For hundreds of years hybridizers have been trying to produce "black" flowers. Tulips, roses, hollyhocks, gladiolus, canna lilies, and yes, even black corn and radishes. So it is no wonder that orchids are also on the list. What is it about a "black" flower that tends to intrigue us?

For years there have been many strange and mysterious stories about black orchids. They have been written about in witchcraft, mysteries, legends, comics, myths, and elsewhere. Are there really orchids that are black? I think that will depend on what you consider "black.

If you have read the book The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean you may have read where she claims that there are no black orchids.
Can a deep purple color, dark as night be considered black?

Many orchids are called "black" because they may have black bars, lips, or petals on them.

Liparis nervosa called "black orchid" in Japanese, but that Liparis it is really not black.

Florafest Orchids hybridized Dendrobium fuliginosum "Black Pam" some of the seedlings were very dark.

Miltonioides leucomelas (Rchb.f.) is another species with black petals. The flowers have a white tip.

There are many orchids with black stripes, bars or markings such as Coelogyne pandurata and Oncidium heneckenii.
Both of these are often called "The Black Orchid." Oncidium heneckenii is a very strange looking, but a lovely orchid, with just a touch of yellow on the tip.
Dracula vampira and Dracula roezlii both have jet-black markings.

I know you are all waiting for a black Cattleya or a Vanda, so I went on a search to see if there was such a thing.
Here are three beauties I found from Odom's Orchids.

The Laeliocattleya Lc. Mem. Robert Strait 'Blue Hawaii' is breathtaking! It has the darkest lip I have seen on an orchid.
A couple of my very favorite black orchids are Vandas. Vanda David Gardner '#1' and Vanda Motes Imperial 'Louise' have veins in the petals that are black/brown. These two look like they belong in a Halloween theme somewhere.

I believe the Paphiopedilum hybrids have the most orchids that are reaching the black stage. Here are just a few hybrids that I think you will enjoy.