These amazing plants can live hundreds of years in the wild or thrive in greenhouses of orchid lovers worldwide. In nature, orchids pop up in every country in the world, from the North Pole to the South Pole. There are nearly 30,000 different species growing in the wild, and more than 150,000 hybrids have been created by crossing different orchids. Orchids woo you, wow you, and eventually win you over.
Many orchids are amazingly easy to care for.
Before you take a particular variety home though, make sure you can meet its requirements. Give them an east-facing window where they'll receive a couple of hours of early sun and reasonably bright indirect light the rest of the day. Orchids grow on trees, in the ground or in the home. They can be small or large, sweet-smelling or unpleasantly scented. Orchids come in single blooms, clusters, sprays and chains, with sometimes bizarre shapes and patterns.