A bid for orchids in your neighborhood—and backyard

Back in 2013, Fairchild began raising native Florida orchid species under lab and nursery conditions to re-populate our dwindling natural communities of these coveted plants. We had plans, experts, and goals in place, but as with all aspects of nature, you can never be exactly sure of how things will proceed.

Since that time, the effort — called The Million Orchid Project — has surpassed expectations and taught us much about the possibilities and problems involved in conservation efforts, like which orchid species is likely to survive going from idealized lab conditions to a tree; and about the massive effort needed to meet the original goal of introducing a million native orchids into Miami-Dade urban communities.

Working with MiamiDade County Public Schools was a major solution. Our botanists, along with public school teachers, taught students techniques in science, conservation, horticulture, and plant propagation and built facilities at schools for students to grow these plants. Amazing things followed, like the opening of BioTech @ Richmond Heights, a high school offering zoology and botany tracks.

Think how amazing this is: high school students can study botany, and it’s far from completely academic, as the students experiment with hands-on techniques in determining ideal growing conditions — they’re researching unknowns in many cases, and recording the data.

The project soon moved on to other schools and levels, with the Mobile STEMLab—a full micro plant propagation lab housed in a school bus— bringing science to middle schoolers. Most recently, we’ve added a botany magnet elementary school to the effort, where students will have an on-campus lab, shadehouse, and outdoor experimental garden.

Where to put all these orchids

In addition to school properties, the orchids — both terrestrial and epiphytic — have been installed in trees and grounds at hospitals, and other areas. But street trees still offer thousands of niches to harbor orchids.

Most recently, the Coconut Grove Business Improvement District (BID) partnered with Fairchild to enhance the commercial areas of the Grove by facilitating orchid installation in street trees, mostly along the Main Highway. A goal was to increase the diversity and beauty of native plants seen here historically. The BID contributed towards 750 plants, including the butterfly orchid (Encyclia tampensis), cowhorn orchid (Cyrtopodium punctatum), cockleshell orchid (Prosthechea cochleata), and night fragrant epidendrum (Epidendrum nocturnum).

This is quite an accomplishment for establishing a strong backup population of uncommon native species, not to mention how stunning the flowers will look in bloom.

For the home gardener, we are fortunate in having near-perfect outdoor conditions for lots of orchids. Everyone’s received an orchid as a gift; most likely a Phalaenopsis, aka moth orchid. Non-gardeners need not fear, as anyone can easily mount these orchids outdoors.

Find a tree with rough bark. Oak, cypress, buttonwood, mahogany, certain palms and many non-native trees are ideal. Avoid trees with peeling bark like gumbo limbo, or very sappy trees like black olive.

Remove the soon-to-befree orchid from its pot, which often provides no drainage — a detrimental condition for these epiphytes. Don’t be afraid to examine the roots closely and remove any brown, dead roots with a clean scissors. (Same goes for the dead leaf sheaths found on some orchids like cattleyas). Remove any old potting media.

Notice the roots’ silvery look. After a soaking, the velamen — a layer of cells designed to absorb water — turns the roots green. If the roots are dry and silverygray, I soak the orchids in water before attaching to a tree.

There’s much conflicting advice on what side of the tree to use, but Dr. Jason Downing, Fairchild orchid biologist, has a simple guideline: Look for the lichen. They may appear as small, bushy clumps or look as flat as paint, but lichen indicates a good microclimate for orchids.

Orient the plant so new leaf growth is pointing out away from the trunk. Use soaked, long-form coconut coir (not the shredded kind) or sphagnum moss to cover the roots like a cup on one side, and using twine and a pair of helping hands, begin to tie the orchid at the root area to the tree.

Try arranging the roots to encircle the tree trunk where possible before tying off. It may take two or more rounds of twine for a firm attachment.

Notice that Phalaenopsis have a leaf growth naturally leaning to one direction. Orienting this downwards aids the plant in shedding excess water that may otherwise lead to rot.

You want the orchid’s roots quite secure against the trunk, as this helps them eventually attach themselves. Then, thoroughly water the orchid. Do this early in the day so excess water evaporates before nightfall. Watering depends greatly on location and species. For example Phalaenopsis do not have water storage organs so they need more frequent watering, possibly every other day in drier conditions.