All about orchids

ORCHIDS CONSTITUTE one of the largest families of plants, with over 29.772 different species recorded as of November 2019, and are the largest family of flowering plants known as Angiosperms. They grow in almost every type of climatic region in the world, ranging from the deserts of Mauritania, Kuwait, Western Sahara, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates to the snow line in northern areas like Greenland and Alaska and south in Tierra del Fuego and Macquarie Island that lie close to the South Pole. They have evolved not only to suit the environment in which they live but also to facilitate a vast number of pollinators, mainly insects and birds.

The most significant number of orchid species grow in tropical areas of the world. Colombia and Ecuador are the countries with the highest number of orchid species though if all the islands of Malaya were counted as one, they would head the list with over 5,000 different species.

Orchids that grow in cold climates are almost all terrestrial orchids that grow in the ground. In contrast, in the tropics, most orchids grow naturally in trees and are known as epiphytic orchids or on rocks (lithophytic orchids).

In addition to orchid species, there are hybrids. Hybrids are not necessarily highly bred as the name would suggest, but have parents that are different species. A hybrid can be a cross between two species, a cross between a species and a hybrid or a cross between two hybrids. There are approximately 178,353 orchid hybrids registered with the International Orchid Registrar as of February 2019, and during 2019, 4,297 orchid hybrids were registered by breeders from around the world, including Jamaica. Orchids have been bred and grown from seed in Jamaica from as far back as the early 1900s at Hope Gardens. The vast majority of orchids grown commercially worldwide are

orchid hybrids that are sold as pot plants, while the primary buyers of orchid species are hobbyists and collectors.

There are several orchid societies in Jamaica, with the oldest being the Jamaica Orchid Society, which was founded in 1931, the Ocho Rios Orchid Society, established in the 1990s, and the Montego Bay Orchid Club, founded in 1991. One of the main aims of orchid societies is to educate their members in orchidology, orchid culture, and appreciation by holding shows, lectures, etc, that serve to inform the public as well.

Some records indicate that orchids were exhibited, and flower shows held at King’s House in Kingston in the 1880s. Orchid shows were regularly held in Kingston and Mandeville before World War 2. Presently, we have at least six such events each year where orchids can be exhibited and judged by accredited judges of the American Orchid Society. Many internationally recognised awards are made at these local events, and many of the plants recognised with these coveted international awards are bred right here in Jamaica.

The size, shape, colour and in some instances, the fragrance of orchids, is quite diverse, and sizes range from colossal Cattleyas that are nearly 30cm wide to tiny Lepanthes that are only one to two milimetre wide. Colours range from white to pink to purple to yellow to red and many shades in-between, but also combinations of colours, as well, like white with coloured lips – known as semi-albas, striking yellows with red lips, and those with a single colour

– known as concolor, and even ones with spots, blotches, and stripes.

Each type of orchid tends to be very particular as to the optimal environment in which they grow and are fussy not only about how much light they receive but the amount of water, the relative humidity and the temperature in which they grow as well. Most types like a little breeze or air movement in the areas where they are grown. If the growing area is too bright, the orchid leaves, etc, will get too hot and burn (sunburn). Overwatering is the most common sin committed by growers, especially inexperienced ones. Overwatering is said to be the main reason why many orchids die. Insufficient light is very often the reason why orchids fail to bloom though temperature sometimes plays a role as well.

Responsible orchid vendors always sell plants that are correctly labelled with the botanical or hybrid name of the orchid or the name of the parents, in instances where a particular hybrid is not registered. The name of an orchid is critical in many respects, and orchid databases exist that will allow one to trace the lineage of any registered orchid hybrid back to the ancestral species. It is often said that the label is as important as the plant, and an orchid hybrid without a label is often challenging and sometimes well nigh impossible to identify. In shows, orchids are judged according to specific criteria and are not eligible for competition without a proper label. As someone once said, ‘You need to know if you have a horse or a donkey’. The name of your orchid very important, and records of orchid names have been kept since the 1860s when the first known orchid hybrids were artificially produced.