ABOUT ME
I'm Erica Hannickel, a nonfiction author, and I've been growing orchids since 2005. It started like most orchiholic stories do: I was given a phalaenopsis, I stumbled into making it rebloom, and I was off to the races. I now own 150+ orchids and grow most of them indoors year-round. Because space is limited, I focus on smallish and fragrant orchids that need low to medium light and moderate temperatures. You might be surprised at how many orchids fit that category!
Biography:
I grew up in northern California, received my BA in Ethnic Studies at UC San Diego, and after living in New York City and a few other places, earned a PhD in American Studies at the University of Iowa. I'm an emeritus professor of environmental history at Northland College in Wisconsin, I've lived on the shores of Lake Superior since 2008. I've been hard at work on a book about the odd corners of orchid history (with some fun how-to). Orchid Muse: The History of an Obsession in Fifteen Flowers is out from W.W. Norton & Company as of late 2022. My agent is Deirdre Mullane of Mullane Literary Agency.
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I gardened with my grandmothers as a little girl. I'm a master gardener, I've founded several community gardens across three states, and am an avid organic kitchen gardener. I love visiting botanical gardens and orchid greenhouses all over the world. On the trip home, I pack the orchids I buy into every spare inch of my luggage. Clothes are often sacrificed for the cause.