Orchid flower

Orchid flowers have always been admired for their elegant, exotic and refined appearance making them a sophisticated floral gift for any occasion. The intricate beauty of the orchids symbolize a wide variety of meanings. Historically orchids have symbolized wealth, love and beauty, while today orchids are treasured as symbols of rare and delicate beauty. To the early Greeks, the orchid represented virility, and the Chinese called it "the plant of the king's fragrance." During the Middle Ages, orchids were considered an aphrodisiac and were used in love potions.

Orchids Need Special Care
Orchids benefit from extra special care. Contrary to popular belief, orchids have a good vase life, as long as they are kept in water. When u buy orchids, the stems may come in water tube or wrapped in wet cotton wool. This should be removed, and the stems re-cut and placed in fresh water with flower food as soon as possible. Orchids should be kept away from heat, draughts, fans, air conditioning units and anything that may cause moisture loss. Frequent misting of the flowers with water is recommended. If they look limp, place them in water – flower head and all – for up to one hour. Orchids should also be kept away from fruit, vegetables and decaying flowers, as orchids are especially susceptible to ethylene gas.
Orchid Flower History, Symbolism and Origin
The orchid's name originates from the Greek orchis, meaning "testicle," and its history is one of lust, greed, and wealth. Some orchids are called "ladies' fingers," "ladies' tresses," or "long purples." Orchids were collected extensively during the 1800s; once, four thousand trees were cut down for the orchids growing on their branches.
There are nearly 25,000 varieties of orchids. Greek women thought they could control the sex of their unborn children with orchid roots. If the father ate large, new tubers, the child would be male; if the mother ate small tubers, the child would be female
The paphiopedilum orchid was named for Phaphos, a temple on Cyprus where the love goddess Aphrodite was worshipped. The most famous orchid, the vanilla orchid, was said to give strength to the Aztecs, who drank vanilla mixed with chocolate.