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Orchid Collecting In The Wild




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Published on Saturday, November 15, 2025






By Victoria Torley





So, there I was out in the greenhouse with my handy-dandy sprayer. Every morning, I go out and spray the orchid roots with a very light (really light) dose of fertilizer. Why?



I figure that every time it rains (daily around here), the rain carries a few molecules of something good down to the plants. Maybe even bits of silica from the Sahara. As the rain trickles (OK, pours) down the trunk, it picks up all kinds of material that is helpful for plants, so I try to give my plants the same benefit. They seem to like it.



But that’s not the reason for this column.



Being out there in the greenhouse, looking at all these plants (not just orchids), I started to ponder the laws about collecting plants from the wild. In fact, I have a handbook out on Kindle called “Orchid Collecting in the Wild” that talks about the national and international laws. It’s something that requires some thought and not just about laws, but about common sense.



Scene I: An ICE truck comes along and cuts branches and even trees that are in the way of power lines. The truck is followed by a chipper truck, and in go the branches – with the orchids and bromeliads still attached. Does this make good sense?



Scene II (very important as we enter hurricane season): We had a huge number of trees downed by Otto and Nate, some of them in remote places. Trees fell into rivers, clogging them and causing flooding. Who knows what things were lost, what rare plants are just gone?






So, as MINAE (environmental protection) ponders the question of collecting plants from dead trees, I would like them to ponder with common sense. How about setting up an agro-station? Collectors could pay a fee and be licensed (for a day or a week) to remove orchids and bromeliads after a storm. All licensees would take their collections back to the agro-station for review.


If the licensee had multiples of the same plant, one would be left with the officials at the station. If the licensee had found a rare or endangered plant, his fee would be refunded and the orchid sent for preservation. If he had multiples of the rare plant, he would be allowed to keep one for propagation.


I think this is using common sense. MINAE would profit from the licensing fee. Plant enthusiasts would be able to purchase orchids and bromeliads from a licensed collector. The collector, who might be someone who lost his job or his home due to the storm, would have an income, and orchid and bromeliad species would be preserved for future generations to enjoy.


It’s worth thinking about.




Plant of the week. Nature has a way of surprising us with its remarkable diversity and creativity, as the Dracula simia, commonly known as the Monkey Orchid or Monkey Face Orchid. At first glance, you might think this flower is a clever Photoshop creation. But rest assured, the Monkey Orchid is a very real—and very rare—species of orchid that truly resembles the face of a monkey, complete with a long nose, deep-set eyes, and a tiny mouth. These elusive flowers are native to the cloud forests of southeastern Ecuador and parts of Peru. Because of their sensitivity to temperature and humidity changes, Dracula simia orchids are extremely rare in cultivation, making them a true treasure for orchid collectors and botanical enthusiasts.

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Find more interesting stories about gardening in Costa Rica on the AM Costa Rica Garden Magazine. Questions on this article, Ms. Victoria Torley, gardener columnist, can be reached by emailing victoriatorley1@gmail.com
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