National Orchid Day

In 2010, Mike and Faith Young fell in love with orchids after volunteering at the Orquideas Moxviquil orchid preserve in San Cristobal de las Casas, in Chiapas, Mexico. Being inspired by the beauty and unique expressions of orchid blossoms, they decided if they ever had a daughter they would name her Orchid. Faith became pregnant, and with great anticipation, they awaited the birth of their daughter, Orchid Faith. Orchid was born on April 16, 2014, but tragically, she did not survive labor.

Mike and Faith wanted to honor their daughter's life and made National Orchid Day after finding out there wasn't already a holiday devoted to orchids. On April 16, 2015, they launched a Kickstarter, offering pre-orders for their honey, The Humble Bumbles Honey, in an effort to raise funds for having the holiday be proclaimed by National Day Calendar, who charges money to issue a proclamation. They raised more than $1,500 in a day, reaching their goal. Because of the day, Mike and Faith believe that orchids will be appreciated a bit more and their little girl will feel the warmth of those who think about orchids on the day.

Orchids are one of the largest flowering plant families, with more than 25,000 species that can be broken down into about 880 genera. They grow in all climates except those that are permanently dry or permanently frozen. Most orchids are zygomorphic, meaning they have bi-lateral symmetry, unlike most other flowers, which are actinomorphic and have radial symmetry. Orchids have three sepals and three petals, with one of the petals being a lip (labellum). The size, shape, and color of orchids are determined by the type of pollinator the flower is trying to attract. Pollinators range in size from a fungus gnat to a bat.

How to Observe National Orchid Day

• Enjoy the beauty of orchids.
• Grow orchids.
• Share pictures of orchids on social media, including pictures of orchids you are growing, along with the hashtag #NationalOrchidDay.
• Give someone an orchid to plant.
• Learn more about orchids from the American Orchid Society and North American Orchid Conservation Center.
• Explore the different genera of orchids.
• Follow the National Orchid Day Facebook page.
• Travel to the Orquideas Moxviquil orchid preserve, where the Young's traveled, or to another place where orchids can be seen, such as The Huntington, the Atlanta Botanical Garden's Fuqua Orchid Center, the National Orchid Garden in the Singapore Botanic Gardens, the orchid collection at Smithsonian Gardens, or the orchid collection at the United States Botanic Garden.
• Order live or cut orchids from a place such as Chadwick & Son, Orchids by Hausermann, or Akatsuka Orchid.
• Read Mike and Faith's blog entry about their visit to the Orquideas Moxviquil orchid preserve, the preserve's inspiration for Orchid's name, and the loss of Orchid.

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