Danish orchid grower wins world championship gold with 30-year-old plant

A Danish orchid specialist has won gold at the World Orchid Congress in Germany after carefully transporting his delicate plants wrapped in cotton wool to ensure “not a single scratch” on the blooms, reports DR.

Hans Christiansen, 76, from Fredensborg, nearly withdrew from the competition after an unusually cold winter left his prize orchids dormant and delayed. Many of his plants—some intended for the Dresden exhibition—had buds that refused to open, with blooms running two months behind schedule.

“We’d had two extreme cold months, so I considered cancelling my participation,” Christiansen told DR. “All the plants I expected to flower were still in bud, and some were already two months late.”

A sudden late-February heatwave saved his entry. Three consecutive sunny days with temperatures reaching 30°C triggered rapid growth, and just eight days before the show, his orchids were ready. His efforts paid off: he returned with 10 medals in total, including gold in the Paphiopedilum botanical category.

The winning orchid, which Christiansen has cultivated for 30 years, stood out for its unusually large, well-spaced spots on the leaves and its overall size and form. “At this level, even a single scratch can disqualify you,” he explained. To prevent damage, he wrapped each plant in synthetic cotton wool for the journey to Dresden.

One judge reportedly told him during the event: “That’s the best Paphiopedilum I’ve seen in my entire career. Take good care of it—it’s a winner.” The panel agreed, awarding the plant top honours in a field of entries from 53 countries.

“I was overjoyed,” Christiansen said. “There were hundreds of superb plants there, but the judges recognised the tiny details that set this one apart.”

His lifelong passion for orchids began in the 1960s during an apprenticeship at Queen Ingrid’s greenhouse, where he was initially tasked with removing wilted leaves—”because they were precious, and you had to handle them with care.” Despite scepticism about his prospects in the trade, he persisted, building a collection of around 3,000 orchids in his Fredensborg greenhouses.

“I’ve never earned much money,” he admitted, “but I’ve had a life filled with orchids and medals that you can’t buy.”