Luckily, with our Florida climate orchids can be grown here. I have some in pots on my palm tree, but I find that other than giving them a little fertilizer and spraying them with a soft mist, they are best left alone. There is such a thing as killing them with kindness.

Orchids have a unique growth habit, breathtakingly delicate petals of every color, except blue, growing in every shape and form. They grow from South America to Hawaii and Africa. Most of the showier bloomers grown here in Florida are classified as epiphytic, without the use of soil. It takes about five to seven years for an orchid to bloom from seed, so most hobbyists, like myself, start collections with nursery-grown plants. Cattleyas, Dendrobriums and Oncidiums, will thrive in the protection of oaks, citrus and other shady variety of trees.

On nights when temperatures in Florida drop below the 30s, (which is rarely) you must bring your orchids inside the house, because the frost and freezing temperatures will destroy them. It is best to put them indoors, or in a heated greenhouse if the temperatures are expected to drop below 32 degrees.

Some have sweet perfume and others are odorless, but the hobby can be both interesting and very expensive. By joining the dozens of organized orchid societies in Florida, members can be guided by the experts in a fascinating hobby of growing a thing of beauty, which is a joy for about three months.

Alinka Zyrmont