
One of the best deals in summer are the beautiful and the most attractive ornaments in our own living. My featured flowers for today are: ORCHIDS.
The orchids family consists of approximately 30,000 different species, but if we take into consideration the hybrids growers all over the world have and are still developing, their number probably exceeds 200,000. They are found in every continent, the only exception being the Antarctic and there are endemic species in every part of the world.

Orchids are epiphytes, which means plants that grow on other plants. This was the most challenging fact the first growers had to face. Nowadays, we know that epiphytes live "stuck" on the branches of trees in tropical forests, attached to them through a strong root system; in fact the roots do not touch the soil. Instead the roots are literally in the air with the morning dew being their primary source of water in their natural habitat with rains coming right after that. The birds that fly and rest on the branches provide plenty of nutrients through their stool (out of which the roots absorb their food).
In the world of flowers, orchids are definitely the winners. Although they used to be expensive plants, today orchids are affordable to all and growing them is one of the most loved hobbies among flower lovers. Their incredible beauty and the numerous differentiations among species excite us all.

For more info about this flower, visit: American Orchid Society.
