15 Amazing Facts About Orchids

- The size of orchids rely on the species. They can be extremely small as a penny or extremely large, weighing couple of hundred pounds. Grammatophyllum are medium-sized to very large orchids, including the extremely big orchid(Grammatophyllum speciosum) of the same type, believed to be the largest orchid species in existence. Its pseudobulbs can grow to a length of 2.5 meters. Plztystele jungermannioides, which is believed to be the smallest Orchid in the world grows only 2 mm. The roots make very impressive bundles.

- every orchid flower is bilateral symmetric.
- Size, shape and texture of leaves rely on the habitat. Orchids that live in dry areas have thick leaves covered with wax, while species that live in warm and humid areas have thin, stretched leaves. Certain species of orchids do not have leaves at all.
- Orchids do not have normal roots. They have rhizome, tuber or flying roots.
- Orchids can survive on the ground (terrestrial forms), fixed to woody plants (epiphytic types) or under the ground.
- Certain species of orchids are parasitic. They can not produce food (sugar) using the sunlight and carbon dioxide (like other plants). Instead, they get food from fungi that live inside their roots.
- Relationship between orchids and certain species of insects is tight-knit and highly specialized. Petals have similar shape and color like female insects to attract males and make sure pollination. Ophrys apifera, better known as the Bee Orchid, attracts male bees with its tempting smell and bee like appearance. When a male bee moves toward the flower to mate, it becomes covered in pollen and is sent off to pollinate the next orchid it goes to.
- Because of high specialization of pollination, annihilation of insect means annihilation of orchid (there is no one else who can pollinate it in the wild).
- Orchid can continue to live from few hours to six months, relying on the species.
- Orchids produce a number of millions of very small seeds. Only few seeds will develop into fully grown plant.
- The genus Orchis comes from an Ancient Greek word meaning “testicle”; due to the shape of the bulbous roots. The term “orchid”, which is just a abbreviate form of the family Orchidaceae, was not introduced till 1845.
- Orchid seeds do not have an endosperm which gives nutrients needed for the sprout. Due to this fact all orchids (including non-parasitic forms) live in symbiosis with fungi during a new growth. Sprout can continue from couple of weeks to 15 years.
- People use orchids for many purposes. orchids are applied in the industry for the likes of spices and perfumes.

- Vanilla is one of the famous and widely used flavors. It is excerpted from the pod of Vanilla planifolia, which is a species of orchid.
- Orchids are very old plants. Consistent with the fossil evidences, orchids have been present on the planet around 100 million years.