Orchid species: Inexhaustible variety of orchids

The orchids native to the rainforests often grow on our window sills. There are also orchids that grow in our gardens all year round.

The ever-popular bloom of orchids is known to everyone, many people even have one or more specimens of the exotic plant in their own home. The majority of the commercially available plants are based on a handful of species, but the variety of orchids worldwide is significantly greater. The orchid family (Orchidaceae) form the second largest family within the flowering plants and are also native to the temperate climate with many species. We introduce you to the colorful variety of orchid species.

Orchids: general characteristics and profile

Orchids are considered to be a particularly diverse family of plants, comprising an estimated 15,000 to 30,000 species and in their number of species only differentiated from the daisy family (Asteraceae) are exceeded. A special feature of the orchids is their distribution on all continents (except the Antarctic of course), most of them in Asia. The majority of all orchid species can be found in the tropics, where they predominantly grow epiphytically (as epiphytes) and get their food from the deposits of trees and the air. In fact, there are species that are native to Germany that can keep up with the tropical specimens in terms of appearance.

Orchids are particularly popular as ornamental plants due to their great variety of colors and their distinctive, zygomorphic flowers (asymmetrical Upper and lower lip) and are now being used on a massive scale in Thailand, Taiwan and the Netherlands for the mass market bred.

We recommend the following products for magnificent orchids:

• Floragard orchid soil: Peat-free Special soil for the special requirements of your indoor orchids. Pine bark and coconut chips create a light, airy structure. Premium fertilizers such as guano ensure strong and vital plants.
• Cuxin liquid fertilizer orchids: The special fertilizer for orchids contains many organic nutrients for lush flowering. Iron chelate ensures deep green leaves.
• Cuxin leaf care spray: Care spray for orchids based on an ionic wetting agent. The trace elements contained in it balance the moisture balance of orchids in a dry environment and thus ensure fresh green leaves and a high degree of flowering.

Orchid species: list and classification

Overall, within the orchid family (Orchidaceae) five subfamilies with different numbers of genera and species.

• Apostasiaceae: Very old orchid line with only 17 known species; distributed from the Himalayas to Northern Australia

Genera: Apostasia, Neuwiedia

• Cypripedioideae: Shoe-Shaped Orchid Subfamily; widespread on the American continent as well as in Europe and Asia; five genera with about 120 species

Genera: Phragmipedium (lady's slipper), Selenipedium or Cypripedium

• Epidendroideae: Largest subfamily of orchids; around 650 genera with around 18,000 species; predominantly tropical and epiphytic; Basis for the orchids on the market

Genera: Dendrobium, Phalaenopsis, Vanda and many more

• Orchidoideae: Subfamily growing on the ground; some of them also widespread in Germany

Genera: Platanthera (forest hyacinths), Dactylorhiza (orchids), Ophyris (Ragwurzen) and many more

• Vanilliodeae: Tropical line of orchids with 15 genera and around 200 species

Genus: For example vanilla (Vanilla), including the real vanilla (Vanilla planifolia) as a spice plant

Are you a real orchid lover? Then take a look at our specialist articles Cultivation of orchids, Orchid care, to the Cutting orchids and Repotting orchids as Orchid diseases and Watering the orchids of orchids over.