Colombia’s magical realism begins with its
phenomenal flora. The national flower, the cattleya trianae (the Christmas
Orchid), with its vibrant purple colors and sensual form is a superb
representation a country that hums with life, music, and color. With over 1500 known orchid species in Colombia alone – a new orchid was
discovered just in 2014 in the Valle de Cauca – Colombia leads the world in
orchids and orchid exportation. Orchids
are the real jewels of Colombia.
Orchids have been around since, literally,
the beginning of time, as there’s evidence they’ve existed approximately 100
million years. But this is no accident,
as there’s a highly specialized relationship between orchids and their
pollinators to insure their survival. They are masters of disguise, looking like
butterflies, owls, birds and bees to insure they get pollinated. This means if
an insect goes extinct, so, too, will the orchid. The symbiosis of nature and
all its elements is phenomenal, adding to the magic of what orchids are and
their special meaning to the world and our existence here as well.
Orchids get their rather sensual name from
the Greek, orchis, meaning testicle.
And Greeks believed orchids were a symbol of fertility and virility. In
Victorian England, orchids were a sign of wealth and elegance, most likely due
to their exotic nature. In ancient China, orchids symbolized innocence and the
forthcoming of many children (which is a bit contradictory however we’ll take
it.) The Azteks believed orchids gave them strength and power. And in the
Japanese Samurai culture, a Samurai who brought back the gift of the orchid to
the royal court was considered brave and fortunate. Today, though, no one
doubts the rare, delicate, sensual beauty of the orchid and what this gift
imparts.
Those who love orchids and collect them
will pay nearly any price for them. The Rothschild’s Orchid costs approximately
$5000.00 per plant and Shenzhen Nongke orchid a whopping $202,000.00 per plant.
But don’t shy away from delving into the world of orchids, as surreal and
beautiful as they are, they are affordable and pretty easy to care for.
This past year, Colombia showed record
exports for Valentine’s Day, as over half a billion flowers were shipped from
Colombia to the United States this past February.
A significant chunk of that is the
blossoming orchid market. These exotic, colorful stems are growing in
popularity around the world, and it’s no wonder. These perennials are not so
difficult to care for, and with just a few steps, your orchids will bloom, and
re-bloom, giving your home, office, or classroom the luxurious smells and looks
of the tropics. Each orchid will have specific care instructions, so make sure
you ask about your particular orchid. Nevertheless, here are some basic indoor
orchid care instructions.- Orchids
need very moist, well-draining conditions.
- Don’t
over-water your orchids, or you’ll kill the roots. Most orchids need
watering every 8 – 12 days, depending on the conditions. But they need to
dry out between watering. Check for moisture by touching the medium.
- Humidity
is key! A great place for an orchid is a sunny bathroom (because of the
shower!). Or, place it in a dish with water and pebbles.
- Don’t
water the leaves or petals.
- Use
specific orchid fertilizers on your plant. Follow the directions carefully
and fertilize approximately once/month (after the orchid is in bloom). You
might require more fertilizing while the plant is growing.
- Orchids
need strong, indirect light. Many orchids don’t bloom for lack of light.
(But make sure it doesn’t get sun burned!)
- Change
the pot every year or two.
Orchids are an exquisite, classy gift for
any occasion. There’s something phenomenal about giving life … exuberant,
colorful, fragrant life.
