Types of orchids: 10 stunning varieties for your home

Nowadays, most types of orchids are nursery-grown and affordable, unlike back in the mid 1800s when the plants were stripped from the wild and collected by wealthy hot house owners. Most of us will have given or received a showy phalaenopsis or moth orchid, whose blooms last for months. Propagation by tissue culture has made it possible to grow many identical plants by starting them off in test tubes of agar gel enriched with nutrients. 

The orchid family Orchidaceae competes with the daisy tribe (Asteraceae) as to which is the largest in the plant kingdom. There are around 763 genera and 28,000 species, some of which grow in the ground but many are epiphytic and cling to trees using aerial roots that can also absorb moisture and nutrients from rotting organic matter. Many produce storage structures called pseudobulbs to tide them over dry seasons.

Orchids were one of the first plant families to develop about 120 million years ago and the flowers we find so captivating have evolved to attract insect pollinators. Some are masters of mimicry, reproducing the scent and structure of specific female insects in order to lure males to their pollen masses. The vast numbers of minute seeds produced carry no food reserves and rely on the presence of mycorrhizal fungi to germinate. Fortunately for orchid breeders, they will germinate in nutritious agar.

Orchids are surprisingly durable and if you find the best position for each one and attend to watering and feeding, there will soon be the thrill of spotting a new flower spike. 

Here are ten different types of orchids that will make long-lived plants for your indoor garden. These are not always available all of the time, so it pays to keep your eyes open to spot your favorites.  

By Anne Swithinbank