Identifying orchids is very important because orchids are actually not flowers but are actually a class of plants called the Cattleya. These orchids belong to the class which includes causes, cockatiels, sloths and aphids. To start off with it is important that one knows exactly what they are because unlike many other classifications of plants or animals or insects there are more than one hundred different orchid species. Not only that but there are over a hundred different genus and sub-genus or plant types. All of this means that learning exactly what a plant type is can be very confusing.

For instance there are three different species of orchids the Ligustern, Phalaenopsis and Paphiopedilum which all have three distinctly different styles of flower. Each has slightly varied coloration and blooms on the same types of flowers. On top of that there are other species such as the Trifolium which has a single flower stalks and a single flower style. This is very common orchid species that is grown primarily for their exotic beauty.

Identification of orchid flowers starts with knowing the scientific names of the various species. For instance in the genus Phalaenopsis there are eleven separate species that all have completely different shaped flowers. The genus Paphiopedilum also has eleven different species but unlike Phalaenopsis each of these has a single flower stalk and has two different styles of blooming. Other notable orchid genus names include Lamiaceae which has sixteen different varieties while under the family Diplodia, there are nine different genera that all have blossoms with single flowers and four different styles of flower.

One way to quickly identification of orchids is to know that most of them have leaves that originate above the base of the plant and they grow below this is called the caudal peduncle. The middle section of the plant is called the epidermal papilla and it extends up to the base of the leaf. The orchid’s petals are rounded and contain a hair-like projection that resembles a tooth. All the parts of a phalaenopsis orchid are surrounded by the principal stem.

Another tip for quick identification of orchid flowers is to look at the size of the specimen. It is not unusual for orchids to vastly size of a small pea or ball about the size of an orange. But the quickest way to identify new species found in the wild is to look at the size of the largest specimens. These tend to be about one to two inches in diameter.

Identifying orchids is much easier when they are in the ground rather than stored on a shelf. When you find orchids in pots, look at their roots because that is the best place to determine size. If the roots are large, then that plant is probably a tropical orchid. If the roots are very small, then it is an epiphytic orchid. All other types of orchids are either diploblasties or endophytes. A diploblast is a plant that has its roots down to the lowest leaf while endophytes have their roots in the middle of the stalk.

Some tips for identifying orchids include inspecting the orchid for visible signs of damage like black or brown spots on the leaves and looking at the orchid for any sign of white patches or discoloring on the roots or on the leaves themselves. Look also for broken, crinkled, or discolored flowers. The easiest way to tell if a plant needs repotting is to check the temperature of the pot. Plants that need to be reported should be brought out of the pot on a day when the temperature is going to be about 55 degrees.

Some of the most common orchids are the coral cloud forest orchids, which can be found growing in the wild in south Texas, around the Suwannee River. They are a good choice because they are easy to care for. Cloud forest orchids require a lot of water, so you might want to purchase a few packets of water or buy a large jug. If you cannot locate any nearby flowers that are the same color or have the same shape, then just use the guide provided by the Internet or your favorite book to place them in the right spot. You can also find pictures of cloud forest orchids online if you don’t know their exact size.