The orchid is a big, spectacular, delicate flower that grows in jungles. It is rare and difficult to grow. It takes 7 years to produce a flower and it is, above all, predominantly female. Well not exactly.
All this is true about orchids, the strangest and most beautiful flowers in the world. It's also true that orchids, with perhaps 35,000 species, comprise the largest family of flowering plants, nearly a 7th of all those on earth.
Some do grow in jungles, but many, but many grow in high country. On limbs of trees, on bare rock, in the ground or in water. Two peculiar orchids grow and flower completely buried in Earth, never seeing the light of day.
The word 'orchid " projects at once an image of the club-woman's resplendent purple blossom, but the variation of form and colour among orchids is hard to believe even when seen. Some mimic bees, wasps, butterflies or moths and swans, doves,. Others look like frogs, lizards or miniature meandering even perfectly - formed Arabic numerals.
"Impossible parasites" is a challenge for growers. The ancient Greeks were the first. to take botanical notice of these curious plants. Writing about European ground orchids, the father of botany, Theophrastus, gave the name Orchids to the plants, from the resemblance of the paired underground tubers to masculine anatomy.
This suggested to the Greeks and later to the medieval herbalists that orchid might provoke Venus and eating them might influence the sex of unborn children.
A booklet published by a grower's association claims:
When you send your Valentine orchids, WONDERFUL THINGS HAPPEN!!!'
Sources : Wikipedia, World book encyclopedia, National Geographic, Pixabay
Beautiful! Such a serene and peaceful look. I would love to use the first picture as my wall paper if that's ok with you.
I'm glad you like it. It does have a serene feeling. I learnt so much, composing it.
I am sure you did !
Nice post, thank for share @ruthofisrael