An Inconveniently Perfect Flower for New YorK

New York has an official flower. But is it the right one?

If you are not up to date on the official flower hierarchy of New York City, daffodils still hold the title. Following 9/11 and the launch of the Daffodil Project, volunteers have planted thousands across NYC each year as a memorial symbolizing renewal, hope, and resilience. Needless to say, daffodils are not going anywhere. Keep an eye out for those bright yellow blooms across the city this spring.

But this piece is not about daffodils. It is about the unofficial runner up flower of New York City, the orchid.

I spent a recent stretch of fake spring at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, one of NYC’s most iconic green spaces.

The warm weather felt convincing, but if you have checked your weather app, you already know that Phantom Spring is usually followed by Second Winter before we reach full spring in New York. It is a seasonal cycle that feels dramatic enough to deserve its own storyline.

While you might be ready to pack away your winter clothes, the plant life at the New York Botanical Garden is a bit more strategic. Most of the outdoor exhibits were not yet in bloom, but that did not take away from the experience. The garden is currently hosting its annual Orchid Show, one of the most popular seasonal events in NYC.

For over two decades, the New York Botanical Garden Orchid Show has celebrated this striking flower through curated exhibits, orchid care classes, conservation programming, and limited after hours events. At the center is a large scale art installation inside the conservatory.

This year’s exhibit, The Orchid Show: Mr. Flower Fantastic’s Concrete Jungle, features the anonymous floral artist Mr. Flower Fantastic. He gained recognition after creating a floral version of Serena Williams’ Nike Air Max 97 for the US Open. For this NYC exhibition, he blends orchids with visual elements inspired by New York City.

But what do orchids, a flower found across the globe, have to do with New York City?

I had the same question.

Actually, I had a lot of questions. Starting with, what exactly is an orchid?

Do not judge me. I live in a four story walk up apartment with minimal sunlight. My plants are fake and require zero upkeep. My knowledge of flowers has not evolved much since high school biology.

Still, I came prepared. My friend brought along a plant expert.

Levi, our resident “plant guy,” is actually a dendrologist who teaches at botanical gardens in NYC. While his specialty is woody plants, he had plenty of insight into orchids before we entered the exhibit.

“Orchids are weird,” Levi said. “They are one of the most diverse groups of flowering plants in the world. They rank at or near the top in terms of species diversity, and they grow in unusual environments, on other plants, in strange mixtures, and often in harsh conditions.”

Many orchids are epiphytes, meaning they grow on trees. Their roots are exposed and act as anchors, wrapping around branches rather than growing in soil. Because many orchids live in humid climates, their roots absorb moisture directly from the air.

At the exhibit, I also learned about lithophytes, orchids that grow on rocks, as well as species native to New York that grow in soil. So if you have an orchid at home, do not start attaching it to a tree just yet.

Orchids have developed a cult following among plant enthusiasts. While the orchids you buy in NYC can be delicate and require care, the species itself is incredibly resilient. Orchids grow naturally on six continents. Antarctica is the only one they are not found on.

So what are we really looking at?

A flower that thrives in dense, competitive environments. A plant that adapts to unconventional living conditions. A species that is incredibly diverse and globally recognized.

That sounds a lot like New York City.

The daffodil represents community, renewal, and collective strength. But the orchid feels like a symbol of the individuals who make up the city. Adaptive, resilient, and a little unconventional.

At this year’s Orchid Show, Mr. Flower Fantastic celebrates New York through that lens. The exhibit highlights both the beauty of orchids and the energy of NYC, connecting natural forms with familiar urban spaces.

Walking through the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory offers both a visual experience and an educational one. The exhibit builds appreciation for orchids while reinforcing a simple idea. Beauty can exist anywhere, even in the middle of a concrete jungle.

We love unexpected, under the radar, places of beauty.

The Orchid Show: Mr. Flower Fantastic’s Concrete Jungle is on view now through April 26 at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. Tickets are available on the official NYBG website.