Fantastic Orchids
Emily Ellis
Perhaps no flower is more diverse and captivating than the orchid. As there are about 30,000 orchid species worldwide that come in a staggering variety of colors, shapes, and sizes, it’s no wonder that this extraordinary family of plants has fascinated plant-lovers throughout history, inspiring a range of art and research over the centuries.
The Oak Spring Garden Library isn’t the only place with beautiful orchids! This display in the formal greenhouse was made by gardener Allissa.
Unsurprisingly, orchids make frequent appearances in the rare botanical books and illustrations in the Oak Spring Garden Library collection. We were thrilled to loan several of these books and illustrations to the Barry Art Museum’s new exhibition, Orchids: Attraction and Deception. The exhibition, timed to coincide with the bloom cycle of orchids at the Kaplan Conservatory, presents works of art relating to the visual allure, ecological idiosyncrasy, and cultural impact of orchids. Among the talented artists who contributed to the exhibition is Calista Lyon, who worked on a project centered around a native orchid collection in rural Australia during her residency at Oak Spring last summer.
Orchids: Attraction and Deception opens today and will run until August 1st, giving visitors plenty of time to check it out. In the meantime, scroll down to read about several fascinating orchid species from the Oak Spring Garden Library collection that are featured in the exhibition.
Pink Lady's Slipper, Cypripedium humile / Cypripedium acuale
Pink Lady's Slipper from A Flora of North America by William Barton (1786-1856)
Dotting shady, pine-scented woodlands with luscious pink in the late spring, pink lady’s slipper orchids are one of the U.S.’s most iconic and fascinating wildflowers. They require very specific conditions to grow, depending on two other organisms for survival. One is a fungus in the soil from the Rhizoctonia genus, which breaks open lady slipper seeds and passes nutrients to it. The second is the bee, the flower’s only pollinator, which it lures into its cup-like flower with false promises of nectar.
Because of these particular growth habits – combined with humanity’s propensity to take beautiful things out of the wild – slow-growing pink lady’s slippers are considered species of concern in some parts of the country. Over two centuries ago, botanist William Bartram allowed that it was best to look, but not touch, this delicate wildflower in his Flora of North America, writing that:
“It is a favorite flower, from the circumstance of its continuing to bloom a long time. It does not, however, bear the soil or atmosphere of common gardens… I have repeatedly attempted to cultivate it, but have never had a plant to bloom a second season.”
If you live on the east coast and are interested in spotting these beauties for yourself, check out local native plant organizations such as Virginia Wildflowers to find out where you can find them this spring.
Lord Rothschild's variety, Vanda coerulea
Lord Rothschild's variety from The Orchid Album by Robert Warner (1882-1897)
Prior to the late twentieth century, when plopping an $8 orchid into your shopping cart at the grocery store became the norm, the exotic flowers were limited only to the wealthy. So popular were orchids in the Victorian era that a name, “Orchidelirium,” was coined for the rabid collection and “discovery” of new species. Orchid hunters ventured deep into the world’s jungles and forests - sometimes, not returning - in their race to be the first to dig up a new, beautiful flower and sell it for a high price back in England.
Botanists and scientific illustrators capitalized on the mania, including Robert Warner, the primary author of The Orchid Album. Published in 11 volumes in 1872 - 1897 and containing stunning illustrations by John Nugent Fitch and by Gertrude Hamilton, the book was highly prized by orchid collectors and growers, and is still available in paperback for lovers or botanical art.
Among the many orchids in The Album is the Lord Rothschild’s variety, which was afforded particularly enthusiastic attention due to its deep blue color. Warner wrote, “This is without doubt the finest dark colored variety of this, the Queen of the East Indian Orchids that we have of yet the good fortune to see.”
Native to Southeast Asia, this orchid grows on exposed deciduous trees in the wild. While it is relatively rare in the wild due to over-collection and habitat loss, it has been used by many orchid breeders to create showy blue hybrids.
Yellow-fringed habenaria, Habenaria ciliaris
Yellow-fringed habenaria from The Botanical Magazine; or, flower-garden displayed by William Curtis (1746-1799)
Another gorgeous native orchid, the yellow-fringed habenaria – often called the orange-fringed bog orchid – is found in sunny, marshy areas ranging from Florida to Ontario. Unlike most orchids, it is pollinated by butterflies – particularly swallowtails – which gather pollinia on their compound eyes as they stick their long proboscis into the flower to collect nectar.
While the Yellow-Fringed Habenaria is currently considered globally secure, it is vulnerable through much of its range, largely due to threats to its wetland habitat. Wetlands are particularly vulnerable due to climate change, urbanization of coastal zones and river deltas, pollution, and changes to water use. Currently, more than 25 percent of wetland plants worldwide stand at risk of extinction.
Bucket Orchid, Coryanthus Speciosa
Coryanthus Speciosa from The Orchidaceae of Mexico & Guatemala by James Bateman (1837-1843)
James Bateman remarked in The Orchidaceae of Mexico & Guatemala that orchids “mimic the forms of animated nature.” He had a point: orchid species bear a startling resemblance to the creatures and objects they are named for. Some, like the bee orchid and the fly orchid, fool lovestruck pollinators with their appearance; in other species, like the feathery white egret orchid or the aptly-named naked man orchid, the biological function of their extraordinary shape is less obvious.
With the Coryanthus speciosa, however, the purpose of its interesting form is clear. This flower, which ranges from Mexico to South America, is often found near ant nests, as the ants defend it from herbivores, and the ants receive nectar from the flower’s extrafloral nectaries in turn. The heavy scent of the bucket orchid attracts bee species seeking nectar; the unfortunate insect then tumbles down into the “bucket”, where its wings become wet with a mucilaginous substance, rendering it unable to fly. To escape, the bee must crawl through an exit where the flower’s pollen is held, collecting the pollen on its back along the way.
Want to learn more about amazing plants like orchids? Hop over to our Fantastic Flora website for more beautiful botanical illustrations - and fun plant facts - from the Oak Spring Garden Library collection.