Why bring flowers that will flop within days, when you can bring something with a little more meaning and permanence? A potted Orchid is not only one of the most sturdy and luxurious flowers around, it's a flower that particularly befits the occasion of Valentine's Day. Orchids have long been a symbol of beauty, love, affection and not the least of them, carnality. Dating back to ancient Greece, the Latin root of the word orchid -- "orkhis" -- means "testicle". It's no stretch to also see, as did the famous painter Georgia O'Keefe, the female counterpart to that in the flower's sensual shape.
Along with the ancient Greeks, the Aztecs viewed orchids as a symbol of fertility and virility, while all throughout the ages orchids were used as ingredients in love potions.
Even all this sensual history aside, to gift an Orchid is to invite the recipient not only to partake in, but to also cultivate its beauty. As many of us who've fussed over a stark, bare stem know, Orchids can be petulant, and quite skilled at the silent treatment, which makes them somewhat of a project. Thankfully they flower for an average of three months, so your loved one has lots of lead time to brush up on tips to keep that stem flowering.
You can also use the occasion to get all crafty on the pot. A G-rated activity the whole family can enjoy!
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