ORCHIDS FOR THE CURE

"Pink Ribbon" (Phaelenopsis) Orchid

from ProFlowers website

Are you feeling pinkwashed right now?" Pinkwashing" is a new term used to describe the abundance (some would say overabundance) of pink products in the marketplace this month. October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a lot of products (many bearing the name Susan G. Komen) are being offered with percentages of the purchase prices beingdonated to support breast cancer research.

Just a quick perusal on the web reveals a myriad of pink products for the cure, including: T-shirts, BIC stationery products, bracelets, tea, robes and underwear, soccer balls, umbrellas, cosmetics, chip clips, magnets, Hallmark cards, even a wireless computer mouse.

Several online sites that I visited expressed dismay regarding the Kentucky Fried Chicken "Buckets for the Cure" campaign. Right now KFC is donating 50 cents for every bucket sold. Detractors consider this pairing ironic in the extreme. Fried chicken, they say, is unhealthy and promotes rather than prevents breast cancer.

Up until now, I had not purchased any pink items. My goal in life right now is to de-clutter, not amass possessions. However, Breast Cancer Month coincides with the end of the gardening year here in Bismarck, and with trips to several shops which are displaying something pink that would be sure to attract me: phaelenopsis orchids.

K-mart is selling these easy-to-grow members of the orchid family for $14.98 in a pretty pastel ceramic pot. However, I passed them up for being a bit costly. At Lowe's, however, I found the same type of orchids for sale at $5.99, in the same attractive pot, only bigger!

I though that was a really great price and snapped up a couple of pots. (Lowe's is donating 10% for every 6-inch Orchid for the Cure sold during October.) I had grown phaelenoposis - also called moth -  orchids 30 years ago (along with cattleyas) and found them surprisingly easy.

Then, a house fire destroyed all my plants (about 100 of them of all types) and I didn't have the heart to replace them.When we moved into our new home with our brand new daughter a couple of months later, my interests went in many different and diverse directions. But now, facing winter's gloom, I'm ready to grow houseplants again, starting with a few orchids.

Bromeliad from Lowe's, another

very easy to grow plant

NOTE: The Lowe's website also shows other "Plants for the Cure": bromeliads, anthuriums, hypoestes (pink polka dot plant) and peace lilies. The moth orchids come in all colors, ranging from white to light pink to hot pink to purple to light green to multicolored.

Also, the ProFlowers website has what it calls the Pink Ribbon Flower Collection. They will donate 10% for every item sold from this collection, which includes lily and tulip bouquets, wreaths, bromeliads, orchids and tiny potted evergreens. However, this collection is spendy, with prices starting at $40.00 and going up to $70.00.

I'm really glad to have found something pink to purchase For the Cure. My Aunt Mary died of breast cancer, and I am sure all of you have/had a family member or friend affected by this terrible disease.