Tracey,

Are you spending a few days in Alaska or are you living there? Alaska
is blessed with some beautiful Cypripediums (slipper orchids) or
moccasin flowers to those in the midwest. For a vicarious experience of
the Alaska orchid, you might take a look at WILD ORCHIDS ACROSS NORTH
AMERICA by Philip E. Keenan. No, I, too, spend three weeks driving the
Alaska highways from Valdez to Nome, visiting the Alaska State Fair in
Palmer (near Ankorage) and did not see a single orchid -- it depends on
the time of year -- (loved Fairbanks) and mainly spent tracing the route
of the Aleyeska Pipeline.

.. . . Pam
Everything Orchid Management System
http://www.pe.net/~profpam/page3.html

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Tracey wrote:

Here's a question for any of you who might know. My
husband recently spent a few days in Alaska and men-
tioned that he didn't see any orchids anywhere. We've
been discussing the reasons for different things he
noticed (a more 'weathered' appearance of buildings
and roads, lots more rusted out vehicles, not many
buildings over 3 or 4 floors, etc.,) and I got to
thinking about the special problems someone would have
with trying to grow orchids in Alaska. A few would
be:

1. How to get them up there? At least, any quantity
of them. One or two you could carry on the plane with
you, but as far as shipping a large batch of them,
it would be logistically a nightmare, wouldn't it?

2. How to maintain them once they're there. Keeping
a outdoor greenhouse going (at least of the wood
frame/plastic type) that would do the job would also
be a nightmare, right? And the long winters would
require lots of augmentation of light and heat.

I said a few, but I can only think of a couple right
now. Anyone know anyone who raises orchids in Alaska?

Tracey