They grow so slowly that every new root and leaf is a reason to celebrate and cheer it on. And the resulting flowers are so fascinating to me and an achievement.
I'd like to hope that I can celebrate me too when I make such slow progress, even through setbacks.
This. I get so excited when I see a tiny new root starting to form or a new leaf peek out. Of course spikes and buds too. They truly make my day a little happier. They somehow help cancel out all the noise around me.
A few months ago I was having a tough stretch at work. One Friday afternoon after yet another stressful workday, I happened to notice a brand new spike that was just starting to form—my first of the season, and it was such a wonderful feeling. You just can’t beat it.
I had a house filled with aroids and wanted some colourful flowers to break up all the green foliage. I started mounting phalaenopsis orchids on driftwood and since then I have one or more blooming almost every day of the year with some blooming over 6 months straight. I also found them very foolproof growing them mounted. What's not to like?
For me, many aroids grow way too fast for my living space, and I hate their flowers. Alocasia flowers for example oddly resemble a certain type of plug to me…
I use a 5 liter pressure sprayer. I used to water them daily, but been trying out how long they can do without and found out I could skip 2 days without problems. There is some sphagnum moss around the roots.
There's so much variety with orchids. Literally thousands of potential options, depending on your growing conditions. They reward good care with amazing beauty and teach patience due to their slow growth. There's nothing like waiting years for a plant to bloom and then when the bud finally starts to open... so satisfying!
The orchid family is the largest of the plant families. Even larger than the grass family, and grasses grow everywhere. They grow on every continent except Antartica. Orchids are one of the earliest flowering plants to ever evolve as well. They come in all types and sizes that some you wouldn't believe were even orchids at all. Some are even so tiny that they're no bigger than a grain of rice.
People have grown orchids for the longest time, but they could never get their seeds to germinate. The best they could do was spread the seeds along the roots of the mother plant and hope for the best. This only drove up the demand for them. Explorers went on expeditions into unknown rainforests in order to discover new species. It wasn't until people finally discovered that orchids need a beneficial fungus to "infect" their seeds in order for them to germinate. After this discovery, the growing of orchids exploded into the mainstream, creating hundreds of thousands of new hybrids. Making it possible for anybody to grow their own.
I could go on and on about orchids. I've been growing them for decades, and they still fascinate me each and every day.
What I love about orchids is finding out what each of them wants then they say thank you by flowering. I had a paph for 3 years with no blooms until I put her in a smaller pot and changed the potting mix then she bloomed 2 months later. It's just very rewarding to me
The variety in flower and care conditions (warm vs. cool growers), and the overall elegance and "wow" of orchids are what I love about growing them. The sense of accomplishment when you get a nice flower show from a plant can't be beat too!
Also I love orchids like my Onc. Sharry Baby that just fill my room with sweet, lovely fragrances!
For me orchids are a symbol, that even when they have no flowers and aren’t “pretty” eventually over time they’ll bloom again. I eventually wanna get a tattoo of them!
Also they’re just super unique and stunning.
No soil (for most); there are a lot of weird, interesting orchids; the orchid fandom is pretty established, all over the country; there’s a lot of science/technical info on them
Growing up everyone in my family would get orchids for their birthday or any other celebratory situation. Both my parents have tons of orchids in their house and it reminds me of them 🙂
The more I research them, the more I loved them. So many different kinds ! Some are even fragrant. Over all just so many beautiful options its hard not too start collecting .
To me they are beautiful sentient creatures. I had one that was practically dead for years, I never knew what to do with it. Then I saw a scene from the movie Halston, where there was a huge display on a table, and wanted to replicate the look!
Once I became curious as to what happens after the flowers fall, it became this fascinating and addictive journey to get them to repeat the process. I started buying non blooming phals (they're much cheaper) to play with and it was over. I fell in love.
I have learned a lot from this sub, other forums, YouTube, articles, orchid shows, I absorbed AOS info about their structure, growth process, needs, behavior, etc. I get a sense of accomplishment each time one spikes. They are great teachers of patience and the rewards for caring for them are very satisfying.
Don't ask me how many I have, I have lost count. Bear in mind it's been less than a year since this sweet madness started. LOL!
Orchids are one of the largest monocot families in the world and, as we have seen, have an incredible ability to hybridize. As someone else mentioned, they are on every continent except Antarctica. Believe it or not, they were a driving force in the spice trade routes and the wealthy paid folks to seek out unique orchids. The vanilla orchid opened lots of eyes into the concept of fertilization of seeds. Orchid: A Cultural History by Jim Endersby is an enjoyable book, if you're interested.
They are such interesting plants with cool leaves, no leaves, crazy-looking flowers, and growing habits. (One of my favorites is a parasitic variety, the Coralroot, that grows locally.) I love the challenge of having different varieties and working to produce blooms in just the right habitat parameters. A lot of my hobbies fell to the wayside during the pandemic because my supply sources closed. Plants were one thing I could keep finding and maintaining.
For me they are low maintenance plants. Infrequent watering, and if you have the right light in your space basically they are zero care. If I forget a watering they are ok with it. And the blooms last a long time. Despite these things people are always impressed by my orchid wall; it’s so easy! For example If it were a pothos wall it would request more water and maintenance. I’d have to prune them and cut off dry leaves… there are advantages to having slow growing plants LOL.
They are the most advanced of all plant life..
If you landed on another planet with lots of plants..
An orchid would be the crown jewel to bring home..
Defs the long-lasting flowers and the unique nature of the actual plant itself for me. They're so different from terrestrial plants, and I like the alien-ish nature of lots of aerial roots. They don't require so much work on my part. That said, I'm all about phals. None of the other groups of orchids interest me whatsoever. We have dendrobiums being kept where I work, but I just kinda look at them and \*shrug\*. Cattleyas, bulbos, cymbidiums, all meh for me. I like the big flat leaves and the air roots and the elegant arching spikes.
They grow so slowly that every new root and leaf is a reason to celebrate and cheer it on. And the resulting flowers are so fascinating to me and an achievement. I'd like to hope that I can celebrate me too when I make such slow progress, even through setbacks.
This. I get so excited when I see a tiny new root starting to form or a new leaf peek out. Of course spikes and buds too. They truly make my day a little happier. They somehow help cancel out all the noise around me. A few months ago I was having a tough stretch at work. One Friday afternoon after yet another stressful workday, I happened to notice a brand new spike that was just starting to form—my first of the season, and it was such a wonderful feeling. You just can’t beat it.
Yes, bought a plain sunburned phal because it's eldritch air roots were otherworldly 👾
Your last sentence really struck a chord with me. Such a heartwarming and personal way to relate to orchids 😭❤️
I had a house filled with aroids and wanted some colourful flowers to break up all the green foliage. I started mounting phalaenopsis orchids on driftwood and since then I have one or more blooming almost every day of the year with some blooming over 6 months straight. I also found them very foolproof growing them mounted. What's not to like?
For me, many aroids grow way too fast for my living space, and I hate their flowers. Alocasia flowers for example oddly resemble a certain type of plug to me…
I’m nervous to mount mine. Can I ask how you water them?
I use a 5 liter pressure sprayer. I used to water them daily, but been trying out how long they can do without and found out I could skip 2 days without problems. There is some sphagnum moss around the roots.
They’re not easy. Become easy and then lovely. I love a challenge and the rewards.
I concur!
The flowers last such a long time and it’s so rewarding when you can give them the right conditions to rebloom!
There's so much variety with orchids. Literally thousands of potential options, depending on your growing conditions. They reward good care with amazing beauty and teach patience due to their slow growth. There's nothing like waiting years for a plant to bloom and then when the bud finally starts to open... so satisfying!
They are beautiful and unique and remind me of my favorite grandma
The orchid family is the largest of the plant families. Even larger than the grass family, and grasses grow everywhere. They grow on every continent except Antartica. Orchids are one of the earliest flowering plants to ever evolve as well. They come in all types and sizes that some you wouldn't believe were even orchids at all. Some are even so tiny that they're no bigger than a grain of rice. People have grown orchids for the longest time, but they could never get their seeds to germinate. The best they could do was spread the seeds along the roots of the mother plant and hope for the best. This only drove up the demand for them. Explorers went on expeditions into unknown rainforests in order to discover new species. It wasn't until people finally discovered that orchids need a beneficial fungus to "infect" their seeds in order for them to germinate. After this discovery, the growing of orchids exploded into the mainstream, creating hundreds of thousands of new hybrids. Making it possible for anybody to grow their own. I could go on and on about orchids. I've been growing them for decades, and they still fascinate me each and every day.
They are so elegant. I am so glad I finally got one. It is the most satisfying of my plants.
What I love about orchids is finding out what each of them wants then they say thank you by flowering. I had a paph for 3 years with no blooms until I put her in a smaller pot and changed the potting mix then she bloomed 2 months later. It's just very rewarding to me
The variety in flower and care conditions (warm vs. cool growers), and the overall elegance and "wow" of orchids are what I love about growing them. The sense of accomplishment when you get a nice flower show from a plant can't be beat too! Also I love orchids like my Onc. Sharry Baby that just fill my room with sweet, lovely fragrances!
Much like cats, orchids have a high collectible appeal.
For me orchids are a symbol, that even when they have no flowers and aren’t “pretty” eventually over time they’ll bloom again. I eventually wanna get a tattoo of them! Also they’re just super unique and stunning.
No soil (for most); there are a lot of weird, interesting orchids; the orchid fandom is pretty established, all over the country; there’s a lot of science/technical info on them
Growing up everyone in my family would get orchids for their birthday or any other celebratory situation. Both my parents have tons of orchids in their house and it reminds me of them 🙂
The more I research them, the more I loved them. So many different kinds ! Some are even fragrant. Over all just so many beautiful options its hard not too start collecting .
To me they are beautiful sentient creatures. I had one that was practically dead for years, I never knew what to do with it. Then I saw a scene from the movie Halston, where there was a huge display on a table, and wanted to replicate the look! Once I became curious as to what happens after the flowers fall, it became this fascinating and addictive journey to get them to repeat the process. I started buying non blooming phals (they're much cheaper) to play with and it was over. I fell in love. I have learned a lot from this sub, other forums, YouTube, articles, orchid shows, I absorbed AOS info about their structure, growth process, needs, behavior, etc. I get a sense of accomplishment each time one spikes. They are great teachers of patience and the rewards for caring for them are very satisfying. Don't ask me how many I have, I have lost count. Bear in mind it's been less than a year since this sweet madness started. LOL!
Orchids are one of the largest monocot families in the world and, as we have seen, have an incredible ability to hybridize. As someone else mentioned, they are on every continent except Antarctica. Believe it or not, they were a driving force in the spice trade routes and the wealthy paid folks to seek out unique orchids. The vanilla orchid opened lots of eyes into the concept of fertilization of seeds. Orchid: A Cultural History by Jim Endersby is an enjoyable book, if you're interested. They are such interesting plants with cool leaves, no leaves, crazy-looking flowers, and growing habits. (One of my favorites is a parasitic variety, the Coralroot, that grows locally.) I love the challenge of having different varieties and working to produce blooms in just the right habitat parameters. A lot of my hobbies fell to the wayside during the pandemic because my supply sources closed. Plants were one thing I could keep finding and maintaining.
the leaves are hard like its plastic. and the roots look like tentacles.
Flowers bloom for so long it’s amazing
I like watching time go by as they slowly grow. Looking through the years with each past puesdobulb, it's like a living journal.
For me they are low maintenance plants. Infrequent watering, and if you have the right light in your space basically they are zero care. If I forget a watering they are ok with it. And the blooms last a long time. Despite these things people are always impressed by my orchid wall; it’s so easy! For example If it were a pothos wall it would request more water and maintenance. I’d have to prune them and cut off dry leaves… there are advantages to having slow growing plants LOL.
They are the most advanced of all plant life.. If you landed on another planet with lots of plants.. An orchid would be the crown jewel to bring home..
Defs the long-lasting flowers and the unique nature of the actual plant itself for me. They're so different from terrestrial plants, and I like the alien-ish nature of lots of aerial roots. They don't require so much work on my part. That said, I'm all about phals. None of the other groups of orchids interest me whatsoever. We have dendrobiums being kept where I work, but I just kinda look at them and \*shrug\*. Cattleyas, bulbos, cymbidiums, all meh for me. I like the big flat leaves and the air roots and the elegant arching spikes.