Orchids in All Their Glory

BY AWAKE! WRITER IN COSTA RICA

“On the tiled wall, they proudly show off their beauty. They flirt with the breeze, shade, and sun, and now more than ever, they are as proud as can be.”

SO BEGAN a newspaper article announcing the Annual National Orchid Exposition in San José, Costa Rica. The mere mention of orchids may conjure up images of some of the most exotic and beautiful flowers in the world. A visitor to the exposition was overheard saying: “How can anyone deny God’s hand when seeing such intricacy and beauty?”

Orchids Native to Costa Rica

Despite its small land area, Costa Rica has one of the greatest densities of orchids in the world. Indeed, the country is home to approximately 1,400 different species, with more undoubtedly waiting to be discovered. With the moderating effects of the Caribbean Sea on the east and the Pacific Ocean on the west, Costa Rica is an area with varying degrees of humidity and is thus a habitat conducive to the growth of a number of diverse orchids. The country is also home to many humid mid-elevation environments (called cloud forests), where the majority of orchids thrive. In one cloud-forest environment, a tree was found that hosted 47 orchid species!

There are continued efforts to save many species of orchids whose existence is considered threatened. Happily, though, other species still thrive in the forests of Costa Rica. Today, people from all walks of life have taken up the hobby of growing orchids. They are not difficult to cultivate, but there is one problem. Orchid growing can become addictive. One writer put it this way: “Trying to own one orchid is like trying to eat just one peanut!”

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Annual National Orchid Exposition

The Costa Rican Orchid Society organized its first national exposition in 1971 to increase awareness of the need to conserve the orchid’s wild habitat. The exposition started small, with only 147 plants being displayed on a few tables. In one recent year, however, more than 1,600 plants were shown. Upon arriving at the exposition, visitors are greeted by an explosion of color as they feast their eyes on orchids of every size and shape imaginable.

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Jardín Botánico Lankester

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Lankester Gardens

Founded in 1917 by British naturalist Charles Lankester Wells, this tranquil paradise is considered one of the most valuable botanical gardens in the Americas. Lankester Gardens boasts 800 native and exotic species of orchids growing in its 26 acres [10.7 ha] of forest and gardens. It also serves as a national rescue center. Wild orchids​—especially rare specimens—​are sometimes sold illegally. When confiscated by the authorities, these orchids are brought to Lankester Gardens with the hope of saving them.

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Photos above: Jardín Botánico Lankester de la Universidad de Costa Rica