January 2005
Happy New Year
HELP! Meeting Place needed for Feb., Mar., Jun., and Nov.
Stewart
Chipka 7 PM at the DEHNR on 127 Cardinal Drive
1/12
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On
The Orchid Specialist:
Stewart Chipka came by his interest in orchids at a young age. His
Czech grandfather, who immigrated to the US with the family in 1917,
was a renaissance man. A machinist by day and a pastry chef by night,
his spare-time passion was orchids. As a boy, Chipka accompanied
Gramps on trips through the Florida Everglades to gather various
specimens.
Chipka studied to be a structural engineer, but always kept the hobby.
Now approaching retirement, he has developed his love of orchids into
a serious avocation. He is president of Encyclia Enthusiasts, Inc., an
affiliate of the American Orchid Society, publishes in lay and
scholarly journals, and facilitates courses at the International
Orchid Center in Palm Beach, Florida.
An avid grower himself, specializing in Encyclias, Chipka now has at
least 250 varieties in the garden behind his modest condominium in
Naples. When he rhapsodically describes his Lime tree with more than
300 species of epiphyte orchids in its branches, Chipka takes on the
look of the true believer: the nature lover who finds a spiritual
experience in his work.
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Back
in the old days all the Encyclias were called Epidendrum. But so were
Cattleyas and Laelias and a host of other orchids that grew in the trees as
epiphytes. This got very confusing and in 1828 Hooker decided to do
something about it. He spent a lot of time studying how all the plants were
shaped, how their flowers looked and what they had in common. After a little
study he separated the Cattleyas from the Epidendrums and Encyclias were in
that first cut. After a little more study he separated the Encyclias from
the Cattleyas.
The first Encyclia to be called by the Encyclia name
was Encylia viridiflora. Collected by William Harrison in Rio de Janeiro in
1828 and sent to Hooker for classification, it remains a controversial plant
even today. This type species is preserved in the Lindley Herbarium at Kew
Gardens and has not been collected again in the wild (officially) since that
time. Is it extinct in the wild? It is a question still being asked today,
even by prominent orchid experts ( see Whithner, The Cattleya and Their
Relatives, Vol. IV, pgs. 35, 36; Vol. V, pg. 86 and Vol. VI, pgs. 140-143).
The
primary difference between the two genera has to do with the flower. The
Epidendrum have their lip fused to the whole column. Encyclias are attached
at the base of the lip and column but the lip floats free from the column
itself. This is the first defining point for Encyclia. Some of the Encyclias
have a short attachment to the column, which creates subspecies within the
Encyclia family.
Additionally,
Epidendrums generally have a reedy stem rather then the definite bulb
structure found in all Encyclia. There are a few of the Epis which have a
bulbous appearance, but, for the most part, they are all reed stem type
plants with leaves that usually have a normal leaf appearance. The Encyclia
have a more lance type leaf found in the Cattleyas, both of which are in the
Laelia subtribe.
A
further distinction is the split rostellum of the Epidendrum, which is not
found in the Encyclia family. Those three items are the primary points of
distinction between the Epidendrum and Encyclia.
Common
to all Encyclia are some basic structural features that they share with the
Cattleya family. Hooker separated the Encyclia and Cattleya based on the
smaller flowers of the Encyclia. Common to both genera is the four pollinia
and the flowers are borne on the inflorescence in either a raceme or
panicled fashion. Encyclia flower stalks are terminal and are presented
without a sheath.
Dressler,
in 1961, ( see Dressler and Pollard, The Genus Encyclia in Mexico, 1974)
expanded the description of Encyclia to include some other plants that were
not quite in the Cattleya or Encyclia family. Many of the cockleshell type
orchids were included as Encyclia at this time. Prior to Dresslers expansion
of definition, all of what we call the cockleshells had remained in the
Epidendrum category. This was to create even more confusion later when they
were removed from Encyclia recently, and categorized into their own genus,
which we now call the Prosthechea.
The
final group of Encyclia, consisting of only two species, are the Euchile.
This genus is composed of Euchile mariae and citrina, both very distinctive
in shape of flower, presentation and limited geographic range.
As
we look at all the different Encyclias, it is easy to spot their common
characteristics. One must study each species closely to tell the differences
between some of the Encyclia and often plants are confused when not in
bloom. Once in bloom however, the subtle differences are more apparent and
make identification of the specific plant much easier to establish.
Hopefully this web site will provide you with all the information you will
need to truly enjoy the Encyclia species.
Used from Encyclia Enthusiasts,
whose web site is found at www.encyclias.org
Minutes
of CFOS Meeting, December 15, 2004
At 7:05 pm,
President Jim Farlow welcomed members and guests to the Holiday meeting.
He thanked everyone for the delicious foods we enjoyed preceding the
meeting.
Jim announced that
Jack Webster of Sandhills Orchid group will be ordering plants from Simanis
in East Java, Indonesia. An
order blank can be downloaded from the internet by going to www.simanis2000.com.
To order plants, fill out the order blank, total your order, add 50%
for shipping, and bring a check and the order blank to the January meeting.
Make the check out to Jack Webster.
Plants will come to us at the April meeting. Courtney Hackney added
that the plants are usually from a commercial nursery, but are jungle
collected, not seed raised. From
his experience, the plants are not always the ones ordered, but those that
are substituted are often very interesting.
Treasurer Ken
Spackman requested 2005 dues payment be made in January, even though he
would take any brought to this meeting.
Our current balance in the treasury is $3,786.04.
Carol Wilson
reported that the Triad Show was really beautiful.
Our group had some orchids that were awarded. The names and awards were listed in the December Newsletter.
Carol has a tray and a hangar which were left at the show.
If these are yours, let her know.
Jim thanked Sally
Mason for coordinating our “Holiday Feast” of wonderful foods.
She received a warm round of applause for the success of the
pre-meeting buffet.
Carol Wilson and
Jenny Smith, co-chairs, led a detailed discussion about the 2005 Garden Show
at the Coastline Center to be held the first weekend in February on Friday,
Sat, and Sunday. Courtney
reported that 150 orchids (in flower) have been ordered from Orchid View
Nursery. The plants are
expected to sell for $25-$30 each and will include some “super crosses and
some Phals that are new to us”. The
question was asked if members could sell orchids. This was not encouraged
because we need to sell the orchids we have purchased first.
Carol will create an exhibit and can use some of the members’
orchids for this, if needed. Questions on the care and culture of orchids
will be referred to web sites rather than preparing reams of informational
paper. Ken and Courtney will get specific information on the necessity of
collecting sales tax as it applies to our society’s non-profit status.
Members were asked to sign up for shifts to work on the 3 days.
Four people will work per shift.
Rose Ganucheau
showed pictures of samples of flower pots her friend makes for sale.
She asked if we would like to have them at our table to sell on
consignment. The friend would
be responsible for delivery and pick up. The pots were nice and the opinion was favorable.
VP Michael Goins had
an orchid growers tip. “If
you are trying to bend a cymbidium stem, the sound of it snapping off is
like the sound of snapping an asparagus stalk.”
He broke it! … Enough said! From
this comment came a good suggestion from Jim.
Each month, we can have a tip of the month which may help all
growers.
Librarian Sally
Mason wants to hand over her job. Arlene
Hubner offered to take over. The
3 milk cartons of books and periodicals in Sally’s studio will be given to
Arlene who will devise a plan to catalog the information and a system to
distribute items as members want them.
The meeting for
January will be at DEHNR Building on 127 Cardinal Drive (Fritz’s office
building). We still need
locales for February, March, June, and November. If
you have an idea, please let Jim know. It
was suggested again that we have a sign on the door at the Arboretum when
changing the mtg. place.
Michael moved that
the nominations for next year’s officers be closed and that the slate be
unanimously elected. Courtney
seconded the motion and all voted aye.
Congratulations to the 2005 officers:
Jim Farlow, President; Bill Schade, Vice President; Rosemarie Bonk,
Secretary; Ken Spackman, Treasurer; and Bill Novakowski, WebMaster.
Minutes by Jan
Denney
CALL FOR 2005
DUES
Cape Fear Orchid Society dues for the year 2005 are now payable. The dues
amount is just $15.00, which includes an additional family member if you
choose. You may pay at the January 12 or February 16 meeting, or you may
send a check payable to Cape Fear Orchid Society to:
Ken Spackman, Treasurer
Cape Fear Orchid Society
2114 Market Street
Wilmington, NC 28403-1130
Jack
Webster is currently preparing a Plant order from Simanis Orchid Nursery in
East Java Indonesia. Order blanks are to be down loaded at the website
and must be back during the January 2005 meeting.
http://www.simanis2000.com/order.php
Bring
order with you to the January meeting. You will need to add 50% to the
order to cover Shipping etc. Checks payable to Jack Webster
Sandhills Society’s Growers Day will be held Saturday February
19th, 2005. This is a great day of learning and fun at Fayetteville
Technical Community College. Plan now to attend.
WEB INFO @http://www.sandhillorchid.org/index.html
Our member plant sale
and orchid growing demonstration will be held Sunday, April 24, 2005 at
1:00 PM and our plant auction which you need to attend will be October
23, 2005 at 1:00 PM.
The North Carolina Piedmont Orchid Society would like
to invite you to participate in its 2005 Orchid Show as part of the 2005
Southern Spring Home & Garden Show in Charlotte, NC. The show runs from March 2-6, 2005, at the Charlotte
Merchandise Mart, and this year’s theme is SPRING,
Inside & Out. Garden
Spaces are available up to 100 square feet.
Put in day for all participants is Monday, February 28, and judging
day is Tuesday, March 1. Take
out of all plants is 6 PM on Sunday, March 6.
CONTACT Tony Kiss at and his phone is
(704)541-8530 or carmorch@bellsouth,net.
2005
Speakers
2/16
Martin Motes of Motes Orchids, New Vandas
3/16
Dr. Glen Lehr New World Orchids, The Orchids and Shows of Japan
4/13
Bill Thoms -Bulbophyllums @ Arboretum
April
24 Orchid Demonstration and Member Plant Sales 1PM
5/11
James Rose of Cal Orchid, Pescatorias @ Arboretum
6/15
Milton Carpenter of Everglade Orchids, Warm Growing Cymbidiums
7/13
John Stubbins - Unusual Relatives of Cymbidiums @ Arboretum
8/10
Stan Hutto - Basic Paphs @ Arboretum
9/14
Sue Fordyce of Fordyce Orchids, Look Your Orchids Are Talking To You @
Arboretum
10/12 Francisco
Miranda Boa Vista Orchids, Brazilian Cattleyas @ Arboretum
October
23 Orchid Expo and Auction Bargains Galore 1PM
11/16
Cathy Creger -Orchid Hunting In Jamaica
12/14
Walter Off of Waldor Orchids, Phrag bessei and Hybrids @ Arboretum
Check Your Calendar to
Volunteer at the Garden Show
Fifteen
selling opportunities remain unfilled at our Wilmington Garden Show sales
booth. Please consider signing up for one-or maybe even two. We
will all benefit from this effort.
Saturday February 5
8:45-12 1 person
11:45-3 1
2:45-5
1
Sunday February 6
9:45-1
3
12:45-4 4
3:45-6 4
Please call Carol Wilson 256.8040
to volunteer your time. THANKS!!!
Many Cattleya species and
their direct hybrids, e.g. C dowiana and C bicolor are reputed to be hard to
grow, largely because of the time of repotting.
Cattleya bicolor is usually in bloom when they start to grow new
roots and should be repotted. In
general, bifoliates species and hybrids (two leaves per growth) are less
forgiving than unifoliates (1 leaf per bulb) when it comes to repotting at
the wrong time.
Some repotting supplies may be
easy to come by, while others must be shipped in.
Shipping and packing costs can exceed the cost of materials for some
products, such as clay orchid pots or bark.
Many hobbyists ban together to ship in quantity or even travel to the
supply house. Be sure to call
and reserve what you need, as demand often exceeds supply in spring.
Don’t forget rhizome clips, baskets, hangers, and other
miscellaneous supplies that make repotting much easier.
Cycnoches
peruvianum
by Ken
Spackman
December 2004
I obtained Cycnoches peruvianum at the May 2004 Redlands
International Orchid Festival from CJM Orquideas in Lima, Peru.
The purchased plant consisted solely of two cigar-sized, hard
pseudobulbs—the roots had been entirely cut off for the trip from South
America. At the end of May, I
placed the pseudobulbs in a clay pot with no media in a shady spot in my
greenhouse, uncertain of the extent to which its displacement from the
southern hemisphere would confuse its growth cycle.
I withheld water until a new growth started in late July, at which
time I potted it in my standard media for the Catasetinae—pure Aliflor in
a small clay pot supplemented with Dynamite slow-release fertilizer pellets.
I began to water copiously (usually every day) in August and
September, and the new pseudobulb grew very fast, clearly enjoying our
summer heat. An inflorescence
started to grow in late October, and it grew much longer than I expected.
The 26 inch pendant inflorescence, which emerged from a leaf node
near the top of the pseudobulb extended a full 10 inches below the bottom of
the pot. All 50 buds opened at
once, and the flowers lasted about five weeks.
The plant is deciduous, and will undergo a rest period after
flowering.
The flowers of the genus Cycnoches come in male and female forms; the
ones exhibited at the December meeting were male flowers. The lip is a white spidery-shaped form and the column is
extended downward with an upcurving hook shape. All the flower parts are
spotted mahogany brown on a yellow background.
As I overheard Mary Ellen Merryman say at the meeting, “There is a
lot going on in those little flowers!”
This species was first described by Rolfe in Lindenia in
1891. It is native to both Ecuador and Peru.
Cattleyas
are among the most popular orchids. Their culture is often used
as
the basis for comparison with other types of orchids. Cattleyas and their
related
hybrids come in many colors, shapes, forms and sizes. Culture varies only
slightly
among most of these. This sheet is a general guide to basic cattleya
culture.
Like
many other cultivated orchids, cattleyas are epiphytes, or air plants. They
have
developed water-storage organs, called pseudobulbs, and have large, fleshy
roots
covered with a spongy, water-retentive velamen. They are accustomed to
being
dry at the roots between waterings, and therefore should be potted in
freedraining
media.
L
I G H T is the
most important factor in growing and flowering cattleyas, whether in a
greenhouse or in the home. Bright light to some sun should be given to the
plants, with no direct sun in the middle of the day. This means an east,
shaded south (as with a sheer curtain) or west window in the home, and 50 to
70 percent full sun in a greenhouse (3,000 to 5,000 foot-candles). Leaves
should be a medium green color, pseudobulbs erect and requiring no staking.
TEMPERATURES
should be 55 to
60 F at night and 70 to 85 F during the day. Seedlings should have night
temperatures five to 10 degrees higher. A 15- to 20-degree differential
between day and night is recommended, especially for mature plants. Higher
day temperatures can be tolerated (up to 95 F), if humidity, air circulation
and shading are increased.
WAT
E R should be
provided in two ways: in the pot by watering and in the air as humidity.
Watering in the container is dictated by many criteria: size and type of the
vessel, temperature, light, etc. Mature cattleyas need to dry out thoroughly
before being watered again. Seedlings need more constant moisture. Compare
the weight of a dry pot of the same size and type of mix; it can indicate if
a plant needs water by the relative weight — light means dry, heavy means
wet. If in doubt, it’s best to wait a day or two until watering. Plants in
active growth need more water than plants that are resting. Water below 50 F
may injure plants, as will water softened by the addition of salts.
H
U M I D I T Y should
be 50 to 80 percent for cattleyas. This can be provided in the home by
placing the plants on trays of gravel, only partially filled with water so
that the plants do not sit in the water. Air should always be moving around
the plants to prevent fungal or bacterial disease, especially if high
humidity or cool temperatures exist. In the greenhouse, the humidity is best
increased by use of a humidifier. Evaporative cooling increases humidity
while cooling the air.
F
E RT I L I Z E on
a regular schedule. In fir bark, a high-nitrogen (such as 30-10-10)
formulation, or a similar proportion, is used. Otherwise, use a balanced
fertilizer. When in active growth, plants need fertilizer at least every two
weeks, and when not actively growing, once a month. Fertilizer can also be
applied with every watering at one-quarter the recommended dilution.
Thorough flushing with clear water every month is recommended to prevent the
buildup of fertilizer salts.
P
O T T I N G is
necessary when the rhizome of the plants protrudes over the edge of the pot
or the potting medium starts to break down and drain poorly (usually after
two to three years). It is best to repot just before new roots sprout from
the rhizome, after flowering or in the spring. Mature cattleyas are usually
potted in coarser potting material than are seedlings. Until a plant has at
least six mature pseudobulbs, it generally should be put into a larger pot
and not divided. If dividing a plant, three to five pseudobulbs per division
are required. Select a pot that will allow for approximately two years of
growth before crowding the pot. Pile mix against one side of the pot and cut
off any dead roots. Spread the firm, live roots over the pile, with the cut
rhizome against the side of the pot. Fill the pot with medium, working it
around the roots. Pack firmly and stake if necessary. Keep the plant humid,
shaded and dry at the roots until new root growth is seen.
The
American Orchid Society is the world’s leading provider of information
about and related to orchids. We invite you to join us and learn about the
world’s most fascinating flowers and plants. Your membership entitles you
to our
monthly
award-winning magazine Orchids, a free copy of our cultural guide Your
First Orchid and the AOS Orchid Source Directory, a10 percent
discount on items purchased through The AOS BookShop and Orchid Emporium,
and
free admission to the International Orchid Center in Delray Beach, Florida.
American
Orchid Society
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