The beautiful world of orchids

Orchids are beautiful flowering often fragrant plants. They can be found in nature in many places around the world, but mostly in the tropics. There are thousands of orchid varieties, including thousands of hybrids introduced by experts. Most orchids in nature grow anchored to trees, plants and rocks; orchids grown in pots indoors may also need an anchor to support their growth. Orchids need special care and may be difficult to grow indoors so if you like to have one (or more) you need to educate yourself about the type suitable for your indoor climate, sun exposure, type of potting soli, food/nutrients needed, and how often to feed and water.

Recently I have been to an orchids exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC and, yes, those were live orchids planted all around the courtyard. I did not like all of them but due to the extensive variety in the exhibit I found many favorites. I was fascinated by the variation in color and texture even within the same flower. Some flowers looked like they were sticking their tongues out, while others looked like butterflies have landed on them. Naturally, I got out of control and took so many pictures (thank God for digital). I had a hard time deciding which pictures to show on this blogpost, and will surely have regrets for not including some after I publish this post.

You can find good general information on orchids on Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchid

Here are some links sites that provide helpful instructions and tips for growing beautiful healthy orchids indoors:

Better home and gardens

https://www.bhg.com/gardening/houseplants/care/how-to-care-for-orchids/

The American Orchid Society

https://www.aos.org/orchids/additional-resources/orchids-indoors.aspx