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Cymbidium and Phalaenopsis Orchids tend to be top favorites of Orchid growers. The reason for the Phalaenopsis Orchid being in this group is that the perfect indoor Orchid is a Phalaenopsis. It is easy to grow, has long lasting flowers, and is compact. Meanwhile, the Cymbidium Orchid is larger, very showy, has long lasting flowers, and can be grown outdoors in many warmer climates.
Here is what I recommend for a new Orchid grower who is ready to start growing Cymbidiums or Phalaenopsis Orchids.
They say flowers mean something. You just do not give whatever flower you see at a flower shop, but you take time to choose and make the perfect selection not just for the occasion but for the recipient of the flowers. Knowing the meanings will amplify the significance of the rite of giving flowers.
There are many kinds of flowers, so many that it can be mind boggling which to choose.
Orchids are very popular. Orchids never fail to amuse a person, as many stare in awe at how exotic and beautiful they are. Orchids have become a popular choice to give for all occasions. Orchids undoubtedly have become the perfect gift.
Earlier said, flowers have meanings. Yes, it’s tempting to choose orchids over other plants. But, before deciding if this is the perfect flower, let’s check what orchids can mean.
Historically, orchids are related to the concepts of love, wealth, and beauty. Such meanings to the flower are easy to believe given the impression an orchid has to people.
Why love? Coming from Greek word “orchisâ€, which denotes “testicleâ€, orchid flower signifies ecstasy. It is given this name due to its tuberoids which seemingly play an image of the testicles. Orchids to the eyes of the ancient Greeks meant virility. Ancient Greeks even believed that orchids can determine the sex of their unborn child. How so? If the father eats Orchids with large tubers, the child will be probably a boy. Otherwise the child will be a girl. Illogical it may sound, but the Ancient Greeks believed it so.
The exoticness and rarity of orchids, on the other hand, led to Victorian England viewing orchids as a symbol of luxury. Although nowadays orchids can be grown almost in any part of the world, these flowers were known as tropical plants. Facilities to maintain or to grow orchids for Victorian England must have been costly. The fact that the flower is rare assumed its lavish place.
Some orchids, such as the Vanilla Orchid, are viewed as medicinal, symbolizing health. This belief led Aztecs to drink Vanilla Orchid blended with chocolate. They believed that taking in the Vanilla Orchid would provide them strength and power. Even the Chinese have this notion for the orchid to cure lung illnesses.
There are varying meanings attributed to Orchids. All the meanings are based from their physical appearance, translating into an intangible concept universal to everyone who ever gets a sight of this magnificent flower. Giving an orchid as a gift can provide a lasting impression to the recipient as, an impression perhaps greater than they would have expected.
Orchids are mostly found in tropical areas all over the world. They can be found in all continents except Antarctica where the climate is very cold. These flowers are most abundant in places like Southeast Asia, South America, and other places with warm climates. They grow in rainforest-type places.
Since there are many countries that are under this category, let us narrow down the top ten countries where orchids grow naturally:
Brazil’s climate ranges from hot and dry in the interior to the hot, humid tropical rainforests of the Amazon jungle. Because most of the country is located in the tropical zone, its climate has a little seasonal variation. However, its year-long climate varies from the Tropical North to the temperate zones. Brazil has five climactic regions: equatorial, tropical, semiarid, highland tropical, and subtropical. Coastal Brazil tends to be hot and sticky for most of the year but it can get cold in the south and in the mountains during the winter months. Rainy season occurs from January to April in the north, April to July in the northeast and November to March in the Rio and Sao Paulo area. This book covers orchids in Brazil and other areas.
The climate of Hawaii is warm whole year. Though common for a tropical area, its temperature and humidity tend to be lower than other tropical areas because of the constant trade winds. Its average temperature is 24 to 29°C. There is no considerable variation between summer and winter temperatures. In the months of December to February, heavy rainfall occurs in some mountainous areas. However, most regions only receive short showers, while others remain totally dry. This is an interesting book: Orchid Isles: The Story of Orchids in Hawaii.
Is a country with hot tropical weather with climatic variations happening from every region. The coolest months are from November to mid-March, while the hot days are from April to June. From mid-July to September is the time for the Monsoon rains. Winters in India are favorable with plenty of sunny days except for regions in the North and North East. Depending upon the region, the minimum and maximum temperatures can range from -5oC to 47oC. The 2007-2012 Outlook for Cut Orchids in India.
The country has four different climates. March and April brings the spring. It is not too hot and not much rain. The summer months between June and August obtain some rainfall. During this time, the temperature and humidity are high. Autumn is from September to October with endurable temperatures. Winter, during November to February is very, very cold.
The coast and lowlands are hot and humid all year. The highlands and the plateaus are mild and dry, but can become sub-zero between December and February. Rainfall is insufficient throughout most of the country. Minimum temperature is 6oC and Maximum goes up to 27oC during the hotter days. Read The Wild Orchids of Arizona and New Mexico.
Peru’s climate differs according to area. In the coastal regions, winter lasts from June to September. During this period, it is oftentimes sunny in the day and cold at night time in the mountain areas. intense rains in the mountains and jungles last from December to April.
The Philippines is a tropical country. Its climate is occasionally visited by constant sea breezes. There are three seasons: the rainy season which is from June to September, the cool and dry season occurring during the months of October to February, and the hot and mainly dry season during March to May. Typhoons occasionally occur from June to September. The country’s ideal climate is responsible for different flora to exist. The Read Orchids of the Philippines.
Thailand is a country with a tropical climate and a high temperature as well as humidity. It is subjugated by monsoons most times during the year. April and May experiences the hottest months of the year while the month of June is the beginning of the South West Monsoon that brings with it the rainy season, with alternating rains lasting until the end of October. The country experiences a pleasant climate starting from November to the end of February with low temperatures and a reduced humidity level. The minimum temperature is 29oC and maximum reaches 37oC during the hotter days of the year. Check out A Field Guide to the Wild Orchids of Thailand.
There are many more places where these beautiful flowers can be found, and the above-mentioned are just those that top the list. No need to worry for those who live outside the ones mentioned because as long as you are in a tropical area, your orchids are just hanging somewhere.
Though orchid growing is not as difficult as most people say, you still have to get in mind of the type or variety of orchid that you want to grow and cultivate. And, of course, this largely depends on the country or place where these orchids originate from. Now, if you have chosen the type of orchids you want to grow and take care of, then, select where to get these plants.
For a consumer, it is easy to buy an orchid. You can normally get them in garden shops and the like where there are a number of varieties or species of orchids to choose from. There are even those that were imported from other countries where the climate is gentle on orchids. But have you really thought of such things as: Where these orchids have come from? What sort of climate do these countries have? How difficult is it to import orchids?
Here are the top five countries where these orchids really originate from:
Orchids thrive in varied climatic conditions and each climatic zone has helped evolution of unique characteristics of this plant. Lets have a look at the climate profile of the top 10 counties where orchids are found.
Thailand has a tropical climate with a high temperature as well as humidity, and is dominated by monsoons during most times of the year. April and May are the hottest months of the year. The month of June is the beginning of the South West Monsoon that brings with it the rainy season, with intermittent rains lasting until the end of October. From November to the end of February the climate is pleasant with low temperatures and a reduction in the humidity level. The minimum temperature is 29oC and maximum reaches 37oC during the hotter days of the year.
India has hot tropical weather with climatic variations occurring from region to region. While the coolest months are from November to mid-March, the hot days are from April to June. From mid-July to September is the time for the Monsoon rains. Except for the North and North East regions, winters in India are pleasant with plenty of sunny days. Depending upon the region, the minimum and maximum temperatures can range from -5oC to 47oC in the entire country.
Hawaii : The climate of Hawaii is warm throughout the year, with an average temperature of 24 to 29°C, and no considerable difference between summer and winter temperatures. Heavy rainfall occurs in some mountainous areas during December to February, but most regions only receive short showers, while others remain totally dry.
Philippines : This land experiences a tropical climate tempered by constant sea breezes. There are three distinct seasons: the rainy season which is from June to September, the cool and dry season occurring during the months of October to February, and the hot and mainly dry season during March to May. Typhoons occasionally occur from June to September.
Mexico : The coast and lowlands are hot and humid all year. The interior highlands and the plateaus are milder and drier, but can become freezing between December and February. Rainfall is scanty throughout most of the country. Minimum temperature is 6oC and Maximum goes up to 27oC during the hotter days.
Peru : The climate of Peru varies according to area. In the coastal regions, winter lasts from June to September. During this period, the mountainous areas are often sunny during the day but cold at night. Heavy rains in the mountains and jungles last from December to April.
Brazil : The climate of Brazil varies from hot and dry in the interior to the hot, humid tropical rainforests of the Amazon jungle. Coastal Brazil tends to be hot and sticky for most of the year but it can get cold in the south and in the mountains during the winter months. Rainy season occurs from January to April in the north, April to July in the northeast and November to March in the Rio and Sao Paulo area.
Japan experiences four different climates. Spring occurs during March and April. It is not too hot and not much rain. The summer months between June and August receive some rainfall. During this period, the temperature and humidity are high. Autumn is from September to October with tolerable temperatures. Winter, during November to February is miserably cold.
Ecuador has warm and subtropical climate with the weather varying within the country due to the Andes mountain range and coastline. Andean regions are cooler and it is especially cold at nights in the mountains. Rainfall is high in coastal and jungle areas whereas in the Galapagos region the weather is dry and mild.
Indonesia experiences a tropical climate varying from area to area. The country is split into halves by the equator. The eastern monsoon brings the driest weather, which is from June to September, while the western monsoon brings the main rainfall during the months of December to March. Rainstorms occur throughout the year. The higher regions are comparatively cooler than the coasts and lowlands.
More often that not, when people think about Orchids, they usually think of different varieties of Orchids that are cultivated and grown in homes. What they do not know is that there are also many types of orchids that grow in the wild, particularly in tropical rainforests that are spread throughout the globe. Here are some of the tropical rainforests that play host to these wonderful plants and the types of Orchids that live there:
Now that you know more about tropical rainforests and how the ecosystem provides necessities to both plant life as well as animal life ( especially Orchids ) you can marvel at how these plants can survive in the wild.
The Orchids or orchidaceae family is the largest and most diverse of the flowering plant families, with over 800 described genus and 25,000 species. Some sources show that there are about 30,000 species in this family, but the exact number is unknown since classification differs greatly in the academic world. Each year 800 new species are added. They are found almost everywhere, but the majority of species are found in the tropics and subtropic regions ranging from sea level to almost 5000 meters in nearly all environments, except open water and deserts. More than half of the species are epiphytic Orchids with fleshy tubers and unusual flowers.
Interesting Facts: Orchids, through their interactions with pollinators and their symbiosis with orchid mycorrhizal fungi, are considered by some, along with the grasses, to be examples of the most advanced floral evolution known. All orchid species are protected for the purposes of international commerce as potentially threatened or endangered in their natural habitat, including Cypripediums, Mexipediums, Paphiopedilums, Phragmipediums, and Selenipedium species Orchids. Many other species are protected by both international and national legislation, and while hybrids are supposed to be specifically exempted, hybrid orchids are not allowed into the United States without a CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) permit. The reason is that the authorities cannot distinguish the difference between hybrids and species.
Plant Background: Orchids are one of the largest families of flowering plants, challenging other plant families such as the daisy and sunflower. Orchids are a family of monocotyledons. They have a single seedling leaf and their floral parts are in threes. Currently there are known to be 25,000 species of Orchids. Estimates based on the current rate at which new species are being discovered and described, suggest that the number may reach 30,000 in a few years from now. Orchids are a cosmopolitan family found all the way from within the Arctic Circle to Tierra del Fuego (an archipelago at the southern most tip of South America) and the islands south of Australia. The term Orchid is derived from the Greek word orchis, meaning “testicle” due to the appearance of subterranean tuberoids of the genus. The word orchis was first used by Theophrastos during the period 372-371 to 287-286 BC. Theophrastos was a student of Aristotle and is considered the father of botany and ecology.
Flowers: Orchidaceae are well known for many structural variations in their flowers. Some Orchids have single flowers, while others have a raceme with a large number of flowers. The flowering stem can be produced from the base of the tuber (example: cymbidium), from the apex of the main stem (example: cattleya) or from the leaf axil (example: vanda). Orchid flowers are typically zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical), while there are some notable exceptions such as Mormodes, Ludisias and Macodes. The Orchid flower, like most flowers has two whorls or coils of sterile elements. The outer whorl has three sepals and there are three petals in the inner whorl. The sepals are very similar to the petals but may be entirely distinct. The upper medial petal is usually modified and enlarged, called the labellum, or lip. In most orchids the inferior ovary is rotated 180 degrees so that the labellum goes on the lower part of the flower, thus becoming suitable to form a platform for pollinators.
Care: Orchids have widely varying habits and can easily accommodate to the type of environment in which they exist. They may be terrestrial, epiphytic or saprophytic. The secret of successful cultivation of Orchids is to provide them with conditions as identical as possible with the environment under which they were growing in the wild. Due to their peculiar nutritional habits, Orchids require special techniques of cultivation if they are to grow healthy and produce a good crop of flowers.
The following factors should be considered as essential care tips to produce healthy and beautiful orchidaceae:
The optimum in each of these factors varies from species to species and these factors are to be controlled. Orchids are generally grown in special orchid houses, which are of two types –
Varieties: Eight percent of all flowering plants are Orchids, making them the largest family of angiosperms. The classification of the family is still problematic because of its size. There are another 100,000+ hybrids and cultivars produced by horticulturists, created since the introduction of tropical species in the 19th century.
There are five recognized sub-families of Orchidaceae:
