George Howard
Orchid Fanaticism: Blame The Victorians
Since tulip mania (or “tulipomania”) crested in the Netherlands until the present day no single group of plants has achieved such a tenacious hold on popular fancy as the orchids. Believe it or not, though, today’s orchid craze hardly compares to the excited devotion that these plants roused in our Victorian forebears, particularly in England and the United States.
Certainly, of course, many other plants were greatly admired in the Anglo-Saxon world of the latter half of the 19th century. We may count among these the cacti, ferns, roses, chrysanthemums and palms. But it was the orchids that represented the apex of horticultural attainment to 19th century gardeners. So highly were these mostly tropical epiphytes sought after that on May 12, 1885, the first huge orchid conference was held in London. The gala event brought together amateur as well as commercial growers to show off their prized specimens and to discuss important issues, including the culture and nomenclature of these marvelous flowers.
At the time of that landmark London conference, the more exotic orchids of the tropics had been known to the world in general for only about a hundred years. The Spanish botanist Francisco Hernandez casually mentioned a few orchids as curiosities in his account of his 16th-century voyage to Spanish America. Almost two centuries later, naturalist Engelbert Kaempfer and botanist Georg Eberhard Rumphius, both working for the Dutch East Indies Company, described some of the Asian orchids. But it wasn’t until just before the beginning of the 19th century that Europeans in general became aware of these mysterious and exciting plants.
By the early 19th century, botanists were attempting to cultivate a handful of specimens at such places as London’s famous Kew Gardens. Until 1820 orchids were looked upon as curiosities in botanical gardens, but about that time some showy Cattleyas and other species produced some stunning flowers, piqueing greater interest among the public. By the middle of the 19th century, new orchid specimens were making their way to Europe from all around the globe. Additionally, more and more people were attempting to cultivate orchids at home.
The orchid craze was in full swing by the late 19th century and continued unabated for many years to come. Somewhat suprisingly, a solid scientific understanding of orchid botany and what was needed to be consistently successful in growing orchids did not arrive until the 1920s.
Today, of course, we have an abudance of good, accurate information available for anyone who would like to grow orchids. The most complete guidebook to contemporary orchid cultivation, beyond question, is Orchid Care Expert by a Mr. Nigel Howard, which can be downloaded from the Internet. Howard’s clearly written guide will furnish a complete understanding of the subject. Also, visit the Orchid Secrets site, which is publishing an ever-growing library of articles on all facets of orchid care.
George Howard-Love Will Find A Way
