I have to boast about my small achievement: my Dendrobium lindleyi is in bloom! This may not seem like a big deal, but unlike the hybrid orchids you find at the home improvement or grocery stores that are cultivated for heartiness and long-lasting vibrant blooms, Dendrobium lindleyi is a genuine species plant native to Thailand—unmodified and true to nature.

There is a perception about orchids that they are very finicky and difficult to grow—not at all true for the hybrids (unless you over water them) which have been known to self resurrect after being thrown in the compost pile. However, species plants require specific environmental conditions that are found in the wild to produce blooms. In the case of Dendrobium lindleyi, a dry spell in the Fall and a day-to-night temperature differential of 10-15 degrees over the winter is required to initiate blooms. Furthermore, this plant only stays in bloom for a few fleeting days—whereas many other orchid varieties are bred (both in captivity and in the wild) to bloom for months. If a Dendrobium lindleyi flower were pollinated, it would wilt immediately, its purpose having been fulfilled.

I was initially drawn to Dendrobium lindleyi for its pansy-like face. Seeing the bloom in person, it is unmistakably (to the experienced eye) an orchid. I have to cite the perseverance of nature and undoubtedly some luck to this small accomplishment, but it is my own, and large enough to share with the world.