Latest news with #Phalaenopsis
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
70 orchid species recorded in Kaziranga National Park survey; more reasons to visit now
Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, best known for its one-horned rhinos, has revealed another facet of its biodiversity—orchids. In a recent botanical survey, 70 species of orchids across 36 genera were documented in the park, turning the spotlight onto the floral wealth of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The study led by orchid conservator Khyanjeet Gogoi oversaw the survey, along with forest officers Bibit Dihingia and Bibhuti Ranjan Gogoi. Reports add that both the central and western ranges of the park were included in the study, which was mostly carried out via visual identification across a variety of habitats. The Panbari Reserve Forest produced 39 of the 70 species that were observed, making it a notable hotspot. Read more: 5 Buddhist sites in Andhra that feel like time travel Among the orchids found, 46 are epiphytes—plants that grow on other plants—and 24 are terrestrial, rooted in the soil. Some of the rare and significant species include Zeuxine membranacea, Bulbophyllumornatissimum, Phalaenopsis mannii, and Eulophia kamarupa, which is endemic to India. Others like Biermannia bimaculata and Zeuxine lindleyana also added to the ecological significance of the findings. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 이미지 영어에 대해서 40분만에 알려드립니다 스티븐영어 지금 시작하기 Undo Guwahati, May 15 (IANS) In a recent survey, conducted in Assam's Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR), a UNESCO World Heritage site, 70 orchid species across 36 genera were documented, officials said here on Thursday. To promote awareness and appreciation of this botanical diversity, the park hosted an 'Orchid and Butterfly Walk' on April 18 and 19 in Panbari. More than 50 students from nearby institutions and schools took part, who learned more about the butterflies and orchids of the area. During the ceremony, educational pamphlets about Panbari's orchids, butterflies, and birds were also distributed. Read more: Top 10 national parks in India ranked by tiger population According to officials, this discovery marks a shift in the perception of Kaziranga's natural resources. Even though the park's well-known creatures, such the rhino, are often featured in the media, the variety of orchid species shows how important it is to preserve its plant life as well. These findings raise Kaziranga's biodiversity profile and pave the way for additional ecological and conservation-based tourism initiatives. The abundance of orchids in Kaziranga demonstrated that an ecosystem's health can be determined by both the diversity of its flora and megafauna. These exquisite blooms will inspire a more comprehensive approach to wildlife preservation with renewed enthusiasm and targeted conservation activities. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
The Guardian
03-04-2025
- General
- The Guardian
‘The leaves fall off – but I think that's normal': the houseplants you just can't kill
There is a good reason that we treat certain houseplants as the green wallpaper of our homes: the odd splash of water and they seem to rub along fine. These are the species that have proved, over many decades, that they are best adapted to surviving in a vast range of situations. Unfortunately, familiarity breeds contempt, so many of us dismiss snake plants, spider plants, Swiss cheese plants and dragon trees as uninspiring and basic, even though they are the species that are likely to thrive, whatever the conditions. The key to making 'bog standard' houseplants look good is to display them in an atypical way: an oversized trough of snake plants rather than a few leaves in a lonely pot; the silhouette of a mass of plain green spider plants in a huge hanging basket instead of a spindly cream-striped specimen on a shelf; or a forest of dragon trees in a huge barrel planter. If you love flowers, moth orchids (Phalaenopsis) are a great choice as they are incredibly tough, and unfazed by the centrally heated air of our homes. Again, think about innovative ways of presenting them: they can look amazing massed in a single container. When it comes to shopping for houseplants, bear in mind that many plants sold in DIY stores, houseplant shops and supermarkets are not marketed with longevity in mind. Have you ever met anyone with a calathea older than a few months, for instance? So choose your purchase carefully. If your home lacks natural light (small windows and a north-facing aspect are the usual predictors of this), your options are far more limited: plain green-leaved houseplants such as the cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior), grape ivy (Cissus rhombifolia) and kangaroo ivy (Cissus antarctica) will do well in darker corners. But remember that if it is too dark to read a book without a light on, it's too dark for a houseplant to grow. If you have a sunnier home, cacti and succulents are a great choice: the forest cacti in particular are well suited to indoor growing and can live for decades. They are found in the tree canopies of South America, so do not need as much sunlight as the desert cacti. The Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving cacti (Schlumberger species) are probably best known but also look out for the mistletoe cacti (Rhipsalis species) and orchid cacti (Epiphyllum species). If you're on a limited budget, these are easy to grow from cuttings, so beg your friends for cuttings to kickstart your collection. Jane Perrone Falls, house moves, young children, long journeys in biscuit tins: these readers' plants have endured it all, and they're still going strong When I left Sweden in 2011, I couldn't take my plants with me, especially my rock orchid, which would have died in the moving truck. It was a Valentine's present from my husband, so I was sad to part with it, but I gave it to a friend. I kept two small offshoots, wrapped them in damp kitchen towel and newspaper, put them in a biscuit tin, and carried them in my hand luggage on the plane to London. Fourteen years later, I still have the orchids. They are happy to be watered whenever I remember, with water left out overnight. (It's important never to use water straight from the tap.) People say orchids are very difficult, but my orchids are the only plants I can keep alive. Vanessa, library assistant, Dorset I purchased 'Ralph', my aspidistra, from a house clearance shop in Battersea in 1971. He has moved house with me many times during my long career. Over the years at least 20 root cuttings have been given to family, colleagues and friends, and they have thrived equally well. Ralph is best housed away from direct sunlight with space for new leaves to grow. He likes a drink once a week but does not start to turn yellow with anger until neglected for about three weeks. Keith Spanswick, 76, designer of medical equipment, Nottingham We bought a fairly small monstera (Swiss cheese plant) about eight years ago and put it in the corner of our conservatory. It thrived, sending its tendrils across the granite walls, and was repotted after a couple of years. It is now completely enormous – around 8ft (2.4m) tall. It is totally living its best life. Robert Dunn, 62, self-catering manager, Strontian, Scotland My peace lily started life as a very small office plant bought one lunchtime in Leeds market about eight years ago. It seemed happy enough while I was at work but every time I was away for a week or so it appeared to have died. I got many surprised comments from colleagues as I did some emergency intensive watering in the kitchen. It kept bouncing back and hung in there despite the bouts of neglect. When I retired four years ago, I brought it home and started to give it a bit more attention. Even so, I just water it when it looks droopy and feed maybe once or twice a year. It rewards me with beautiful glossy leaves and regular flowers. Gillian Richardson, West Yorkshire I have had what I think is a dracaena (dragon plant) since 1999. I was given it as a leaving present from my last employment. It's about 8ft tall and requires almost no upkeep – it tolerates being forgotten for weeks at a time and always looks really healthy. Lower leaves dry and fall off, but I think that's normal. I love it. Kate Edmonds, former career and executive coach, Alfriston, East Sussex I picked up my rubber plant from Columbia Road flower market in London in 2018, as a tiny sapling. It has been through seven house moves, a pandemic and the arrival of three children under three who terrorise everything in reaching distance. It is still going strong, sprouting new leaves, and is now enjoying its twilight years. The secret? No idea. None of my other plants has fared as well. Kevin, 41, charity sector recruiter, London I have owned my umbrella plant since 2011, when I bought it from a DIY store in a 15cm pot. It is now about 8ft tall, and has been cut back several times. Like many houseplants, it thrives on neglect, but this one is remarkable. It has helped that it has been set up like an office plant rather than a typical houseplant: large planter, large volume of compost, watering only once every few weeks. It responds well to pruning and several cuttings have been taken and grown on. Kenneth Freeman, interior landscaping consultant, Swanley, Kent I currently have three beefsteak begonias. The mother plant is about 30 years old and came from a single rooted leaf given out in a paper cup at a fundraiser for a political candidate. Over time I have rooted cuttings or broken off bits to give to family and neighbours. The mother plant was once knocked off the porch rail and fell 7ft to the ground; I gathered up the broken-off bits and rooted them. I keep it in a sunny southern window in the winter and outside on the northern-exposure front porch the rest of the year. It is an extremely forgiving houseplant and propagates easily from cuttings, blooming from February till the end of April, with light pink flowers. Juliana Inman, 73, architect, Salem, Oregon, US My dwarf umbrella plant was a present on my 25th birthday. It quickly grew into a large plant that spent its early life in a pot on the floor next to my parents' back door. Mum would occasionally throw some water on it, but it thrived on benign neglect – covered in dust, leaned on, leaves crushed, occasionally 'watered' by the cat and then cut back to within an inch of its life as it dared to push new branches or leaves beyond its allotted corner. It eventually moved with me to my own home, where it has since lived a largely event-free life. Forty years later, it is still thriving on benign neglect. Sally Nunn, 64, retired, Grimsby I was given my clivia (bush lily) by my late husband's grandmother when we married in 1987. It has luscious green leaves and should have a large orange flower. The plant has thrived but is very temperamental when it comes to flowering. I have divided or repotted it every few years and fed it in spring and summer, but I have had only a handful of flowers in more than 30 years. Liz, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk I inherited my money plant from my parents. I believe it was a present from when they married in the 80s. It lived in their conservatory and survived for 18 months, completely solo, after they passed away. When their property was sold I took some of the furniture and the plant. I was warned it would probably die, as it would be in storage for a month with no light. It looked extremely sad when we got it down to where I live in Cornwall. However, a warm spot in our children's play space and some watering bulbs slowly revived it. I added fertiliser when I saw new growth and it is looking much happier and healthier now. Clearly, it is a survivor. Mark Ferguson, 33, researcher, Cornwall People featured in the article responded to a Community callout. You can contribute to open callouts here. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Observer
17-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Observer
Orchid explosions in ‘Mexican Modernism' at NY Botanical Garden
The glowing orange wall dripping with pink and crimson blossoms that greeted me in the Enid A Haupt Conservatory at the New York Botanical Garden on a recent Friday was hardly what I expected. Of course, it is time for the 22nd Annual Orchid Show and that show's mission, Joanna L Groarke, the garden's vice president for exhibitions and programming, said is to deliver a 'shot of colour when people really need it.' But with 'The Orchid Show: Mexican Modernism,' they've surpassed that simple base line by miles. The show this year was conceived as a tribute to the great midcentury Mexican architect Luis Barragán (1902-88). The problem, as Marc Hachadourian, the director of glasshouse horticulture and senior curator of orchids, explained it, was to find a way of reconciling Barragán's reputation for clean, modernist lines and minimal surfaces with the extreme, showy splendor of one of the world's most cultivated plants. Part of their solution, exhibited in three extravagant set pieces that anchor the beginning, middle and end of a steamy stroll through the garden's hothouses, lies in the particular colours on offer this year. Leaning heavily towards whites and pinks that complement Barragán's signature palette of creamy rose, orange and purple, they help the pieces strike your eye as unities well before you can take in any detail. The Phalaenopsis Surf Song, Queen Beer Red Sky and Dancing Ladies Tsiku Marguerite orchids, part of The Orchid Show: Mexican Modernism, at the New York Botanical Garden, March 1, 2025. (Michelle V. Agins/The New York Times) In the Palm Dome, where I started, a rich, rusty orange wall, a smaller white wall and a protruding, square-bottomed water trough evoke the architect's 1960s Fuente de los Amantes (Lover's Fountain) in Mexico City. Emerging from cavities built into each of these walls are hundreds of pink and white Phalaenopsis, dense bursts of colour and life almost too rich to number. The Phalaenopsis, known as the grocery store orchid, is originally from Southeast Asia, but because it has been the most extensively hybridised, it comes in the greatest variety of colours. Species native to Mexico are also displayed throughout, like the fragrant but petite Lily-of-the-valley orchids, or Vanilla planifolia, which provides the minuscule black specks in your vanilla Häagen-Dazs and was first cultivated by the Aztecs. At the end of the show you discover an even lusher installation modeled on a garden that Barragán famously built around an existing jacaranda tree: Instead of jacarandas, this fabricated steel tree supports an abundance of purple orchids. Orchids burst from a row of colorful arches with sharp edges, part of The Orchid Show: Mexican Modernism, at the New York Botanical Garden, March 1, 2025. (Michelle V. Agins/The New York Times) The other element serving to marry Barragán's aesthetic with the orchid's is the flowers' placement in the walls. Always well within the edges, they're framed not only by sharp corners, but by at least a foot or two of flat, brightly painted faux stucco. This works most magically in a hallway broken into sections by three stark walls with cutout doors, one purple, one orange, one fuchsia. As you enter the hall — accompanied by a playlist of Mexican boleros and guitar music — you see a line of plain, if brightly coloured, arches. Once you pass through, though and turn to look back, you see that these walls, too, are teeming with flowers. Of course, giving winter- and world-weary visitors a shot of colour isn't really the whole agenda. (It's not that hard, either, since there are now more than 150,000 distinct varieties of orchid, coming in shades from rich, buttery orange to eye-melting violet to astringent greenish-white.) The real aim of capturing people's interest with a show like this is to get them into one of the world's great botanical collections and put them face to face with the mind-boggling diversity of life on earth. The Phalaenopsis Rose Valentine and Phalaenopsis Younghome Golded Star, part of 'The Orchid Show: Mexican Modernism,' at the New York Botanical Garden, March 1, 2025. (Michelle V. Agins/The New York Times) So while the Barragán-inspired installations themselves stick to a relatively narrow range of floral styles, the orchids that have been carefully scattered around the rest of the permanently installed vines, palms and cactuses are so various that if, like me, you come to take notes, you'll walk out lightheaded and bleary. 'Mexican Modernism' does an admirable job of balancing simplicity of conception with opulence of execution. Coloured windows in one section turn cactuses orange and purple as the sun moves across the sky; potted orchids in the aquatic plants and vines gallery fill the room with fragrance even as they draw your attention to water lilies and water poppies; an adjoining show of stylish photographs by Martirene Alcántara, in the garden's nearby Ross Gallery, takes you directly into Barragán's sharp but explosively colourful walls and corners. But I'd recommend making some quick choices before the abundance goes to your head. Take a deep breath, pick a single flower — like a Phalaenopsis Taida Day, whose white sepals are marked with elegant purple veins — and look closely. — NYT
New York Times
13-03-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Orchid Explosions in ‘Mexican Modernism' at the Botanical Garden
The glowing orange wall dripping with pink and crimson blossoms that greeted me in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory at the New York Botanical Garden on a recent Friday was hardly what I expected. Of course, it is time for the 22nd Annual Orchid Show, and that show's mission, Joanna L. Groarke, the garden's vice president for exhibitions and programming, said is to deliver a 'shot of color when people really need it.' But with 'The Orchid Show: Mexican Modernism,' they've surpassed that simple base line by miles. The show this year was conceived as a tribute to the great midcentury Mexican architect Luis Barragán (1902-88), and the problem, as Marc Hachadourian, the director of glasshouse horticulture and senior curator of orchids, explained it, was to find a way of reconciling Barragán's reputation for clean, modernist lines and minimal surfaces with the extreme, showy splendor of one of the world's most cultivated plants. Part of their solution, exhibited in three extravagant set pieces that anchor the beginning, middle and end of a steamy stroll through the garden's hothouses, lies in the particular colors on offer this year. Leaning heavily toward whites and pinks that complement Barragán's signature palette of creamy rose, orange and purple, they help the pieces strike your eye as unities well before you can take in any detail. In the Palm Dome, where I started, a rich, rusty orange wall, a smaller white wall, and a protruding, square-bottomed water trough evoke the architect's 1960s Fuente de los Amantes (Lover's Fountain) in Mexico City. Emerging from cavities built into each of these walls are hundreds of pink and white Phalaenopsis, dense bursts of color and life almost too rich to number. The Phalaenopsis, known as the grocery store orchid, is originally from Southeast Asia, but because it's been the most extensively hybridized, it comes in the greatest variety of colors. Species native to Mexico, like the fragrant but petite Lily-of-the-valley orchids, or Vanilla planifolia, which provides the minuscule black specks in your vanilla Häagen-Dazs, and was first cultivated by the Aztecs, are also displayed throughout. At the end of the show you discover an even lusher installation modeled on a garden that Barragán famously built around an existing jacaranda tree: Instead of jacarandas, this fabricated steel tree supports an abundance of purple orchids. The other element serving to marry Barragán's aesthetic with the orchid's is the flowers' placement in the walls. Always well within the edges, they're framed not only by sharp corners, but by at least a foot or two of flat, brightly painted faux stucco. This works most magically in a hallway broken into sections by three stark walls with cutout doors, one purple, one orange, one fuchsia. As you enter the hall — accompanied by a playlist of Mexican boleros and guitar music — you see a line of plain, if brightly colored, arches. Once you pass through, though, and turn to look back, you see that these walls, too, are teeming with flowers. Of course, giving winter- and world-weary visitors a shot of color isn't really the whole agenda. (It's not that hard, either, since there are now more than 150,000 distinct varieties of orchid, coming in shades from rich, buttery orange to eye-melting violet to astringent greenish-white.) The real aim of capturing people's interest with a show like this is to get them into one of the world's great botanical collections and put them face to face with the mind-boggling diversity of life on earth. So while the Barragán-inspired installations themselves stick to a relatively narrow range of floral styles, the orchids that have been carefully scattered around the rest of the permanently installed vines, palms and cactuses are so various that if, like me, you come to take notes, you'll walk out lightheaded and bleary. One feature differentiates the orchid from other flowers — the fusion of female pistil and male stamen into a single structure called a column. Aside from that, it's easy to find pairs of orchids that could have come from different planets. One distinctively scented Phalaenopsis could fit on the tip of your pinkie while the blossoms of another, pale pink type practically crowd one another off their perches in their drive to take up space. A flat purple variety of a different genus, Miltoniopsis, looks like the Hand of Fatima, while others, of still other genera, could pass for edible red seaweed, or giant insects. 'Mexican Modernism' does an admirable job of balancing simplicity of conception with opulence of execution. Colored windows in one section turn cactuses orange and purple as the sun moves across the sky; potted orchids in the aquatic plants and vines gallery fill the room with fragrance even as they draw your attention to water lilies and water poppies; an adjoining show of stylish photographs by Martirene Alcántara, in the garden's nearby Ross Gallery, takes you directly into Barragán's sharp but explosively colorful walls and corners. But I'd recommend making some quick choices before the abundance goes to your head. Take a deep breath, pick a single flower — like a Phalaenopsis Taida Day, whose white sepals are marked with elegant purple veins — and look closely.
