Villa Park nursery specializes in orchids

If you're looking for a seemingly endless variety of color to brighten up a dull, gray day, look no further than Orchids By Hausermann in Villa Park.

The greenhouse on Addison Road, just north of North Avenue, is unique because it specializes only in orchids, and has 500,000 of them spread out over four acres.

Gene Hausermann and his father, Edwin, recognized the special beauty in the shapes, sizes and colors of orchids and began importing them from the jungles of South America in the early 1950s. Back then, the exotic plants were found here mainly in homes of the wealthy, Hausermann says, due to their rarity and high prices.

In addition to cut flowers, the family began crossbreeding and even cloning more and more varieties and began selling whole plants to hobbyists who began growing them on their own. Eventually, prices came down, and now thousands of gardeners have wandered his aisles admiring, photographing and purchasing some of the 30,000 species available.

For aspiring orchid aficionados, Hausermann recommends starting out by growing a species called Phalaenopsis because this variety is easy to grow in the home. It doesn't require bright sun and thrives at normal room temperature, he says.

"I love to come here to see the orchids and I enjoy taking pictures," says Shari Finzer, of Naperville. "I love the color, texture and the beauty."

Another gardener, Joyce Miller, of Villa Park, says, "I love these plants. They bloom all year long and they're beautiful in windows."

Orchids By Hausermann is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Or, you may check them out at orchidsbyhausermann.com.