that are aerating and also able to retain water. On top of this an Orchid grower must correctly calculate the ratio of aerating material to water retaining material for each different species of Orchid he or she wishes to grow.

Often excess moisture will form at the edges of pockets of air within the potting mixture that is being used; this can then in turn cause faster degradation of the compost that has been used to pot the Orchid. In turn this will lead to root rot and the Orchid being unable to absorb enough nutrients with its damaged root system will start to turn yellow on its leaves.

In the situation that the leaves of an Orchid do start to turn yellow many novice Orchid growers jump to the conclusion that the reason for the yellow leaves is a lack of water. To rectify the situation many beginners would decide to further water their Orchid, which will only result in yet more damage to the already damaged roots due to overwatering. As you can imagine this is not an ideal way to care for an Orchid and if continued with will undoubtedly lead to you owning a dead Orchid.

Orchids grow best in a mixture of both organic and inorganic materials. You can get these mixtures from almost all garden centre’s as well as nurseries.

You also have the opportunity to create your own potting mix to use when growing your Orchids. A mixture of your own making has gives you the chance to cater to the exact species of Orchid you are growing ultimately resulting in a healthier Orchid with more impressive blooms.

By combining a selection of the below mentioned inorganic and organic potting materials you are sure to give your Orchid an advantage when it comes to maximizing its blooms.

Organic Materials for Use in Your Orchids Potting Mix

• The fibers of tree ferns are in fact an ideal potting material. The reason for this is that they decompose very slowly and also offer good drainage for your Orchid, which as you know from above is crucial if you are to avoid root rot. The only real problem with tree fern fibers are that they are not very easy to obtain. If you can however locate some tree fern fibers for use in your potting mix then it is highly recommended that you do.
• One of the first materials that was used when specialty Orchid mixes came into existence is the coconut husk. This fiber is reasonably good at retaining water and affordable. When compared with fir bark however coconut husk does have a faster rate of decay.
• The thing you must know when using fir bark in your potting mixture is that at first it has trouble properly retaining the water. But taking this into account fir bark is a wonderful material to use and is also widely available.
• With better water retention than fir bark and a fairly slow rate of decay redwood bark makes an ideal material for use in your potting mixture.

Inorganic Material for Use in Your Orchids Potting Mix

• Heavy pumice rocks or lava rocks provide great drainage for your Orchid when used in your potting mix.
• Over used pearlite can cause nearly all excess water to be absorbed resulting in there not being enough water left to feed your Orchid. But when used in moderation pearlite has fantastic water retention capabilities and can go a along time before decay will force you to renew the potting mix.
• Vermiculite, a naturally occurring mineral, has extremely good water retention abilities, which means there will be better aeration throughout your potting mix. It cannot be stressed enough just how important it is to have a well aerated potting mix when you are trying to grow a healthy Orchid. If you can include vermiculite in your potting mix then your Orchid will be all the healthier for it.
• A material that decays slowly and is able to absorb toxins within the potting mix is charcoal and is a wonderful material to be used in your potting mix.

Many factors affect the growing of a healthy Orchid but the potting mix in which you grow your Orchid is arguably the most important. Without a satisfactory potting mix you will be limiting the potential of your Orchid to reach its full beauty. By creating your own potting mix you can cater to each and every Orchid you own and in this way always get the most out of which ever Orchid it is you wish to grow.

Image courtesy of Maggiejumps

How You Can Make a Humidity Tray for Your Orchids

There are several techniques you can use in order to increase the humidity in the air and give yourself a healthier Orchid. One such way is to spray water, preferable distilled water, onto your Orchid several times during the day. Another more expensive method is to use a machine called a humidifier, which will increase the humidity of the entire room in which it is place. A much better and also popular method is to use a humidity tray.

Simply put humidity trays are trays… of water. The water in the tray will evaporate throughout the day causing the air around your Orchid to be more humid than the surrounding environment, which of course is a good thing as your Orchid loves humid conditions.

When creating your own humidity tray the really art is making the tray look attractive so it doesn’t distract from your beautiful Orchid.

You can purchase humidity trays from most garden centre’s  but trust me it’s much more fun and creative, not to mention cheaper, to do it yourself. It is also very easy and for 10 to 15 minutes of effort will make a lifetime of difference to the health and therefore the enjoyment you will get from your Orchid.

So let’s get started, first off and I’m sure you saw this coming you will need a tray. But don’t get too tied up looking for an actual tray nearly anything will be appropriate that can hold water from containers and pots to the bottom of a plastic milk bottle. Also a lot of pots that you can buy from garden centre’s nowadays come with a saucer, which is ideal to use as a humidity tray. Even an old saucepan you don’t use anymore will make a chic looking humidity tray (maybe take the handle off if you can).

Now you have a tray to work with the next thing you will want to get your hands on is some stones or pebbles. These will add to the beauty of your brand new humidity tray so it is always nice to spend some time to find some stones you like the look of, most people like rounded stones but it’s your humidity tray so whatever takes your fancy. Good places to look for some well rounded stones as I’m sure you know are down the beach or alongside a river. However what most people don’t do is have a look in their back gardens, this is the simplest thing to do and I have a feeling that you might be surprised by what you can find.

Since you are now a renowned stone/pebble hunter it’s time to place you findings into your humidity tray. Make sure you try and squeeze in as many stones as you can and it’s important that the surface you are left with is relatively flat, as this is where your pot containing your Orchid will be sitting. If you did have trouble finding enough pebbles or stones gravel will also do the job.

For bonus points I like to wrap the pot either with wrapping paper form the last birthday present you beautifully wrapped or a nice piece of material usually found in the corner of some cupboard or wardrobe.

Now that you’ve got your humidity tray looking in tip top condition all that’s left to do is add the water. You will want to fill your humidity tray until the water is just below the level of the stones. Now position your Orchid pot carefully on top of the stones and you’ve just made your very first humidity tray.

Before you get too excited remember to keep your new humidity tray topped up regularly. Checking the level of water about once per week in the winter and closer to once per day in the summer will make sure that your humidity tray never dries out.

This is important, when you check the water levels of your humidity tray you should ensure that none of your Orchids roots actually make contact with the water. If you forget to do this and the roots of your Orchid do come in to contact with the water it can cause root rot, which if left long enough can be fatal to even the healthiest and hardiest of Orchids.

So now that we have taken care of the humidity surrounding your Orchid we can concentrate on other aspects of caring for Orchids. If your new to Orchid care have a look at this “Basics of Caring for Orchids” for more advice on the factors that affect the growing of a health Orchid.

Cymbidium Orchids

Thanks to their large flowers of around five or more inches and blooms, which can last from anywhere between five and seven weeks, Cymbidium Orchids (Boat Orchids) are very popular. Used in corsages in weddings and coming in a huge variety of vibrant colours including reds, purples, whites, yellows and a great deal more it’s not hard to see why.

Cymbidium Orchids have been around for a long time in fact the first mention of this beautiful Orchid was way back in 265 AD during the Chin Dynasty in China.

The Cymbidium Royale is able to stand very cold temperatures and even the occasional small amount of frost making them ideal for growing outside. Although if temperatures do drop to freezing it is best to bring them inside. With blooms slightly smaller than other Cymbidiums and being extremely hardy the Cymbidium Royale is a fine Orchid for any Orchid growers collection.

Growing mainly between March and September your Cymbidium will require a decent amount of water, which you can then reduce when your Orchid is not in its growth period. You should be using a fertilizer throughout the year for Cymbidiums and an additional supplemental fertilizer during these growing months.

Flowering from February until May Cymbidium Orchids do enjoy the cooler conditions. In the heat of the summer it can be a good idea to water them with ice cold water after sunset through the hottest months.

Do not be too eager to re-pot your Cymbidium as it is advantageous to leave your Orchid pot-bound. Wait until the psueodpods get pushed to the sides of your pot only then should you consider re-potting your Cymbidium.

Cymbidium Orchids will require a good amount of light to grow properly and as such shady corners or places that don’t get a lot of light should be avoided.

The great thing about Cymbidium Orchids is that although they do require a small amount of effort they are particularly hardy compared to other Orchids so you can’t really go wrong. Once you have put some effort in to caring for these wonderful and beautiful Orchids you will be rewarded with some of the largest, most vibrant and long lasting flowers found in the world of Orchids.

Image courtesy of wEnDaLicious

Caring For Orchids With The Correct Fertilizer

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2 Oncidium sphacelatum Species Orchid Plants Potted

• 2 large 4-inch tall seedlings not yet in bloom
• Each actively growing in 2.5-inch pots
• Fragrant
• Trade/Gift second plant

Product Description
Members of this orchid genus Oncidium are often referred to as Dancing Ladies because of the long sprays of flowers that resemble groups of ballet dancers. This is a surprising species that can be so full of flowers that… More >>

2 Oncidium sphacelatum Species Orchid Plants Potted

The Scotts Co. 100199 Miracle Gro Orchid Food

• 8oz orchid food
• Preferred formula by professional growers
• No blue dye to meet needs of Orchid enthusiasts
• Provides the perfect amount of nutrients for Orchids
• Analysis: 30-10-10

Product Description
Preferred formula by professional growers. No blue dye to meet needs of Orchid enthusiasts. Provides the perfect amount of nutrients for Orchids. Analysis: 30 10 10. 8 oz. box…. More >>

The Scotts Co. 100199 Miracle Gro Orchid Food