As each orchid species has adapted to its unique habitat and pollinators, the orchid family has grown to include wildly varying species: everything from Angraecum magdalanae which emits a spicy fragrance at night to attract nocturnal hawk moths, to Bulbophyllum phalaenopsis with its gargantuan seven-foot-long leaves and stinky flowers that smell like rotting meat to attract flies for pollination.
The Future of Orchids celebrates the diversity of orchids within Smithsonian Gardens’ own Orchid Collection. This collection includes more than 4,000 species and hybrids and is one of the largest species-diverse orchid collections in the world. To extend its reach as a tool for conservation and scientific research, the Smithsonian Gardens Orchid Collection is fully digitized, with high quality images readily available online. The collection supports biodiversity conservation, scientific research, educational programming, and storytelling efforts.
With an estimated 30,000 species, the Orchidaceae family is one of the largest and most diverse families in the plant kingdom. The beauty of an orchid goes well beyond its handsome blooms. Orchids are an interconnected and integral part of their ecosystems. Orchid species flourish when the soil, light, and temperature are just right. Many rely on certain pollinators to carry their genes from flower to flower for reproduction. Others require the presence of a particular fungus in order to survive to adulthood and flower.
Due to their complex relationships with so many elements in their environment, it’s fair to say that when orchids thrive it’s an indication of a healthy habitat. So how do you conserve and protect such a specialized family of plants? Just as in nature, the key is collaboration. At this exhibit you’ll find stories of artists, researchers, curators, horticulturists, educators, policy makers, and technologists all working together to discover more about what orchids need to thrive.
Explore this exhibit to learn what people are doing to grow, research, protect, preserve, and educate others about these often ultra-specialized plants and habitats – and imagine the future of orchids.
Learn more about Smithsonian Gardens Orchid Collection: Docents stationed in the exhibit 11:30am to 3:30 pm everyday. Experts are available on Wednesdays from noon to 1pm.
https://gardens.si.edu/exhibitions/future-of-orchids/