The Beautifully Talented Orchid

All flowers are beautiful, of course, but can any of them truly match an orchid’s breathtaking quality? Once rare and expensive, orchids are now a mainstay at the kitchen tables of plant parents around the world.

The flower has been beloved for millions of years, with references found in the ancient Chinese mythology of Shen Nong Shi and scriptures from Theophrastus, a pupil of Aristotle, to name a few. Apparently, their swollen roots were used as aphrodisiacs in medieval Europe. (You’re welcome, Valentine’s Day planners 😉) 

More than 25,000 species of orchids grow naturally on every continent except Antarctica, with the greatest concentration of varieties found in tropical regions. Orchid flowers vary greatly in size, from the genus Pleurothallis at 0.1 inches in diameter, through to the genus Brassia which can grow to 15 inches from the tips of the petallike structures to the tip of the outer part of the flower.

Many orchid varieties are used for their medicinal value and are believed to possess antibacterial properties that can prolong the youthfulness of human tissue and have anti-carcinogenic properties.

Intrigued yet? You’re in luck! You can view these abundant plants at the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens with their Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show: Origin Stories. This show explores the discovery of orchids and their use in bonsai, the Japanese art of growing and training miniature plants.

It sounds like the perfect way to spend your next weekend afternoon! Buy your tickets here, and if you do go to the show, will you send me some pictures?