The best time to see Ball State University's award-winning orchid collection is now.
The Wheeler Orchid Collection, located in Christy Woods, is the largest university-based orchid collection in the country. Though the collection's variety means something is always in bloom, March, April, September and October are peak times for seeing the flowers.
"The name of the game is diversity," collection coordinator Cheryl LeBlanc said. "That's the focus of this collection."
The Field Station and Environmental Education Center in the biology department houses more than 1,800 of the collection's orchids.
This summer, about 60 orchids in the collection were on exhibit at the Indiana State Fair, where they won 44 ribbons, three trophies and one national Award of Merit. The national Award of Merit, which is rarely given out, was a special honor for LeBlanc.
"We were pretty pleased to get that," LeBlanc said. "The collection is really about education and diversity and being able to share that with the public was the purpose of the fair. The award is just a bonus on top of it. It's recognition that we're doing a good job."
Taking care of all the orchids is a challenge because they each come from all around the world and have different needs, LeBlanc said. Various parts of the greenhouse have different environments to make sure each orchid is living in the right conditions.
Meeting all the different needs is a large undertaking. Student assistant Ryan Hunt is there to help, working five hours a week in the greenhouse.
"In summers, I water and fertilize and often we re-pot the orchids to keep them healthy," Hunt said. "I observe them to see if they are doing well and what we can do differently."
The orchid collection has been at Ball State since 1971 and was donated to the university by W.O. and Goldie Wheeler from Indianapolis. Since then, the collection has largely grown through donations, but also because it is a rescue center.
"Orchids imported through the USDA [United States Department of Agriculture] have to have the proper paperwork, and when they don't, they come to a rescue center. We're one of those," she said.
To see the orchid collection, visitors can stop by the greenhouse in Christy Woods between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Admission is free.
"It's a little hidden gem and I love sharing it with our community," LeBlanc said.
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