Sunday 18 May 2014

Orchids-variety-is-the-spice-of-life

Variety is truly the spice of life and this is clearly evident in the iridescent kaleidoscope of color and patterns, brought fourth by beautiful flowers, all around us... 

This truth is even more evident among the sheer multitude of Orchid varieties and species.  Take for example the Phalaenopsis Orchid, which has literally hundreds of different variations and sporting an almost endless splendour of colour and patterns.  Click this link for a FREE download that will significantly improve your orchid growing skills.

Phalaenopsis blooms

Features of Phalaenopsis Orchids include:
  1. Thick, waxy propeller-like leaves.
  2. Thick, silvery roots with trademark green tips.
  3. Wide variety of beautiful, assorted colours. 
Beautiful varieties are shared by vanda, cymbidium, dendrobium to name just a few..  Below are a few varieties of Vanda Orchids.


As you can see, Vanda Orchids are true air plants.  Their roots grow out of the pots and they survive well, watering by spray alone.  These hybrids sport beautiful flowers with stunning colours and petal patterns.  Click this link for a FREE download that will significantly improve your orchid growing skills.

    Features of Vanda Orchids include:
  1. Thick, waxy knife shaped leaves.
  2. Robust root systems, which grow out of their pots.
  3. Wide variety of beautiful, assorted colours.

As for variety, besides bearing different colours, petal shapes and designs vary too, as with this wild vanda variety below.

The beautiful lowers of this Rhynchostylus retusa orchid, are nothing short of breath-taking, the colour and shape of the petals virtually defy description.

Features of Cymbibium Orchids include:
  1. Long, strap-like waxy leaves.
  2. Robust root systems, which will grow out of their pots.
  3. Wide variety of beautiful, assorted colours.
  4.  Click this link for a FREE download that will significantly improve your orchid growing skills.


 These tiny orchids could easily be overlooked but are beautiful all the same.






Flower from a variety of Vanilla plant
Mature Vanilla Orchids grow seed pods which are plucked when ready and allowed to dry.  The dried vanilla beans are ground down into a powder; the essence of which is used widely in the food and beverage industry.  Vanilla is used in flavoring ice cream, cakes, pan-cakes and many liqueurs.

Vanilla planifolia orchid growing on a tree and dried vanilla beans
 Care and Maintenance:
  1. Water your Orchids by spraying the roots daily.
  2. Feed the plants weekly with a foliafeed like phostrogen, miracle gro, basically any good "plant food".
  3. In the tropics, Orchids grow best in the garden.  Keep them out of direct sunlight, preferably hanging under a leafy tree so that the plant receives alternating sun and shade, under a natural canopy.
  4. Keep the leaves free of dust and for that, I recommend any type of "leaf shine" or "white oil", which will make the leaves shine, keep them dust free longer and repel pests. 
  5.  Click here for a FREE download that will significantly improve your orchid growing skills.
Wild Orchids
Aerangis Brachycarpa
Aerangis Brachycarpa is an example of a wild orchid species.  Found in the tropics and thriving without water for months.  Quite different from the hybrid species, bearing small but pretty white flowers.

Here again is some information that will dramatically improve your orchid growing skills:  "Orchid Growing Secrets"
Lucky date..

This may seem pretty strange and admittedly, perhaps off-topic.. But, a true story all the same...  Someone who likes my blog, referring to a previous post, commented on how cute the tiny but stunning, Phalaenopsis Orchid looked sitting in a tea mug and went on to say that, they looked "good enough to eat" and so, I replied telling her that "well, the vanilla ice-cream that you love so much, gets it's flavor from the essence of dried Vanilla seed pods", to which she replied, "Oh.. ok, then it's an ice-cream date!!" - True story!!

Hint - Gentlemen, when you arrive at your date, be sure to be carrying a bunch or two of orchid flowers; you will definitely score a few points ;-)

 Click this link for a FREE download that will significantly improve your orchid growing skills.