A gardener’s guide to 5 orchids that mimic animals, insects and even a naked man

Like most gardeners, I occasionally stumble upon fruits and flowers that resemble something else. But a naked man was not on my botanical bingo card.

Sure, tomatoes can be mischievous, taking on the shape of horned animals, Russian dolls, large-nosed characters and even unmentionables when exposed to extreme temperatures and vivid imaginations. But I thought orchids were more polite.

As it turns out, they aren’t. You don’t have to squint very hard to see the uncanny resemblance that some of them bear to animals, insects and even people. These are the five that impress and amuse me the most.

Let’s get back to that naked man orchid

Meet Orchis italica, aka the naked man orchid, who smiles broadly as he hangs off the plant with his legs splayed and arms extended as if requesting a hug. Let’s just say his decision to forgo pants is obvious.

Sometimes called “Italian orchid,” naked man hails from the sunny Mediterranean region, which also may explain his decision to wear what resembles a hat. He thrives in partial shade and infertile soil, where the plant grows up to 20 inches tall before flowers make their midspring appearance.

Other orchid varieties resemble babies, doves, bees and monkeys

Swaddled baby (Anguloa uniflora) is a 2-foot tulip orchid that grows only in the Andes region of South America, where high humidity is essential for its survival. The flower’s pale-pink-to-white petal formation resembles a newborn baby lovingly wrapped in a blanket.

Dove orchid (Peristeria elata) looks remarkably like its namesake, with blossoms that resemble the bird’s head, beak, body, tail and purple-speckled wings.

The national flower of Panama, where the plant is called flor del Espíritu Santo (flower of the Holy Spirit), it has upright stems that can grow up to 3 feet long, each bearing a succession of as many as 20 blooms that open from late summer through early fall.

The dove orchid thrives in warm conditions and requires ample air circulation and consistently moist roots.

Bumble bee orchid (Ophrys bombyliflora) is probably the most cunning on this list, as its scent and flower bear an uncanny resemblance to a female solitary bee. The Mediterranean beauty’s mimicry tricks mate-seeking male bees into landing on it, only to have their hopes dashed. They may leave disappointed, but not before inadvertently pollinating the flower and other nearby orchids, contributing to the propagation of the species.

Monkey orchid (Dracula chimaera) is native to the high-altitude, humid forests of the Andes mountains. The plant likes it cool, moist and at least partially shady. Growing just 6 to 12 inches tall and wide, its 2-inch-wide flowers each bear a striking resemblance to an adorable monkey’s face.

Unlike malformed tomatoes, these orchids’ appearances are exactly what nature intended. Although you may be able to find them for sale at specialty nurseries or in plant catalogs, growing them at home would require replicating their respective native climates, such as in a greenhouse or by providing humidifiers or other accommodations.

If that’s not possible, you can simply delight in them from where you’re sitting, just as I do.

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Jessica Damiano writes regular gardening columns for The Associated Press. She publishes the Weekly Dirt Newsletter. Sign up here for weekly gardening tips and advice.

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