The orchids (scientifically speaking, Orchidacea) are a grouping of plants that includes over than 20,000 known species, quite many of which are very valuable from a commercial standpoint. Many people believe them to be by far the most intriguing order of plants in the whole vegetable kingdom because of their amazing mode of growth and existence, their bizarre habits and the many shapes and forms of their blooms, which are different from those of all other plants — delicate seeming in texture and with exquisite and glowing colors.
Orchids are also remarkable owing to their ready adaptability and the degree to which they will easily cross breed or cross fertilize. This is true in their natural environs as well as when they are under cultivation. This fact also accounts for the almost endless varieties of flowers and colors that can occur from hybridization.
Some botany: The flower of the orchid as a rule consists of these parts: the sepals, petals, the labellum or pouch, and the column or crest.
On most orchids the labellum is usually the most conspicuous part as well as the most important organ of the flower. Insects go into it in search of the sweet juices contained within the spur or walls of the flower, pollinating the plant in the process and bringing about cross-fertilization in the bargain. This is how such a large number of new varieties are produced in the wild, and these are termed natural hybrids. But under cultivation this task must be performed by human caretakers using tiny camel’s hair brushes and with a careful eye and judgment as to the correct moment for fertilization. It is in this manner that the most beautiful orchid hybrids are created, and these are called garden hybrids.
One of the the things that makes orchid growing so exciting is the possibility of producing our own orchid hybrids. This takes knowledge and a good bit of patience, but even non-professionals have created astounding plants through hybridization.
If you are wishing to experiement with hybridizing orchids, you should first gain some solid experience in the basic cultivation of these plants. Only when you feel confident in growing and caring for orchids should you venture on the more demanding experiment of hybridization. Orchids are slow growing, and slow to produce blooms, so you must be comfortable with waiting sometimes years to find out if your hybridizing experiments are successful. Nevertheless, when it succeeds, it’s fantastic experience. You can produce not only some beautiful flowers by this process, but also orchid types never before seen in the world.
Certainly, you must amass all the knowledge that you can before trying your hand at hybridizing orchids. Fortunately, there are good books available on all aspects of orchid growing, including step-by-step instructions on hybridizing orchids.
The most accurate and clear guidebook to modern orchid gardening, as increasing numbers are learning, is Orchid Care Expert by Nigel Howard, which is available to be downloaded online. Mr. Howard’s ebook is a thorough course of study, useful for novices as well as more experienced devotees alike. As well, check out this Orchid Secretssite, which contains an ever-expanding database of entries on a broad range of topics of orchid cultivation.
Recent Comments