ORCHIDS ACROSS OHIO
Naturalist Tom Sampliner has travelled the globe photographing orchids – from China’s rugged Sichuan Province to Thailand, throughout Mediterranean region and across North America. We’ve asked him to stick closer to home and focus on his home state of Ohio. With such diverse habitats found across this region – the Appalachian and Allegheny Plateaus to the east and the central lowlands and former prairie regions in the western half of the state, Ohio boast a flora that includes almost 50 species of orchids. Here are some of Tom’s favorites!
"I retired at the millennium and have since used my time to form a mini-career as nature writer, photographer, lecturer and part-time instructor at a local community college in a seniors’ program. I enjoy giving talks to various societies and sharing my knowledge of the natural world. My images regularly appear on Facebook pages and I’ve contributed articles to journals for various nature and flower groups including the Native Orchid Conference. Somehow, I still manage to find time to volunteer for the Cleveland Botanical Garden."
Tom has an extensive presence on the web and you can see more of his favorite orchids on Facebook!
To learn more about the orchids growing in Ohio or to find out which ones might be found in your area, visit Go Orchids.
