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The orchid's name originates from the
Greek orchis, meaning "testicle," and its history is one of
lust, greed, and wealth. Some orchids are called "ladies' fingers,"
"ladies' tresses," or "long purples." Orchids were collected
extensively during the 1800s; once, four thousand trees were cut down
for the orchids growing on their branches. One collector alone was
believed to have sent hundreds of thousands of orchids to England,
where most of them died. Sentiment &
Symbolism
There are nearly 25,000 varieties of orchids.
Greek women thought they could control the sex of their unborn
children with orchid roots. If the father ate large, new tubers, the
child would be male; if the mother ate small tubers, the child would
be female. Indeed, the orchid's reproductive behaviour has intrigued
botanists for years: to germinate, an orchid's seeds need to be
penetrated by fungus threads. The paphiopedilum orchid was named for
Phaphos, a temple on Cyprus where the love goddess Aphrodite was
worshipped (and where prostitutes were said to be readily available.)
The most famous orchid, the vanilla orchid, was said to give strength
to the Aztecs, who drank vanilla mixed with chocolate.
Color Messages
The orchid is a flower of magnificence that
brings a universal message of love, beauty, wisdom, and
thoughtfulness. In China it signifies refinement, and the innocence of
children. A pink orchid conveys pure affection; the popular cattalya
orchid denotes mature charm, and is often used in corsages for
Mother's Day. |
