Australian Orchids

Australian orchids grows too large proportions in California where it is commonly grown as a street tree. As a houseplant, however, it is usually restricted to not over 3 feet. The twice-divided leaves are carried in fern-like, graceful segments and the plant produce racemes of handsome orange flowers-but seldom if ever under house culture. Give the plant plenty of light, but keep it out of the direct sun, and water every other day. Grow in a cool temperature. Keep out of direct drafts. As the clump of tissue grows, breeders can divide it into separate plants, dramatically reducing production costs. As a result, orchids that were once a sign of wealth have become available to almost everyone.

One beneficial side effect of the Australian orchids boom is reduced pressure on wild populations from collectors, who once were primary suppliers to plant shops and collectors. The flower may grow up to four feet tall and have up to two dozen creamy white fringed flowers. Its pollinator, the long-tongued hawk moth, comes by night, attracted by an intoxicating scent. Australian orchids is a prime example of a species which has been over collected in it's natural habitat but remains out of danger of extinction because it is widespread in orchid collections around the world. In most cases the roots of the orchids are covered with the ferns and mosses that also inhabit these spots so they rarely if ever dry out completely. These same ferns and mosses also add plenty of humidity to the air around the orchids, so a damp airy atmosphere is the most suited. (Fernery conditions.)

Australian orchids is a beautiful species in both its leaves and flowers. The leaves are highly tessellated (checkerboard pattern) as an adoption to discourage grazing by forest floor herbivores. We specialize in the production of new plants through seed and tissue culture. We encourage home flasking of seed and plant tissue culture by supplying equipment, media and sterile plant material to help with your production. All aspects of Australian orchids growing are fun! You can do it! These challenging and highly attractive Australian orchids are unique to Eastern and South eastern Australia. As such they in most cases do not require the demanding temperatures and high humidity that most other exotic orchids require. In the wild most grow as either Epiphytes (Growing on the outside of other trees and shrubs on their bark) or as Lithophytes (Growing on wet cliff faces and boulders).