Growing Orchid

Even the orchid itself seems to promote its own even without the help of science. Considered to have the most remarkable ability of evolution among flowering plants, its aggressive symbiotic strategies along with its active interaction with nature’s pollinators introduce new species every year.

In structure, the orchid is a monocotyledon which means that they have a single embryonic leaf in comparison with most flowering plants which have two. The said plant is also considered a perennial herb because it doesn’t have any woody parts. It can be grouped according to how it gets nutrients which also determines its geographic locations. With the exception of very cold regions and deserts, the orchid grows in every possible habitat. Its favorite is the tropics.

A Distinguished Orchid History

It was Theophrastos, the father of the studies of Botany and Ecology who first used the word orchid (from the Greek orchis). But the plant’s origins go back further to the Late Cretaceous period, about 80 million years ago. An Amber resin with fossilized insect remains show evidence that insects of that period were already pollinating the orchid.

Knowing where your orchid comes from can be useful in knowing how to take care of it.
If it flourishes being anchored on a tree, it’s a perennial epiphyte. Those who can grow on rock surfaces and don’t need much care are much likely to be hardy lithophytes. If you can grow your orchid in loose soil, it’s a terrestrial plant. Another kind which lacks chlorophyll and depends on decaying plant matter is myco-heterotrophs.

Travelers to the tropics who are fond of hiking on nature trails will find it pleasurable to come upon the sight of beautiful orchids. But think twice before you attempt to take it home. This species are classified as protected in their natural habitat and taking them out of that habitat might be considered illegal and a punishable offense.

The Windowsill

The very first thing you need to do when learning how to grow orchids is to buy a good book on orchids. This book will come in very handy during your orchid growing project. If you have a window in your home with a southern exposure you will learn how to grow varieties of orchids right on the windowsill. Even if your windows are partially obscured by buildings or trees you should still be able to grow your orchids. All that you need to begin your orchid growing is a windowsill and a humidity tray on which to place your potted plants. A nearby misting bottle is good to have on hand to mist your plants occasionally.

Light Conditions

Starting with two or three orchids is a suitable amount to start your project. There is no need to crowd your windowsill and two or three plants are an easy number of plants to handle. If you have sun loving orchids (check your handy orchid book) grow them several inches from the window pane. Shade loving orchids (again check your orchid book) can be grown in the shadow of these plants. Knowing how to grow orchids in different light conditions can make the difference between beautiful orchids and dead orchids. Direct sunlight on orchid plants can burn leaves especially during hot summer months.

A sheer curtain may be needed to protect your orchids from any excessive light and heat. Good air circulation is also important and a light fan that is directed just above the leaves will keep your plants cool. If little pests become a problem on your plants, gently wash or scrape them off of your plant. Using isopropyl alcohol to spot treat your plants is a handy way to keep your orchids pest free. Isopropyl alcohol is easily accessible as it is found in most bathroom medicine chests.

The Business of Orchid Growing

The first step in growing orchids is to decide which orchids one is going to grow and to what degree of sophistication you are going to operate.  You will need to decide whether your focus is on mass producing market favorites or growing that one orchid that will forever have you named in the books.  

When you have decided as to the level you want your business to start with, you should consider the budgeting issues.  Starting an orchid growing business may take a substantial amount of money, and you should probably plan for minimum income for the first year or so.  That means that your orchid growing business should plan to see some operating returns in the second year of operation. Then you should decide how you are going to finance the dream.  Once you have made that decision and been successful in the acquisition of the needed capital, the next step is to implement your dream.  

Implementing the Dream

For orchid growing this may be easier said than done, particularly if your only land options require the use of uncultivated land. You will need to determine whether the native soils are of any use, and if not, to decide how you are going to provide the ecosystem that your orchids will need.  Hopefully these were considerations in your financing proposals, otherwise you orchid growing business may be dead before ever getting off the ground.

Unlike other monocotyledons, it doesn’t have stems and its leaves look more like scales than leaves. A ghost orchid is almost all roots which are flat and create this wild tangle on tree trunks where they get moisture. Its outer layer called the velamen is what it uses to absorb nutrients.

The ghost orchid flowers between the months of June and August are white and are held upwards from spikes emanating from the roots to give it the illusion of floating like a white apparition, hence its name.

Why the Ghost Orchid is Valuable

Unlike its more gorgeous sisters who bank on their beauty to be commercially saleable, the ghost orchid relies on its extreme rarity for its intrinsic value. This rarity has classified it as being endangered. In fact, taking one of the Florida Everglades is punishable under state and federal laws. Adding to this rarity is the fact that the ghost orchid is notoriously difficult to breed in an environment outside its own natural habitat. Breeders who must attempt to cultivate the said orchid must replicate the orchid’s growing conditions as close as possible.

In its natural habitat, pollination of the ghost orchid is equally daunting and unique. Only one insect, the giant sphinx moth is up to this task as it is the only one with a proboscis long enough to reach into the flower.

Even its mycorrhizal symbiosis is unique. If conditions are not right such as when the fungus that symbiosis interacts with is not present, the ghost orchid could actually die, effectively reducing its numbers.

Moreover, setting a price for a ghost orchid (if it is ever put on sale under legal circumstances) is quite prohibitive. Yet there’s no need to buy the flower in order to appreciate it. Recent sightings of specimen in many areas of Florida’s Everglades mean that there’s more than a ghost of a chance to actually see a ghost orchid.

However, any thorough discussion of caring for an orchid should look at it from a number of perspectives.  From the origins of the plant, to its most likely death as a cut flower, there are many aspects to caring for an orchid.  One should even recall that some of the most beautiful plants can still be found in the wild.

The Wild Orchids

This is the simplest story to tell.  Caring for an orchid that is growing in the wild means do not pick it and if at all possible do not damage the ecological environment of the plant at all.  You must be aware that in order to survive, wild orchids need their moths, bees and wasps and their soils to stay the way they are and only mutate as nature intends.  Therefore, the art of caring for an orchid that is wild means, pictures only.

Captured and Cultivated Plants

Caring for those plants that have already been captured means making sure that they are watered appropriately and that the ambient temperature closely resembles that of their native environment.  If they are a cultivated plant they may not actually need as much caring for as they may have already adapted to their environment.  However, they are still plants and caring for an orchid still requires protecting it from the harsh edges of temperatures and winds.  

Although orchids grow almost everywhere, they are known for seeking shelter and often are found in wooded areas throughout the world.  It is these environments that are often simulated in orchid greenhouses that are found throughout the world.  In fact, in the deep south of the United States, there is even a secret orchid greenhouse that exists.   

Cut Plants