Wild Orchids Grow and Flourish in Florida

Orchids have been around since the prehistoric ages, according to the latest biology news. At the dawn of the dinosaurs, orchids were blooming forth their exotic shapes, that would one day cause fancy and fanaticism among admirers and collectors of the mysterious flower. The orchid generally grows in sub-tropic environments, and in Florida, the orchid is not only housed in places such as the Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, but all over central Florida woods, and most famously, South Florida swamps, where an orchid thief pilfered a rare species of orchid from an environmentally protected area, and became the inspiration for the novel The Orchid Thief.

What is it about orchids that make them sought after, aside from monetary value? Some say it is their seductiveness, the orchid being the most sensual of the flower species. If you look at certain species of orchids, the innermost folds resemble both male and female sexual organs. The mystery behind the orchid is its ability to have an imperfect shape, yet resemble a most perfect specimen of natural beauty. Orchids not only reveal true beauty, but they in turn beautify unnatural surroundings, such as the inside of homes and city dwellings, where nature mostly blooms from potted plants or a windowsill flower box. Orchids are also regarded as a spiritual flower, the flower petals of the Holy Ghost orchid resembling the humanistic interpretation of angel wings.

South Florida swamps are rumored to have the rarer species of orchids, the more steamy the more exotic. Florida's central wooded areas grow a variety of wild orchids, that often remain untouched by man, protected in estuaries and state parks, throughout the south as well. But the wild orchid can be found all over Florida, some people even go hiking through wooded areas and stumble upon an unexpected find, if they know what to look for.

There is a good book if you want to learn more about Florida's orchids and go on the search in permissible areas. Florida is known as the "orchid rich" state, and according to Paul Martin Brown, author of the book Wild Orchids of Florida, there are over one hundred species in Florida alone. Most orchids that are wild in the United States are located in the sunshine state, and they can be found all over, even up in trees! In Brown's book, he tells what to look for when distinguishing the Florida orchid from other flowers. People are growing in their appreciation of these beautiful flowers, and they are easy to learn about if you have the interest.

To see over six thousand orchid specimens under one roof, visit the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota. It is located at 811 S. Palm Avenue. Here is the website for more information. www.selby.org