Sunday, March 14, 2010

Tropical Wild Orchids for Bloom Day

Wild orchids do really dot the landscape throughout Orchidland in East Hawaii. These hardy  plants grow in solid lava rocks,  up in trees and what little earth or cracks in the earth they can establish a growing environment. It is up to mother earth to nurture and water these wild orchids and when there is abundant rain, the landscape is dotted with many flowering stalks. The presence of wild orchids here is an indicator of a healthy ecosystem. These orchids are highly evolved plants and thrive in its natural habitat. Surprisingly, these three orchids are not really native orchids to these areas and have naturalized in these environments and in fact throughout the wetter areas of the Hawaiian Islands.

One of the most abundant types of orchids here in Orchidland are the bamboo orchids (Arudina Graminifolia ).   They develop these amazing stalks that can reach up to six feet in height and the orchids are at the tips of these stalks. It is amazing how these plants can survive difficult growing conditions in the wild areas of Hawaii, but in the right conditions they flourish like these bamboo orchids.

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Another wild orchid that can be found throughout East Hawaii is this ground orchid called Philippine Orchid  (Spathoglottis plicata). Like the bamboo orchids, these hardy orchids also are abundant all over East Hawaii and grow in harsh environments with little soil and nutrients. They flourish among the weeds, Ohia trees and dense grasses fighting for nourishment and creating beauty in the wild landscape.

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The last orchid that tends to be less common and only found in the wetter areas around East Hawaii, this orchid is called a Nun's Cap or swamp orchid (Phaius Tankervilliae) . These beauties are more rare and tend to hide in the rain forests and jungled habitats in shady and filtered light areas.  When they bloom, they send out tall and straight stalks of tiered white and purple blooms with dark purple and striated white throats, a beautiful combination of colors. They are also highly fragrant especially in the morning time frame.

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To see more garden blogs with bloom day posts for today,  please visit Carol’s
website at  http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/

39 comments:

africanaussie said...

Mmmm lovely orchids, and isnt it amazing to discover a "wild" flower so beautiful. We gardeners try to re-create and mould nature to our whims, but sometimes need to go out exporing and find things grow just fine on their own.

Matti said...

Ahh, what a great sight to see orchids in the wild. Fantastic! Matti

Ami said...

You are lucky to be able to see wild orchids around you. The first two are seen sold in garden center now. I have the ground orchids in my garden. I have never seen the swamp orchids, very beautiful, and did you also say it has the fragrance? Wow, can not beat that combination!

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

To see Orchids just growing outside would be amazing. These three plus the one on your previous post are so pretty.

Brad said...

Wow. Beautiful to see those orchids in a natural setting. I'm used to seeing them indoors in tiny pots.

Anonymous said...

Greetings Noel, How I should love to be able to see all of these wild orchids in their natural habitat. However, thanks to your generosity and your wonderfully clear and professional photographs, I have the next best thing.

You really do live in an amazing part of the world.

rebecca Sweet said...

Ahhh....seeing your Hawaiian orchids brings a smile to my face! We were just talking this weekend about taking a vacation to Hawaii next year...and I think your post couldn't have come at a better time! Thanks for the beautiful photos!

Liza said...

Noel, your photos are always wonderful! Thanks for sharing a bit of Hawaii with us!

Kimberly said...

Noel, I've never been to Hawaii, but really want to visit, especially after seeing these photos. SOOOOOO tropical! And to think that they grow WILD! I know all plants grow wild somewhere, but to actually experience it is quite another thing, indeed! You are fortunate to live in such an amazing place! And, of course, your photos make the plants come to life on the computer screen. Beautiful, Noel!

Melody said...

They are all beautiful, especially the Nun's Cap.

Rosie Nixon Fluerty said...

Noel I would just love to be there with my camera seeing my favourite houseplants in their natural habitats and not in a pot. My favourite one today is the swamp orchid - its just so exotic looking.

Meredith said...

Noelle, how incredible that you get to see these beauties flourishing in their natural habitat! I'm so glad you've shared with us the exotic (to me) wild wonders of your land. :)

Terra Mirabilis said...

Noel, I'm amazed they haven't been stripped by collectors. Sadly, the Everglade's beautiful ghost orchid, Dendrophylax lindenii (the subject of Susan Orlean's The Orchid Thief, which I've just started reading), is so endangered because of collectors that locations are usually kept secret. Wikipedia has good info at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dendrophylax_lindenii

Marie said...

Beautiful orchids! It makes me long to come back to Hawaii.

Noel Morata said...

aloha all,

thanks for the comments on these wild orchids...you may be surprised to learn that these are very commmon orchids for these areas and are not really prized compared to the ones grown commercially and exported from the various orchid nurseries here...although the swamp orchid is not so easy to find and people are starting to strip them from various areas in the rain forests.

Kathleen Scott said...

This was so much fun, Noel. I couldn't believe it when I saw the swamp orchid pix. I planted those in my south Florida garden. They bloomed in a regular season each year and survived three hurricanes!

Now that I'm in the arid Texas Hill Country, orchids are exotic memories. Thanks for sharing yours.

Iris said...

That swamp orchid is particularly exquisite among all your other exquisite orchids. I love your paintings on wood panels, too!

Floridagirl said...

What wonderful plants to have naturalize! I have paid a pretty penny for every Spathoglottis I've added to my garden. In recent years, I've wandered many a Florida hammock and swamp, and native and naturalized orchids are few and far between.

BGgarden said...

Seriously, this is what I dream Heaven is! YOUR BLOOMS ARE AMAZING! I want to thank you for sharing your talent for photography and your love for gardening with us all.

joene said...

Noel, you always have beautiful flowers to show, no matter the time of year.

lotusleaf said...

Amazing orchids! The Bamboo orchid is a real beauty. I have the Phillipine orchid, which is not wild here.

Stephanie from GardenTherapy.ca said...

Lovely photos - those orchids are to die for!

Carol said...

How wonderful to be able to see all of those growing in the wild Noel! Beautiful! ;>)

Town Mouse said...

Beautiful! Much as I love crocus and daffodils, seeing some orchids is a very welcome break.

Happy bloom day!

Dorothy Borders said...

Those orchids are really fabulous and your photography truly does them justice. Aloha and happy Bloom Day!

Amy Farrier said...

Wow, I think I would never be without my camera there. The idea of a six foot tall orchid is pretty fantastic. And I like how different the Nun's cap is. Beautiful stuff here.

Yvonne said...

Thank you for visiting my blog in Italy - it is great the way that GBBD brings people together, right across the world. I am just astounded by your orchids and can hardly believ they grow wild. Makes my daffodils seem rather tame...
Yvonne

Rock rose said...

There is something very special about seeing orchids growing in the wild. Thanks for sharing your lovely blooms.

donna said...

Hard for me to imagine wild orchids, especially the bamboo orchids with their six foot stalks.

No, I'm never smelled a Pikaki, but I'd like to. This is my first Hawaii blog and I'm enjoying it already.

donna

Anonymous said...

Hi Noel~~ Absolutely beautiful orchids. Thanks for sharing.

Anna said...

Oh what beauties Noel :)

Les said...

Thank you for stopping by and commenting on my Bloom Day blog post, I appreciate the visit. I am not sure what I would do if I lived in a climate where tropical orchids could stay outside.

littlewing said...

Thanks for the visit to my humble NC blog:) It's wonderful to see tropical blooms when it's still gloomy and chilly here. I shall follow your blog- it will be like having mini vacations!

debsgarden said...

How great to see orchids in their natural habitat. As always, your photos are wonderful. To think how many folks nurse these plants in their homes or greenhouses!

Shirley said...

Hi there Noel :-) Like others above, I too would dearly love to see your orchids in the wild. We have some tiny wildflower ones here. You’ve made me consider if I could find seed or plug plants to add some to my garden. They could look fantastic near my new pond :-D

Wonderful photos, thanks for sharing them :-D

sewa mobil said...

They are all beautiful, especially the Nun's Cap.

Orchid types said...

Oh, my gosh! I really love your orchids! I am an Orchid grower myself and I just enjoy taking care of them. It relaxes me after a hard day's work in the office. Orchid types

Elliott Broidy said...

These are beautiful. I wish I could have these in my yard everyday.

TatteredFae said...

I went on a hike to k2 today and saw all three of these orchids growing along the trail. It was a beautiful sight. Walking back to the car I saw a number of the plants with their bulbs laying in a pile. There were three nuns cap and one Philippine bulbs and plants just laying there. I live at the top of st. Louis heights. Is there anything I can do to save these plants?

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