Conservation
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The Hilo Orchid Society has a commitment to protecting the environment. Tropical rain forest, the native habitat of most orchids, is being destroyed at an alarming rate, resulting in the disappearance of the animals, birds, insects, and plants, including orchids, that live there. To combat this, the Hilo Orchid Society supports orchid conversation projects.
Hawaii has only three native orchids (see photos above). All the orchids you normally see have been brought here. The native orchids are rare, inconspicuous, and grow in in upland areas where humans don't travel. Under the direction of Lawrence Zettler, students are propagating seeds of the extremely rare Peristyles holochila, (previously called Platanthera holochila, left photo) of which only 33 plants exist in the wild. They are also propagating the less threatened but still rare Liparis hawaiiensis (center photo). We are proud to be able to support the conservation of orchids right here in Hawaii.
Hawaii has only three native orchids (see photos above). All the orchids you normally see have been brought here. The native orchids are rare, inconspicuous, and grow in in upland areas where humans don't travel. Under the direction of Lawrence Zettler, students are propagating seeds of the extremely rare Peristyles holochila, (previously called Platanthera holochila, left photo) of which only 33 plants exist in the wild. They are also propagating the less threatened but still rare Liparis hawaiiensis (center photo). We are proud to be able to support the conservation of orchids right here in Hawaii.
