There’s just something about an orchid that makes it feel more extravagant than it is, which is one of the reasons they make such welcome hostess, birthday, anniversary or other special occasion gifts. It’s blossoms live long, making it a treasured memento.

Looking for something that really makes a statement? Susan Orlean’s The Orchid Thief is a quick, entertaining read, chock-full of interesting, quirky facts, like these, that will give the gift an even greater appreciation for the species and your clever thoughtfulness.

“By the early 1900s,…orchids were considered a rich and romantic accessory, a polished little captive, a bit of wilderness under glass.” (p. 18)

“One guess (about why orchids are so unusual) is that (they) might have evolved in soil that was naturally irradiated by a meteor or mineral deposit, and that the radiation is what mutated them into thousands of amazing forms.” (p. 43)

“Orchids grow slowly. They languish. They will produce a flower and a seedpod, maybe, and then rest for months at a time. A pollinated orchid seed will mature into a flowering plant in about seven years.” (p. 49)

“Many people who collect orchids designate an orchid heir in their wills, because they know the plants will outlast them.” (p. 49)

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