They grow wild along the side of the road. They cling to trees attached to the soft, spongy bark or nestled in the V-shaped crevices created by jutting limbs and branches.
They dangle decoratively in baskets suspended from the eaves of houses, swaying lazily in the tepid tropical breezes or in pots and planters in the garden.
Growing up in the East coast orchids are houseplants. My sister has had luck getting orchids to bloom. My mother has orchids blooming almost year round.
I've tried. No success. Even here on Maui. They are splendidly adorned with flowers when I bring them home from the nursery (I like to buy interesting varieties and colors of flowers) and afterwards, indoors I was gifted with lots and lots of green keikis -- new green shoots and leaves for years -- but alas! not a single spike or bloom.
So, recently I decided to clean house and put the few plants I own on the potting table or nestled into other planters outside the front of the house.
Weeks go by. Leaves fall off, now burned from the more direct exposure to the sun... and then silently without fanfare or warning... one day...
And then about two months later...
Wow!
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