Orchids: Gold in the Green Age

The 21st World Orchid Conference (WOC21)

10-14 September 2014, Johannesburg, South Africa

Orchids: Gold in the Green Age

The theme for the WOC21 Conference and Show is "Orchids: Gold in the Green Age"

With Johannesburg forming the nucleus of the gold mining industry in the region, the theme pays tribute to this, while drawing inspiration from conservation as the only way forward.

Three Gauteng-Based Orchid Societies Host the Event (Johannesburg, Edenvale and Pretoria)

The unique flora kingdom in the Western and Northern Cape is attracting more and more overseas visitors. Orchids have started to become another item on the list of eco tourists. Seeing the beautiful Disa uniflora in full bloom on Table Mountain is a must for many. Areas like Dullstroom and Crissiesmeer in Mpumalanga are also becoming hotspots for eco tourists.

 
Orchids in South Africa

There are approximately 550 species of orchids that occur in South Africa, only a small portion (50 or so) are epiphytes – the bulk are terrestrial orchids. With two very distinct climates – winter rainfall and summer rainfall – the orchids also tend to be diverse.

The winter rainfall orchids flower mainly in spring and the summer rainfall orchids flower mostly in mid-summer. The growing of orchids as a hobby started in the late 19th century. The first South African society dedicated to the growing of orchids – and now known as the Cape Orchid Society - dates back to 1956. 

 

A national body to oversee the interest of orchids was created in 1968. The South African Orchid Council hosted the 10th World Orchid Conference in Durban in 1981 and 30 years later host the world to the 21st WOC Show in the City of Gold.  For more information visit the WOC21 website www.woc21.org.za

Orchid Insight

Orchid flowers have always been regarded as fascinating:

·         Their leaves and roots which possess distinctive and specialised features
·         Have sometimes bizarre pollination methods
·         Orchid seeds are minute and dust like, produced in many thousands

These unique orchid features are illustrated on display at the show

The Wild Orchids Southern Africa (Wosa)

About the WOSA Exhibit

WOSA has built the 200m² wetland exhibit containing three wetlands, namely Bankenveld grassland, Cape and Coastal. 

“WOSA is a National Non-Profit Organisation (NPO), formed in 2013 by an enthusiastic group of orchidists from the Witwatersrand Orchid Society, the East Rand Orchid Society, and the Pretoria Orchid Society to coordinate and promote the conservation efforts of indigenous orchids in southern Africa.” ~ Bill Mincher Chairman WOSA Sept. 2014

Their objective is to get South Africans to appreciate and value indigenous orchids and in so doing, make them worthy of protection.  They need to develop a network of volunteers to create Chapters Nationwide to identify and monitor orchid sites.  They will be recorded on the WOSA National Orchid Database.  They will also mount rescue operations where necessary, and relocate orchids to new or existing conservation areas.

Funding From the Shuttleworth Foundation

With support from the Shuttleworth Foundation and Mark Shuttleworth’s mother Ronelle, who is an accomplished orchidist and gardener, WOSA have been able to fund the Exhibit and launch Wild Orchids Southern Africa.

Princess Diana’s Iconic Wedding Bouquet

Besides one of the most beautiful accessories for a bride on her wedding walk down the aisle, bridal bouquets can be meaningful, fragrant and unique.

Princess Diana’s wedding bouquet when she wed Prince Charles in 1981, was full of the Odontolglossum Orchid.

Other flowers in Princess Diana’s bouquet included Gardenias, Stephanotis, Odontolglossum Orchid, Lily of the Valley, Earl Mountbatten Roses, Freesia, Veronica, Ivy, Myrtle, Trasdescantia

Many people have seen the iconic photos that show Diana’s enormous cascading bouquet but it is difficult to see the individual flowers.  Although this type of bouquet has gone out of style in favor of more compact, hand tied bouquets, it contains traditional, high-end and timeless blooms, most of which can easily be found in bridal magazines and weddings today.

Pay a visit to ONLY the second World Orchid Conference in Africa and the 21^st event of all World Orchid Conferences which pays tribute to the beautiful forces of nature.

 

“Elegant orchids dance in the mountains and valleys. 

They cheer and brighten where ever, and whenever they are seen”