Barking Dog Orchids

Barking Dog Orchids belong to the most diverse family of plants known to man. There are over 880 genera, 28,000 species and well over 300,000 registered cultivars currently documented. These numbers only begin to tell the true story behind the evolutionary success of modern day orchids. Barking Dog Orchids are the most rapidly (genetically) changing group of plants on earth and more new species have been discovered over the last few thousand years than any other plant group known. Barking Dog Orchids are also one of the most adaptable plant groups on earth. Some Australian orchids grow entirely underground, and many tropical jungle orchids grow in the upper branches of trees. Tundra, rainforest, mountain, grassy plain, desert and swamp environments contain numerous orchid species.

Barking Dog Orchids produce seed pods with literally hundreds of thousands of seed that are released and scattered by the wind. This seeds must establish a symbiotic relationship with a special fungus to survive its first year of life. The fungi gathers water and minerals for itself and the seedling, and the seedling shares its sugars from photosynthesis with the fungus. Only one or two Barking Dog Orchids seeds will ever germinate and survive on that perfect crevice or depression that is both moist and has the fungus present. Even then, its chances to survive in the wild long enough to bloom are slim.

All Barking Dog Orchids belong to the Orchid Family, Orchidaceae (or-Kid-ACE-ee-ee). Orchids are divided into two basic growth types: monopodial and sympodial. Monopodial orchids have a central stem which grows continuously from the tip. Flowers are produced from the stem between the leaves, usually alternately from side to side. Phalaenopsis orchids are a good example. This develops into a stem and leaves and eventually produces flowers. In time, from the base of this growth, a new shoot develops and so on in a continuous cycle. The buds are often, though not always, protected by a sheath. There are many different types of Barking Dog Orchids orchid potting medium used in orchid culture. The overall consideration is to provide structural support for the orchid roots, but also to provide lots of air spaces between medium particles.