Orchids Could Be Extra-Terrestrials

The American Orchid Society proclaims April National Orchid Month, a time when botanical groups herald springtime with exhibitions of these highly diverse and decorative plants. The Botanical Garden in San Diego's famed Balboa Park gets a jump on orchid season in early March by setting out its rainbow of cultivated orchids boasting a dizzying array of shapes, colors and scents.

Wander up and down the aisles studying these unusual flowers and you sense orchids came from another planet, sent to colonize Earth in preparation for an invasion.

The invaders ploy? Narcotize Earthlings with complex aromas exuded by their fragrance. Lull us into ecstasy tasting one of their seeds, the vanilla bean. Charm us and divert our energies into lusty passions with promises of sexual energy, magical potions and even abilities to set the sex of unborn children. And transfix us for their take-over by the orchid's exotic beauty.

How long has this conspiracy been going on? Scientists date orchids back 120 million years, and they theorize active cultivation took place in China or Japan, 3000 to 4000 years ago. Over recorded human history, accounts of magical powers attributed to the orchid have come down to us from Asian, Greek and even Aztec cultures; and, testifying to their resilience, botanists have found orchids in Alaska near the Arctic Circle.

Myths and urban legends worthy of Hollywood horror films swirl around orchids. With open mouths and exposed throats, they look carnivorous; but debunkers tell us many species actually have symbiotic relationships with spiders and other insects for pollination. Adding fuel to the take-over lore, consider the prospect of an archeologist finding a human skull in a remote South Sea island jungle with an orchid growing out of it, plausible since some varieties thrive on decay. What about plants hanging from trees, ready to pounce on an unsuspecting passerby? Some orchids have air roots. Others send out long runners, or vines, perhaps with tendrils to snare us.

As a living testimony to the take-over plot, orchids have more than 28,000 varieties and 110,000 hybrids now living on the planet, exceeding the venerable poinsettia in popularity.

So, when walking through the San Diego's Botanic Garden or any other orchid exhibits around the country, hold tight to your children's hands. You never can tell when one of those little multi-colored goodies might tele-transport you and your offspring home to another planet.