Orchids in the Garden

Written by Otto Moeller, Hannover, Germany, translated from the Orchid Magazine “Die Orchidee”

Beginning in England during the second half of the 18^th century, the “Industrial Revolution” resulted in a radical change in the history of humans that is similar to the “Neolithic Revolution” at about 7000 BC, when hunters and gatherers took up the life of herding and farming. The great leap in technological and economical developments in England since about 1820, in Germany since 1850, slowly alleviated the poverty of the masses which was caused by exchanging the agrarian life for an industrial one. The whole structure of society was altered and higher living standards were achieved, not only for individuals but on a general level.

The occupation with plants that are not needed to support life but are rather cultivated for their intrinsic beauty, not only demands a higher cultural level but also a certain amount of wealth. Thus England was the country where tropical orchids were first imported and cultivated. It is said that in 1735 the first tropical orchid, Bletia verecunda was flowered there.

Even though there were rather few people who turned to the culture of orchids, one may still compare the path of the orchids from their natural homes into our gardens with the development of humanity. Both paths are roads from where there is no return. The path of the orchids generally ends with destruction of the natural habitat and together with this the great loss of other plant and animal life.

Man has put up barriers for each and everything, excepting for himself. To stay with the ‘orchid theme’, this resulted in the complete destruction of many species. Already in 1928, Rudolf Schlechter writes (in ‘Monograph of Orchids’ – Keller & Schlechter) that terrestrial orchids have a much more difficult time to get used to new substrata than do tropical (epiphytic) orchids. Those who have success with growing epiphytic orchids in captivity agree that keeping terrestrial orchids is far more challenging – from the raising of their seed through to getting flowering plants. Schlechter continues: “The best method to bring these wild plants into cultivation is to move a sufficiently large mass of earth so that the root-ball will not be disturbed or damaged. The soil into which this is planted should be as similar to the original soil as possible”. Even though the separate species are not always found in the same type of soil, as I shall demonstrate later, each individual plant is used to its particular micro-environment. The strong bond of seedlings of Orchis mascula with the particular quality of their soil was certainly proven when 2000 little bulbs were transferred from the Rhoen Mountains to the Gambacher area. Of those plants introduced there in 1939, less than 2% were still alive in 1953. (Germination and Culture of European terrestrial Orchids, H. Burgeff).

During the usual digging with a shovel, the ball of earth becomes compressed through leverage and loses its volume of air. The orchid plants in this earth ball may grow and bloom for another year but usually they perish two years later. In addition, mostly these lumps of earth are kept small in order to move many plants. In order to keep the soil from falling apart, it is squeezed together. This soil will never regenerate its earlier structure.

Terrestrial orchids do not grow in soil that does not have other plants’ roots growing through it and thereby aerating it. In the case of orchids in meadows, there are even particular companion plants – according to individual orchid species. The companion plants influence the growth of these orchids considerably. When one tries to grow orchids in the garden, better success is achieved if there is a fine-leaved grass in the soil; in some cases, there was even germination of orchid seed in the presence of this grass. Before one plants meadow orchids in one’s garden, the “meadow” (lawn) should become established for at least two years. It would really be useful if dealers in terrestrial orchids were to offer their companion plants also.

Up to 20 years ago, all terrestrial European orchids on the market were taken from the wild. For the lady slippers (Cypripedium spp.) this was even going on while artificially raised slippers were being offered. However, the largest numbers of dug-up orchids were different Dactylorhiza species. It is questionable if the artificial propagation of lady slippers in commercial nurseries really was successful in earlier years. We can use as an example the culture of native Cypripediums in England. Hobbyists in England were strongly encouraged to purchase Cypripedium calceolus only from English nurseries because this is where the plants have been raised. During an inventory of naturally occurring plants of this kind, only a few years ago, there was only one single locality left in all of England where this slipper was still growing wild. The nurseries had only been stopovers for these orchids on the way from the meadow to the hobbyist’s gardens. Of course, this happens not only in England.

Terrestrial orchids and their symbiotic fungi (micorrhizal fungi and germination fungi are not identical!) require, for optimum growth, a well aerated soil which occurs in stable earth. Through the formation of water-tight crumbs, the soil can breathe freely, which is necessary for micro organisms; that is the exchange of air in the soil with atmospheric air must be functioning.

The requirements for a crumbly soil structure are offered in our climate in Germany by calcareous soil with about 20% clay particles. The high content of calcium in our soils is not needed as nourishment for our orchids, as proven by soils in the Mediterranean region (Cyprus and Rhodes).There, for instance grow 17 orchid species in soil which contains 41.5% CaO (Calcium Oxide) as well as in a different locality with soil of only 5.5% CaO, with 7 species occurring in both soils. Obvious are here the correlations between the content of Sesqui Oxides of iron Fe₂O₃ and Aluminium Al₂O₃. The soil with 41.5% CaO contains only 5% Al and Fe Oxides, whereas the calcium-poor soils hold 25% of them. The gels of these metal Oxides penetrate the soils and stabilize them. The requirement for these types of soil structure is a hot and dry summer.

When we suppose that in Germany about 10% of the soils are amenable to the growing of orchids, then one can say that 90% of the gardens in the Federal Republic show no orchid friendly capacities and are made worse through normal gardening practices. It may be rather conservative to say that about 95% of all dug-up wild flowers (not only orchids but Gentians and other rare plants) have died in the gardens. Besides this, Germany’s different regions do not all have the same climates so that not all the orchids will grow in all the regions (PLEASE CANADIAN READERS, KEEP THIS IN MIND!) One must stick with those orchids that are at home in one’s home regions. For instance, orchids that need extra warmth have to be covered during the winter (bubble plastic or spruce boughs perhaps) and during warm spells uncovered, because many of them must also breathe during the winter season.

In order to grow, terrestrial orchids need the same plant food as all other plants. However, with orchids, these nourishing elements must stand in different proportions from those of other plants. Fertilizers not only nourish the plants, they also influence their resistance to damage (for instance frost, insects, and drought). The high content of humus in orchid-bearing soils is created through action of micro-organisms. During the step by step break-down of organics, substances are produced which influence the growth of fungi as well as that of the orchids. Besides growth elements, there will be amino acids, organic acids, carbohydrates, mucilage, uric acid, antibiotics, vitamin K and derivates (needed for making up proteins) and others. It is possible that the lack of any of these substances is the reason why some orchids, even tropical epiphytes do not grow so well in captivity. The ‘quality’ of any of these substances can influence the growth of the whole plant. This is the main reason why the leaves of beech trees are so strongly recommended for covering terrestrial orchids.

It has been measured that rainwater leached out from the dry beech leaves (in % of the dry substance):

Beech leaves keep their shape for a long time because of their high content of silicon, which makes them ideal to cover the plants. One should collect the leaves right after they drop from the trees in autumn and use them to cover Cypripediums with a fresh layer of dry leaves after the previous layer has turned soggy. A strong outer layer of tissue in slipper orchids (and grasses) will support the plants better and even protect them against snail damage. From one kg of beech leaves one can count on 4.36g of soluble silicon that can be absorbed by the orchids.

From the above statements we see that terrestrial orchids need certain things for their growth and how greed and lust for gain have decimated/destroyed the orchid population. There were no laws in earlier times that would forbid the digging up of wild plants. Today things are different. But what use are the laws when even today Salep, the dried bulbs of various species of orchids, for instance Orchis morio, used to make ice cream, is publicly offered for sale by the kilogram – even by the ton?

The free and untouched life of terrestrial orchids is now impossible in most areas of Germany. During the sub-boreal time (2500 – 800 BC) our climate became more humid, and since 800 BC it also turned cooler. The light mixed oak forests were crowded out by a denser beech forest and thus the growth of woody plants was enhanced. Those orchids which fled from the dense beech forests, now have found their homes on farmers’ meadows and pastures. The modern practise of heavy fertilization and early mowing has mostly destroyed the original plant communities, including the orchids. The fallow grasslands on poor soils were taken back by nature and return to bush-land and forests. Only through the interference of man, through the constant maintenance directed towards the support of orchids and other desirable plants will there still be wild orchids growing in this country. Nowadays there is the danger that areas which are not conducive to farming will be used for human settlements, because there are too many people around!

These ‘useless’ areas are new concepts, sort of ‘natural gardens’, for which new rules should be made. Why should orchids not be planted, that used to grow here or even those that might be able to grow here in the future because of the warming climate? If for instance an Orchis morio from the cooler parts of France that is not different from the Orchids morio from Germany, is planted in Germany, blooms, sets fruit and after three years more seedlings of this (French) orchid bloom, it should not matter whether or not one chromosome loop is bent a little less – or more.

For centuries, there has not been any ‘Nature Untouched’ and there won’t be any unless the numbers of humans were severely decimated. In the heavily populated countries it is only possible through targeted interference that all beings can exist together in an ‘orderly fashion’ (as far as they still exist). Everything that has to do with the concept of ‘nature’ must be supported but also it may have to be limited or reduced. Organizations which become strong because they support one single species (animal or plant) and thereby promise to heal the world, are lying!

Carbon dioxide (CO₂), which is necessary for the continuation of all life, has been given a bad name and everything that exudes this gas is harmful – excepting man who is exempted from being called a harmful subject. Through breathing, man produces per day 576 litres of carbon dioxide; that makes 210,240 cubic meters per year. If the world population could be reduced by only 10% (and many of these would also then not be heating homes and driving cars), the world would be alright again. Man however, has a mental block and does not comprehend this. Will he perish for this reason?

Last spring, I took a photo in Sicily where whole populations of rare terrestrial orchids have been exterminated by digging them out. The same thing happened along the river Isar in Bavaria, where large colonies of Cypripedium calceolus have been removed. Private ‘friends of orchids’ would not know what to do with these large numbers of plants. There are still orchid sellers without a conscience committing these crimes.

Ingrid Schmidt-Ostrander - Canadian Orchid Congress