Growing and Caring for Orchids

Posts Tagged ‘caring for orchids’

A lonely flower finds a friend

Winner:

Can you guess my name or make me out from among the others? I am a
flower. A pretty rose which attracts everyone towards me.

As I am a flower, I live in a small garden in front of a large
palace. Before I came here, I was in a shop with my mum and dad. But,
unfortunately, I was removed from my birthplace and away from my parents
too, just a few minutes after my birth. When I was transferred from one
place to another, I felt so tired and sad too as I was alone and
helpless.

However, after a few days, some more flowers were brought into the
garden by the owner to make me happy and also to beautify his garden.
With the arrival of the other flowers, I felt so happy because I could
now find a friend or two to share my feelings, views and even knowledge.
But things did not work out as I expected. These new flowers did not
like to talk with me as they were multi-coloured and I was just one
plain colour. I was disheartened and cried a lot. I wondered about my
destiny. But I didn’t get fed up with life and controlled myself.

However, my creator showed me his kindness by letting a beautiful
rabbit to be my friend. I was very happy when the rabbit showed keenness
to be with me and talk to me without any differences. Oh!, You may
wonder how a flower can become a friend of an animal. Well, that is what
is called love, affection and kindness.

Now, I have a pretty friend to keep me company and share my worries.
If we have any problems we console each other.

Early in the morning, when I open my petals, my friend rabbit is the
first person I see. It talks with me until afternoon. When my owner
comes to the garden to water us he laughs at us but he admires our
strong friendship. Now I’m very happy with my best friend. But if we
should be separated one day, I always pray to god to give my friend the
rabbit a better friend than me. I know I am not going to last for long.
Perhaps, my friend also asks for the same thing, because otherwise he’ll
be lonely.

I live with my friend happily and joyfully. If you want to see me,
come to our beautiful garden. Then you can see a lovely flower and a
pretty rabbit living happily in a beautiful garden. You too can form a
beautiful friendship with another child or even an animal.

A. Fathima Shameela,

Grade 10 – E,

Al Azhar Central College,

Thihariya.

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Devinuwara Perahera

Winner:

The Devinuwara Perahera is held in honour of God Vishnu who is
believed to be residing at Devinuwara. The Perahera has been held over
453 times as it was started at the time of King Parakramabahu IV.

I had the privilege of seeing all seven processions, including the
main perahera. The main procession was a spectacular event that I
watched very closely for over two and a half hours.

All roads were decorated colourfully with lights and flags. From time
to time, we saw fireworks in the sky during the procession. Boys and
girls in fancy dresses were dancing to the beat of drums.

Kaawadi was my favourite dance and I saw a small girl aged around
three years dancing in the Kaawadi troupe. The Kaawadi dancing was
colourful, and the music was live and energetic. I too danced to these
tunes while watching Kaawadi.

Beautifully dressed (caparisoned) elephants moved as if they were
dancing to the beat of the drums. The Nilame walking in the procession,
resembled an ancient king.

After the main procession the fair and carnival started. It lasted
seven days. I enjoyed buying toys and sweets at the fair.

On the final night, devotees of the god walked on fire. The next
morning, sweet rice porridge was distributed among people to mark the
end of the two week long festival.

I was very happy and busy during the whole perahera season.

Namamee Swaba Peiris,

Grade 3-B,

Buddhist College,

Matara.

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My flower garden

My hobby is gardening. I spend most of my leisure time gardening. I
have a flower garden in front of my house, and I have raised a rare and
exotic collection of flowering plants. Some of them are orchids.com">orchids , roses
and gardenias. I water the plants once in two days, at least.

I love my flower garden very much.

Vasunthra Puvithar,

Grade – 2K,

BT/Paddiruppu M.M.V.

 

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Water-a
valuable gift

Winner:

Can we survive without water? Oh! No. Nobody living on the Earth can
live without having even a drop of water for a day. Hence, water has
become one of the basic necessities of all living beings; not only
humans and animals, but also plants need water to survive. Can you
imagine how much of water is consumed daily by all organisms?

Two
third of the Earth’s surface is covered by this precious resource,
water. But unfortunately, we are able to utilise only a very little
amount of this water. But selfish humans are guilty of taking unlimited
benefits from this limited natural resource.

We obtain water from so many sources such as rivers, streams, lakes,
springs, ponds, wells and waterfalls to drink and also to do our
day-to-day activities such as cooking, cleaning, washing and bathing.
Water is also utilised as a major source to generate electricity. It is
also used as a cooling agent for vehicles. When we feel hot during the
day time, we need water to wash and refresh ourselves.

Despite its importance, humans who are selfish pollute water by
throwing litter and also releasing industrial waste into waterways.
Sometimes poisonous chemicals are released into water, destroying
innocent creatures living in the waterways.

The oceans too are polluted. Fuel is released into the ocean from
large ships, especially when there are accidents. These oil spills harm
marine life.

Because of man’s careless behaviour, this valuable resource will
become scarce in the near future.Many people misuse water resources not
only by polluting, but also by wasting it. Some people are not concerned
about others and use more water than they actually need to carry out
their daily chores. They leave taps running or do not repair leaking
pipes and taps.

Water is a very necessary resource to all of us. So, we must conserve
this valuable gift presented to us by our lovely Mother Nature. The only
thing we can do to express our gratitude to Mother Nature for all it
provides us is to protect it with love while utilising its resources,
thriftily.

Ashani Erandika Jayasundara,

Grade 10 – E (English Medium),

Royal National College, Moneragala.

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My trip to Hambantota harbour

Winner:

On Sunday night my mother, my two little sisters and I were watching
T.V. when father said, “Tomorrow we are going to see the harbour, at
Hambantota. We were surprised but father asked us to get ready for the
trip.

The next day, we got up very early and left home in a cab. Since we
forgot to take a map, we stopped on the way and bought a route map of
Sri Lanka. Then my mother showed us the route that we were taking. It
was by the seaside. Oh, it was a real delight! We switched off the AC in
the cab and opened the shutters to enjoy the sea breeze.

After a seven hour journey, we arrived at Hambantota. It was about
two o’clock in the afternoon. As we had already had lunch at Tangalle,
we went straight to see the Hambantota harbour, expecting the place to
be crowded! Unlike on Sunday, the crowd on Monday was not much. We were
very happy as we could see the basin of the harbour clearly.

The Hambantota harbour is a marvellous creation in Asia. It will be
the largest inland harbour in Asia. As the future generation, we should
thank the government for giving us such a great creation.

Our trip was over soon. My sisters and I were very sad and I think my
father sensed it. He decided to take us to see the Hummanaya. It is the
only blowhole in Sri Lanka. It was a gorgeous gift from Mother Nature.

The sea waves come through the two rocks and gush out from the hole
at high speed. Sometimes it goes up to about twenty-five meters in
height. It happens continuously and I was amazed.

After seeing the Hummanaya we headed back home. It was a nice trip
which will remain in my mind forever. I realised the need to protect
these wonderful gifts after this trip. If I start doing so, others too
will follow. Then they will also protect these gifts of nature for the
future generation.

Uvini Edirisinghe

Grade 8 A,

Devi Balika Vidyalaya

Colombo 8.

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1000 cities – 1000 lives!

Winner:

Good health is defined by different people in different ways. Some
think that good health is only physical fitness. They believe that if
people are physically fit, look good and are not over weight, they are
healthy.

Others think good health means not having any illnesses.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has a definition of health that
takes into account complete physical, mental and social health, not just
the absence of disease or sickness. Physical health mostly refers to the
condition of your body and how well your body is functioning.

Mental and social well-being is based on your self and how you get
along with the rest of the community. However, the basic requirements
for good health are the same all over the world. These requirements are
suitable shelter, diet, companionship, financial security and a healthy
environment.

Healthy choices can be easy choices. Because, when we choose anything
that promotes better health, it will be an easy choice, and it will also
be easy to find. That is why everyone says, “Better eating for better
health”.

This year the World Health Organisation (WHO) adopted the theme “1000
cities – 1000 lives”. So from this theme we can come to a conclusion
that at least 1000 cities and 1000 lives should be healthy, to build a
brighter future.

Katheejathul Kubra Rafaideen,

Good Shepherd Convent, Kandy.

Article source: http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2010/09/05/jun03.asp

Sows squeal in the pig pens at the Royal Adelaide Show as Cheryl Wandel primes her animals for judging.

This year Ms Wandel has entered her under-10 sows. She’s been coming to the show since she helped her dad as a kid. In 1963 he started their large white piggery, Malley Grove Pig Stud in Blyth, which she now runs. He first exhibited at the show three years later.

“It was 100 years of pure-bred pig breeding exhibits last year, but pigs were out with swine flu,” Ms Wandel said.

Things are looking a lot healthier this year and Ms Wandel is also positive about the state’s rural outlook.

The show is a key indicator of the health of the rural economy, which is vital to SA.

Exports to other states and overseas from outside metropolitan Adelaide are worth many times the value of exports from the city.

“Prices for barley and wheat are good,” Ms Wandel said. “Prices have risen in the last month, which has helped a lot of people as long as we get more rain. But pig prices could be better.”

The show, which takes more than a year’s planning, is an important economic stimulator for the state.

Younger patrons are more attracted by flashing lights and show rides and this year, the ghost train is moving beyond classic scare tactics and going 3D. “Three-D is everywhere,” says sixth-generation showie Lew Osborn. “It’s adding another dimension to the traditional scare.”

Walk past the strong-arm game, and you’ll hear its owners give tips on how to win their giant gorillas. Music plays over the loudspeaker in the Goyder Pavilion. The Jenny Gillies Blooming Marvellous show is practising for its showcase performance – a fantasy of wearable flowers. Mannequins in Gillies designs of lemons and strawberries watch over the pavilion.

Les Nesbitt is more concerned with the live orchids.com">orchids blooming in front of him. He’s been an orchid judge for more than 30 years and started Nesbitt’s orchids.com">orchids in 1968. Breathing in the sweet aroma hanging in the air, he confesses he didn’t choose them.

“They chose me,” he said with a laugh. “They’ve got that scent, that aroma that just draws you in.”

The scent of orchids.com">orchids mixes with waft of Dagwood dogs and fairy floss, as clowns compete with dancers dressed in fruit. The show looks like beating its average of more than 500,000 patrons.

And Ms Wandel hopes those thousands will see her sows with a blue ribbon.

Article source: http://www.independentweekly.com.au/news/local/news/general/showtime-folks/1931758.aspx?src=rss

BINGO,12:30-2:30 p.m., Lucky Queen’s Bingo Hall, 298 6 Ave., Greeley. Fundraiser for L.A.A.M. group for helping families and seniors in need. Details: (970) 352-4644.

VALLEY FFA AG NIGHT, 5-7 p.m., Valley High School Agriculture Department Shop, Gilcrest. Pit BBQ, corn, watermelon, potatoes and beans. Football admission with ag night ticket. Details: (970) 350-4260.

TWINKLE BABIES, 10:30 a.m., Lincoln Park Library, 919 7th St., Greeley. One-on-one storytime for adult caregivers and children from birth to new walkers. Details: (970) 506-8460.

HIGH PLAINS JOB NETWORK, 10:30 a.m., Centennial Park Library, 2227 23rd Ave.. Greeley. A club designed for the unemployed and underemployed to meet and learn new job hunting techniques and share their experiences. Details: (970) 506-8600.

FAMILY STORYTIME, 10:30 a.m., Farr Regional Library, 1939 61st Ave., Greeley. Details: (970) 506-8500.

FARR FILM DISCUSSION, 6:30 p.m., Farr Regional Library, 1939 61st Ave., Greeley. Watch a film about Apollo 13 and join guest speaker Stuart Wright, local businessman, member of the ARIA repair crews for Apollos 13, 14 and 15 and NASA enthusiast. Details: (970) 506-8500.

NORTHERN COLORADO ORCHID SOCIETY, 7:30 p.m., Greeley Senior Center Meeting Room 2, 1010 6th St., Greeley. Learn about how to take care of orchids.com">orchids in September and October. Details: (970) 352-4735 or orchids.com">orchids .com" target="_blank">www.happyhouseorchids.com">orchids .com.

GALLERY OPENING PHOTOGRAPHY/PAINTING, 5-7 p.m., Atlas Theater, 709 16th St., Greeley. Larissa Romero and Samuel Dong are presenting their work. Details: (970) 347-0788 rome1523@bears.unco.edu.

FIRST FRIDAY AT THE BEAN PLANT STUDIO, 5-7 p.m., The Bean Plant Studio, 701 7th St., Greeley. Self-portraits by Susan Smallwood Herold. Details: (970) 353-7663 or susanherold@earthlink.net.

FIRST FRIDAY EXHIBIT, 5-8:30 p.m., The Eden Gallery, 800 8th Ave., Ste. 317, Greeley. Free exhibit of clothing artistry by LK Castle, designer and painter. Details: (970) 356-7100 or elaine@tailoredadminsolutions.com.

Article source: http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20100903/NEWS/100909952/1002&parentprofile=1002

Orchid flowers have a magical beauty and allure, with incredible colors, shapes, and scents. Maybe this contributes to the belief that orchids.com">orchids are difficult to grow and bloom. In reality, most orchids.com">orchids are not difficult plants. As a matter of fact, some are practically indestructible. With a few basircc tips for orchid care, you can make your orchid grow, thrive, and bloom.
orchids.com">orchids Grow All Ove r the World

Over 30,000 species of orchids.com">orchids inhabit every corner of the planet except for the driest deserts and Antarctica. Humans have crossbred these species to create 140,000 hybrids, with more appearing all the time. Most are grown for their beautiful flowers, but the seedpods of the Vanilla orchid provide the popular flavoring. And unlike most plants, they do not grow in soil, but in the air. Their roots attach to trees or rocks where they capture moisture and nutrients that wash over them in the rainforest.
orchids.com">orchids are Ancient Plants

Evidence of orchids.com">orchids appears from the age of the dinosaurs, 120 million years ago, making them some of the first flowering plants. orchids.com">orchids are one of the largest and oldest families of plants in the world. For centuries, people all over the world have fallen in love with their flowers. Their bright colors, bizarre shapes, and enchanting smells have evolved to attract pollinators. Many have a relationship with a single type of insect or bird that can pollinate their flowers.
Habitat Destruction Endangers Many orchids.com">orchids

orchids.com">orchids in every part of the world face dangers from pollution, habitat destruction, and global warming. Do everything you can to stop these threats. We are already losing many of these wondrous plants forever. Reduce what you use and recycle. Take action to stop rainforests from being cut down or burned, or wetlands from being paved over. Only buy plants from legitimate vendors, and never take plants from the wild.
Learning About Your Orchid

Aboutorchids.com">orchids .com offers information about basic care for common orchids.com">orchids . They are very diverse plants that grow in wide varieties of environments all over the world, but this site focuses on the most common kinds of orchids.com">orchids available for sale and which are best suited for a beginner. If you find that one of these tips or techniques is not working for you, check our resources to help you do some more research about your plant to find more advanced care information.

The first step to taking care of your orchid is learning what kind of orchid it is. Most of the orchids.com">orchids commonly found for sale are hybrids that have been created specifically for their flowers and ease of care in homes and offices.

(from www.aboutorchids.com">orchids .com)

orchids.com">orchids .com/Images/orchids.com">orchids needtoknow.jpg" alt="orchids.com">orchids : All You Need to Know" width="255" height="330" />

Cymbidium orchids.com">orchids rank as one of the best known and widely popular of all orchids.com">orchids . The Cymbidium orchid genus consists of about 50 species and thousands of hybrids have been bred from these. The wild varieties of Cymbidium orchids.com">orchids are found growing naturally in China, Japan, the Himalayas, South East Asia and Australia. In habitat, Cymbidium orchids.com">orchids may be terrestrial, epiphytic or lithophytes i.e. growing on rocks. Cymbidium orchids.com">orchids usually grow in cooler climates at high elevation. Cymbidium orchids.com">orchids are one of the oldest cultivated orchids.com">orchids , and there is evidence that they were grown in China almost 2500 years ago in records from 500 BC at the time of Confucius. Growing and caring for Cymbidium orchids.com">orchids is relatively easy and they will flower year after year when being cared for.

Cymbidium orchids.com">orchids are sympodial. They have a specialized lateral growth pattern in which the terminal bud dies. The growth continues by development of new shoots sprouting from or next to the ones of previous years. The base of the stem may be thickened to form what is called a pseudobulb. These contain food reserves for drier periods. At their end appear one or two leaves, or sometimes four or more. In warm and humid climates, many terrestrial orchids.com">orchids do not need pseudobulbs. Cymbidium orchids.com">orchids grow to a height of 60 cm and the racemes as high as 90 cm. The raceme (also known as spike) grows from the base of the most recent pseudobulb. Each flower can have a diameter of 5 to 10 cm, according to the species.
Cymbidium orchids.com">orchids bloom during the winter, and each plant can have up to fifteen or more flowers. The fantastic range of colors for this genus include white, green, yellowish-green, cream, yellow, brown, pink, and red (and there may be markings of other color shades at the same time), with the exception of blue and black. The flowers last about ten weeks. They have a waxy texture. The rounded sepals and petals have about the same dimensions. They show very diverse color patterns, different for every species. Cymbidium orchids.com">orchids tend to grow more leaves than most orchids.com">orchids . Roughly eight long, green, narrow leaves originate from the sheath of each pseudobulb. The plants should not be allowed to dry out and always keep the compost moist. Normally, caring for these orchids.com">orchids means watering once in a week  but, during the summer months it is advisable to water twice weekly. It is wise to water in the morning to avoid the possible loss of new growths. If possible, use rainwater. Use a well-balanced fertilizer throughout spring and summer.

The best time for repotting and dividing Cymbidium orchids.com">orchids is between the end of February and until the end of June. Never over pot them. Only do repotting into plant pots where there is enough room for the next year’s growth. Do not water for at least three weeks and moisten with a hand-spray just to keep the leaves, bulbs and compost from drying. Start watering when the newly potted divisions start to root. The Cymbidium orchid is one of the most popular and desirable orchids.com">orchids in the world because of the beautiful flowers. These plants make great houseplants, and are also popular in floral arrangements and corsages.

I recommend:

orchids.com">orchids needtoknow" src="http://growingandcaringfororchids.com">orchids .com/growingandcaringfororchids.com">orchids /wp-content/uploads/2010/06/orchids.com">orchids needtoknow1-231x300.jpg" alt="orchids.com">orchids : Everything You Need to Know" width="231" height="300" />

orchids.com">orchids _סחלבים" src="http://growingandcaringfororchids.com">orchids .com/growingandcaringfororchids.com">orchids /wp-content/uploads/2010/06/90px-PikiWiki_Israel_1687_orchids.com">orchids _סחלבים.jpg" alt="" width="90" height="120" />Fragrant orchids.com">orchids appeal to us in many different ways. They challenge the grower‘s art and provide visual inspiration. The varied perfumes of orchids.com">orchids can stir emotions, inducing a vivid recall of a past scene related to a particular orchids.com">orchids /fragrant.php#" target="undefined">fragrance. We first relate orchid fragrances to substances with which we are already familiar such as rose, hyacinth, jasmine or cinnamon. With more sampling experience and with a good nose, we begin to relate scents to particular orchids.com">orchids or groups of orchids.com">orchids . Our sense of smell is more strongly linked to emotion than any other of our senses. A scent memory can be linked to a visual image such as a pleasant social event, a visit to a friend’s greenhouse or to an image of a particular flower. Once we smell a particular fragrance, the signal it invokes may be remembered for a very long time.

The fragrant orchid scent is associated with the reproductive process. Scented orchids.com">orchids /fragrant.php#" target="undefined">flowers attract specific pollinators. In cultivation, and with humans performing the pollinator role, we might easily skew the evolutionary process and produce less scented, differently scented or even unscented offspring after several generations of inbreeding. here is yet another aspect to be considered when maintaining species which might eventually be used to re-populate a natural habitat.

The sweetness of the fragrance is invariably a factor in the selection process for hobbyists and commercial growers alike. Orchid flowers can offer a great variety to adventurous growers. The orchid fragrances are as varied as are the insect pollinators that the scents may attract and can be sweet, spicy, citrus, vanilla or have floral overtones.

Fragrance character can change with the time of day as can fragrance intensity and freshness. Certain are more fragrant at dawn than at dusk. others may have two fragrance periods, dawn and dusk. Some components may cease being emitted as the flowers age or upon pollination, permitting other odors to dominate and thus changing the scent. Heady, sweet fragrance may continue to be emitted on warm, sunny mornings for up to eight days but the scent character changes as the flowers age. Even if pollinators are present, they rarely visit older flowers.

White-flowered are often strongly fragrant of jasmine, lilies, lily-of-the-valley (muguet) or narcissus. Many develop their fragrance in late afternoon or evening. Compact, night- can be easily moved into the living area when in full flower, adding a delightful fragrance dimension to the interior.

Now that are in demand, special displays of have become popular at shows around the world. All are kept in one display for the ease of judging and for public viewing/scent-sampling. Although the judges assess entries independently, they generally have little difficulty coming to a decision.

Fragrance is rewarding option for the hobbyist to explore. come in all sizes and colors and can be found in most genera. They may be grown under a variety of conditions according to type just like any non-fragrant orchid. One can collect one type or a variety to have fragrance on tap throughout the year. Grown well, fragrant orchids.com">orchids will flower and present the grower with a double dose of pleasure, beauty and fragrance.

I  recommend:

orchids.com">orchids needtoknow" src="http://growingandcaringfororchids.com">orchids .com/growingandcaringfororchids.com">orchids /wp-content/uploads/2010/06/orchids.com">orchids needtoknow-231x300.jpg" alt="orchids.com">orchids : What You Need to Know" width="231" height="300" />

orchids.com">orchids " src="http://growingandcaringfororchids.com">orchids .com/growingandcaringfororchids.com">orchids /wp-content/uploads/2010/06/93px-Phalaenopsis_Moth_Pink_orchids.com">orchids .jpg" alt="" width="93" height="120" />African angraecoid orchids.com">orchids are warm growing and exotic orchids.com">orchids from Eastern Africa and the island of Madagascar. African angraecoid orchids.com">orchids vary in size from around 6 inches to 36 inches high and have large leathery leaves spiraling around a central tough stem (similar to Vanda). Typically the flowers of the African angraecoid orchid are large, showy and in the main white or ivory in colour, many are also fragrant. Virtually all the African angraecoid orchid orchids.com">orchids /angraecoid.php#" target="undefined">flowers have a large spur at the base of the lip, this contains nectar to entice pollinating moths and other insects to the flower.When growing on the Island of Madagascar the African angraecoid orchid would be found in the deepest jungle growing along side and co inhabiting the lush forests with Mantella frogs. Tropical Nepenthes pitcher plants, commonly known as Monkey Cups would also be growing in the warm and humid atmosphere of the Madagascan forest with Hissing Cockroaches scurrying around the forest floor. African angraecoid orchids.com">orchids are epiphytic orchids.com">orchids and grow high up in trees where they receive plenty of light. African angraecoid orchids.com">orchids should be given the maximum light available which should be diffused to prevent scorching of the leaves which are the food store for the plant.

African angraecoid orchids.com">orchids should be kept evenly moist at all times of the year as the African angraecoid orchid don’t have water storing bulbs. They should be watered at 7 to 10 day intervals and sprayed with clean water daily from late spring through early autumn and every 10 to 14 days at other times of year. The African angraecoid orchids.com">orchids thrive on good humidity so whenever possible you should damp down the greenhouse staging and paths during the hottest months. The African angraecoid orchids.com">orchids are moderate feeders and a general purpose plant food can be applied from April to September at 1/4 the pack recommendation, feed these plants every third watering. Flush the pot or basket out once a month with clean water to remove any unused plant food and salts which can build up in the compost and harm the roots. During late August and September you should orchids.com">orchids /angraecoid.php#" target="undefined">water with a higher potash feed (again at 1/4 strength and every third watering) which will encourage the new leaves to harden in readiness for the darker winter months. Feeding should cease by late October and no more should be given until the following late winter (Feb/Mar) at which time normal feeding can resume. African angraecoid orchids.com">orchids are naturally epiphytic and can be grown either in a pot, basket or mounted on to bark. If planted in pots then large open grade compost or bark with the addition of 1/4 sphagnum peat should be used to allow swift drainage whilst holding moisture, in this case you should re-pot the plants every year or every other year depending on it’s size, this should be undertaken in spring as growth re starts. If grown in baskets or on bark then re-planting African angraecoid orchid can be left for two to three years or until the African angraecoid orchids.com">orchids become unmanageable before being re planted..

I  recommend:

orchids.com">orchids needtoknow" src="http://growingandcaringfororchids.com">orchids .com/growingandcaringfororchids.com">orchids /wp-content/uploads/2010/06/orchids.com">orchids needtoknow3-231x300.jpg" alt="orchids.com">orchids : what You Need to Know" width="231" height="300" />

orchids.com">orchids .com/growingandcaringfororchids.com">orchids /wp-content/uploads/2010/06/vanda-orchid.jpg" alt="" width="106" height="94" />Orchid Vanda are some of the worlds most beautiful orchids.com">orchids and contain some of the rare blue orchid vanda seen in cultivation today. They are naturally found in the Himalayas, Australia as well as some parts of New Guinea. All of the Vanda are epiphytic and grow on the trunks or branches of trees, this allows their aerial roots free access to any moisture in the atmosphere. They can grow in to tall plants up to 3 to 4′ high and are generally grown in either baskets or on cork bark with the roots hanging down. The flowers of orchid vanda are usually flat faced and usually appear round as the petals and sepals are of equal size. A well grown plant may flower two or three times a year and produce up to 3 or 4 spikes of 10 3 to 5 inch flowers which can last for over a month. Quite a stunning display can be achieved from a well grown collection of Vanda.

Fabulously oriental and exotic orchid Vanda contains the rare blue orchid

These mostly epiphytic, but sometimes lithophytic or terrestrial orchids.com">orchids are distributed in India, Himalaya, SE Asia, Indonesia, the Philippines, New Guinea, southern China and northern Australia.

The genus has a monopodial growth habit with leaves that are highly variable according to habitat. Some have flat, typically broad, ovoid leaves (strap-leaves), while others have cylindrical (terete), fleshy leaves and are adapted to dry periods. The stems of these orchids.com">orchids vary considerably in size; there are miniature plants and plants with a length of several meters. Most orchid Vanda show a yellow-brown color with brown markings, but they also appear in white, green, orange, red and burgundy shades. The lip has a small spur. Vanda usually bloom every few months and the flowers last for two to three weeks.

This genus is one of the five most horticulturally important orchid genera, because it has some of the most magnificent flowers to be found in the entire orchid family. This has contributed much to the work of hybridists producing flowers for the cut flower market. Orchid vanda cerulea is one of the few botanical orchids.com">orchids with blue orchids.com">orchids /vanda.php#" target="undefined">flowers (actually a very bluish purple), a property much appreciated for producing interspecific and intergeneric hybrids. Vanda dearei is one of the chief sources of yellow color in Vanda hybrids.

Orchid Vanda Miss Joaquim is the National Flower of Singapore.

Many orchid Vanda (especially Vanda coerulea) are endangered, because of habitat destruction. The export of wild-collected specimens of the Blue orchid vanda (Vanda coerulea) and other wild orchid Vanda is prohibited worldwide, as all orchids.com">orchids are listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

The name “Vanda” is derived from the Sanskrit name for the species Vanda tessellata. The orchid Vanda is a special orchid. It stands out due to its large often blue flowers but is also found in other colors. The orchid Vanda is not planted in a pot due to its air roots which must be placed in orchids.com">orchids /vanda.php#" target="undefined">water once a week for half an hour.

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orchids.com">orchids needtoknow" src="http://growingandcaringfororchids.com">orchids .com/growingandcaringfororchids.com">orchids /wp-content/uploads/2010/06/orchids.com">orchids needtoknow4-231x300.jpg" alt="orchids.com">orchids : Everything you Need to Know" width="231" height="300" />

orchids.com">orchids _and_anthuriums" src="http://growingandcaringfororchids.com">orchids .com/growingandcaringfororchids.com">orchids /wp-content/uploads/2010/06/79px-orchids.com">orchids _and_anthuriums.jpg" alt="" width="79" height="120" />orchids.com">orchids (Orchidaceae family) are the largest and most diverse of the flowering plant (Angiospermae) families, with over 800 described orchid genera and 25,000 orchid species. Some sources give 30,000 orchid species, but the exact number is unknown since classification differs greatly in the academic world. Revisions of different genera occur on a monthly basis and this will increase with the growing use of genetic research and biochemistry. There are another 100,000+ hybrids and cultivars produced by horticulturists, created since the introduction of tropical species in the 19th century. The Kew World Checklist of orchids.com">orchids includes about 24,000 accepted orchid species. About 800 new orchid species are added each year. orchids.com">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 (derived) floral evolution known. All orchid species are protected for the purposes of international commerce under CITES as potentially threatened or endangered in their natural habitat, with most orchid species listed under Appendix II. A number of orchid species and genera are afforded protection under Appendix I, including all of Paphiopedilum and all of Phragmipedium. Many other orchid species are protected by both international and national legislation, while hybrids are specifically exempted.

orchids.com">orchids get their name from the Greek orchis, meaning “testicle”, from the appearance of subterranean tuberoids of the genus Orchis. The word “orchis” was first used by Theophrastos (372/371 – 287/286 BC), in his book “De historia plantarum” (The natural history of plants). He was a student of Aristotle and is considered the father of botany and ecology.

orchids.com">orchids , like the grasses and the palms, which they resemble in some ways-for instance the form of their leaves-are monocotyledons. They have one cotyledon, or embryo leaf, in contrast to the two of most flowering plants. orchids.com">orchids are cosmopolitan in distribution, occurring in every habitat, except Antarctica and deserts. The great majority are to be found in the tropics, mostly Asia, South America and Central America. They are found above the Arctic Circle, in southern Patagonia and even on Macquarie Island, close to Antarctica. orchids.com">orchids are truly flowers of superlatives. Even a complete layman in botany is awed by the beauty of orchids.com">orchids . No plant family has as many different flowers as the orchid family. There are many types of specializations within the Orchidaceae. Best known are the seemingly endless structural variations in the flowers that encourage pollination by particular species of insects, bats, or birds. Most African orchids.com">orchids are white, while Asian orchids.com">orchids are often multicolored. Some orchid species only grow one flower on each stem, others sometimes more than a hundred together on a single spike. The typical orchid flower is zygomorphic, i.e. bilaterally symmetric. Notable exceptions are the genera Mormodes, Ludisia and Macodes. For most people, the name “orchid” often conjures up only a few dozens of different images, most of them man made hybrids, mass-propagated by the floral industry and widely commercialized for their decorative value. Despite having the largest number of species, equally -if not more- showy and fascinating, the commercial orchid species growers are far and few in between. With the ongoing habitat destruction around the world, there is a heightened interested in preservation and cultivation of orchid species.

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