Let’s talk Orchids
June 6, 2019
If you are new to the Orchids’ lovers world you probably would need to understand the terms people use all over the internet when talking about Orchids.
When I started to learn about Orchids it was very confusing to recognize what people are referring to by saying: keiki, crown, spike, backbulb, etc. It’s like a different language. I decide to put some information together which might help one to better understand these terms. Here is some of the terms and definitions you may see people using when talking about orchids:
Aerial Root– a root which develops from the stem above the medium.
Flower Spike– a single or branched stalk with buds and flowers.
Crown: the area where the leaves join with the base of the plant. Spikes and roots come from from crown for Sympodial Orchids.
“Happy Sap”: small beads of sticky sap that appear on parts of an orchid. In the absence of insects, this means that the plant is happy and is sending sugar to the area of the plant where the sap is visible. The presence of this sap can indicate that the orchid is gearing for reproduction.
Rhizome: horizontal, underground plant stem capable of producing the shoot and root systems of a new plant.
Side shoot: a new spike that sprouts from the node of an already established flower spike. Often produces more blooms.
Backbulb: an old, often leafless, sympodial pseudobulb that is still alive and can be used for propagating a new plant.
NOID: an acronym for “no identification”. This is used for any orchid whose exact species is unknown. Most orchids available for sale at big box stores are NOID.
Sympodial orchids: such as Oncidiums, Cattleyas, Zygopetalums grow new pseudobulb from rhizome horizontally.
Monopodial orchids: such as Phalaenopsis, Vanda grow new leaves vertically from the stem.
If you are local to DC, MD, VA area and like to share your experience with orchids and learn more please join the FB group https://www.facebook.com/groups/DMVOrchidsLovers/
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