From my Hide: The biggest family of flowers in the world
David Holt-Biddle discovers orchids.
WE have been aware of orchids for many years.
Our travels in South East Asia brought us into close contact with these magnificent plants as they seem to be an integral part of the cultures of the region.
They are to be found everywhere and in abundance so one is inclined think, ‘orchids – South East Asia’.
We have seen them in South Africa as well of course, usually as a decorative component of office or home interior design, but also the wild variety out in the veld.
Orchids have been brought into sharper focus just recently, however, firstly with a gift of an orchid from friends.
It is a phalaenopsis, apparently common because of its ease of production and year round availability and flowering.
The flowers on ours are pure white with a trace of yellow and mauve right in the centre.
It stands about 70cm tall and is a mass of the most beautiful flowers.
Its care instructions, particularly about where it should be located and its watering regime, is a bit like having a new puppy in the house.
It stands in the window in my east-facing study and is a delight.
Next, we recently went off to an Alfred County Orchid Society show and were quite amazed at what awaited us.
We were told orchids are the biggest family of flowers in the world and that they may be found in just about every corner except the Arctic poles – there are about 25,000 varieties of them and new ones are being found and added to the list every year.
The variety on display was extraordinary.
There were the huge classic ones and then many tiny ones too.
The flowers came in all shapes and sizes, not to mention colour schemes.
Some didn’t look like orchids at all – there was one that looked like the tassels on a tassel berry tree, another was very like a Venus fly trap, except that flies that stray into it are not consumed, but allowed to frolic around inadvertently collecting pollen and then sent on its way, to become a mobile pollinator.
We bought one that we couldn’t resist.
It looks like a little tuft of spiky grass, mounted on a slice of raw log about 10cm across, its roots wrapped in its own little blanket of absorbent woody material.
It’s hanging on the bookcase over my desk, where I can keep an eye on its development. So, a new interest in the Hide.
Cheers!
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