The Growth of Orchids

Pollination

• Pollination is the first stage in the life cycle of orchid flowers. Most orchids have evolved to specifically attract their main pollinators either through appearance, scent or the production of pheromones. When an orchid is successfully pollinated, a chemical reaction signals the plant to start the reproduction cycle and produce seeds. The petals and sepals of pollinated orchid flowers begin to shrivel and die as the plant starts to concentrate its energy on making seeds.

Seed Maturation

• Though prolific seed production is common among most orchids, individual orchid species exhibit vast differences when it comes to the time it takes for seeds to reach maturity. For example, some orchids produce mature seeds in as little as nine months, while Cattleya and Cymbidium orchids require a full year, or sometimes longer, to create viable seeds. Mature orchid seeds are among the world's smallest specimens, typically no larger than a grain of sand and light as a feather, as they have adapted to be distributed by wind in the hopes of reaching a hospitable site to germinate.

Germination

• If an orchid seed is lucky enough to land on a site suitable to the flower's needs, as epiphytic and terrestrial orchids have different soil requirements, it might have a chance to germinate. Orchid seeds lack endosperm, and they rely on a symbiotic relationship with several species of mycorrhizal fungi, which invades the seed, to obtain necessary energy and nutrients for germination. Due to these specific growing conditions, only a fraction of the released seeds will have a chance at reaching adulthood, and this stage in the orchid's life cycle can take days, months or even years.

Vegetative Growth & Flowers

• Once an orchid seed sprouts, it will first produce a stem, roots, leaves and then, finally, flowers. The time it takes for an orchid to grow is determined by the individual species as well as how well the environment provides proper light, moisture, temperature and nutrients to the plant. When grown from seed, orchids can take several years to produce the flowers for which they are so admired. How long these blossoms last can also range from a single day to several months, depending on the species. Once the blooms fade and fall off the spikes, healthy, green stalks may re-flower, but the plant begins to use its energy toward creating pseudobulbs, which will create new orchids in time. Some orchids have the ability to create new adventitious growths known as "keikis," Hawaiian for "baby," which can be cut off to propagate new plants.