The Orchid Species
The orchid is the largest species of flowering plant. There are over one hundred
thousand different hybrids, and over twenty-five thousand different original
species, however, the number has been estimated much higher. New species of
orchids are almost constantly being discovered. Almost eight hundred new species
are added to the family, or discovered each year, so the number just keeps
growing. There are several uses for the flowers, seeds, roots, fruits, of
orchids of various different species. Some of the more popular cultivated and
wide bred orchids are Cattleya, Oncidium, Paphiopedilum, Phalaenopsis,
Vandaceous, and whether or not many people know it, Vanilla is also an orchid.
The majority of orchids are tropical, or subtropical, and live by attaching
themselves in vines to trees, or shrubbery. Other orchids however, prefer rocky
soil and grow well in drier weather. Many orchids are also parasites, that feed
off the nutrients in other plants. Although the majority of orchids are
tropical, hybrids and even natural orchids are often discovered to be able to
flourish in colder climates. These orchids are widely available in the market
for those who would like to collect or grow orchids in cooler regions. Orchids
have literally existed for millions of years; fossilised orchids have been
discovered which leads many scientists to believe that orchid co-existed with
the dinosaurs.
The uses for vanilla are widely known. It is highly commercially important, used
popularly as a flavouring. But other orchids are used as well. For example,
perfumers often analyze the scents of some orchids with which to incorporate
them into the latest perfumes. The underground roots, or tubers of other species
of orchid are also ground into a powder and used for flavouring the beverage "salep"
or Turkish Delight, or making dondurma, which is Turkish ice cream. So many
orchids have been used for making the salep flour, that the region's wild orchid
population is declining; salep flour is illegal to ship.
Here are a fe photos of bouquets with orchids
The Vandaceous Orchid
There are around fifty different species of Vandaceous orchids, sometimes called
Spider Orchids, or Scorpion Orchids, and they also have a very powerful scent.
They are grown in many different regions, some tropical, some not. They grow
throughout Asia and further south to Australia, but can also be found growing in
the wild in other areas with high humidity and temperate climates, such as
Florida, or Hawaii. One interesting piece of Hawaiian culture revolving the
Vandaceous orchid, is the "keiki", which is the Hawaiian word for "baby".
Occasionally, occurring from a build up of growth hormones, and nutrients, an
entirely separate plant begins to grow, attached to the mother plant. Some
speculate that this baby plant is a clone, but either way, this is called a
keiki. They occur off the stems, like branches, or simply beside the mother
plant. They even make a paste, called "keiki paste" which can induce the growth
of keiki on the plant, or a flowering branch at the very least.
Growing Vandaceous Orchids
The Vandaceous Orchid, like many others, are growing more popular all the time
amongst outdoor gardens and as indoor gardening hobbies. The roots of the
Vandaceous orchids should be allowed to dry somewhat between watering, so indoor
Vandaceous orchid should be kept in pots with soil that supports drainage.
Ideally, soil should be composed of fast drying organic material, such as fir
bark, coconut strips, charcoal or tree fern fiber. Unlike other species of
orchids, the Vanda requires plenty of sunlight in order to flourish, however,
when grown in ideal settings, the Vanda orchid will continue growing well for
months as long as the environment is plenty warm and humid. Some species grow to
be very large specimens, almost twelve feet high at the maximum. Plenty of
bright light is recommended, as well as a growing area of a hanging basket.
