Love the orchid?
Putting together a list of top websites involves finding sites that have a desirable Alexa traffic count rating. That proved to be quite a challenge with this topic as there are so many wonderful blogs and sources for information on sites that simply do not have a rank at all. Sadly, these haven’t been included but on the plus side, the ones given are the most heavily visited and thus a great resource for you if you are already an orchid enthusiast or just received your first one as a gift and are wondering how to keep it alive. Some of them have links to the ‘no rank’ sites so you’ll get the best of both worlds.
1. American Orchid Society: https://www.aos.org/default.aspx?id=1
Global Alexa Rating: 402,101
Over 16,000 people have become members of the American Orchid Society (AOS) both as beginners and expert orchid growers for the great benefits and also to help them further their conservation and research efforts. The site offers orchid basics, AOS culture sheets, monthly checklists, an A to Z, the AOS video library, a glossary and additional resources. You’ll really want to check out their webinars – some are free for everyone and others are for members only. You can register for upcoming webinars or go back and see recorded ones. For good sound advice and information, you can’t beat an organization that has been around since 1921.
2. Orchid Board: http://www.orchidboard.com/community
Global Alexa Rating: 452,858
You can traipse around this forum website in a limited capacity as a guest but the best thing is to register to gain full access to everything this wonderful site has to offer. Member is free, so you have nothing to lose by becoming a member, and a lot to gain. Besides the great forum discussions, you’ll find book reviews, member articles, member blogs, classifieds, a glossary and gallery. You can also search for clubs and social groups in your area. The orchid alliances section is a great place to delve into discussions about specific alliances such as cattleya, bulbophyllum, dendrobium, maxillaria and more.
3. Brazilian Orchids: http://www.delfinadearaujo.com/page2.htm
Global Alexa Rating: 1,032,176
This website emphasizes Brazilian species, but it does address orchids from around the world. They share information about the history, cultivation and origin of many species as well as talk about hybrids and new species. The Data Center features photos and information about more than 200. The site is very easy to navigate with links right on the main page. You might especially enjoy the Orchid Finder feature.
4. Carter and Holmes Orchids: http://carterandholmes.com/index.shtml
Global Alexa Rating: 1,885,000
As orchids grow in popularity, plenty of suppliers are cropping up, but if you really want the advantage of experience, you may want to search to find those that were around before it became popular. This is one of those places having been a premier source for orchids for nearly 70 years! There is a download for their most recent catalogue. They are located in Newberry, South Carolina and welcome visitors to their 18 greenhouses.
5. Orchids.Com by Norman’s Orchids: http://www.orchids.com/Default.aspx
Global Alexa Rating: 1,914,188
Here is another supplier that has shown longevity having begun back in 1986. Based in Montclair, California, Norman’s Orchids is family owned and operated. They are leading producers of the Phalaenopsis, Cattlya, Paphiopedilum and Oncidium alliance orchid plants which they grow themselves. Sign up for their newsletter! A nice option they have is an Club in which you receive a blooming gift each month for either 3 months, 6 months or 12 months. There is a link to their blog at http://orchidsdotcom.blogspot.com/ which you’ll find interesting and helpful.
6. DreamOrchids.Com: http://www.dreamorchids.com/
Global Alexa Rating: 2,430,405
This is a simple site with easy to understand information about orchids including propagation, cultivation methods, repotting, food, pots, fungus and other diseases, general care, growing indoors or out and growing methods. Sometimes simple is best, and this site is perfect for those that don’t want to read volumes of information since they just want some basic understanding to get started.
7. Oregon Orchid Society: http://oregonorchidsociety.org/
Global Alexa Rating: 3,305,710
The Oregon Orchid Society began in 1945 and then became affiliated with the American Orchid Society in 1948. They are a non-profit organization focusing on educating the Portland, Oregon area on the appreciation and cultivation of the orchid. They hold general meetings and an annual show and sale. Even if you are not in the Portland area, you can still gain a lot of information from the site, including top ten growing tips, how to grow orchids, pests and diseases, companion plants and advice on buying orchids. They have some tutorial videos that are helpful also.
8. The North of England Orchid Society: http://www.orchid.org.uk/
Global Alexa Rating: 5,118,666
Orchid growing is not limited to the United States as there are enthusiasts all over the world. This site is a testament to the fact that they are also popular in the UK. This site is crammed with great information including general information, articles, a gallery, newsletters and library, information about shows and so much more! The original society known as the Manchester Orchid Society began back in 1897 and was changed to The North of England Orchid Society around 1973. Check out the site frequently if you are in the area for information about monthly and annual events.
9. The Orchid House: http://theorchidhouse.org/
Global Alexa Rating: 8,575,999
A relative newcomer to the world of orchids, the Orchid House in Green Bay, VA has become a leader in semi-hydroponics as a technique for growing orchids. By making this change, the owner states that he can care for 18,000 orchids in less time and energy than the 400 traditionally-grown plants he began with. If you are interested in learning about this technique and getting orchids and supplies to do so, this is a great site for you. He even discusses how to convert to semi-hydroponics.
10. My Orchidcare.Com: http://myorchidcare.com/
Global Alexa Rating: 7,178,538
You will love the vast information the “How-to” articles on this site offer. There are tons of care tips including orchid care videos that will totally enhance your care experience. A great resource on the page is an orchid identification page to help you determine what you have. Although there are 880 different genera and over 22,000 species, there are only a few dozen species widely produced and available at nurseries.
Beginners and experienced orchid growers alike should find great resources on these ten websites as well as links to hundreds more. Best advice to a beginner is to not get intimidated. While orchid growing is different than any other gardening you’ll ever do, the rewards make it completely worth the effort involved.
