Amherst Orchid Society

Transcription

1 Greater Whorled Pogonia The Newsletter of the Amherst Orchid Society An affiliate of the American Orchid Society Volume 23, Issue 4 April 2015 March Meeting Roger West This was a good meeting. The past 4-5 years I have missed the post-show meeting due to the Nutmeg show in Hartford. Marc Gray talked about the show stating we needed more volunteers especially the Saturday opening bell. He continued in a negative vein about the lack of help, all the while I thought the show was a success. Little did I know. Treasurer Steve Reardon put a positive spin on things revealing a profit of $3,000. Steve said that attendance was down 30%, 900 people vs. past averages of 1,200. $400 of the above was set aside for school scholarships. The best part of the meeting was an orchid movie that Troy got ahold of. It was 70 minutes long and we watched about 50 minutes. The movie will be finished at the April meeting and maybe back it up a little, it was that good. The movie started with noted California orchid hybridizer, Fred Clark. He was being filmed in his greenhouse and his goal was to breed something not seen before and sell that plant for huge bucks. He thinks of himself as an orchid artist and should be paid accordingly. I couldn t help but wonder, say he grows up babies from this single seed pod and one turns out great. What does he do with the rest? Think of the space 500 or so plants take up and the time. Cattleyas take 5-7 years before first bloom. Next guy up was a commercial grower in Florida, exact opposite of Fred Clark. This Florida grower is mass producing Phal clones to supply the Box Stores. He had an actual assembly line with Phals being repotted etc. The real shocker was a big cart full of the rejects from the assembly line that were heading for the compost pile. They looked too good to be thrown away. The orchid hunter, Lance Birk, was next. He along with Jack Fowlie, discovered many of the newer Paph species from Indochina. He had some interesting travel tales. Keith Tibbetts commented that all those species look the same and I would concur. A fellow from Paphanatics, Andy s Orchids and Martin Motes railed on about C.I.T.E.S (Committee on the Treaty for Endangered Species). They said that this legislation was the worst thing to happen to the orchid industry in 40 years. The last part that we saw was about the orchid thief. This was the guy who discovered Phrag kovachii and tried to sneak it into this country. Everyone knows the story so I won t dwell. I was amazed at how quiet Munson was after the film got going. Verda Dale would have been proud The show table was dominated by Paphs and Maryanne s large L anceps Flight of Birds Nutmeg Show Roger West Finally the last show of the season, it was a very good one. We had a very nice display, loaded with blooms contributed by five members. The display won a red ribbon as a society with the home society winning the blue with a colorful, three tier, square display. Bill Benner contributed two plants, one of them being C (Sophronitis) coccinea.

2 Volume 23, Issue 4 Page 2 This little red beauty won the best miniature in the show. It had 16 blooms coming from a plant in a 4 inch basket. Judges looked at it for a cultural award but needed more blooms to qualify. I won the best Cattleya, large specimen and best plant in the show with Ctt Jewel Box Dark Waters. The judges also awarded this plant with a CCM (Certificate of Cultural Merit) of 83 points. It had 47 red blooms on 14 spikes that were all staked and blooms around the entire plant. This is a plant I was going to bring to the March meeting but didn t risk it in the wind. This award was a nice way to finish the show season and ending with the very appreciative Nutmeg members, an added bonus. Lycastes Steve Steiner A few people asked me how to grow Lycastes at last month s Amherst Orchid Show. I told them I would write an article about the genus. I had read that the name, Lycaste, was one of Priam s (king of Troy) daughter [editor s note if you were at December s meeting, Keith even put that in his awesome quiz]. Lycaste was a celebrated Sicilian beauty according to Henry Oakely who published a tome entitled Lycaste, Ida,& Anguola The Essential Guide as well as a small pamphlet Lycaste Species the Essential Guide. Dr. Oakely is not shy. Despite the pomposity of the titles the book and pamphlet, they are both very good and the book is quite beautiful. Dr. Oakely told me, one reviewer said that he never uses one picture when he can use ten. Lycaste Highland Peak Cooksbridge' (grown by Steve Steiner, photo by Kathy Puckett) Lycastes grow from Mexico to Peru and in the Caribbean. They grow, in nature, from sea level to 8,000 feet. Most of the commonly grown species and hybrids prefer temperatures under 85 degrees in the summer and will tolerate 50 degrees in the winter. As far as the hobby grower is concerned, there are two basic groups of species. One group is deciduous and requires little if any watering over the winter. This group includes one of my favorites, Lycaste aromatic (also called the cinnamon orchid due the strong cinnamon scent of its flowers). The other group is not to be dried out, although watering is less than when they are rapidly growing. This group includes Lycaste skinneri, probably the showiest species and in the parentage of most hybrids. Lycaste leaves are broad and thin and by the time they are in flower, they are somewhat tattered and spotted (at least when I grow them). If I am putting them in a show, I frequently remove the leaves on the old growth which, in addition to looking poorly, will partly cover some of the flowers.

3 Volume 23, Issue 4 Page 3 I generally try to repot them after they flower. They should be repotted at least every other year. Lycaste aromatica is usually repotted in bark. The others are usually repotted in sphagnum moss mixed with a little coarse perlite and tree fern fiber. I pack it as loosely as possible but tight enough to keep the plant from tipping over. A note about repotting, many species and hybrids have sharp spines where the leaves break off the top of the pseudobulbs. Let the grower beware. Lycamerlycaste Cassiopeia 'Wyld Peach' (grown by Steve Steiner, photo by Kathy Puckett) Lycastes are not cloned. Divisions of good plants are very expensive. While the pink hybrids are mostly pretty good and seedlings give a good percentage of beautiful flowers, I find reds yellow and white hybrids are best purchased as divisions or started back bulbs (a old backbulb with a small new growth). Most of my plants are from started backbulbs. They take a few years to reach blooming size. Last I checked, a few years ago, good red flowering Lycastes were over a thousand dollars and started backbulbs were hundreds of dollars (hence I have none of them). Lycastes can be grown on windowsills, but they tend to be large plants. I have seen smaller growing hybrids recently but I would not call them miniatures. I grow Lycaste campbelli, a deciduous Lycaste, which has charming 1 ½ - 2 inch flowers and in flower is a small plant when it flowers but later has 10 to 12 inch leaves. Lycastes are unusual orchids and, unlike most of the weird things I like to grow, they can be very showy.

4 Volume 23, Issue 4 Page 4 Show Table, March 2015 All photos by Kathy Puckett Dracula bella, Steve Steiner Laelia Orange Embers Firecracker, Kathy Puckett Cymbidium Cherry Blossom Profusion, Maryanne Laukaitis Dendrobium aggregatum, Keith Tibbetts

5 Volume 23, Issue 4 Page 5 Coelogyne mossiae Mendenhall, Bill Benner Brassocattleya Richard's Bonanza, Marge Tanguay Warmingia eugenii, Marc Gray Cattleya Jewel Box, Ed devarennes

6 Volume 23, Issue 4 Page 6 Masdevallia regina, Steve Steiner Dendrobium Star of Riverdene, Marc Gray Paphiopedilum malipoense, Steve Steiner Dendrobium kingianum, Bill Benner

7 Volume 23, Issue 4 Page 7 Bulbophyllum falcatum, Kathy Puckett Rlc. Husky Boy Michael, grower unknown Miltonidium Melissa Brianne 'Tawny Tart, Kasia Wynne Sarcochilus hartmannii, Bill Benner

8 Volume 23, Issue 4 Page 8 Paphiopedilum Petula's Presence, Steve Reardon Cattleya Cherry Song, Marge Tanguay Vanda Cherry Blossum Carmela, Kathy Puckett Coelogyne cristata, Bill Benner

9 Volume 23, Issue 4 Page 9 Show Table March 2015 Marc Gray Warmingia eugenii Phalaenopsis Lioulin Sparrow 'Taida Little Parlin' Coelia triptera Dendrobium Star of Riverdene Paphiopedilum Petula's Presence Epidendrum centradenia Phalaenopsis Tying Shin Sweetheart 'OX1512' Carol Mentos Aliceara Lonatic Fringe 'Ikes Yikes' Dendrobium Bohemian Rhapsody Keith Tibbetts Dendrobium gregulus Dendrobium aggregatum Paphiopedilum sukhakulii Bill Arduser Amesiella monticola Karen Stewart Dendrochilum cobbianum 'Cal' Vanda Cherry Blossum 'Carmela' Steve Reardon Paphiopedilum Petula's Presence Paphiopedilum Jim Asher Paphiopedilum Spring Wolf Paphiopedilum Moon Dreaming Paphiopedilum Memoria Nicholas Hamann Leptotes bicolor Steve Steiner Dendrobium crepidiferum Masdevallia regina Paphiopedilum malipoense Pleurothallis condurensis Restrepia limbata Lycamerlycaste Cassiopeia Dendrobium kingianum 'Big Foot Dracula bella Lycaste skinneri alba Lycaste Karen Farrel 'A' Lycaste Highland Peak 'Cookbridge' Harold and Lani Norman Cymbidium Narela 'Jennifer Gail' Cymbidium Pretty Peach Paphiopedilum Avalon Love Stone Cymbidium Red Dragon Kathy Puckett Vanda Cherry Blossum 'Carmela' Laelia Orange Embers 'Firecracker' Bulbophyllum falcatum Cymbidium Beacon Fire 'Cecil Park' Cattleya Marriottiana Cattleya Pole Star x Cattleya forbesii Cattleya coccinea 4N Marge Tanquay Rhyncattleanthe Momilani Rainbow 'Buttercup' Rhyncattleanthe Maikei Mayumi Brassocattleya Richard's Bonanza Cattleya Cherry Song Maryanne Laukaitis Cattleya coccinea var. grandiflora Cymbidium Cherry Blossom 'Profusion' Paphiopedilum Coro Beauty (Donna Hanes x Alex Szabo) Laelia anceps 'Flock of Butterflies' Laelia canariensis Tom Gagnon Cymbidium NOID Kasia Wynne Miltonidium Melissa Brianne 'Tawny Tart' Ed devarennes Cattleya Jewel Box Bill Benner Dendrobium kingianum Sarcochilus hartmannii Coelogyne mossiae 'Mendenhall' Coelogyne cristata

10 Volume 23, Issue 4 Page 10 Friday, April 24, 12 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 25 26, 10 a.m. 5 p.m. Orchid Show On April 24 26, 2015, the International Orchid Show will transform the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University into a spectacular world of orchids. For three days only, the luscious fragrance of thousands of orchids from all over the globe will fill the Academy s diorama halls. Colorful orchids arranged in stunning displays and brought to their prize-worthy peaks will delight orchid experts and novices alike. Take tours with the experts of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Orchid Society REDLAND INTERNATIONAL ORCHID FESTIVAL May 15-17, :00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Admission $10.00 Fruit & Spice Park SW 187th Ave. Homestead, Florida America's Favorite Orchid Festival Open House at Piping Rock Orchids Saturday ~ June 6th, 2015 ~ 10:30 AM 2270 Cook Road ~ Galway, NY Open House, Plant Sales, Picnic Special Guest Speaker / Vendors: Terry Kowalczuk - the owner of FLORA PECULIA, is known for having perhaps the largest retail collection of Neofinetia falcata (fuukurin) varieties in Canada. Terry has a passion in preserving and presenting Neofinetia as a special plant in the historic Japanese tradition. Flora Peculia carries over 100 varieties of Neofinetia and is growing Terry is also a gardener with KIVA GARDENS and the Music Director of COUNTERPOINT COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA in Toronto. Having directed Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is one of his greatest personal joys. Terry has a passion in preserving and presenting Neofinetia as a special plant in the historic Japanese tradition. Flora Peculia carries over 100 varieties of Neofinetia and is growing Additional Speaker, TBA NENYOS & Piping Rock Orchids Sponsored Picnic Lunch - including Hamburgers, Hotdogs, Pulled Pork Sandwiches, all types of salads and more

11 Volume 23, Issue 4 Page 11 JUNE 14th GRAYS IN VERMONT JUNE 28TH PICNIC VERDA DALES for her 99th birthday celebration in Amherst, MA Requests that you bring chairs to sit in just to make sure we have plenty Some type of food (not a cake or drinks provided by K. JOHNSON ) JULY 19TH ROGER WEST PLACE IN CONWAY,MA Upcoming Events Next meeting will be on April 19th. Those with last names beginning with I, J, K, and L, please bring a dish to share. APRIL SEPOS ( Southeastern Pennsylvania Orchid Society International Orchid Show and Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA online info MAY Redlands Fruit & Spice Park, SW 187 TH Avenue, Homestead, FL JUNE 14th GRAYS IN VERMONT JUNE 28TH PICNIC VERDA DALES 99th birthday celebration in Amherst, MA JULY 19TH ROGER WEST PLACE IN CONWAY,MA 1 st Sat of each month, 12pm Northeast Regional AOS Judging, Tower Hill, Boylston.