Well, even though I am normally a critical thinking and scientific person, I do have moments when I feel creative and 'flowy', if you will. Since I don't actually have anything to make anything artistic, these moments usually get channeled into interesting conversations. However, being that there is really no one to talk to at the moment, all you lucky people who read my blog will reap the benefits of this mood!!! So, I'm going to post a few random pictures from my phone. . . and then talk about them!
First off is a few pictures of Calypso bulbosa, a native orchid species of Canada. We went to Jasper National Park for our year end field trip last school year (2011-2012) at the end of May (not really the end of the school year, but we have our reasons). The first thing we did our first day there was take a hike through Maligne Canyon, and oh my goodness was it amazing! I loved the cool, humid environment there around the falls, and if I could find a metropolitan place that had that environment for the majority of the year here in Canada, I would totally move there! This hike is also where I saw my first native orchid, and those moments are still vivid in my mind
For the majority of the hike I was kinda at the back of the group, taking my time to observe the path we were walking on for any signs of anything orchid-like. However, not knowing the native species of the area, I was relying on general knowledge and knowing what an orchid flower looks like to identify anything I came across. While we were walking along, we came to a part where the path split in two; it had a path keeping at the same level, and another path going down and over about five feet closer to the edge of the water-carven rock. In between those paths was an area with a few trees, some moss, and a few wildflowers, but in the middle of it, even from far away, I could tell there was an orchid, Calypso bulbosa, amongst the other plants. When it first registered that I was indeed looking at a native Canadian orchid, my jaw dropped and I literally was on the verge of tears (yes, I am serious)! It was just one, small, single plant with two fragile looking blooms, but for me, it was the most spectacular thing I had ever seen. I was truly awed by the magnificence of that one flowering orchid, and I was actually at a loss for words for quite a bit afterwards. I was telling my friends that I would be content if that was the only thing we did for the week long trip. However, I'm glad I didn't go home then, because at the end of the week and three different hikes later, I saw, and took pictures of, nearly 450 Calypso bulbosa.
I was going to post pictures of my cornu-cervi 'Red' and fasciata 'Shaffers', but I'm too enraptured in the memories of that trip to deviate from the original track of this post.
And here are the pictures I was talking about!
Here is a picture of the waterfalls of Maligne Canyon. I could have stayed there forever basking in the cool mists coming from the falls. . . it was that awesome!
Here are the two flowers that put me in a sense of awe and left me without words for at least 10 minutes, which is quite rare when I am with my friends.
Here is an average sized clump (compared to all that I saw) at Horseshoe Lake/Canyon.
And here is another clump from Maligne Canyon that was farther down the trail from the falls.
I wish there was a legal source of this orchid, as I would love to grow and cultivate it!! I wonder if it would be possible and legal to collect some seeds from an open pod without actually removing the pod from the plant. . . of course, although tempted (and who wouldn't be) I never dared to touch any of the plants or remove a flower or plant, in part or whole from the wild.
The more I think on this and remember those moments, the more I am motivated and the more I want to do for the orchid world. I don't know what exactly just yet, but I have received so much from the orchid world; the people, the plants, the satisfaction of growing and blooming my own orchids. I just need to do something, anything, to put this passion to use.
First off is a few pictures of Calypso bulbosa, a native orchid species of Canada. We went to Jasper National Park for our year end field trip last school year (2011-2012) at the end of May (not really the end of the school year, but we have our reasons). The first thing we did our first day there was take a hike through Maligne Canyon, and oh my goodness was it amazing! I loved the cool, humid environment there around the falls, and if I could find a metropolitan place that had that environment for the majority of the year here in Canada, I would totally move there! This hike is also where I saw my first native orchid, and those moments are still vivid in my mind
For the majority of the hike I was kinda at the back of the group, taking my time to observe the path we were walking on for any signs of anything orchid-like. However, not knowing the native species of the area, I was relying on general knowledge and knowing what an orchid flower looks like to identify anything I came across. While we were walking along, we came to a part where the path split in two; it had a path keeping at the same level, and another path going down and over about five feet closer to the edge of the water-carven rock. In between those paths was an area with a few trees, some moss, and a few wildflowers, but in the middle of it, even from far away, I could tell there was an orchid, Calypso bulbosa, amongst the other plants. When it first registered that I was indeed looking at a native Canadian orchid, my jaw dropped and I literally was on the verge of tears (yes, I am serious)! It was just one, small, single plant with two fragile looking blooms, but for me, it was the most spectacular thing I had ever seen. I was truly awed by the magnificence of that one flowering orchid, and I was actually at a loss for words for quite a bit afterwards. I was telling my friends that I would be content if that was the only thing we did for the week long trip. However, I'm glad I didn't go home then, because at the end of the week and three different hikes later, I saw, and took pictures of, nearly 450 Calypso bulbosa.
I was going to post pictures of my cornu-cervi 'Red' and fasciata 'Shaffers', but I'm too enraptured in the memories of that trip to deviate from the original track of this post.
And here are the pictures I was talking about!
Here is a picture of the waterfalls of Maligne Canyon. I could have stayed there forever basking in the cool mists coming from the falls. . . it was that awesome!
Here are the two flowers that put me in a sense of awe and left me without words for at least 10 minutes, which is quite rare when I am with my friends.
Here is an average sized clump (compared to all that I saw) at Horseshoe Lake/Canyon.
And here is another clump from Maligne Canyon that was farther down the trail from the falls.
I wish there was a legal source of this orchid, as I would love to grow and cultivate it!! I wonder if it would be possible and legal to collect some seeds from an open pod without actually removing the pod from the plant. . . of course, although tempted (and who wouldn't be) I never dared to touch any of the plants or remove a flower or plant, in part or whole from the wild.
The more I think on this and remember those moments, the more I am motivated and the more I want to do for the orchid world. I don't know what exactly just yet, but I have received so much from the orchid world; the people, the plants, the satisfaction of growing and blooming my own orchids. I just need to do something, anything, to put this passion to use.
Beautiful orchid and beautiful picture of the water.
ReplyDeleteThere is a seed source on Ebay, but I know of no one who has grown it successfully. You had better be careful, too, the native orchid bug is even more more catching than the tropical orchid bug.
ReplyDeleteWe often go orchid hunting in the area of Maligne Canyon and in Robson. The first year we hiked the Berg Lake trail in Robson we found nearly 20 different native orchids including hundreds of native Lady's Slippers.
We'll probably be up there (Robson) in June. Be glad to show you around and introduce you to some other of your native orchids if you are able to get there.
http://nativeorchidsofthepacificnorthwest.blogspot.com/2012/08/lesser-rattlesnake-orchis-and-pad.html
ReplyDeleteThese were taken later in the summer, but if you do a search on Robson you'll find the other posts and a search on Jasper will show a few also.