Our operation

In the middle of the 18th century, the fashion of bringing tropical orchids to the homeland became fashionable in the English royal family.

Collectors spent several months in the primeval forests of South America or the Pacific region to pack up the coveted treasures, bring them to Europe by sea - and lose a not inconsiderable proportion of the freight on the crossing. 

At that time, wild harvesting was not yet a topic that stirred people's minds. Wilhelm Hennis traveled to South America for the first time in 1876, later also to East Asia, as a collector for Louis Sander from Bruges.

Some orchids, unknown up to that time, were first found by Wilhelm Hennis and named after him. He had to endure some dangerous adventures for this.

.... “In Antioquia I was told a point that could be reached in four hours. (...) The path, which was carved into a steep cliff face, (was) so narrow in places that you had to push your way past the protruding boulders with the greatest caution in order not to fall. (...) As soon as it became known that I was collecting Cattleya trianae, the natives brought me (...) plants, but what were they like? It hurt my heart when I saw the most beautiful and largest Cattleyen totally broken. (People) thought I could still make 'Tinta' out of it. (They) imagined (...) that I would prepare some medicine from the orchids.”

But the tropics eventually took their toll on Wilhelm Hennis as well. After repeated bouts of malaria, he returned to Germany in 1889 to recover. Wilhelm Hennis decided to settle down, get married and start his own company.
When looking for a suitable location, the town house of a country gentry in Hildesheim on the outskirts of the city, on the Great Venice, offered itself.

In the autumn of 1891, the new property could be occupied and in the same year the first greenhouse was put into operation. 1891 was the year the company was founded. The business was initially dedicated to the risky import of orchids, later also to breeding, rearing and species conservation.

The fascination for orchids is passed on from generation to generation in the Hennis family. It defied world wars, oil crises and the introduction of the Washington Convention on the Protection of Endangered Species.
Now in the 4th generation, I am pleased to welcome you to our website and I invite you to visit Hildesheim. Our sales area is open Wednesday-Friday from 9am-1pm and 2pm-5pm and Saturday from 9am-12pm. We look forward to you!

Your Thilo Hennis