Silk Flowers Prove that the Black Orchid Can
Exist.
The Black Orchid’s Mysterious Nature.
The Black Orchid: A DC Comics super heroine, two episodes of
Doctor Who’s femme fatale installment, a fragrance, a novel…and
a phrase that wraps up a sense of feminism in its most
dangerous sense.
So, why the fascination with the black orchid? Because it
doesn’t exist. There are hybrids that teeter on the verge of
black, or those that display one black lip…but no all pure
black specimens. The quest to bring this intangible phantom to
fruition seems more intriguing than any bad girl or intricately
woven fictional tale. Nevertheless, the pursuit endures.
The Orchid’s Timeline
372 - 287 B.C.: Aristotle’s subordinates use the orchid for its
medicinal qualities.
551 - 479 B.C.: Confucius uses the orchid as a metaphor for the
enduring qualities of friendship.
350 - 1450: The orchid is used in potions, as an
aphrodisiac.
1515: Vanilla (an orchid plant) is first brought to Spain and
used as a food.
1818: William Cattley salvages the packaging from plants and
manages to grow the first ever captive-bloomed orchid. That
orchid variety was named in honor of him - Cattleya orchid.
1856: The first orchid hybrid is grown.
The orchids  was most threatened during the 1800s, when
European explorers pillaged naturally growing orchids from
distant parts of the world, brought them back to their
homeland, and held auctions for these rare and exotic
flowers. They were mishandled, held in wet brick hot
houses, and most died. Add this to the annihilation of
greenhouses during WWI and you’ve got a story of events
that led to the orchid’s need for active preservation.
Today, it is illegal to harvest wild orchids. The orchids that
you’ll find for sale are cultivated by human hands.
The Fascinating Orchid.
Though the black orchid has not yet been mustered, other
orchids (28,000 varieties and 110,000 hybrids) have the rainbow
covered. Their diverse scents range from sweetly subtle to the
scent of rotten meat (food smells attract flies and allow for
pollination).
Most orchids do not grow in soil. Rather, they are considered
to be air plants, anchoring to trees or rocks and surviving on
bordering fungi and dripping water. Other, rarer, varieties
actually grow underground.
Orchids are found on every continent except Antarctica, and
make up the largest grouping of flowering plants in the world.
They are the most widely proliferated plants on Earth, beaten
out only by grasses, and are one of the most studied plants in
history.
The orchid’s mystery is only outshone by its symbolism of
exotic beauty, love, and luxury.
Why Choosing Silk Orchids Makes Perfect
Sense.
Though botanical orchids offer more than most flowers can, they
do come with their share of difficulty. Raising orchids
requires a healthy dose of both education and familiarity with
their pitfalls. Disease (viruses) and insect infestations can
call for quarantine or a consultation with an orchid
professional. Pruning greatly affects the success of the
plants, while good growing conditions can be difficult to
maintain.
Though perfect for the dedicated gardener, natural orchids are
not the hobby to follow if you’re too busy to pay them proper
attention. Instead, consider realistic silk flowers. They offer
the appeal of botanical blooms, while cutting out the watering,
pruning, and environmental requirements.
Silk flowers are more realistic than ever. Their colors and
construction are patterned after real flowers, down to the very
finest details. In many ways, silk flowers and plants are the
superior choice.
And there is, of course, the everlasting reverie of the black
orchid. Does it have to remain a mysterious intangible? Or can
the silk flower industry answer the demand for it? Only we, the
consumers, can make it happen.
Black Silk Orchid anyone?
by Jacinda Little - March, 2009
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Source: http://www.freshsilkflowers.com
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