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Easily
cared for, the Cloud Forest orchids make unusual gifts!
The
unique Chocolate Orchid really smells like its namesake -
and dozens and dozens of blooms can come at any time of year
- MMMM!
The
Wildcat is aptly named - feline spots, brilliant colors, and
lots and lots of flowers!
Note:
For gift items please include short gift message and the desired
delivery date if any in the special instructions box in the
check out section. Please notify us immediately if your order
arrives damaged.
The Chocolate
orchids get black spots in response to high temperatures,
anything over about 85 degrees will produce them and when
the temperature drops they stop forming. They don't threaten
the plant unless temperatures continue to be very high. The
physical process is that the plants' leaves are making too
much sugar for the plant at a high temperature, and yeast
spores that are always present in the air get into the pores
on the underside of the leaf and start fermenting the sugar,
which produces very small amounts of alcohol, which kills
a small area of plant cells around the pore, and they turn
black. When the temperature drops, the plant stops making
sugar so quickly and it can again move the sugar it makes
down the veins in the leaves to be stored in the "bulbs" at
the base; this is the secret orchids have for blooming so
much - they store LOTS of energy and later release it as flowers.
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