NATIONAL ORCHID DAY; APRIL 16

National Orchid Day is held annually on April 16. Do you know orchids are one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species? They are colorful, beautiful, give off good fragrance, and grow in abundance across the world. The day is connected with honoring and cherishing the memory of loved ones, and it is indeed dear to our hearts.

Read the May Blogs that feature the 78th annual Orchid show in Santa Barbara CA

HISTORY OF NATIONAL ORCHID DAY

Orchids – belonging to the family Orchidaceae – are a widespread family of flowering plants, with colorful and fragrant blooms. National Orchid Day was created in 2015 by a South Carolina couple, Mike and Faith Young, in remembrance of their daughter who passed away the previous year.

The couple fell in love with orchids while both volunteering at an orchid reserve in Mexico, so much that they decided that if they were ever to have a daughter, they would name her ‘Orchid’. They did have a daughter, but, unfortunately, lost her during labor.

After this loss, the couple wanted to do something to honor the day and celebrate the memory of their late daughter with their favorite flower. So, they went ahead to create a Kickstarter campaign to get the money required in order to register the day. They offered pre-orders of their backyard honey — The Humble Bumbles Honey — and within hours of commencing, raised the required $1,500 and got National Orchid Day registered.

Since then, the day has gained widespread recognition from orchid growers, enthusiasts, and botanical gardens. With so many varieties to choose from, anyone can enjoy the beauty of orchids from home or by visiting botanical gardens around the world.

For the rest of their lives, Mike and Faith say they will be caring for and spreading awareness about Orchids. They believe in having a National Orchid Day dedicated to the beautiful lives lost, people everywhere will appreciate orchids some more, and their little girl will feel the warmth of those that think of Orchids that day.

5 FACTS ABOUT ORCHIDS THAT WILL AMAZE YOU

1. They are ancient flowers Orchids are one of the oldest families of flowering plants.
2. They take a long time to bloom Orchids can take up to seven years to bloom once they’ve been germinated.
3. They exist for several decades Orchids can live up to a hundred years and beyond.
4. They have numerous seeds An orchid seed pod can contain up to three million seeds.
5. They have extreme weights The largest orchid weighs several hundred pounds, while the smallest is about the size of a U.S dime.

Come back in May for further articles about Orchids.