THE ALLURE OF ORCHIDS
by Ty Wyant

Since Confucius’ time 25 centuries ago in China, orchids have captivated fanciers in every civilization. Surprisingly, these seductive plants are relatively easy to grow in Boulder County.

Outside Rick Kabo and Gail Kipp’s house near Nederland, yellow aspen, bugling elk and prowling bobcats await winter’s chill. It’s just a matter of weeks before snowdrifts bury once-green meadows until spring.

Yet, inside their home blooms a paradise of orchids bursting with reds, oranges, violets and other colors that can only be imitated on a painter’s palette. Every day, this couple lives in a tropical haven at 8,200 feet, surrounded by exotic orchids native to South America, Mexico, Europe, Africa and Asia.

From a single nonflowering orchid purchased in 1993, Kipp and Kabo now own more than 800 plants in three greenhouses attached to their home. “Rick was always interested in plants and he brought home this one orchid from McGuckin Hardware that wasn’t even in bloom; it was just very healthy,” Kipp says. That cattleya orchid has since grown into a superb specimen that is now housed at Denver Botanic Gardens.

“When you go into the greenhouses, you’re overwhelmed with a peaceful feeling,” Kipp says. “It’s just from observing your plants. There is a nonverbal communication process. Orchids either respond to your care or they don’t. Seeing root growth is as enjoyable as seeing them flower.”

Like hundreds of other Boulder County orchid fanciers, this couple has discovered the enchantment of these amazing plants.

Colorful Past
From ancient times, orchids’ legendary attraction has been well documented. Confucius said that seeing good friends was like entering a room full of lan—Chinese for orchids. The Chinese even deemed orchids “the plant of the king’s fragrance.” Greeks also adored orchids and, according to legend, the term “orchid” is attributed to Theophrastus, a student of Plato and Aristotle. Theophrastus called the plants orchis—the Greek word for testicle—after observing the round bulbs of one European species. During the Middle Ages the orchid was considered an aphrodisiac and was a main ingredient in love potions.

In the 18th century, orchid collecting boomed when English ships returned laden with thousands of orchids. Virtually all of these orchids died in unventilated English hothouses, prompting one nobleman to call England “the grave of tropical orchids.” Entire tropical forests were stripped of orchids by the 19th century, when orchids had become so popular in London and Liverpool that single plants routinely sold for 500 British pounds.

In 1818, orchids gained a reprieve when Englishman William Cattley bloomed the first cattleya—a popular orchid genus named after him. At last, the British learned how to grow orchids, which took immense pressure off the import trade and saved millions of plants in the tropics.

Read the full article in the Fall 2004 issue of Boulder County Home & Garden magazine. Subscribe today, and receive the Home & Garden Card™!