My father, A.A. Chadwick, is a collector of historical cattleyas - many of which are more than a century old. Over the years, a small number of these heirlooms have acquired a virus which is a disease that can adversely affect the flowers or foliage and is highly contagious. He quarantines these infected plants on a separate bench in his greenhouse where they can’t come in contact with the rest of the collection.  

Once shunned by growers for their persnickety culture, Dendrobium Nobiles are enjoying a rally rarely seen in orchid commerce. It all began with the quest for an alternative to Phalaenopsis that could be mass produced and distributed with little damage and have a good shelf life. Thus far, the public has responded by snapping up the plants like hot cakes. 

There is a long standing joke among hobbyists in which they collect so many orchids that a greenhouse is required to hold all their plants. This humorous scenario is coming true for many people now that working from home has become the norm. Tropical plants of all kinds are having a renaissance and growers simply need a place to put them.

Fine wine is hardly my forte, but when a client handed me two fancy bottles called Cattleya, I was intrigued. What could the connection be between the Queen of the Orchids and fermented grapes? Certainly, both have an intense and loyal following but there must be something more.

Until recently, most Americans had never heard of Wilmington, Delaware. The state, itself, is tiny and bears the nickname, “Small Wonder”. My parents have lived there since 1960, growing orchids in their redwood greenhouses and raising a family. 

The orchid industry, today, is on full throttle and commercial nurseries everywhere are having their best year in recent memory and possibly ever. There is a nationwide shortage of plants as retailers are having trouble getting product and many wholesalers are simply sold out. The last time there was a run on orchids to this extent was eighty years ago, during the corsage era.