Kew’s Orchid Festival Will Return to Honor Peru’s Spectacular Flora ...

In 2025, Kew's renowned Orchid Festival will return to liven up the winter months which are still freezing up some parts of the world. There's nothing like flowers to cheer up your coldest and dullest days. That's their superpower! The 29th Orchid Festival, which will take place at the Princess of Wales Conservatory from Saturday, February 1st, to Sunday, March 2nd, 2025, is inspired by the distinctive flora and fauna of Peru.

Honoring Peru’s Rich Biodiversity Through Orchids at the Kew Orchid Festival

From beaches and rainforests to deserts and mountains, Peru offers a varied landscape home to over 3,000 species of orchids, and an incredible assemblage of wildlife. This beauty and biodiversity will inspire a series of stunning horticultural displays and living sculptures in the Princess of Wales Conservatory at Kew Gardens in London.

*Orchids at Kew Gardens*

*Photo: @kewgardens*

Inspired by one of Peru's national emblems, the central pond will be transformed into abundance perched on a grass island, evoking Lake Titicaca's essence. In a tiny pond, flowering flamingos will stand proudly in front of the famous Machu Picchu, while flamboyant flowers will tumble forth, symbolizing the richness of biodiversity found in Peru. Alongside floral sculptures inspired by this amazing plant, which the IUCN has listed as endangered in the wild, will be on exhibit is the 'Puya raimondii', also known as the 'Queen of the Andes' and the largest bromeliad in the world. An orchid-aviary that depicts Peru's varied bird populations celebrates the nation's incredibly varied fauna, and an alpaca decked out in orchids will greet guests at this amazing event.

Preparing Kew Gardens for the Orchid Festival — *Although this is a representation of the setup of the Orchid Festival back in 2022, it depicks how incredible the work is to transform spaces according to the chosen theme of each year*
*Photo: @thelondonstandard*

Elsewhere, you can wander beneath a starry night sky adorned with dazzling Allium flower heads which will be recycled from Kew’s outdoor garden displays.

*Night view of orchids at Kew Gardens in 2022*

*Photo: @kewgardens*

Peruvian Orchid Species and Plants That'll Be in the Princess of Wales Conservatory

The entry to the event is included when purchasing a ticket to Kew Gardens.

Peruvian inspo for Orchid Festival at Kew — *All the Peruvian inspo and theme for this year's Orchid Festival in London*

*Photo: @kewgardens*

Here are some of the species you'll get to see if you attend this year:

Puya Raimondii

An endangered species known as the Queen of the Andes, this is the world’s largest bromeliad, with one of the largest flower stalks of any plant on earth which can reach 10 meters long. It is native to the high Andes of Peru and Bolivia.

Passiflora Venusta

Named as new to science in 2007, having previously been misidentified as another species in the 1920s, Passiflora venusta originates from Peru, Brazil, and Bolivia and produces bright pink and purple flowers.

Browningia Hertlingiana

This cactus, which is native to Peru, is commonly known as 'Blue Cereus'. In the wild, it is found on the slopes of the dry forests of the Andean valleys. It produces blue side shoots with sharp spines and can grow as tall as 8 meters.

Costus Vargasii

Another Peruvian native, the Costus vargasii is commonly known as the 'Spiral Ginger' plant because of its red inflorescence which usually appears in the summer. It has long and glossy leaves which are dark green on the top, and deep purple underneath. These spiral out and circle as the plant grows, and it can reach up to 2 meters in height.

Gorgonidium Intermedium

A member of the Aroid family, this plant produces a solitary leaf and a maroon red spadix. Native to Peru and Ecuador, it grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome, one of the most threatened ecosystems in Peru, and one which is under increasing pressure due to climate change.

Sanchezia Stenomacra

Commonly known as the 'Blood Red Feather', this magnificent plant is at home in the jungles of Peru. It thrives in humid environments with filtered light. It produces blood-red flowers that look just like feathers, and in the wild, it is pollinated by hummingbirds and butterflies.

Pamianthe Peruviana

Commonly known as the giant 'Peruvian daffodil', the Pamianthe peruviana is native to the seasonally dry areas of Peru and Bolivia. Like orchids, it is an epiphyte, which means that it grows on the surface of another plant or tree rather than in the soil and absorbs water and nutrients from the air. This plant produces enormous white flowers which are highly scented. It is believed to be extinct in the wild but is represented in several living collections.

Kew Science and Horticulture

Mapping ecosystems, recovering forests, protecting and restoring crop wild relatives, and investigating ways to adjust agricultural practices in the face of a changing climate are just some of the important scientific and research projects that RBG Kew collaborates with partners on throughout Peru. Enhancing access to medicinal plants, collaborating with paramotorists in the deserts to support conservation efforts, and forming a connection with Peru's National Botanic Garden have also been recent fieldwork activities.

Kew Gardens worker taking care of orchids — *Protecting and caring for all orchid species at Kew Gardens*
*Photo: @kewgardens*

The goal of the Royal Botanic Gardens is to use fungi and plants to stop the extinction problem and ensure that all species on Earth have a future. They are utilizing its reputable voice to influence policy and practice globally through its world-class research, international collaborations, and well-loved gardens, which are home to the most varied collections of plants and fungi on the planet. Being a nonprofit organization, it depends on the assistance of its guests to maintain the gardens as well as to preserve the biodiversity of plants and fungi worldwide for the good of our world and all people.