OH, ORCHIDS!
Not so long ago, orchids were only seen at special occasions. They were primarily used for weddings, and sympathy work. When flowers were more scarce during WW II, many of the long flowing bouquets of the 1920’s and 30’s gave way to more stylized bouquets that often featured a center Cattleya Orchid which lifted out of the bouquet and became the going away corsage. We would often see Cymbidiums used in bouquets as well and because of their size were used in multiples. Cymbidium orchids became very popular for Easter and Mother’s Day as well. In fact, they became so over exposure that the demand almost died out because of their commonality and over exposure. But now, Orchids are featured in many shelter magazines so their exposure has once again met the needs of the masses.
While it is true that once again, the big box stores have exposed many of our customers to the familiarity of Orchids, retail florists have the advantage to making a plant into a work of art. With the addition of River Cane armatures, enhanced containers, mosses, branches, and stones, Orchids transform into stunning blooming works of art.
Orchids are appropriate for contract work such as offices, restaurants, and other locations that require less maintenance. Because of their public exposure, Orchids when used as a cut flower are widely accepted for sympathy work, special events and home décor.
Orchids are a member of the Orchidaceae family. They have been discovered growing on every continent except Antarctica. Orchids thrive in regions from sea level to 15,000 feet in elevation. The greatest number of orchid species is found in tropical regions. Orchids are epiphytes, meaning they are considered air plants and not a parasite as once thought. They obtain their nutrients through a spongy covering of their roots.
Many orchids produce a sweet fragrance. This attracts a wide range of so pollinators such as birds, bees, flies, and even ants.
Since orchids are grown in so many different locations around the world, there is not really a season of availability for most varieties. There is somewhere around 30,000 varieties, but the most common are: Dendrobiums, Cymbidium, Cattleya, Phalaenopsis, Makara and Vanda. Because of the more limited commercial production, orchids are generally used in event work such as weddings, parties and upscale occasions. Each type of orchid has its own personality. Dendrobiums are often used as cut flowers in tropical arrangements, while Cymbidium orchids were once thought of as the Mother’s Day corsage orchid; making it a commonly recognized orchid. Cattleya orchids were the popular choice of brides during the 40’s and 50’s and Phalaenopsis or Butterfly orchids are the choice for modern arrangements because of their simplicity and elegance. Some orchids are edible and are used as garnish in culinary presentations.
Vanilla is one of the rare examples of orchids used for food. Vanilla seeds and their surrounding pulp within the seed pod are used in the food industry to make the extremely popular flavoring ‘vanilla extract’.
With so many Orchid opportunities, it makes great sense to include some beautiful additions in your next styling. Show your customers just how easy and long lasting orchids can be.
