The Joy of Orchids

British explorers began bringing back orchids from the tropics in 1731. The flowers' exotic beauty and reputed powers to stir sexuality and passion soon had Europeans competing to collect and display them.

Too many years ago to mention, a friend introduced me to orchids on my birthday. The blue Vanda given me, highly prized then, remains popular today. It was love at first sight on my part, and its blue, fanciful flowers became the star of my household. Most people knew the typical Cattleya corsage orchid, but this unusual, open-faced flower was unlike any they had ever seen. Thus began my 30-year love affair with the Queen of Flowers-orchids.

Orchids come in all colors except black and assume many shapes. For years, orchids were expensive-only for royalty and the rich. Today, thanks to cloning, everyone can enjoy orchids at moderate prices.

When I lived in California, I cultivated orchids in a greenhouse. But in Southwest Florida they perform beautifully in screened porches and garden rooms. I have dozens of orchids in the garden and several indoors, where they add color and beauty to my home. I am obsessed with orchids. You will be too once you try them.

Place a flowering Cattleya on a table and it captures the senses with its beauty, fragrance (most orchids have scent) and grace. Dendrobiums, the lei flower of Hawaii, are resplendent in Southwest Florida and bear dozens of small, colorful flowers that last for weeks; even better, some plants bloom twice a year. If you are seeking summer or fall color, try the Vandas for incredible blue or rose flowers.

Most orchids are epiphytes (air plants) and are grown in fir bark, so there is no soil to mess up the home. The epiphytes have aerial roots that absorb moisture from the air, so watering should be done judiciously. Some varieties are terrestrial, growing in the ground like other plants. These include Phaius, Cyrtopodium and Stenoglottis, all adaptable to Florida's climate. Most orchids are of medium height, growing to about 30 inches. Buy mature plants. Raising seedlings or packaged orchids can be difficult.

Always keep orchids in areas of good air circulation; they will not tolerate a stagnant environment. And remember that the credo for successfully growing orchids is to treat them with kind neglect. Insecticide spray, fancy feeding and fussing aren't necessary. If you forget to water an orchid, most varieties have their own storage reservoir called a pseudobulb to tide them over.

Today you can buy orchids just about anywhere--at supermarkets, nurseries, garden centers and specialty stores, or from mail-order companies or via the Internet. In our warm climate, choose Vandas and Dendrobiums, Brassias and some (not all) Cattleyas. Indoors, pick Phalaenopses. Choose plants that are in bloom; the flowers will stay fresh for weeks. Outdoors, orchids on tree limbs and trellises bloom profusely without much help. Nature does most of the work for you. What other flower offers so much for so little?

How to Grow Awesome Orchids

Although orchids are remarkably easy to grow, there are secrets to success. Here are 10 tips to get you started.

1. Do not over water plants.

2. Do not fertilize more than three times a year at four-month intervals.

3. Do not ever put orchids in full sun. They need partial light.

4. Grow varieties you can find at your local suppliers.

5. In the home, orchids should be kept away from drafts and fans, which can cause buds to drop.

6. Avoid changes in temperatures.

7. If an orchid does not respond in one location, move it to another.

8. Outdoors, let nature take care of them unless the summer is dry.

9. Do not ever spray them with any insecticide (most orchids are pest free).

10. If your orchid refuses to bloom with moderate care, stop watering and leave it dry-for several weeks, if necessary. Your plant will bloom. Orchids have a tremendous will to survive. This is not a suggested method, but it works.

Local Beauties

Some varieties of orchid stand out for gardeners in Southwest Florida. Here are a few notable ones:

Cattleya: This group of orchids is in the vanguard of the family-certainly the best known among thousands of hybrids. These epiphytes are mainly distributed from Mexico to Brazil. Cattleyas have their own water reservoirs, and if you forget to water them for a few weeks, they survive on their own (the secret to their popularity). Today, Cattleyas with flowers two to seven inches are available in a myriad of colors.

Dendrobiums: Almost 1,500 species grow in India, Ceylon, Burma, China and Japan, and a great number in the Philippines. Dendrobiums are now available in almost any color except black or blue. Easy to grow, even small plants in four- or five-inch pots bear dozens of flowers.

Phalaenopsis: These orchids from Java, Sumatra, Asia and the Philippines are sometimes referred to as dogwood orchids. From the original species, P. amabilis, a pure white, we now enjoy hybrids in a gamut of colors, some candy striped or blotched. Recently the Phalaenopses have become the decorator's favorite. Few interiors appear in shelter magazines without a beautiful and elegant Phalaenopsis.

Vanda: Most of these orchids like warmth and humidity, which Florida supplies in abundance. From the Far East and Malaysia, the Vanda has been hybridized in Florida, and we now have flowers in almost all colors and a variety of sizes. The ultimate flower for Florida, Vandas bloom easily here.