🌸Orchids: How a rare floral treasure became ubiquitous

Nestled in a Trader Joe’s shopping cart alongside frozen tikka masala, orchids hardly seem exotic. But two centuries ago they were worth dying for. In the early 1800s, Western Europeans became utterly obsessed with these peculiar plants. The flower frenzy, dubbed “orchidelirium,” pushed prices into the thousands of dollars, driving enthusiasts to remote regions of the world in search of a petal-capped payout. Some searchers got [dysentery](. Others had to flee an [erupting volcano](. And many died—at least one in the [jaws of a tiger](. Things are a little different today. Sold in the produce section for $13 a pop, moth orchids (the most common commercial variety) can be hard to avoid. So how did these plants go from rare and for the rich, to everywhere and for everyone? It’s a tale of centuries-old science, iPhone-inspired production efficiency in Taiwan, and our abiding love for those sublime, deceitful flowers. 🐦 [Tweet this!]( 🌐 [View this email on the web]( Sponsored by [Quartz Obsession] Orchids December 05, 2018 Dying for an orchid --------------------------------------------------------------- Nestled in a Trader Joe’s shopping cart alongside frozen tikka masala, orchids hardly seem exotic. But two centuries ago they were worth dying for. In the early 1800s, Western Europeans became utterly obsessed with these peculiar plants. The flower frenzy, dubbed “orchidelirium,” pushed prices into the thousands of dollars, driving enthusiasts to remote regions of the world in search of a petal-capped payout. Some searchers got [dysentery](. Others had to flee an [erupting volcano](. And many died—at least one in the [jaws of a tiger](. Things are a little different today. Sold in the produce section for $13 a pop, moth orchids (the most common commercial variety) can be hard to avoid. So how did these plants go from rare and for the rich, to everywhere and for everyone? It’s a tale of centuries-old science, iPhone-inspired production efficiency in Taiwan, and our abiding love for those sublime, deceitful flowers. 🐦 [Tweet this!]( 🌐 [View this email on the web]( Have you tried the new Quartz app yet? --------------------------------------------------------------- We’re tired of all the shouting matches and echo chambers on social media, and thought you might be, too. So we decided to build a place for a smart discussion about the news. In our new app, we’ve gathered thinkers and doers to have high-quality discussions about the most important stories each day. You get news for you, curated by Quartz editors, plus the chance to engage with an informed community of curious minds. Currently available on iOS—or [join us as a beta tester for Android]( [Get the Quartz app]( Reuters/Luisa Gonzalez By the digits [28,000:]( Worldwide species of orchids, the largest family of flowering plants, compared to some 10,500 species of birds and 5,500 species of mammals [$100,000:]( Price that a yellow phalaenopsis (moth) orchid called “P. Golden Emperor ‘Sweet'” fetched in 1978 [$202,000:]( Price paid for an orchid genetically engineered by the Shenzhen Nongke Group of China in 2005. It’s[reportedly]( the most expensive flower ever purchased. [$12.99:]( Price of a phalaenopsis orchid at Trader Joe’s in 2018 [30%:]( Drop in the cost of large, wholesale potted orchids after the U.S. permitted imports from Taiwan [2.1:]( Width, in millimeters, of world’s smallest orchid, which has petals only as thick as a single cell [2:]( Weight, in tons, of the tiger orchid, considered the world’s largest Sponsored by JPMorgan Chase & Co. Anyone can be a leader in gender equality. --------------------------------------------------------------- Whether you’re a CEO or an associate, you can help create a more equitable workplace. With the right attention to gender imbalances and championing of transparency, everyone can become leaders in fighting for gender equality.[Explore this CEO’s approach to supporting gender equality.]( Charted[atlas_BJzeTmNkV@2x] Giphy Origin story Taming the wild orchid --------------------------------------------------------------- In the Victorian age, Europeans were orchid-crazy, but no one could figure out how to grow them from seed. Instead, flowers were plucked from far-flung regions like Brazil and Indonesia, shipped to Europe, and sold at top dollar to the rich. Then in the 1900s, Cornell plant physiologist Lewis Knudson discovered that a certain fungus, which grows next to orchids in the wild, converts soil nutrients into plant food. As Sarah Laskow writes in a definitive account of the orchid’s journey [at Atlas Obscura]( after many attempts, he successfully grew the world’s first test-tube orchid in 1919. Though a breakthrough, Knudson’s orchids still took years to flower, so they were still rare and expensive. It wasn’t until mid-century that mass production became possible. That’s when Donald Wimber, a researcher in California, discovered that if you pluck fresh orchid shoots, strip them of leaves, and soak them in plant food, they grow [“lumps of undifferentiated orchid tissue.”]( Each of those lumps can be cut off and grown into an orchid clone. And if you shake the shoots first—confusing the plant about which way is up—they produce even more. From one shoot, Wimber could grow hundreds of clones. Commercialization was in sight. Around that time, Robert Griesbach of the USDA was directed to develop the perfect houseplant for American consumers, because [#plantlove](. Violets, lilies, and impatiens were top contenders, but the moth orchid won out; its flowers were big, long-lasting, and bloomed quickly. Plus, it had a tolerance for the human home. [And so in the 1980s]( Griesbach created a commercial variety, which was sold in flower shops for $60 to $70 a pot. The plants went platinum. Dutch growers began producing them in droves, sending prices into free-fall. Soon after, Taiwan joined in. A tech-like production chain emerged, with dozens of greenhouses each specializing in one component of the production chain, from germinating seeds to cloning. By 2013, orchids were wholesaling from Taiwan for as little as $3, making them ripe for the plucking by Trader Joe’s and other low-cost retailers. Reuters/Clarel Faniry Rasoanaivo Pop quiz Which of these common spices comes from an orchid? (Hint: We wrote an Obsession on it.) TurmericPepperSaffronVanilla Correct. Vanilla spice comes from the seed pod of the vanilla orchid, a finicky plant grown primarily in Madagascar. Incorrect. If your inbox doesn’t support this quiz, find the solution at bottom of email. Quotable “When a man falls in love with orchids, he’ll do anything to possess the one he wants. It’s like chasing a green-eyed woman or taking cocaine. . . it’s a sort of madness” —[an orchid hunter in Susan Orlean’s bestselling book The Orchid Thief]( “I never was more interested in any subject in my life than this of orchids.” —[Charles Darwin]( Giphy Masters of disguise Sex traps --------------------------------------------------------------- While most plants lure pollinators with the promise of sweet nectar—a clear win-win—orchids have evolved a different, more one-sided approach. In scent and sometimes appearance, many orchids mimic a female pollinator, such as a wasp or bee, to draw in male suitors with the promise of sex. When the insects arrive, they attempt to mate with the flower, picking up heaps of pollen with every thrust. In return, they get nothing. Here are two of the most deceptive. - Hammer orchids: Petals of the endangered Australian orchid [look and smell like a female thynnine wasp](. Normally when male wasps find a female, which is flightless, they pick them up and begin copulating in the air. But when your partner is rooted in the ground, this obviously doesn’t work. Instead, the male’s attempt to take off causes the wasp-like petal, attached on a hinge, to swing backwards in such a way that lands him directly on the flower’s stigma. There, he delivers the pollen payload. - Banded greenhood orchid: Lured in by the enchanting scent of a female gnat, males land on the orchid and begin copulating with a petal. Then things turn south: The male’s movement causes it [“to swing up like a drawbridge, shutting him inside a chamber”](. The only way out is through an opening so small that it scrapes the gnat’s pollen onto the plant’s stigma. Even more incredibly, the holding cell is lined with angled bristles, forcing the gnat to move in a single direction, which ensures the orchid isn’t pollinated by its own pollen. Fun fact! The word orchid comes from the Greek orkhis, which literally [translates to testicle](. The name is inspired by some species (like [Orchis militaris]( that have spherical bulges in their roots. In the Middle Ages, the flowers [were called ballockwort]( which comes from bollocks—which is, yep, another term for testicles. Watch this! Nature’s got it all: flowers that mimic insects… and insects that mimic flowers. The orchid mantis, native to Southeast Asia, has evolved a flower disguise to lure in moths and other invertebrates looking for a nectar reward. Instead, they’ll meet a swift death. The mantis is so successful at attracting pollinators, scientists believe, that it might be doing an orchid’s job better than the flower itself. Giphy Mission impossible How to keep your orchid alive --------------------------------------------------------------- It’s been a week since you picked up that stunning orchid at the grocery store. You’ve diligently bathed it, talked to it, fed it. But it still seems hellbent on dying. What could you have done better? Probably a lot. 💧Water: Orchids need water a day before the soil is completely dry, preferably on sunny days and in the morning (so the water evaporates and doesn’t rot the leaves). Thoroughly soak the soil, but be sure to drain it completely. Oh, and those people who eagerly tell you about the “[ice cube trick]( are likely, uh, petaling lies. Orchids like their water lukewarm or at room temperature. ⛅️Light: The fussy flowers prefer delicate morning and evening rays to harsh, midday sun. [Place your orchid near an east-facing window]( or behind a curtain. You’ll know it’s getting enough light if the leaves are a grassy-green with a few hints of yellow. Too much light renders them sunburned-red. ✂️Pruning: Even if you do everything right, your orchid will still lose its flowers after a few months. But wait—it’s not dead. In fact, [it can bloom again in as little as 8 weeks](. Cut back the thin green stem, leaving just a few nodes (or bumps) behind. If that doesn’t produce new flowers within 3 months, try cutting the stem back completely and patiently waiting a few more. For better results, try [repotting]( and fertilizing your plant. take me down this 🐰 hole! Flotus flowers --------------------------------------------------------------- [There’s a Melania Trump orchid]( and it has already won an award ([there are a lot of orchid awards](. The fuchsia-hued flower was bred by Chadwick & Son Orchids Inc., a Virginia-based company with a tradition of naming flowers after the spouses of presidential candidates. For $15K, it can be yours. Reuters/Luisa Gonzalez Poll Pick your potted plant poison [Click here to vote]( All about orchidsPassionate about poinsettiasMore of a succulent person 📲📲📲 You're invited! --------------------------------------------------------------- Join us for a discussion on the revolution of smart devices and habit-forming design. On Dec. 10 at our New York HQ, Hooked author Nir Eyal and Quartz technology editor Matt Quinn will lead a conversation about the hallmarks of good design and what consumers should understand when bringing a smart device into their homes. Register [here]( to join us! 💬let's talk! 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