If you can grow houseplants, you can grow orchids. Orchid lovers in Michigan grow many varieties on windowsills, under lights, and in greenhouses. Not every species will grow everywhere, but there are beautiful species that will grow in the conditions you can provide. The Michigan Orchid Society can help you determine which plants will grow easily in you home, and can help you learn how to make your plants thrive.
There are about 35,000 species of orchids and more than 60,000 hybrids. Orchids occur everywhere from the tropical rainforests to the sub-arctic. They grow in trees, on rocks, in the ground, and even entirely under the ground. Several species of orchids are native to Michigan.
Orchids, the largest plant family, are amazingly diverse. Some orchids can be full-grown in a teacup some will easily outgrow a bucket, and some form vines many feet long.
The bloom spike of the Arpophylum Giganteum is comprised of tiny pink flowers
Some orchids have flowers so small you need a microscope to enjoy them, others have flowers the size of a plate. Not all orchids look like the familiar "corsage orchid": there are also "lady slippers" with pouches, "moth orchids" that look like a moth or butterfly, and many other forms. Some flower for less than a day, but others last for weeks or months. Each species has its own blooming time. Some bloom in the spring, but others favor summer, fall, or winter.
Orchid growing was once a hobby for the rich. Modern propagation methods have made orchids affordable for everyone.
A Cattleya Trianaei usually have large classic shaped flowers with a nice fragrance.
The Michigan Orchid Society was established in 1952. It is a non-profit group of people who share a love of orchids. The
MOS has monthly meetings with invited speakers, blooming plants, sale and auctions of plants, refresHydromaxents, and lots of orchid-related conversation. Membership benefits also include a monthly newsletter and the use of an extensive library. The Michigan Orchid Society is an affiliate of the American Orchid Society and of the Mid-American Orchid Congress.
Each year on Palm Sunday weekend,
MOS members stage a public show of orchid displays, accompanied by sales of orchids and supplies by vendors from several states. The
MOS and its members also participate in other orchid societies' shows.
We invite you to attend our next meeting. Meetings are held on the third Sunday of the month at 2:30pm, September thru May, at the First Baptist Church, 300 Willits, Birmingham. Park free behind the church.