Gaze into the seductive stare of an orchid at your own risk. Many who do quickly fall under its captive spell. In the orchid world it's known simply as 'orchid fever.'

Gaze into the seductive stare of an orchid at your own risk. Many who do quickly fall under its captive spell. In the orchid world it's known simply as orchid fever. The orchid world is full of eccentric characters, petty rivalries, competitive judging, hunters, smugglers and thieves. It's also a world undergoing tremendous change. Orchids were once only accessible to the very rich. Now they're as common as a dozen roses. Large nurseries are producing cheaper, cloned orchids for the mass market. Orchid hybridizers are a dying breed in the face of this competition. One small orchid grower is standing up against this trend. For Fred Clarke, orchid hybridizing isn't just a business, it's an art. Conservation laws make it illegal to remove orchids from their natural habitat. They can, however, be legally bulldozed during construction. This disparity has inadvertently fueled an active "black market" in wild collected orchids. Some rare or newly discovered species been known to sell for five to ten thousand dollars a plant. An age-old rivalry and a judging controversy come to the forefront during the World Orchid Conference. Display orchids get casually tossed into trashcans after shows. An orchid thief smuggles one of the greatest orchid discoveries in 50 years, nearly taking down a respected botanical institution. Tales of greed, passion, and desire; welcome to the orchid world.—Rich Walton