10/30/2014
Today is a Two Orchid Day! Here are two of my all time favorites.
The first is the wonderful little Epidendrum orchid. This little flower is both diverse and very fragrant (depending on the time of day). A native of Central and South America it can be found living on trees (with a number of other plants and animals). It loves warm humid air and indirect sunlight. Colors range from reds and oranges to greens and even purples. The smell is honey like with slight spicy notes. Because of all of the sugar that this plant produces it is also very popular with insects and even a few mammals. It makes great corsages and looks wonderful in bouquets and arrangements. It is also popular amongst collectors.
Orchid number 2 is the Zygopetalum. Another native of the low to mid regions of South America this remarkable little orchid is also exceptionally fragrant. It smells like hyacinths (though not as intense) and can be intoxicating at first sniff (you want to sniff it more and more). There are many hybrids now, though most tend to have a color theme of green and purple. This orchid is another one that looks unique and lovely in corsages and bouquets as well as a favorite amongst orchid lovers.