A true luxury of beauty and elegance. I believe the species of orchid in the picture is: Phalaenopsis.
An incredible flower, the orchid has many amazing variations. The symbolism that revolves around the orchid is as follows: luxury, love, strength, and of course beauty. The orchid is seemingly delicate yet are found in the strangest more precarious places. To me, the orchid is exotic and luxurious. A symbol of class, power, understated strength and respect. There are so many different types of orchids, from the common dendrobium, to something more exotic like the Brassia there is bound to be something for everyone to fall in love with!
I found this poem online, it seems to fit nicely here:
The Orchid Flower
by Sam Hamill
Just as I wonder
whether it's going to die,
the orchid blossoms
and I can't explain why it
moves my heart, why such pleasure
comes from one small bud
on a long spindly stem, one
blood red gold flower
opening at mid-summer,
tiny, perfect in its hour.
Even to a white-
haired craggy poet, it's
purely erotic,
pistil and stamen, pollen,
dew of the world, a spoonful
of earth, and water.
Erotic because there's death
at the heart of birth,
drama in those old sunrise
prisms in wet cedar boughs,
deepest mystery
in washing evening dishes
or teasing my wife,
who grows, yes, more beautiful
because one of us will die.
Sad, ironic, and true. I have such an appreciation for orchids since my grandmother had such a large garden including many different varieties of orchids. Including some that I got for her a few years ago. Orchids really do set apart from other flowers. They are a true standout among the many in nature. And let us not forget the wonderful Vanilla orchids! Not just beautiful!
