Untitled

10 Common Orchid Types

All About the 10 Most Common Orchid Species

Below you’ll find information about the most common orchids. As you’ll see from the beautiful pictures there’s a reason why they’re so popular…enjoy.

Phalaenopsis
Photo provided by Abhradeep Kundu	A very popular orchid owing to the ease that they flower and propagate in a home environment. They come in a variety of colours and shades but are typically identified by their long stems, bunches of flowers and thick green leaves at the base of the stem.
Cymbidium
Photo provided by http://www.noodlesnacks.com/	The Cymbidium or boat orchid, was first described by Olof Swartz in 1799. It derives its name from the Greek word for cavity, kumbos, referring to the growth at the base of the lip. In Bhutan they can be found flavouring a spicy curry called “olatshe”. They typically have more leaves than many orchids and come in huge variety of colors with flowers which last about ten weeks.
Paphiopedilum (Lady Slipper orchid)
Photo provided by Dalton Holland Baptista	The paphiopedilums is commonly hybridized due to its beautiful, if not bizzare flowers. New specias of this orchid are still being discovered occasionally but none so far can rival the beauty of the Golden Slipper Orchid discovered in 1979. Providing their natural environment is roughly emulated in the home they are relatively easy to grow and most thrive in temperatures ranging from 55 – 95 oF with 55 – 70% humidity. Many hybrids have been bred to be easier to grow indoors.
Vanilla
Photo provided by the National Park Service	The Vanilla orchid can be found across the world in most tropical regions and is an evergreen flower most notably known for its flavoring qualities. Also part of the vine family, they can extend up to 35 meters in length with short dark green vanilla leaves. Each cluster can contain up to 100 flowers however it is more likely to be around 20. Flowers open in the morning and close in the evening and sadly never re-open again.
Oncidium
Photo provided by http://www.noodlesnacks.com/	The callus at the lower lip of the Oncidium provides the origin of its name from the Greek work ‘onkos’ meaning swelling.Most are epiphytes and can be found in the Americas from Florida down to South America.   The flowers come in shades of red, yellow, pink and white with frilly edges and a huge lip. They are known as ‘spray orchids’ on account of how their branches ‘spray out’.
Laelia
Photo provided by JoJan	Found largely subtropical Central America – mainly Mexico. They have diverse growing conditions, some prefering sunny dry,cool conditions while others prefer more rainforest like conditions – warm and humid. Most are epiphytes and are closely related to the Cattleya (see below). Their stems are usually short and flowers are pink/purple with a purple lip; rare albino varieties are prized. They blossom in spring or autumn. There is a high demand for rare varieties which are artificially cultured in horticultural labs.
Epidendrum
Photo provided by Maarten Sepp	Found on the American continents in tropical and subtropical regions, this orchid is extremely varied in the environment it grows and in its appearance.  From jungles to cloud forests this epiphyte can be found between altitudes of 1,000 to 3,000m. Flowers vary in size, typically small to medium in size, but tend to grow in ‘tufts’. Many species are extraordinarily fragrant.
Cattleya
Photo provided by Cássio van den Berg	The Cattleya orchid containing around 115 species are predominantly known for their large, showy flowers. Flowers are range in size from 5cm to 15cm and occur in almost every color except for true blue and black Because Cattleya flowers are so beautiful they are one of the most hybridized varieties and both the quality and quantity of hybrids has increased in recent years.
Bulbophyllum
Photo provided by http://www.larsen-twins.dk/	Although originating from Papua New Guinea the Bulbophyllum can now be found in Australia, South East Asia, India, Africa, Madagascar and South America. Flowers emanate from stems either in a spiral or ranks and the petals are often callous and hairy. New species are being discovered every year.
Miltonia
Photo provided by Dalton Holland Baptista	Found predominantly in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest this orchid has 9 epiphyte species and eight natural hybrids. The flowers have a delicate, exotic scent, some compare to that of roses. Miltonia species have large and long lasting flowers, coupled to being species that are easy to grow and to identify, make them a favorite of orchid collectors all over the world. They are named after Lord Fitzwilliam Milton, an English orchid enthusiast.

Photo provided by http://www.larsen-twins.dk/

---