Orchids

Chester Zoo has a very large and diverse orchid collection, with over 2500 plants representing 400+ species. It is probably the largest orchid collection on public display in north west England.

Most of the orchid plants are grown in the Zoo’s nursery, in high-tech glass houses. As individual plants come into flower they are put on public display in the Grow Zone.
In addition, Chester Zoo is joint holder of the Plant Heritage National Collection for the Plerothallidinae orchids. Steve Manning, a private orchid grower from Nantwich, Cheshire, started the collection in the early 1990s. The Zoo now holds over half of this collection with over 1500 plants. The National Plant Collection scheme ,run by Plant Heritage with over 600 plant collections held throughout the country, is a very important organisation in the conservation of plant species and cultivars.
These orchids originate from South America and many are threatened in the wild.

With an estimated 30,000 species worldwide orchids are the largest flowering plant family. They occupy every conceivable habitat type from tropical cloud forests, seashore scrub, tundra to semi-deserts. They come in virtually every colour of the rainbow and their fragrances range from pleasantly sweet to odorously foul.
At the end of the 19th century orchids were being taken from the wild and shipped to Europe in their thousands. Very few of these lived for more than a couple of years. Fortunately most orchids sold today have been propagated and grown in nurseries and there is no longer a need to take them from the wild. Unfortunately due to past exploitation and the continuing loss of habitat many are now endangered in the wild.

*Each year, normally in February, the Zoo holds a range of orchid related events and activities which visitors can attend. Check the Zoo website to find out about these events*