For many people, orchids are beautiful but intimidating plants, admired from a distance and often dismissed as expensive. However, members of the Kenya Orchid Society say they are an accessible hobby that rewards patience, brings people together, and offers years of enjoyment. The Kenya Orchid Society Annual Show, held at Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi on October 30, 2026, showcased hundreds of orchids in an array of colours, shapes, and sizes.
The exhibition brought together seasoned growers, beginners, and curious visitors, offering an opportunity to appreciate the plants and learn what it takes to grow them successfully. Anne Eriksson, who has been growing orchids for 11 years, says the hobby began while she was still employed and has since become an important part of her retirement. She and her husband now grow a few hundred plants in greenhouses and shade houses at home.
Eriksson believes that more Kenyans should take up the hobby, saying that many think orchids are a hobby for a select few, but in her view, it's a hobby like any other. One common misconception is that an orchid will continue flowering indefinitely after purchase. Eriksson says buyers often take home a beautiful plant expecting it to maintain the same display throughout the year, but orchids require patience, with some flowering once a year, others twice, while a few bloom more frequently.
Eriksson advises that individual attention begins with understanding the plant's growing conditions, and one of the biggest mistakes beginners make is treating an orchid like an ordinary garden flower. Overwatering is one of the worst enemies for orchids, and it's better to underwater an orchid than to overwater it. Orchids also need light to thrive, although the amount varies depending on the species.
Rajul Patel, chairperson of the Kenya Orchid Society, says orchids should not be dismissed as expensive decorative plants. For beginners, a suitable orchid can cost about Sh5,000, which can last for four months, giving ambience and a heavenly fragrance. The Society's wider ambition is to challenge the perception that orchids are reserved for people with deep pockets and to demystify that orchids are just for people who can afford them.
The Kenya Orchid Society also values the community the hobby creates, with members coming from different age groups, races, and professional backgrounds. One of the exhibitors at the show was an eight-year-old boy, and Patel says she has found a family in the Orchid Society. The Society's interest extends beyond cultivated hybrids to Kenya's indigenous orchids, with about 270 indigenous species.
According to Patel, there is no single favourite orchid among Kenyan growers, with personal taste, growing experience, and the memories attached to individual plants all influencing what collectors value. The Society deliberately keeps information about the natural habitats of indigenous orchids private to protect them, and propagation and tissue culture for commercial sale may help reduce pressure on wild populations.
Key points
- The Kenya Orchid Society aims to demystify the perception that orchids are expensive and reserved for people with deep pockets.
- Growing orchids requires patience, as they do not continuously flower and need individual attention to thrive.
- Kenya has about 270 indigenous orchid species, which are often smaller and more delicate than imported hybrids.
