Orchid Lovers Go To Umauma

Yesterday my cousin Charlotte took me to see her favorite orchid grower on the Big Island of Hawaii. I live in Sun City Grand in Surprise Arizona; Arizona is an area difficult to grow orchids. As an avid orchid lover, one of a curious nature I reluctantly (more like enthusiastically) followed her to Carmela Orchids in Umauma. Located in the sleepy town of Honomu, Umauma is a growing community that has a zip line attraction. A zip line is a specialized rope that riders jump the cliff riding from one gulch to another gulch. 

As we entered Carmela Orchids, I noticed the laboratory in which seedlings are harvested in a sterile environment. As a chemist this certainly peaked my interest, wanting to see more of the clean room laboratory. When I arrived at the first orchid hot house, to my amazement I saw thousands of orchids all in various stages of growth.

There were hundreds of orchid hot houses with billions or gazillions of orchids. Blooming orchids, baby orchids, orchids that were to be transplanted, orchids to be separated, and orchid flasks. It was a Disneyland of orchids for the orchid lover; cattleya orchids, dendrobium orchids, phalaenopsis orchids, oncidium orchids and vanda orchids. The vast array of orchids from orchids flasks to mature blooming plants was overwhelming and mind boggling.

Plug trays, clones, baskets, spiking and budded orchids, hybrids they're all there at Carmela Orchids. Carmela Orchids is not only a Hawaii favorite, several hot houses were dedicated to orchid shows with upcoming orchid shows in Florida and Texas.  

Be sure to wear loose comfortable clothes and thongs (flip-flops) and allot yourself several hours at Carmela Orchids. Hot houses are hot and long with lots of stairs. The owners, the Takasaki's receive you very well; you are greeted with Hawaiian Aloha spirit.