Sunday 15 September 2019

The Meaning and Symbolism of Orchids | Tree homes

With over 25,000 species and over 97,000 varieties, orchids are the biggest flowering family. They are often cultivated or added to floral displays as houseplants. But not all orchids are beauties of the tropics. Wild orchids are growing all over the world and can be discovered on all continents except Antarctica. These flowers have gained their reputation as hard to develop, likely because of their need for filtered light and elevated relative humidity. Many types, one of the most famous orchids is the moth orchid that received its name from the fact that when they were first found by Swedish naturalist, Peter Osbeck, their flowers were first mistaken as moths.
Orchid Meaning and Symbolism - Tree homes
Orchids
Orchid Meanings
Orchids (family Orchidaceae) got their name from the Greek term orchis, which means testicles. It was believed that their fleshy subterranean tubers looked like testicles, at least that was what the Greek botanist Theophrastos believed at the moment.

In ancient Greece, parents were thought to be able to choose their child's sex by eating the tubers of the orchid. The kid would turn out to be a male if the dad ate dense, fleshier tubers. The kid would turn out to be a woman if the mom ate lower, thinner tubers. Aztecs usually blended vanilla, an orchid type, with chocolate to make an elixir that gave energy and strength.
Orchids were only discovered in the tropics during the Victorian age and were highly uncommon. Therefore, as a sign of luxury and refined taste, Victorians would collect exotic orchids. The rarer the orchid was provided as a donation, the greater your love and enthusiasm for the recipient were. Orchids are considered symbols of integrity, elegance, and friendship in China.
The Symbolism Of Orchids & Colors

Often, orchids are believed to be the perfect flowers for those with extraordinary beauty, but at the same moment, they like simplicity, diligence and an inherent sense of design and aesthetics.

However, think closely when selecting colors when you plan to donate an orchid to a dear individual! While orchids have a reputation as symbols of fertility and elegance, various colored orchids have a variety of symbols.
.White orchids symbolize innocence, purity, and reverence.

.Femininity, grace and happiness symbolize pink orchids.

.Yellow orchids symbolize fresh beginnings and friendship. They create excellent gifts to celebrate an achievement for a friend.

.Purple orchids symbolize royalty and admiration, and as a sign of regard are traditionally provided.

.Orange orchids symbolize pride, excitement, and courage.
The Orchid Flower Facts
The size and shape of orchid crops and flowers vary. Many grow in the tropical forest understory, creating delicate flowers in a broad range of colors. While some are small plants, only a few inches tall, others grow on towering trees like the Vanilla orchid. The orchid of Vanilla is indigenous to Mesoamerica where it was grown by the Totonac Indians. The vanilla orchid emerged from Princess Xanat's blood when she and her lover were beheaded for disobeying the desires of her father, according to ancestral Totonaco legend.

Although the Chinese have been growing orchids for over 3,000 years, tourists to the Far East brought orchids to Europe only in the 1600s. Orchids were reared from seed by 1802 and the first hybrid was grown was created by 1856.


The Cultural Importance Of The Orchid

Confucius admired the orchid and wrote a lot of poems about the exotic flower and compared them to noble scholars ' personality. Orchids were the subject of many of his literary and philosophical works and formed the basis of his moral teachings.

In the forest, the orchids develop and they let out their fragrance even if there is nobody around to enjoy it. Similarly, noble people will not allow poverty to prevent their willingness to be guided by strong values and morals.


Orchid Uses
Orchids are widely used in perfumes and aromatherapy and are known for their fragrance. Vanilla extract is actually derived from the Vanilla orchid plant, a commonly used flavor enhancer in sweets and baked goods.

The orchid also has medicinal uses. The orchid has been grown in China for thousands of years and is used as a natural remedy for coughs, kidney, lung, stomach, and eye diseases.

Orchids are also thought to be powerful aphrodisiacs, and for this purpose, many cultures, including Greece and China, eat the bulbs.

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