For hundreds of years hybridizers have been trying to produce "black" flowers. Tulips, roses, hollyhocks, gladiolus, canna lilies, and yes, even black corn and radishes. So it is no wonder that orchids are also on the list. What is it about a "black" flower that tends to intrigue us?
   For years there have been many strange and mysterious stories about black orchids. They have been written about in witchcraft, mysteries, legends, comics, myths, and elsewhere. Are there really orchids that are black?
   I think that will depend on what you consider "black." Can a deep purple color, dark as night be considered black? Many orchids are called "black" because they may have black bars, lips, or petals on them.
   Liparis nervosa is called "black orchid" in Japanese, but as you can see by the photo of Liparis it is really not black. If you have read the book "The Orchid Thief" by Susan Orlean you may have read where she claims that there are no black orchids.

   When you see a black orchid and want to purchase one of the seedlings, be aware that just because the parents and the plant you saw was black, does not mean the seedling that you purchased will be black as well. Hybrids are not always the same at the parent plant when grown from seed, an example of this is Paphiopedilum 'Jeff LaPoint'. The photo is a beautiful black, but all of the seeds of P. Jeff Lapoint going to look like the same? NO!
   I know you are all waiting for a Cattleya or a Vanda, so I went on a search to see if there was such a thing. The Laeliocattleya LC. Mem. Robert Strait 'Blue Hawaii' is breathtaking! It has the darkest lip I have seen on an orchid. A couple of my very favorite black orchids are Vandas.
   Vanda David Gardner '#1' and Vanda Motes Imperial 'Louise' have veins in the petals that are black/brown. These two look like they belong in a Halloween theme somewhere.