Orchid
A vivid purple named for the colour of orchid flowers
Orchid is a bright, rich purple that takes its name from the flowers of certain orchids. The colour can range from greyish purple to purplish-pink or strong reddish purple, and was first recorded as a colour name in English in 1915. Orchid became part of the X11 web colour list in 1987.
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- Named after the colour of orchid flowers
- First recorded as a colour name in 1915
- Part of the X11 web colour list since 1987
- Ranges from greyish purple to purplish-pink
- Crayola's orchid crayon introduced in 1949
What colour is Orchid?
Orchid is a strong, lively purple that stands out for its brightness and richness. The colour is inspired by the petals of several orchid species, which show a similar vivid hue. Orchid can appear as a greyish purple, a purplish-pink, or a reddish purple, depending on the specific shade. It is distinct from other purples for its floral origin and its use as a standard web colour.
Where does Orchid come from?
The name 'orchid' comes from the flowers of the orchid family, such as Laelia furfuracea and Ascocentrum pusillum, whose petals often display this colour. The word itself is rooted in the Greek 'orchis', meaning testicle, a reference to the shape of some orchid tubers. The colour term was first used in English in 1915.
How Orchid is defined
Orchid as a web colour is defined by the hex code #DA70D6, part of the X11 colour set introduced in 1987. It does not come from a pigment or dye, but is a digital standard used in screens and web design.
Where Orchid is used
Orchid is mainly seen in digital design, as it is one of the standard X11 web colours. It has also appeared in products such as Crayola crayons since 1949, and is listed in Pantone's textile colour guides. Its vivid tone makes it popular for digital graphics and user interfaces.
Purple around the world
What the purple and violet family means from country to country.
In Holy Week, members of religious brotherhoods walk in procession in robes and pointed hoods, many of them purple, the colour of penance. A purple band also marked the flag of the Second Republic.
Sacred and holyPolitics and protestSource: Holy Week in SpainSuffragettes campaigning for women's votes wore purple, white and green: purple for dignity, white for purity and green for hope.
Politics and protestCourageSource: SuffragetteA child born to a reigning Byzantine emperor was called porphyrogennetos, born in the purple. The birth took place in a palace room lined with purple stone.
Royalty and powerAweSource: Born in the purpleIn the elections of 2005, voters dipped a finger in purple ink to prevent double voting. The stained finger, held up for cameras, became a sign of the vote.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Election inkPurple dye from the murasaki plant was costly and hard to make. In the court rank system set up under Prince Shotoku, the highest officials wore purple caps.
Royalty and powerAweSource: Twelve Level Cap and Rank SystemThe Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon made Tyrian purple from sea snails. The dye was so costly that it became the colour of kings and Roman emperors.
Royalty and powerAweSource: Tyrian purpleShades and relatives of Orchid
Several related shades are recognised, including 'orchid pink', 'wild orchid', and 'dark orchid'. Orchid pink and wild orchid are listed in Pantone's textile guides, while dark orchid is another web colour. Crayola's version of orchid has been part of their crayon range since 1949, and was briefly renamed 'best friends' in 2008.
Colours that go with Orchid
Harmonies are worked out from the value #DA70D6. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Orchid
What colour is orchid?
Orchid is a bright, rich purple that can range from greyish purple to purplish-pink or strong reddish purple. It is named after the colour found in the petals of some orchid flowers.
Where does the name 'orchid' come from?
The name comes from the flowers of the orchid family, especially species like Laelia furfuracea and Ascocentrum pusillum, which display this colour. The word itself is from the Greek 'orchis', meaning testicle, after the shape of some orchid tubers.
When was orchid first used as a colour name?
The first recorded use of 'orchid' as a colour name in English was in 1915.
Is orchid a natural or synthetic colour?
As a web colour, orchid is a digital standard defined by a hex code. It is not made from a pigment or dye, but is used in digital design and graphics.
Are there different shades of orchid?
Yes, related shades include orchid pink, wild orchid, and dark orchid. These are listed in Pantone's guides and as web colours, and there is also a Crayola crayon called orchid.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Orchid (color)", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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