Alabama The Beautiful

Being back in Alabama for this quarantine period, I’ve had a lot of time to explore the woods I grew up in. While there isn’t much to see during the winter months here, spring and summer are entirely different. This is something that I find to be an upside to states that receive a frost period, there is this almost magical rejuvenation of the land. Evergreens such as pines stand lush and green year-round, but the dead understory of winter is soon smothered with green in the blink of an eye. These short-lived, herbaceous understory plants happen to be some of my favorites. They are fleeting, and must be sought-out and enjoyed during the warm months. I know that my blog is mainly centered around orchids (which still reign supreme in my head) but I wanted to give my home town a little appreciation before I return to college in Florida in a little over a month. Alabama is often painted as one picture of rolling hills stacked with forests. While this is true for much of Alabama, almost 70% in fact, Alabama is one of the most beautiful and ecologically diverse states with scrubland, beaches, forests, wetlands, plains, mountains, and more freshwater in the form of surface water than most states. While we are losing these resources fast to development and climate change, I still believe in our state slogan, Alabama The Beautiful. 🌼

*All photos are mine unless otherwise noted*

1. Yellow Passion Vine - passiflora lutea

This is probably my favorite Alabama find thus far. I actually spotted this flowering vine just after I decided to wait to post this blog. Lucky timing! If I find any more cool plants before I leave in the Fall I will edit this post, though. The Yellow Passion Vine is one of the most important, and very possibly the only, food source of the rare Passionflower Bee, or anthemurgus passiflorae. This plant, courtesy of its small yellow-green flowers and vining nature, can be hard to spot in the wild. However, if you do manage to stumble upon it like I did, examining the flowers up close is a treat. The shape is so unusual, like many passion vines, presenting a whimsical display of flower parts. The leaves are three-lobed, entire, and light green in color. Another thing to note about this plant are the very cute, curly tendrils that allow them to wrap around other plants for support. One plant I saw this vine growing around was the American Beauty Berry.

2. Buttonbush - cephalanthus occidentalis

Let me tell you this one was also a wonderful find. I was able to recognize the iconic, orb-shaped flowers a mile away. However, the bush was very hard to get close to, as it was growing right along a stream in the midst of poison ivy, snake dens, and muck. Buttonbush is a wetland plant, so it is not surprising it was found in such a location. Several days later, when I was finally able to get up close to this specimen, I was worried there would be no more active blooms to take photos of. But as I got closer, I heard a loud symphony of buzzing and noticed bees and wasps all over this bush. Thankfully there were still some fresh flowers. I just adore the yellow and white flowers and their ball shape. Apparently the flowers have a fragrance but I didn't get close enough to tell. The bush I observed was around 6-8 feet tall. (The picture below is just the very bottom of the bush, not the entire plant.)

3. American Beauty Berry - callicarpa americana

Hopefully I can stick around Alabama long enough to observe what this plant is so famous for: it's insanely vibrant, purple berries. When I spotted this Beauty Berry I was a great distance from it, and I wanted to know what the small pink haze was. Upon closer examination I noticed small flowers gathered closely to the stem. The leaves are broad and attractive, the entire plant not reaching more than 5 feet in height usually. American Beauty Berry leaves, roots, and berries are said to have been used by Native Americans as a medicinal tea.

4. Heal-All - prunella vulgaris

If I were stranded in the wild and found Heal-All, you best believe I would survive much longer. This incredible little herb has a plethora of medicinal benefits-- many largely unexplored on humans. Examples of the possible effects of Heal-All include; treating wounds, extracting infection, curing throat ulcers, inhibiting viral reproduction, and boosting immune health. Heal-All is even being researched for its possible anticancer properties. All parts of Heal-All are edible, most often used in tea by steeping the leaves. I have never tasted it personally but, being in the Mint Family, Heal-All is said to have a bitter, slightly sweet taste. Contradictory, I know- but one example Heal-All's taste has been likened to is rosemary, if that helps.

5. Spotted Wintergreen Pipsissewa - chimaphila maculata

This very small shaded understory plant has the most adorable growing habit. Spotted Wintergreen Pipsissewa is very low-growing and will stay very small. The flowers, appearing in the warm months, are thick and waxy, tending to droop downward. Unfortunately the photo of the open blooms is not mine, but I wanted you to get a good look at those small white flowers. The foliage is quite striking as well, with a bold light green stripe straight down the midrib, contrasting with the dark green of the leaves.

6. Twinberry - mitchella repens

Being a vine, Twinberry makes a very cool, luscious groundcover. The bright red berries and fuzzy white flowers it produces are a plus as well.

7. Alabama Azalea - rhododendron alabamense

This find was actually very deep in the woods in a dip in the land. The only reason I was able to locate this plant was due to the overwhelming, sweet fragrance the flowers emitted. I am a big fan of rhododendrons, being surrounded by them in Alabama (native or not), so you can imagine my excitement when I found a native one growing in the wild. Alabama Azalea, disregarding the name, is not actually endemic to Alabama. Alabama Azalea is currently native to four other states including Florida, where it is listed as endangered.

8. American Groundnut - apios americana

American Groundnut is another one of those plants I'd be thrilled to find if I was on a survival game show. The beans and underground tubers that this plant produces are edible when cooked. The tubers are most often likened to the common potato, only with more nutrition and a slightly nutty flavor. I have not personally tasted the beans or tubers yet, but I hope to someday. The tubers can vary quite a lot in size and shape, but can be harvested anytime of the year aside from frost periods.

9. Redring Milkweed - asclepias variegata

This find was also very exciting. With big, broad leaves, a striking red midrib, and those densely packed flowers, this plant hardly looks real. The flowers produce a bountiful supply of nectar for many native pollinators. To me, each flower looks like an origami project of sorts. This plant is ecologically important and insanely attractive- who knew!

10. Butterfly Milkweed - asclepias tuberosa

This photo is unedited. Yes the flowers are that orange. And yes, I noticed this plant a certifiable distance away. Being a milkweed, this plant produces hecka nectar and is well loved by pollinators. Unlike a. variegata (above), butterfly weed is a common host plant for the Monarch Butterfly, or danaus plexippus.

11. Lobed Tickseed - coreopsis auriculata

Being a member of the Asteraceae family, Lobed Tickseed can be difficult to distinguish from its many relatives. A few noteworthy characteristics of this plant are the yellow disc and ray, fringed ray petals, and small, entire leaves, each with a pair of lobed leaflets at the base.

12. Little-Leaf Sensitive Briar - mimosa microphylla

This groundcover is a fun one to come across, with sensitive leaves that close up and react to touch. Many mimosa's have this trait, whether they respond to light or touch. This mimosa can be seen exhibiting photo-sensitivity as well, closing up their leaves completely at night. Careful when running your hands along this plant, though; Little-Leaf Sensitive Briar has small thorns that run along their many stems.

13. Spurge Nettle - cnidoscolus stimulosus

Spurge Nettle is one to avoid touching, as they are covered in poisonous hairs that issue a stinging sensation. The poison is not severe and does not last long; even so, I wouldn't want my hand stinging for an hour.

Honorable Mentions

14. Pigeonwings - clitoria mariana

15. Trillium

    16. American Trumpet Vine - campsis radicans

    17. Crossvine - bignonia capreolata

    18. Hairy Phlox - phlox amoena

Sources:

https://uswildflowers.com/detail.php?SName=Chimaphila%20maculata

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=MIRE

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/coreopsis-auriculata/

http://floraofalabama.org/Plant.aspx?id=1879

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=palu2

https://www.fnps.org/plants/plant/cephalanthus-occidentalis

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=caam2

https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/self-heal-herb.html

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CHMA3

https://hsvbg.org/2019/03/28/collection-highlight-rhododendron-alabamense-alabama...

https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=RHAL5

https://honest-food.net/harvesting-eating-american-groundnuts/

https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/asclepias_variegata.shtml

https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=b490

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/coreopsis-auriculata/

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/cnidoscolus-stimulosus/

https://www.exploringnature.org/db/view/Alabama-Habitats-Mammals-Birds...

Blue Orchids!

Following my last post, I wanted to assure you of the aforementioned 'naturally-occurring blue orchids'. It is interesting how alluring the color blue is. It may come as no surprise to you that blue is "the world's favorite color" according to a survey conducted by YouGov

But what makes blue so beloved? I've always heard of color studies suggesting that blue is associated with comfort. My personal theory is that because blue occurs less often in nature (aside from the sky and the ocean, of course), we see it as a rarity and a spectacle. Anything that is blue is exciting. We surround ourselves with it by painting our walls, coloring our food, and in my earlier example-- dyeing store-bought orchids. But there is something so elegant about the way blue is presented [naturally] in living beings. From the dim light of the glow-worm to the eerily vibrant poison dart frog.

                                                        

Blue is especially exciting when you spot it on an orchid, at least in my opinion. Although I have never been to one, I love imagining a scenario where I am walking through a rainforest, and my entire field of vision is filled with green from the canopy to the dense underbrush. And there I spot the faintest hue of blue, but it stands out like a sore thumb. I'm even more delighted to find out that this blue I have spotted is occurring on an orchid! Blue is uncommon among living things but it is exceptionally rare on orchids (especially epiphytic ones!!). So without further ado, let's take a look at some of these remarkable plants!

*Disclaimer* Many of the examples I pulled have a more lavender-blue than a 'true blue'. I'm not sure if any examples of teal-blue or electric-blue exist among orchids that have been discovered. But I can say with certainty that these orchids are downright beautiful and that I could stare at them for hours.

1.) Pheladenia deformis 

Also referred to as the blue beard orchid, pheladenia deformis is an Australian native. Unlike the other orchids discussed so far, the blue beard is a terrestrial grower. This means that this orchid grows in the ground, and not on other plants or surfaces like rocks. According to PlantNET, they can be found growing among Australian native shrubs-- suggesting a preference for partial shade.

 

It's no secret why they call this orchid 'blue beard', with its cluster of dark purple fringe at the end on the callus, the flower appears to have stubble! I love the understated beauty of this orchid. The plant itself is not very big, not reaching more than 6 inches in height. The leaves are slender and unassuming, and even when the plant is in bloom-- the flowers are solitary. But when looking at the finer details of the flower you find that gorgeous blue, those sparkly white trichomes, and (what I assume to be) that deep red column. Sources have also noted that the flowers possess a slightly sweet fragrance. All I know is, I have to visit Australia someday.

2.) Dendrobium victoria-reginae

Dendrobium victoria-reginae, or Queen Victoria's orchid, is an epiphytic species native to the highland forests of the Philippines, where they receive dappled light through the canopy, cool temperatures and plenty of humidity.

While this orchid leans more towards the purple side, especially while the buds are still forming, it is undeniably close to blue. Not to mention, this particular species is available on the market, making it a must for any orchid collector.

3.) Thelymitra crinita  

Thelymitra crinata, also known as the Blue Lady Orchid, is a Western Australian terrestrial grower. This is probably the closest to a true-blue orchid that will be found on this list. Why it is not found at the top of the list is because I find the shape not as interesting as the p. deformis and I enjoy epiphytes more (hence why d. victoria-reginae is found above as well). I can understand why many enjoy the symmetry and fullness of the flowers, as well as the abundance of them on each stalk. The genus Thelymitra is unique to Australia, like many of the plants found there. This genus is referred to as the "sun orchids", because their flowers develop and open fully on warm, sunny days.

4.) Vanda coerulea 

Vanda coerulea, or the blue vanda as it is more commonly known, is a very popular epiphytic orchid native to parts of Myanmar, China, India, and Thailand. Known for it's widely sold and distributed hybrids, the vanda coerulea is highly endangered in its native range. Their habitat is quickly being destroyed and the plants are being uprooted and sold in street markets. The man-made hybrids that dominate the orchid market do not serve as a replacement for this vanda's natural population. Pictured below is an accurate depiction and photograph of a naturally occurring blue vanda.

And here is an example of one of the more popular hybrids being sold today. As you can see, the petals are wider and the color more vibrant, giving a fuller, more appealing look. The plants don't even look like the same species.

As you can see there are orchids of all shapes and sizes in some form of blue. Obviously, blue orchids are not limited to the ones on this list. These are just my personal favorites. So I encourage you to explore, find your own favorites- conduct research! One day I am determined to go to Australia and see some of their wonderful terrestrial orchids. Who knows, maybe I'll get grant funding to do some conservation work. Anyways, I'll keep you posted!

Honorable Mentions:

Neofinitia falcata (blue variety)- sky blue/ pale lavender in color. Native to Asia.  

Thelymitra cornicina- similar to T. crinata but more purple. Native to Australia. 

Disa graminifolia- white, blue, and purple in color. Terrestrial. Native to Africa. 

Caladenia gemmata- vibrant blue-lavender in color. Terrestrial. Native to Australia.

Cleisocentron gokusingii- pale blue and dark purple. Widely sold hybrids. Native to the Himalayas.




Sources:
https://today.yougov.com/topics/international/articles-reports/2015/05/12/why-blue-worlds-favorite-color

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nz_glowworm.jpeg

https://www.wallpaperflare.com/selective-focus-photography-of-blue-frog-exotic-close-terrarium-wallpaper-zeijx

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jean_hort/42798341545

http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Pheladenia~deformis

https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/taxon/38bd131c-deb8-48db-84a0-3c18c388beaf

https://akatsukaorchid.com/content/DenVictoria.pdf

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dendrobium_victoriae-reginae_Orchi_045.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dendrobium_victoriae-reginae_Loher,_Gard._Chron.,_ser._3,_21_399_(1897)_(47826540862).jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vanda_coerulea_Paxton_036.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vanda_coerulea_Orchi_6052.jpg

https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexlomas/2943608475/

https://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Thelymitra

https://www.flickr.com/photos/66951228@N07/6725026393

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thelymitra_crinita_gnangarra_06.JPG

Mohammad Musharof Hossain "Therapeutic orchids: traditional uses and recent advances — An overview", Department of Botany, University of Chittagong, Chittagong 4331, Bangladesh. Linked pdf 
Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture 76: 289–293, 2004.
© 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands. Linked pdf

Christophe P., 2012.- La variabilité des formes cultivées de Vanda coerulea. L'Orchidophile 197 : 00. Linked pdf

Back to Basics: Phalaenopsis

You're headed to the grocery store to fetch some things. Right as you step inside, there they are. Towering spikes full of vibrant, cascading flowers. They're in colors of all sorts: yellow, pink, purple, white, and even electric blue. Congratulations! You've spotted the infamous Phalaenopsis orchid. But do not get too excited yet-- there is a reason I decided to make my first blog post on this particular genus. The Phalaenopsis, or Moth orchid (as it is better known), is one of the largest-selling orchids in the trade. As of 2000, all wholesale orchids sales amassed a whopping $100,000,000. Strangely enough, this number only seems to be increasing. With exceptions such as Vanilla, orchids are strictly ornamental crops. This is vividly apparent when those stark-blue flowers catch your eye in the store. You may have found yourself saying "nature is amazing" and you'd be right; nature IS amazing and there are countless examples of brilliant blue flowers that do occur naturally. However, this particular hybrid of phalaenopsis is not one of those. This may be surprising to some of you, but this is the perfect example of a marketing ploy. Blue dye is quite literally injected into the orchid's peduncle and, by way of sap flow, carried to the flowers. This is how they achieve a 'natural' look and feel to the flowers. The veins which already exist within each flower are merely made more visible. When the flowers eventually fall, the next set of flowers that orchid produces will be white (or in some cases, magenta, if the flowers were a very dark blueish purple originally).

← a good example of a 'blue' phalaenopsis orchid

While phalaenopsis are beautiful, they are not the only orchid genus that exists. The family Orchidaceae is the second largest flowering plant family on earth! Hence my unbounded love for these weird and wonderful plants. So do not be satisfied when you see the same five colors of moth orchid in the front of the store, because there is so much more behind the name Phalaenopsis alone.

Now that we have the introduction down, let's take a look at some of those weird and wonderful Phalaenopsis species;

1.) Coming in at number one is my absolute favorite Phalaenopsis species; Phalaenopsis bellina. 

Phalaenopsis bellina is an epiphytic, Southeast Asian orchid that can be found growing up in the tree canopies where the humidity and temperature are, on average, high. Their roots are built specially for clinging to bark, as their roots are covered by an epidermal layer of velamen. This gives certain orchid roots their silvery appearance. 

Putting aside their beautiful pink coloration, Bellina's are famous for their fragrance, a quality that is uncommon among Phalaenopsis (but not among many other orchid groups; There are orchids that smell of cinnamon, vanilla, and chocolate just to name a few!). Bellina specifically contains linalool and geraniol, two very chemically similar compounds that are frequently used in perfumes. All this being said, the odor is pleasant. I have only had the opportunity to smell a bellina flower once before and I hardly remember it, but I believe it was citrusy and slightly sweet. Bellina's sister species, P. violacea (pictured), is known to have a sharper, spicy scent. The coloration also differs with violacea, as the gradient of the petals fades from a light cream color to a cool violet, rather than the fiery pink of the bellina. 

One last thing to note about this species is that their flowers are few in number. With the hybrids sold today, single spikes can hold upwards of 20 flowers, whereas the bellina is known to have only 1-3 flowers at a time. However, they commonly rebloom from the same flower spike for years. 

an extreme example of long, abundant flower spikes shown in the hybrid P. 'sogo yukidian' →

2.) Phalaenopsis cornu-cervi

P. cornu-cervi is definitely on the wilder side when it comes to appearances. Their glossy petals and oddly-shaped peduncle make this species one of my favorites. Like the aforementioned bellina, P. cornu-cervi can rebloom from the same spike for years. However, they do not have as strong a fragrance. They are also originally from Southeast Asia, their blooms are few in numbers, and they are epiphytic. Unlike the bellina, they have smaller flowers and a particularly odd peduncle. Their flower spike looks as if it was flattened, and, because they rebloom for years, the shape can become very angular.

↑ P. cornu-cervi, variety 'alba' ↑

There are also several varieties of P. cornu-cervi that exist. Colors tend to be on the warmer side with yellows, oranges, and reds. My favorites are the pure red and red-striped varieties. Their glossy petals allow the red to deepen and shine through, almost like sealing a painting in Damar-Varnish (oh, the analogies of a former art-student). 

3.) Phalaenopsis tetraspis

P. tetraspis has a reputation among orchid-lovers as being one of the harder species to grow, requiring high heat and humidity levels. Not much is known about this species, unfortunately, and it was rather difficult for me to find out much about this species' origins or traits. What I do know about this orchid- and the reason it is so popular among growers- is its ability to produce unique blooms every time. Now I'm well aware that every bloom on an orchid is technically unique, but some patterns and shapes can be hard to distinguish. This species produces very visibly different petals. Some petals are pure white, some are pure magenta, some have spots, some have lines, some have large blotches. This orchid reminds me of painting: it is unpredictable but lovely. ♡

Of course, there are many more Phalaenopsis species I'd like to mention but I will save them for another time. Something I suggest if you ever want to find a cool Phalaenopsis species you've never heard of; just search 'Phalaenopsis species' on google! I usually image search and go from there but there are a ton of helpful lists that orchid-lovers have compiled to get you started. There are so many orchids out there that it can be overwhelming at times, and even daunting, to learn about them. But fear not, we are on this journey together. For while I have loved and studied orchids for around 5 years now, I still don't know the half of it. Comment below your favorite phalaenopsis species and/or any constructive insights.

Sources:

Griesbach, R.J. 2002. Development of Phalaenopsis Orchids for the Mass-Market. p. 458–465. In: J. Janick and A. Whipkey (eds.), Trends in new crops and new uses. ASHS Press, Alexandria, VA.

Anon., n.d. Phal. bellina. 

http://www.ranwild.org/Phalaenopsis/module/species/bellina/Especieshead.html

Anon. n.d., Phalaenopsis cornu-cervi. Olympic Orchids. 

https://olympicorchids.com/?product=phalaenopsis-cornu-cervi

Anon. n.d., Phalaenopsis tetraspis. OrchidBoard.
http://www.orchidboard.com/community/species/94632-phalaenopsis-tetraspis.html