Boy, was I wrong!!!
The orchid is one of the most beautiful and interesting plants I've encountered. It's an ancient plant as well, finding favor with the Chinese and Japanese as far back as 551 B.C. Orchids were once thought to have medicinal qualities and were often grown by local healers and physicians. If you're interested in a more detailed history of orchids visit the Orchid History site.
Fortunately the growing conditions in Florida are ideal for cultivating incredible varieties of these lovelies. While not extremely hard to please orchids do best in warm, moist conditions. Naturally you need to consider the variety of orchid that strikes your fancy. In researching orchids I discovered there are many types including Cattleya, Dendrobium, Oncidium, Phalaenopsis, and Vanda. The first three are best suited for outside in warm weather and need light. The Phalaenopsis will do well indoors with indirect light while Vandas like humidity.
Where and How to Plant Orchids
One of the best ways to get ideas about where and how to plant orchids is to visit someone who's done a good job. Alynne's Orchid Garden is a great place to start. She has some wonderful pictures of the orchid varieties she's grown as well as great ideas about where and how to plant your orchids. She happens to be based in south Florida so there's a definite weather advantage. However, with the proper preparation most orchid varieties will grow throughout the state.
Another thing I find fascinating about most orchids is that they're epiphytic, which means they don't require soil to grow. Many people attach orchids to pieces of wood or bark and hang them around their decks or patios. It's quite an interesting and exotic effect. Plus the plants do quite well. Some sphagnum moss packed around the roots to get them started and liquid fertilizer to help the plants get established does the trick in most cases.
So don't be afraid of orchids. They're a natural for our sunny and tropical Florida environment. Look through some the links below for great ideas and intriguing information about these delightful plants. You just might find that besides growing on pieces of wood, orchids might just grow on you!
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