Orchids are one of the most popular house plants in the United States. They are easy to care for and are beautiful, did you know they are also the largest family of flowering plants in the world! Here are some fun facts about these popular plants.

1. Orchids are one of the oldest family of flowering plants. Orchid varieties have been found all over the world. This leads experts to believe they have been around since before the continents separated!
2. Orchids are the largest family of flowering plants. With more than 25,000 species, there are more orchids on the planet than mammals and birds!
3. The smallest orchid is the size of a dime. The largest weighs several hundred pounds!
4. Orchid flowers are symmetrical. Each flower can be divided perfectly in half, with two equal parts.
5. The vanilla bean comes from a species of Orchid.  The Vanilla Orchid is the only commercial grown and harvested Orchid plant.
6. Orchids take about 5-7 years to bloom once germinated. Plants sold in stores are already decades old! At home, they’re easy to grow and can re-bloom several times a year.
7. Mature Orchids grow upside down. The blooms are so heavy that the plants end up growing upside down.
8. Orchids have the tiniest seeds in the world. A single seedpod can have up to 3 million seeds inside! The seeds are so small they can only be seen under a microscope.
9. Long live the orchid. Orchids can live up to 100 years!
10. Some orchids bloom for mere hours, others for months. Depending on the species, some orchid flowers will only bloom for a few hours. Other varieties can have blooms lasting months.

Learn more about Orchids and their care at our Orchid Festival February 23 and 24, 2019. Local experts will share how to care for and maintain these beautiful plants. Orchid Festival is held at all English Gardens locations.

Fact source: plainviewpure.com