About orchids and cultivation of main types

There are over 30,000 species of orchids and they are found in every continent apart from Antartica. There are over 100,000 hybrids. In Europe there are over 250 species of which 60 or so are found in the British Isles.

The growing and keeping of an orchid that is bought from the garden centres and DIY stores is relatively simple and they are easy to flower in subsequent years. They  can be

kept indoors or the conservatory and in Cultivation we note the basic requirements for Dendrobium, Cymbidium,Phalaenopsis,Paphiopedilum and Miltonia.These are likely to found in garden centres. For cultivation of other orchids talk to the West Cornwall Orchid Society, specialist nursery and look at the books noted below.

There are specialist nurseries supplying the various species and hybrids. Click on our Website page to link to some of these. Some of the sites will also provide cultural advice on the orchids that they supply.

The West Cornwall Orchid Society is primarily concerned with non - native orchids such as the cymbidium, dendrobium and masdevalia but we must be aware that we have many orchids in the UK and some of these make lovely additions to the garden. They can be obtained from some nurseries and MUST not of course be dug up from their natural habitats.

The following orchids may be found in Cornwall although some are rare. The data was obtained from the Cornwall Wildlife Trust records and we thank them for access to them. The places noted below are some of the areas where they have been recorded - there is no quarantee that they are still to be seen.

                                                        Meadow reserve

Bog orchid                                     very rare

Greater Butterfly                           east Cornwall and road verges

Lesser Butterfly                            mid cornwall

Pyramidal                                      Godrevy area and Mullion Golfcourse

Marsh Helleborine                      Penhale Sands area

Broad Leaved Helleborine        East Cornwall with the most westerly being near Par

Birds Nest                                     few places in East Cornwall and Trellisick Esatate

Common Twayblade                  Goss Moor and verges around St Keverne

Autumn Lady's Tresses             Isles of Scilly on the Garrison, Predannack and Sylvias         

                                                        Meadow reserve

Bog orchid                                     very rare

Greater Butterfly                           east Cornwall and road verges

Marsh Helleborine                      Penhale Sands area

Green Winged                              Lizard

Fragrant                                         Lizard - Predanack

Early Marsh                                   Lizard

Common spotted                        rare

Heath Spotted                              abundant

Southern Marsh                            most successful in Cornwall, particulalry on the north coast

Early Purple                                   many verges. There is also a white form

Frog                                                rare

Bee                                                 rare

Common Twayblade                   Anthony Head

Fragrant                                         heath north of Kuggar

If you are particularly interested in native orchids then you may like to contact the

 Hardy Orchid Society - click on this link. Also if you spot orchids in Cornwall the Environmental Records Centre for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly  ( at Cornwall Wild Life Trust)) would like to know.

Reference books:-

The Ilustrated Encylopedia of Orchids. Timber Press. ISBN 0-88192-267-6.

A Gardeners Guide to Orchids and Bromeliads. Merehurst. ISBN 1-85391-862-8

Field Guide to Orchids of Britain and Europe.Crowood Press. ISBN 1-85223-591-8

Wild Orchids of Britain. No 19 of the New Naturalist series. Available as 'used' via

www.amazon.co.uk.

Flora of Cornwall