Orchids and Their Effect on the Body

Our friends at The North of England Orchid Society shared some interesting ideas from the past about the effect that orchids could have on the human body. Not only did ancient civilizations love the beauty of orchids but several ancient societies used orchid bulbs for medicinal purposes.

In Europe, two specific types of terrestrial orchids, The Pink Butterfly and The Long Spurred, have pseudo bulbs. The bulbs and medicines created from these two orchids were often selected by early physicians as a "cure" for several female conditions.

It seems the orchid's effects are not limited to early medicinal use, but were loved and admired for their beauty as well. The ancient Chinese were one of the first people to use orchids as medicine as well as for beautiful accents in their artwork. Some of the earliest paintings of orchids can be found on the oldest of Chinese vases.

In India in the 1800's, a nutritious drink made from the roots of several orchid species was produced and known by the name of Salep or Saloop. Today, one of our most popular flavourings Vanilla is derived from the seed pods of orchids.

At Just Add Ice, we think orchids are stunning, and can add so much to our experience just by being in view.