Orchid History Still in the Making
Orchids are attractive not only because of its beautiful flowers but also because of their rich and colorful history. Orchid history goes a long way back in history as long as when dinosaurs existed. Just imagine, this exquisite plant just waiting to be taken cared of can tell you about the dinosaurs if they can just talk.Orchids actually witness how the world unfolds, from the time of the dinosaurs up to the present time. As old as orchids history is, documentation of this wonderful plant is pretty young. Greece was one of the first countries to document this beautiful plant.
In the land of gods and goddesses, orchids were called orchis, in reference to the Greek word for testicles. Orchids are often associated with sexual organs and reproduction not only in Greece but in other countries as well. China would look at orchids as symbol for prolific childbearing while Japan tells of a story about an emperor’s barren wife sniffing orchids and in the end, gave 12 children to the emperor. Orchid history though, is not just about its sexual allusions. Orchids are also known to possess healing properties.
Orchids would allay nausea and rouse appetite among chemotherapy patients. As perfume and as flavoring, are also some of the more widely acknowledged uses of orchids.
Orchid history, as rich as it is, was made even richer by William Cattley. Cattley was an Englishman whom the orchid Cattleya Libiata was named after. The British people were late to know about orchids. Orchids were only introduced to English people when the trade of imported flowers became economically significant. Orchids, even after years and years of surviving in the wild had a hard time adapting to the new location and they were almost exclusively grown in the Royal Botanical Garden of London. But Cattley, smitten by the exquisite beauty of orchids, used his money to raise his own orchid garden. . He failed many times in having an orchid bloom, but in the end, he was successful. Because of this difficulty in growing orchids, there was a time when they were known as “rich man’s plant”.
Orchids history, as charming as it is, charms us even more. There may be thousand and thousands of orchid shapes, colors and sizes, but the perfect black orchid continues to escape even the smartest of scientists. Also, recently in 2009, the smallest orchid has been discovered-only 2.1mm wide.
It is a fact that orchids, varied and enchanting in nature, can still surprise us with their unfolding orchid history.
In the land of gods and goddesses, orchids were called orchis, in reference to the Greek word for testicles. Orchids are often associated with sexual organs and reproduction not only in Greece but in other countries as well. China would look at orchids as symbol for prolific childbearing while Japan tells of a story about an emperor’s barren wife sniffing orchids and in the end, gave 12 children to the emperor. Orchid history though, is not just about its sexual allusions. Orchids are also known to possess healing properties.
Orchids would allay nausea and rouse appetite among chemotherapy patients. As perfume and as flavoring, are also some of the more widely acknowledged uses of orchids.
Orchid history, as rich as it is, was made even richer by William Cattley. Cattley was an Englishman whom the orchid Cattleya Libiata was named after. The British people were late to know about orchids. Orchids were only introduced to English people when the trade of imported flowers became economically significant. Orchids, even after years and years of surviving in the wild had a hard time adapting to the new location and they were almost exclusively grown in the Royal Botanical Garden of London. But Cattley, smitten by the exquisite beauty of orchids, used his money to raise his own orchid garden. . He failed many times in having an orchid bloom, but in the end, he was successful. Because of this difficulty in growing orchids, there was a time when they were known as “rich man’s plant”.
Orchids history, as charming as it is, charms us even more. There may be thousand and thousands of orchid shapes, colors and sizes, but the perfect black orchid continues to escape even the smartest of scientists. Also, recently in 2009, the smallest orchid has been discovered-only 2.1mm wide.
It is a fact that orchids, varied and enchanting in nature, can still surprise us with their unfolding orchid history.
