Orchid History: A Fascinating Story
Question: What holds the record for the oldest plant pollen? Oh, you would be surprised to know that your beloved exotic orchid has evidence of existence dating up to 80 million years back! Just imagine that tamed beauty in your garden has been around almost as old as time.
To have the orchid withstood the test of time speaks not only of its beauty but of its resilience.
Orchid history is an intricate as some of its species.
It wasn't until Confucius called orchids the "King of Fragrant Plants" though, that orchids found its way to written literature and from then on, the orchid means a lot of things to the Chinese-feminity, nobleness and elegance, perfection, numerous offspring and retirement,among others.
From Confucius' works, orchids can be found on Greeks writing around 350 BC.
The etymology of the word comes from the Greeks.
"orchis" is a reference to the word testicle in Greek.
The Greeks, too, like the Chinese, regard orchids with reproductive system stimulation.
This brings to mind a myth in Japan where it is told that the Emperor's barren wife snuffled an orchid's scent and eventually gave birth to more than a dozen children.
This was such a famous tale in Japan that fortunes were amassed by orchid sale.
In Europe, Cortez was said to have brought it home after his adventure in Mexico.
He was looking for gold and found himself offered a drink flavored with vanilla.
This was extracted from the orchid Vanilla Panifolia.
The Aztecs of Mexico used this not only as flavoring but also as aphrodisiac, perfume and as medicine.
Up to this day, vanilla is still used as flavoring and medicine, and is grown the world over.
The Arab countries, too, contribute to orchid history.
In Arabia, "Sahlep", made from dried orchid tubers, is a popular drink while in Turkey; salep is used as beverage and ice cream flavoring.
The mention of orchid, came a little late for English medical literature and it was only in the 1700s that orchid gained its popularity in Great Britain when exports from China and the West Indies flooded in.
Most orchids were grown at the Royal Botanical Gardens to copy the environment from where they originated.
I'm sure you have heard of the Cattleya.
This is named after William Cattley who made it possible for the orchids to flourish outside the Botanical Garden.
Cattley was a wealthy man who made a difference in raising orchids with his money and for a while, orchids were known to be a "rich's man's plant".
Orchid history has come a long way.
Today there are more than 10,000 hybrids.
From being just a rich man's plant, the orchid is now available for everyone to enjoy.
To have the orchid withstood the test of time speaks not only of its beauty but of its resilience.
Orchid history is an intricate as some of its species.
It wasn't until Confucius called orchids the "King of Fragrant Plants" though, that orchids found its way to written literature and from then on, the orchid means a lot of things to the Chinese-feminity, nobleness and elegance, perfection, numerous offspring and retirement,among others.
From Confucius' works, orchids can be found on Greeks writing around 350 BC.
The etymology of the word comes from the Greeks.
"orchis" is a reference to the word testicle in Greek.
The Greeks, too, like the Chinese, regard orchids with reproductive system stimulation.
This brings to mind a myth in Japan where it is told that the Emperor's barren wife snuffled an orchid's scent and eventually gave birth to more than a dozen children.
This was such a famous tale in Japan that fortunes were amassed by orchid sale.
In Europe, Cortez was said to have brought it home after his adventure in Mexico.
He was looking for gold and found himself offered a drink flavored with vanilla.
This was extracted from the orchid Vanilla Panifolia.
The Aztecs of Mexico used this not only as flavoring but also as aphrodisiac, perfume and as medicine.
Up to this day, vanilla is still used as flavoring and medicine, and is grown the world over.
The Arab countries, too, contribute to orchid history.
In Arabia, "Sahlep", made from dried orchid tubers, is a popular drink while in Turkey; salep is used as beverage and ice cream flavoring.
The mention of orchid, came a little late for English medical literature and it was only in the 1700s that orchid gained its popularity in Great Britain when exports from China and the West Indies flooded in.
Most orchids were grown at the Royal Botanical Gardens to copy the environment from where they originated.
I'm sure you have heard of the Cattleya.
This is named after William Cattley who made it possible for the orchids to flourish outside the Botanical Garden.
Cattley was a wealthy man who made a difference in raising orchids with his money and for a while, orchids were known to be a "rich's man's plant".
Orchid history has come a long way.
Today there are more than 10,000 hybrids.
From being just a rich man's plant, the orchid is now available for everyone to enjoy.
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