Everyone may have a favorite flower that holds special meaning, but orchids have long been a popular choice. Introduced to the Victorian society more than one hundred years ago, orchids are one of the most exquisite flowers available.

Orchids come in four varieties – epiphytes that cling to trees, lithophytes that grow on rocks, saprophytes that make a home in leaf litter and terrestrials that sometimes grow in sand. But within these four broad categories there are a huge number of distinctive plants.

There are over 20,000 known native orchid species, which means there are probably many more not yet discovered. But that’s nothing compared to the over 100,000 hybrids that have been artificially created by clever cultivators. The past 100 years has been very busy for some.

Although orchids have a reputation for being temperamental and hard to grow, don’t think this is necessarily true. While certain varieties are more high maintenance, many varieties are easy to grow and very hardy. Orchids have different temperature requirements, from hot and humid, to some that prefer cool, dry conditions. Differences in temperature and light requirements, as well as soil conditions, also effect they natural varieties that occur in certain areas.

The orchid flower has roots in all the continents (except Antarctica), from Africa to South America. Many varieties of the orchard flower actually grow as indigenous wildflowers. The large number of orchids found in Hawaii has earned it the nickname “Orchid Island”.

Orchards do have some special needs as far as care. Like any other plant, they can be susceptible to pests and diseases. These can include things such as spider mites, aphids and snails. There are some orchid flower varieties more prone to fungal growth than other, but prevention is easy. If a problem does occur, it isn’t the end of your plant – you can still treat it.

Some techniques to use are simply brushing the leaves off and washing the flowers, to mild anti-bacterial compound products. Fungi is treatable by drying, an anti-fungicide, or other methods. Simple isolation will sometimes allow the plant to cure itself with a little pruning, while preventing the spread of the fungus.

In fact, choosing an orchid is often more difficult than caring for one. With the variety of sizes, shapes and colors available one could spend a lifetime just looking through the catalog at all the outstanding samples. There are some that have no leaves, while others have long, bamboo shoot-like leaves. Some have miniature flowers, while others grow to 12 inches or more.

No matter what type of flower you love, large or small, dainty and delicate or intricate and showy, there is the right plant for your garden or greenhouse. Have fun searching for the perfect fit to add to your orchard flower collection. Even if it’s a first flower, it will become a collection.

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