Page 12 - nov

sc gardens - plant enthusiasts

Orchids
Orchids have always appeared to be a little too fragile
for our low humidity, high temperature environment
- but we actually have over 20 indigenous species of
Orchid in Botswana. Probably the most well known
being the Leopard Orchid, Ansellia africana (left) - seen
here half way up a palm tree in the Okavango Delta.

Many plants have lovely flowers, but there is something very
special about Orchids, they are striking, elegant, and with a
well earned reputation of being difficult to grow. Their vivid
colours enthrall us, and while it could turn out to be a very
expensive hobby, growing Orchids brings that exotic beauty to
the garden.

Orchids are arguably the largest family of flowering plants,
with over 30,000 species and hundreds of thousands of
registered and unregistered hybrids. Flower shape and size
vary immensely, and Orchids are found in almost every colour,
except true black. In spite of their enormous variety, Orchid
flowers share common characteristics: they are symmetrical
but, unlike many blooms, can only be divided in half along
one vertical plane, and all have a distinctive labellum or lip.

Orchids are quite often an impulse purchase, or received as
a gift, with no expectation of the plant living on beyond the
flowers dying. The Moth Orchid, (Phalaenopsis) along with
Doritaenopsis (closely related) are almost the only Orchids
sold in Botswana, they are also among the easiest to grow,
but will usually come with little to no growing advice. It only
takes a little research on the internet, or in a book to learn
how to grow Orchids, and will result in either abject failure or
a passion to learn more. Don’t overwater, put it in the right
light, give it a little bit of food when the flowers die, keep the
humidity levels high or as instructed and you might be in with a shot.

Text & Photos by S.C (Top to Bottom: Ansellia africana, Cattleya,
Phalaenopsis, Vanda, Cymbidium) & Ansellia africana opposite page
(photo by Jacques Gaimard)

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