Orchids are known for their style, versatility, easy care and long flowering period. The plant has been incredibly popular for decades. And with good reason: it is a special plant with a rich history and many interesting facts. We have listed a few of them below. Read on to find out more about orchids.

 

Orchids belong to one of the largest plant families

With around 25,000 different species of orchids, the orchid family is one of the largest plant families. They originate from tropical and subtropical areas, such as Southeast Asia, Central and South America, and parts of Africa.

 

 

Growing in trees

In the wild, orchids mainly grow in humid rainforests, under the canopy of tall trees, where they are protected from direct sunlight. Most species are epiphytes: they do not root in the ground, but grow on trees and obtain their nutrients from humidity and organic material in branch forks or mosses. For this reason, orchids are grown in bark, so that the roots get enough light and air.

 

 

Spread to Europe and the Netherlands

In the 17th and 18th centuries, during the heyday of international trade (VOC era), exotic orchids were first brought back from Asia and South America by European botanists and collectors. They arrived in the Netherlands via botanical gardens, such as the Hortus Botanicus in Leiden (one of the oldest in the world), where tropical plants were cultivated under glass.

The plants immediately attracted a great deal of attention. Previously, they had only been available to a few particularly wealthy enthusiasts. Later, improvements in cultivation methods made orchids available to the general public.

Read also: The 5 benefits of orchids

 

Best-selling flowering houseplant

Orchids only became really popular in the Netherlands in the 19th century, especially among the elite, as a symbol of luxury and exoticism. In the 20th century, with the advent of modern greenhouse construction and horticultural technology (particularly in the Westland region), large-scale commercial cultivation of orchids began and the plants became accessible to a wider audience. The plant has since become the best-selling flowering houseplant and orchids adorn millions of households worldwide.

 

 

Patio-proof orchids

What most people don’t know is that some orchids can also be kept outdoors in the summer. If the plants are in the shade and the temperature does not fall below 10 degrees, you can also enjoy some orchids outdoors. In this article, you can read which orchids are suitable for this.

Patio proof orchids: these orchids can go outside

 

Read also: These are the 11 most popular types of orchids