the influence Of cOmmercialiSm On JudGinG recent trendS in

Transcription

V o lume 7, N umber 3 • M ay /J une 2007
O fficial Publication
of the
C ymbidium Society
of
A merica, Inc.
Cymbidium Anna’ s R ose ‘V elvet’ B/CSA
In
this issue
THE INFLUENCE OF COMMERCIALISM ON JUDGING
RECENT TRENDS IN PAPHIOPEDILUMS
HOW AND WHEN TO WATER YOUR PLANTS
Check out what's
happening at
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In Australia
Royale Orchids
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In the United States
contact
James and Lauris Rose
Cal-Orchid
(805) 967-1312
The Official Publication of the Cymbidium Society of America, Inc.
Table of Contents
Editor’s Page/The Cover Flower. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
The President’s Page
By Jim Lothrop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
The Influence of Commercialism on Cymbidium Judging
By Mark Dawe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Ask Andy
By Andy Easton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
I Was Thinking…
By Andy Easton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
2006 Golden Gate Cymbidium Society Show
By Rita Pascoe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
2006 Peninsula Society Orchid Show
By Kenneth P. Jacobsen, PhD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Top Ten Cymbidiums: A Chat with George Hatfield
By Heidi Kirkpatrick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Recent Trends in Paphiopedilum Hybridising
By Chris Hubbert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Meet the Grower: Lauris Rose
By Heidi Kirkpatrick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
How to Water Your Plants
By Lance Birk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
The CSA Journal (ISSN 1541-5341) is published bimonthly by Heidi Kirkpatrick, 2687 Dorking Place, Santa Barbara, CA
93105-2237. Annual membership in the Cymbidium Society of America, Inc., which includes a subscription to the CSA Journal is
$30.00 a year. Of the $30.00 annual membership dues, $25 covers a year’s subscription to the CSA Journal. Single copies are $5.00.
While the CSA Journal strives to present responsibility for transactions between readers and advertisers, neither the publisher nor
the Cymbidium Society of America, Inc., can assume responsibility for transactions between readers and advertisers. Periodicals
postage paid at Encinitas, CA 92024-9998. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the CSA Journal, 170 South Nardo Ave,
Solana Beach, CA 92075-2021.
Color Illustrations
Cymbidium Alcor ‘Embers’ B/CSA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Cymbidium Blanche Ames ‘Liz’ HCC/AOS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Cymbidium Burgundian ‘Sydney’ AM/AOS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Cymbidium Dorothy Stockstill ‘Forgotten Fruit’ B/CSA, HCC/AOS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Cymbidium Frank Kageyama ‘Keiko’ B/CSA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Cymbidium Hazel Tyers ‘Santa Maria’. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Cymbidium Icho Tower ‘Trinity’ S/CSA, AM/AOS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Cymbidium iridioides. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Cymbidium Joanne Alexis ‘Jim’s Gift’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Cymbidium Kirby Lesh ‘Cinnabar’ S/CSA, AM/AOS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Cymbidium Kiwi Midnight ‘Geyserland’ S/CSA, FCC/AOS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Cymbidium Lucky Shamrock ‘Green Glen’ B/CSA, HCC/AOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Cymbidium madidum var. album ‘Memoria Mu-Lan Wu’ HCC/AOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Cymbidium Mae West ‘Geyserland’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Cymbidium Mem. Amelia Earhart ‘New Horizons’. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Cymbidium Narela ‘Jennifer Gail’ HCC/AOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Cymbidium Nine Half ‘Charmant’. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Cymbidium Phar Lap ‘Yoshie Kage’ S/CSA, AM/AOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Cymbidium Ruby Pendant ‘Anisa’. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Cymbidium Tracey Doll ‘Cinnabar’ B/CSA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heidi Kirkpatrick
Contributing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken Jacobsen
Assistant Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Helmut Rohrl
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jim Sloniker
Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lucia Brandt Maeda
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . George Hatfield
Mailing Committee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nancy and Loren Batchman
Journal Administrator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . George Hatfield
EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS
Please submit articles and advertising
materials two and one half months
before the issue date to:
Heidi Kirkpatrick
2687 Dorking Place
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
[email protected]
Color Illustrations continued
Cymbidium tracyanum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Cymbidium Valley of Death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Cymbidium Yai ‘Monica’ AM/AOS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Ida fimbriata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Laelia anceps var. veitchiana ‘Tamara’. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Oncidium forbesii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Paphiopedilum (Makuli x Hsinying Maru). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Paphiopedilum Alex Szabo ‘No. 7’ S/CSA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Paphiopedilum armeniacum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Paphiopedilum bellatulum ‘Ruby Spot’. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Paphiopedilum Coro Gold ‘Papa Aroha’ S/CSA, AM/OCNZ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Paphiopedilum Fanaticum ‘Jae Hong’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Paphiopedilum fairrieanum ‘Red Top’ B/CSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Paphiopedilum gratrixianum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Paphiopedilum Knight’s Crown ‘Beauty Ocean’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Paphiopedilum Macabre ‘Color Amazon’ S/CSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Paphiopedilum Maudiae ‘The Queen’ S/CSA, AM/AOS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Paphiopedilum Pavarotti ‘Papa Aroha’ AM/OCNZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Paphiopedilum Solo Flyer ‘Papa Aroha’ S/CSA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Paphiopedilum venustum album. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Paphiopedilum White Knight ‘Century’ S/CSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Paphiopedilum Winston Churchill ‘Indomitable’ S/CSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Potinara Circle Spirit ‘Wide World’ AM/AOS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Phragmipedium Sorcerer’s Apprentice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Sophrolaeliocattleya Wendy’s Redstone ‘Carmela’ HCC/AOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
18
24
29
Casa de las Orquideas
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for odd, unusual and high color plants.
Over 200 hybrids and 60,000 plants in stock
from flask to blooming size.
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see the list of plants available on our web site
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170 South Nardo Avenue
Solana Beach, CA 92075-2021
Phone & Fax (858) 755-7572
open by appointment only
on the web: www.orquideas.com e-mail: [email protected]
The Editor’s Page
W
hen I found myself as CSA Journal
editor, I had only a dim concept
of the amount of nagging that
accompanied the job. Yes, nagging.
This is only natural. While my selfimposed deadlines are very strong in my
mind, most readers have only a hazy sense of
the lead time necessary to produce a timely
magazine. And yes, I know that those of
you for whom the magazine takes six weeks
or more in the mail might question the
word “timely.”
In any event, I find myself doing a fair
amount of (I hope) gentle nagging to get
materials for the magazine. I would like
to take this opportunity to thank those
authors and members of the editorial team
who have put up with my nagging with good
grace. You have provided the Journal with
educational and entertaining articles. At
one point, I thought to hand write a thankyou note to every author, but that died a
quick death in the face of practicality. So
I will thank you all very publicly on behalf
of myself and the general readership. I
have been receiving compliments about
the content of the magazine, and these I
pass immediately on to my hard-working
authors and faithful editorial team. In
particular, I would like to recognize the
efforts of contributing editor Ken Jacobsen,
who finds time to write articles, choose
the cover photos, and collate new hybrid
registrations and CSA awards.
Now just a word for those of you with
whom I am in “mid nag,” so to speak. Where
is the article you promised me?
As always, I welcome questions,
concerns and comments regarding the
Journal. Readers also can contact me with
questions for the Ask Andy column. I may
be reached via email at [email protected].
Finally, if you are enjoying the CSA
Journal, encourage a friend to sign up as a
CSA member!
Heidi Kirkpatrick, Editor
The Cover Flower
Cymbidium Anna’s Rose ‘Velvet’
(Hot Prime x Boleyn)
Bronze Award – 76.33 points Gardena Show Feb. 19, 2005
Owner: Don Shigaki Photographer: Charles Rowden
It is amazing what difference one parent can make, and what difference one plant versus
another from the same seed pod can make. This month we have another offspring of
Cymbidium Hot Prime as our cover flower. Where last month’s flower was an intense
red, Cymbidium Anna’s Rose ‘Velvet’ is a very pleasing blush with pale pink markings. The broad red band on the lip and the pink column provide a great central focus to
this flower, and contrast very well with the sepals and petals. While it is true that there
have been quite a few blush and light pink cymbidiums over time, a truly good one like
Cymbidium Anna’s Rose ‘Velvet’ is always a pleasure to behold.
The President’s Page
W
ell, we made it through the
winter and our growing season is
well under way! Our plants here
in Sacramento all survived, but like many of
you, we lost a few flower spikes. This season
allows us to get a new start by repotting
and thinning out the plants that don’t
bloom well or really aren’t good. I still have
a few varieties that were among the ones I
originally collected way back when I was a
novice. Breeding has vastly improved since
then; newer varieties are easier to bloom
and tend to have more flower spikes. I’ve
gotten better at blooming them, too, but I
still have some that have mediocre flowers,
weak spikes, and inconsistent blooming.
Each year I resolve to cull out those
plants, but they have been with me for a
long time, so I don’t do a very good job of
weeding them out. The best I can usually
do is to repot them and keep just a 3-4 bulb
division. In the meantime, more and more
plants creep onto our patio, where they
aren’t allowed. I won’t give a plant away if I
wouldn’t grow it myself. So this year, I am
going to narrow down my collection even
if I have to throw some away. It’s tempting
to take them to our cymbidium society
branch meetings and donate them to the
members, but donating culled plants is a
bad practice and would probably result in
fewer members.
Does any of this sound familiar to you?
If you have any ideas of how we can keep
our collection size manageable, please let
me know. You can e-mail me at jdlothrop@
sbcglobal.net. Maybe I can list some of your
suggestions in the next issue.
Next is a short progress report on
CSA. We realized early that one good
way to keep our members and increase
membership is to improve the Journal
and make it more timely. I am happy to
report that our Managing Editor, Heidi
Kirkpatrick, is now producing the Journal
with more color pages, on time, and at a
lower cost. Advertising costs are also lower
now. Hopefully, we have our membership/
subscription list problems resolved, but if
you find any problems, let us know.
Speaking about increasing membership,
community involvement is very important.
If your club is active in the community,
people want to be part of it. The Torrance
branch is involved in many community
activities and I’m sure that has contributed
to their strong membership. With our fairly
new branch, we sign up to participate in
everything offered to the garden clubs
in Sacramento, including presentations at
home and garden shows, garden center
open houses, and special events. That
involvement has resulted in members of
other clubs deciding to also join ours.
A recent event at the Sacramento
Zoo, called Bloomin’ Crazy, brought many
of the garden clubs together on a Saturday
to interact with the public. As a result, we
not only gave instruction in cymbidium
growing and recruited some new members,
but the Zoo’s horticulturist has asked us to
help plan a permanent cymbidium exhibit
at the park. We agreed to donate the
plants, and feel that will be another step
toward our club being recognized as a
valued part of the community. The point
is, we should all look for opportunities to
help our communities.
So, until the next issue, enjoy the
season!
Jim Lothrop, President
The Influence of Commercialism on
Cymbidium Judging
By Mark Dawe
Taken from a talk at the CSA New Zealand Branch
Winter Seminar, May 20, 2006
Mark began by dressing himself in his protective
full spray suit, complete with hood, face mask,
and ventilator.
of a plant would increase its value, the duty
of a judge, “to refrain from judging any
plants or flowers in which they may have
any present or prospective ownership,” is
important to protect the integrity of our
judging system from any negative influence
of commercialism. This is taken slightly
further under our rules on judging ethics,
whereby all personnel who are part of the
judging team should “disqualify themselves
from judging any plant, flower or exhibit
with which they have any relationship that
might be construed as interference with
impartiality or as a conflict of interest.”
This could be interpreted to include, for
instance, having bred the plant in question.
(Actually, having observed some of the
interpersonal and group politics within the
orchid judging community over a number
of years, it is a sad fact that a strict
interpretation of this rule could preclude
some people judging each others plants as
well as their own.) Such rules can cause
a slight difficulty within a small judging
group such as our own, especially in show
bench judging, where occasionally the call
goes out, “Does anyone in the room not
have a plant entered in Class 1?”
Secondly, I looked at the influence
of commercialism on an individual level.
I have used myself as a case study on
the possible influence of my commercial
grower background on the way I approach
cymbidium judging.
I find when I attend an orchid show
that I walk around the show at least twice.
The first time as a CSA judge I look at
T
his is me dressed in the uniform
of a commercial cut flower orchid
grower. If you will just bear with
me as I get it off, but we will return to
the spray suit at intervals throughout my
talk. The label on the suit says that it is
made of Breathalon material but I find if I
wear it for any length of time I get sweaty
and start to smell like a mouse cage. That
sort of knowledge is something that one
of my daughters refers to as “too much
information.”
I find when I am dressed up like that
for spraying that I have time for a lot
of thinking. Often when spraying in the
summer I get very hot, my goggles fog up,
and I’m surrounded by a mist of poisonous
chemicals and my thoughts run along the
lines of, “Tell me again why I want to be an
orchid grower?”
Since speaking with Ross a few weeks
ago I have spent some spray days thinking
about this talk. My mind has run along lines
slightly different to that advertised in the
programme for today, and I would like to
share with you my thoughts on the subject
of “The Influence of Commercialism on
Cymbidium Judging.”
I have approached the subject of my
talk from a number of different directions,
the first of which is the influence of
commercialism on cymbidium judging on an
ethical level. Assuming that the awarding
flowers and think, “I would like to judge
For instance the re-flexing or turning
that.” The second time round I’m wearing
in of the ventral sepals or petals and
my spray suit, metaphorically at least; I
similar distortions of the lip are considered
look at plants and occasionally see one
undesirable both under our judging rules
that makes me think, “I would like to have
and in the cut flower market place.
that.”
The one area of cymbidium judging
So how do I, and to what extent do I
where my commercial background may
need to, keep the two of me separate?
colour my thinking is that of colour
itself. As a flower grower I greatly favour
Looking at the CSA judging criteria for
standard cymbidiums from the perspective
what our judging rules call “bright, fresh
of a commercial grower gives me no
glistening colours.” And while “markings,
problems from the perspective of a CSA
stripes, veins and shading” are not usually
judge. Size, floriferousness, spike habit and
wanted in the cut flower market place,
flower arrangement, and, substance and
when they are “definite, distinctive and
texture each receive a maximum of 7
evenly distributed so as to enhance the
points.
colour appearance
Size, at least
of the flower,” I can
as in the sense of Many of the shape faults
appreciate them as
the bigger the bet- we consider a problem
a Judge.
ter, is not a factor
An
export
considered all that as judges
orchid box has space
important in a cut are also not wanted to write the number
flower orchid. With
of spikes of each
export orchids there in cut flowers.
of the four colours
are very few markets
white, pink, green,
that actually ask for
and yellow. Flowers
larger flowers. The way that flower size is
that fall outside these defined colours usuimportant to me as a commercial grower
ally have limited markets, but browns, reds,
is in having a collection of varieties that
oranges and other unusual colours can
produce flowers of similar size. A good box
attract high prices in the right place. I perof export orchids will have well matched
sonally like these colours both as a Judge
flowers of the same size. Obviously this is
and as a commercial grower. We have a
most easily achieved if the entire collecsmall area of a greenhouse devoted to such
tion is of varieties that produce medium
plants. I certainly find myself gravitating to
size flowers. Nonetheless the fact that our
those colour classes in shows.
judging criteria state that “large individual
Many years ago Bill van der Linden
flower size” is a “desirable characteristic
was asked by another grower, “What colour
for the category of Standard Cymbidiums”
is this, Bill?” His reply was, “What colour
is hardly a point of difference that would
would you like it to be?” In those days, a
make it hard for me to be objective.
flower that looked pink when next to a
Large flower counts and tall spikes of
good white or white when next to a dark
well displayed flowers with good substance
pink was considered to be quite useful. This
are certainly desirable to both Judge Me
is no longer the case. A flower colour needs
and Flower Grower Me.
to be white, pink, green, yellow or one of
While roundness of shape is not
the darker shades that can be marketed
considered as important in a commercial
as autumn tones, etc. Our award standards
flower as a show-bench one, many of the
state that “the colour of the flower should be
shape faults we consider a problem as
definite and attractive.” I personally put a lot
judges are also not wanted in cut flowers.
of emphasis on the word “definite.”
The one area of colour where I
have no doubt that a judge like Ray could
personally need to be careful when judging
put aside his personal preference and vote
is in looking at flowers that fall between
for the better flower. No matter how much
the four “real” colours. These are the
it may have hurt.
flowers that turn up in our shows in classes
Especially in award judging, I am able
for “white and near white.” Blush and
to put aside this prejudice and judge any
cream and colours that are wishy-washy
flower on its merits. In a colour class I will
by definition are ones that I need to be
admit to preferring a white to a near white,
particularly careful about. One other inespecially when some exhibitors somewhat
between colour that does not appear to
stretch the definition of “near.”
have any home in most show schedules
Next, I considered the influence of
is “grellow.” These can be quite intense
commercialism on how we as a judging
colours, not necessarily wishy-washy but
panel look at cymbidiums.
definitely wishy (as
Many
years
in I wish I could tell
ago, right back at
what colour that “Grellows” can be
the beginning of the
was).
Cymbidium Society
Trainees and quite intense colours,
in New Zealand, we
associate judges: not necessarily wishy-washy
had a field day at
What colour would
Andy Easton’s propyou say this suit but definitely wishy
erty in Rotorua. In
is? Judges? When I (as in I wish I could tell
fact, I think this
bought it the label
was even before we
said, “Breathalon what colour that was).
became a branch of
spray suit, Green.”
the CSA and were
To me it is
looking at forming
definitely a poor shade of yellow, but is
the Cymbidium Society of Australasia. I
much worse as a shade of green.
remember sitting around his dining table
I do actually have one plant of what I
and discussing the possibility of creatconsider an attractive grellow at home in
ing a commercial award. I recall that we
my “pets” collection, but I have been asked
got as far as coming up with a name for
by my exporter not to put it in boxes going
such an award—the Award of Commercial
to Japan.
Excellence. ACE had such a nice ring to
To have such a liking or disliking of a
it. Nothing seemed to come of it, possibly
particular colour or any other part of the
as a result of becoming part of the larger
judging criteria really should only become
CSA group.
a problem if the Judge does not actually
But really should we be even trying to
recognise that they have it. To have a
judge cymbidiums in relation to commercial
preference for one colour over another is
criteria? Our system of award judging is
not exactly rare and is recognized in our
based on theoretical perfection and how
Principles of Award Judging. “Care must be
close to that any particular plant appears.
used to avoid a Judge’s colour preferences
Our judging criteria for novelty and
or prejudices from influencing his colour
miniature cymbidiums both relate to the
appraisal.”
judging of an entire plant. In both cases an
I am sure that in Ray Dix’s judging
awarded plant should make a very good pot
career there must have been occasions
plant. Whether or not it would necessarily
when a trophy came down to a choice
be commercially viable in the pot plant
between a red and a white for instance.
trade will depend on factors such as ease of
And unfortunately the white was better. I
growth, speed of growth to first flowering
10
and even flowering time in relation to
any particular marketing considerations
(Mothers day, et cetera).
Most of the judging criteria for
standard cymbidiums are also useful in
assessing either a potential pot plant or cut
flower cymbidium. As for miniature and
novelty cymbidiums, the true potential for
commercial success is determined by other
plant traits that our judging system does
not consider.
I recently came across a list of some
of the orchid varieties being exported to
Japan as graded by importers, employees
of importers, auctioneers, overseas florists
and designers. Some of the criteria by
which they graded the varieties parallel
some of our judging criteria.
The Japanese preferred the shape of
the flower to be rounded, but other shapes
are acceptable. We recognise three basic
shapes—round, oval and star.
The Japanese not only prefer clear
bright colours but also say the colour
should appeal to the fashion and season at
the time it is made available.
In Japan a strong stem is highly
important to the buyer. Our award criteria
refer to flower arrangement and how well
the flowers are displayed more than to
actual strength, but under the principles
of award judging we state that the spike
should be sufficiently strong to support the
inflorescence with a minimum of artificial
support. Obviously spike strength is even
more important with cut spikes where
even a minimum of support can be both
difficult to achieve and look intrusive.
We have been told that the thickness of
the stem is often used as a quick method
of assessing potetial for strength, with a
consequent preference for thicker stems.
The Japanese refer to spikes that are a bit
soft as bowing to the buyers at an auction.
This is on occasion when such courtesy is
not appreciated.
Other factors considered important to
the Japanese market go outside our judging
criteria.
The longer the vase life of the variety
the higher the grade given. Vase life can
be measured relatively easily, but not at an
orchid show.
The Japanese market values consistency
of supply. The longer a variety is on the
market the higher the grade. Some varieties
open all their flowers at once and have a
naturally shorter season than others that
develop over a longer period. As well as the
length of the flower season for a variety,
timing can be influenced by being grown
in different environments and by different
growers. While some idea of flowering
spread can be seen from the range of
spike and flower development apparent
on any plant, consistency of supply can
only be measured after a variety is in full
production. To truly rate a variety as an
ACE orchid would require the judging
group to come back to us when you have
1000 plants in production and have already
sold the variety on several other growers!
Cut flower growers in New Zealand
have a huge variation in growing
conditions, and many varieties that will
do well for some growers will be a disaster
for others. Knowing this, and a bit about
grower politics, etc., I would say that any
attempt by a group such as ourselves to
rate the commercial potential of an orchid
variety would not only be pointless but also
unwelcomed by many in the industry.
Lastly, I have considered whether
commercialism has influenced the flowers
we get to look at.
Back in the 1980s a number of
commercial flower growers were regular
exhibitors at orchid shows. The likes of Jill
and Ian McEwen, and Murray Anderson
would arrive at the hall with a van full of
large specimen plants for display. Gronwall
and Dawe Orchids was also a regular
exhibitor at this time. For us it made good
sense at the time to be on display like that
as we were doing a lot more business in
pot plants than cut flowers. While some
of the plants may not have been the latest
varieties, these commercial flower growers
11
won their share of prizes, and certainly
did more than their share in making the
hall look impressively full. It is very much
a commercial influence that has led to
the greatly reduced participation of such
growers. The sorts of plants they were
bringing in to the shows had flowers worth
far more than any of the prize money
that they could possibly win. Frequently
these flowers were no longer exportable
after a show. New Zealand orchid societies
will never be able to attract the large
sponsorship that would be required to
make prize money a part of a commercial
grower’s income. It is only those growers
who consider orchids as their hobby as well
as their business that can be expected to
be seen exhibiting in the future. For me
personally, my greatly reduced participation
in shows has been caused more by the time
restraints of running a business than any
lack of desire.
Often the most interesting plants that
we get to judge in orchid shows are the new
seedlings. A continuing supply of these
obviously depends on the orchid enthusiasts
that participate in shows having access to
ongoing breeding programmes.
The Australian orchid scene appears
still to be dominated by commercial pot
plant producers. A number of these have
very active breeding programmes that also
sell flasks and seedlings to enthusiasts. The
requirements of these commercial growers
is for plants of a quality that is at least
near award standard, and these breeding
programmes will be a continuing source of
plants to be seen in shows.
The commercial orchid scene in New
Zealand is greatly dominated by export cut
flower growers. While a number of these
cut flower growers have active breeding
programmes, the results tend to be tightly
held.
There are a few large scale breeding
programmes in New Zealand that do sell
flasks and plants. To be commercially viable
these breeders often actually sell more
flasks overseas than they do at home.
Ross, when you make crosses who is
your target market? Are you trying to breed
plants that will be wanted by commercial
growers? How important is award potential
when you are making crosses? Roy?
The other major source of seedlings
for display is the breeding programmes
of orchid enthusiasts. While these
programmes may vary greatly in quality
and scope, some members of this society
have certainly shown themselves capable
of breeding award quality plants.
Over the last few years many
horticultural societies have struggled to
maintain membership. Certainly within
New Zealand the orchid societies tend to
have an aging membership. The judging
of orchids is an integral part of any orchid
society and commercial considerations will
always have some impact on whose orchids
we judge, we get to judge, and how we judge
orchids. The challenge for ours and other
societies is to ensure that those influences
of commercialism that may be considered
negative do not impact on the continuing
strength of the society.
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12
Ask Andy
A question and answer forum with answers
provided by Andy Easton
Question:
plants clean. never reuse pots, and never cut
live plant tissue with anything which has
not been flamed or dipped in Chlorox for
at least 20 seconds and which is free of any
plant tissue residue. Generally seedlings are
more likely to be clean but even then, if the
hybridizer is casual or ignorant and uses a
virused plant as the pod parent, green pod
sowing will almost certainly spread virus to
the seedling flask population. It is OK to
make pods on virused plants; just be sure
you let the pods ripen and sow dry seed.
Your friendly lab will charge you more for
this and in the absence of anything
scientifically definitive, do not use pollen
from a known virused plant to make a seed
pod on a healthy one. You cannot be too
careful when it comes to orchid viruses.
There was a great old Scottish saying: “For
want of a half penny’s worth of tar, the
ship was lost.” Transposing it to modern
day cymbidium growing I caution you that
for the want of a $20 gas bottle and torch,
many $100 orchids are lost to virus.
~ Andy Easton, January 9, 2007
Is there an effective method for the
hobbyist to test for viruses?
~ David Thurber
Answer:
This is not as easy to answer as you
might think. I understand that Agdia is
about to intoduce individual test strips that
will test for the two most common virueses
in orchids: Odontoglossum Ringspot Virus
and Cymbidium Mosaic Virus. Folks will
have to follow the instructions carefully to
get an accurate reading. They will be costly
and for that reason alone, it may be easier
and less costly just to send leaf samples
from suspect plants to Critter Creek
Laboratories. Their website is http://www.
crittercreeklabs.com/ and they are excellent
people to deal with.
When I studied orchid viruses last
century(!) in The Netherlands, my teacher
was quite adamant that he could find
evidence of virus in every orchid he looked
at under the electron microscope. Many
virologists thought he was nuts but time
has proved him to be right. Even today, we
don’t know why the titer of virus particles
explodes in some plants and not in others
but it is quite common to read virus
analyses where the operator says fewer than
a certain low number of virus particles were
observed in the field of view. It is my
personal view that major virus problems
occur when both the major culprits are
present, sort of a situation where one and
one equals three!
Anyway, the best thing is to keep your
If you would like to submit a question to
Andy Easton, it can be emailed to hkorchid@cox.
net with “CSA Journal Question” as the subject.
Questions may be submitted by regular mail to Heidi
Kirkpatrick, CSA Journal Editor, 2687 Dorking Place,
Santa Barbara, CA 93105. Questions are chosen for
publication at the discretion of the editorial team.
Answers are provided by Andy Easton and do not
necessarily represent the views of the CSA or the
Journal editorial team.
Andy Easton has been a professional orchid
grower since 1973. He specializes in cymbidiums and
the odontoglossum alliance. Andy is a partner in New
Horizon Orchids and a judge for both the Cymbidium
Society of America and the American Orchid Society.
13
I Was Thinking…
By Andy Easton
Names
sleeve. Damage is inevitable and, based on
my observations, it is the kiss of death for
So many orchids are sold in bloom
most supermarket buyers. Interestingly, in
today without a name that one must
the time I was watching, no-one, man or
wonder just how important names are to
woman, looked for a plant label on any of
all but the enthusiasts. In fact, it may come
the orchids they were considering.
as a surprise to some readers that a name
Where is all this leading you may ask?
is of little concern to the typical Costco or
I believe that the general orchid buying
Trader Joe’s shopper. I spent an interesting
public is becoming much more discerning
hour just before Valentine’s Day at the
of late. They know which orchids are in
Goleta, California,
good condition and
Trader Joe’s watching
which plants reprecustomers examine The old orchid world
sent good buys. At
the orchids and is gone forever.
shows when jobbers
select which one they
try to foist hugely
Enthusiasts …still have
wished to purchase.
overpriced plants, say
Men generally an opportunity to buy
of pendulous clones
made a cursory survey
like Cym. Dorothy
and seldom picked up new seedlings from Stockstill ‘Forgotten
more than the one a few traditional nurseries
Fruit’ on the public,
plant they would
end up taking
that are weathering the storm they
purchase. Most never
most of them home
looked at the price of mass-produced again. This is not a
either. From that
bad thing!
pot plant orchids.
one could deduce
The old orchid
that they were very
world is gone forever.
familiar with the plant prices or more
That may be sad but it is a fact. Enthusiasts
likely, they were not greatly concerned
should appreciate that they have an opporabout them.
tunity still to buy new seedlings and excluWomen on the other hand spent
sive new meristems from a few traditional
considerably more time looking over the
nurseries that are weathering the storm of
plants, lifting up a selection before deciding
mass-produced pot plant orchids.
on their purchase. Many looked at the price
sticker also. They were quite unforgiving of
Cymbidium Societies
broken spike tips and badly mashed flowers
I don’t have to tell you that there
and quickly discarded those plants. I fail to
is an amazingly wide variation between
see the logic of shipping orchids where a big
the various branches of the CSA. Some
portion of the spike is outside the protective
14
Websites
are thriving and some are dying. I don’t
really think that it has as much to do with
the orchid scene as the people who are
in a position of influence in the various
branches.
When you have an enthusiastic
team of officeholders, serving with the
membership’s best interests at heart, you
will have a vibrant group. When you have
some loser as President and a few of their
cronies as a supporting lineup, you will
have a moribund society which will be
unattractive to cymbidium enthusiasts and
visiting speakers alike.
One of the worst scenarios is when
little cliques take over various CSA
activities and individuals interpret the
rules which have been established over the
past 60 years. I see this happen all the time
in judging where failed orchidists go on
their little power trips. It doesn’t carry any
weight with me nor with any of the other
senior judges who have been grounded in
the Hudlow school of cymbidium judging.
I am never in favor of lowering standards
to provide feel-good awards for marginal
plants. But way too many awardable plants
get passed over because some dominating
figure tries to buffalo their fellow judges.
I remember well the words of a great
judge of yesteryear. He said, judging is an
exercise where we look for special beauty
in orchids and if it is there, we see that it
is recognized!
There is a revitalization of the CSA
occurring at present with the magazine,
the wider reach into Northern California
and new faces at the Board Meetings. It is
a positive sign for our group.
It’s easy for me to say it because I don’t
have one but so many websites present such
a negative image of the orchid company
that they are supposed to be a storefront for.
I know they must take constant attention
(like keeping your plants weed-free!) but
why start one if it is quickly out of date and
useless?
Recently I went to a minor Southern
Californian competitor’s website. My first
step is always to check the gallery just
like those folk who go the saucier sites on
the Internet! What I found was a lineup
of second rate orchids, some appearing
up to three times as if once was not
enough. We used to say that we could not
understand why someone would waste slide
film photographing such a mediocre plant
but I am not sure what people say now. It
reminded me of Ned Nash’s great comment
at judging when someone would intone,
“How much is this plant worth?” and he
would reply, “About $12.50!”
Now I was really curious to see whether
any of the rubbish pictured had been used
in crossing (note I don’t say hybridizing)
so I went to see what was available for sale
and came up with a blank page. Now this
is the kicker. Any operation that isn’t fully
stocked and ready to go in the main orchid
show season is just not a player in the game.
Maybe they should quit playing at being in
the orchid business and get a job delivering
the mail!
Andy Easton
Feb 13, 2007
MOVING?
Keep your CSA Journal coming to you without delay.
Write or email your new address to:
Clara Moura, Membership Secretary,
1742 Grove Way, Castro Valley, CA 94546
[email protected]
15
2006 Golden Gate Cymbidium
Society Show
By Rita Pascoe
Photos by Angelic Nguyen
T
his year was our 17th annual
Cymbidium show and I am pleased
to report that each year has been
an improvement over the previous year. By
the time for judging on Friday evening, the
show room was filled with amazing plants.
Our public visitors on Saturday and Sunday
commended us on the displays.
The first thing visitors see upon
entering the show room is a large themed
display. Each of our commercial vendors
is required to set up a table display in
accordance with the show theme. The best
themed commercial display is awarded a
ribbon; this year’s winner was Orchids by
Neal, owner Neal Tadlock.
Our Best of Show and Founder’s
Trophy Awards went to Cym. Ruby Eyes
‘Red Baron’, owned by Rose Jacchico. This
large plant impressed the judges with its
number of spikes.
The Best White Cymbidium went to
Cym. Sarah Jean ‘Pearl Falls’, owned by
Aida Lacson. Cym. Narela ‘Jennifer Gail’,
owned by Paul Wentrcek, was awarded
Best Pink Cymbidium.
The Golden Gate Cymbidium Society
also recognizes paphiopedilums and
phragmipediums with a Best Cypripedium
Alliance trophy. This award went to
Loretta Rodriquez’s plant of Paphiopedilum
Vista Del Oro.
The Golden Gate Cymbidium Society
acknowledges the efforts of growers of
differing experience levels. Winner in the
Best Novice category was Kathi Ames
with her plant of Cym. Pauwelsii. Loretta
Rodriquez’s plant of Cym. Valley of Death
earned her a Best Intermediate award.
And Rose Jacchico won in the Best
Advanced category with Cym. Ruby Eyes
‘Red Baron’.
The cut flower arrangement classes are
increasingly popular in our annual show.
Our Cymbidium Floral category consists of
three classes: Show Theme; Fantasy; and
Corsages. Floral arrangements encourage
members to show off their orchids in
another way. This year’s Show Theme
winner was a very proud Mel Moura.
Two years ago, the Golden Gate
Cymbidium Society added a new category
to our show judging classes. This new
class is the orchid related Artistic Display.
Entries can be paintings, photos, ceramics,
or other artistic media with orchid subjects.
This year’s winner was an oil painting by a
new member, Shirly Nagy.
Our April 6-7, 2007 show theme will
be, “Orchids, A Field of Dreams.” We are
looking forward to another great year.
As a final note, we at the Golden Gate
Cymbidium Society would like to encourage
members at our show and exhibitors at other
shows to enter their plants for CSA judging.
Fine plants may go overlooked because their
owners are too shy to enter their plants for
judging. Support the CSA judging system
and enter your quality plants for judging.
You may be pleasantly surprised!
Rita Pascoe received her first orchid as a gift
45 years ago and has divided it so many times since
that she has lost count. She currently maintains a
collection of about 700 plants. In addition to her
involvement in her local society, Rita is the CSA
corporate secretary.
16
Cym. Narela ‘Jennifer Gail’ HCC/AOS
Cym. Burgundian ‘Sydney’ AM/AOS
Cym. Ruby Pendant ‘Anisa’
Cym. Nine Half ‘Charmant’
Cym. Lucky Shamrock ‘Green Glen’ B/CSA, HCC/AOS
Cym. Valley of Death
17
2007 Peninsula Society
Orchid Show
Text and Photos by Kenneth P. Jacobsen, Ph.D.
2
007 started with one of the coldest
Januarys in memory, and the effect of
the cold weather on blooming orchids
on the San Francisco Bay peninsula wasn’t
good. For all orchid lovers in Northern
California it was very fortunate indeed that
the annual Peninsula Orchid Society show
and sale took place on January 5, 6 and 7,
which was before the cold weather. In fact,
the weather for the weekend was beautiful
for January, and the number and quality of
the orchids “rounded up” (the show theme
was “Orchid Roundup”) for the show were
both outstanding.
Perhaps because of the cold, then
hot, then cold again weather in November
and December, cymbidiums were a little
later than usual, and there weren’t a large
number of cymbidiums displayed at the
Cym. Icho Tower ‘Trinity’ S/CSA, AM/AOS
Exhibitor: Weegie Caughlan
Cym. Tracey Doll ‘Cinnabar’ B/CSA
Exhibitor: Weegie Caughlan
Cym. iridioides
Exhibitor: Anna Chai
18
show. Of course, there were cymbidiums
entered by dependable cymbidium fanatics
in the Bay area. Paul and Phyllis Chim of
May On Orchids had a display with several
well-grown and well-bloomed cymbidiums,
including a great example of Cym. erythraeum
which was awarded as the best cymbidium
entered by a commercial grower. Weegie
Caughlan brought in several of her always
well-bloomed and well-presented plants,
including the intermediate Cym. Tracey
Doll ‘Cinnabar’. She also had the best
cymbidium entered by an advanced grower,
which was the classic yellow standard from
the Eric Young Orchid Foundation, Cym.
Icho Tower ‘Trinity’. The best cymbidium
entered by an intermediate grower was
Cym. Alcor ‘Embers’, displayed by Angelic
Nguyen, and the winner of the award for
the best cymbidium grown by a novice was
Cym. Nut ‘Taida’ entered by Kathi Ames.
Of course, there were other cymbidiums
worthy of mention in the show. These
included an example of the light-colored
Cym. canaliculatum ‘Alice’ entered by
Angelic Nguyen, the lightly spotted Cym.
Joanne Alexis ‘Jim’s Gift’ brought in by
Carl Jukkola, and a good example of Cym.
tracyanum displayed by Dennis Olivas of
D&D Orchids. As mentioned before, the
number of cymbidiums entered wasn’t
large, but these plants are representative
of the quality of the plants that did make
it to the show.
Cym. Alcor ‘Embers’ B/CSA
Exhibitor: Angelic Nguyen
Cym. Joanne Alexis ‘Jim’s Gift’
Exhibitor: Carl Jukkola
Cym. tracyanum
Exhibitor: D&D Orchids
19
Paph. venustum album
Paph. Maudiae ‘The Queen’ S/CSA, AM/AOS
Exhibitor: Japheth Ko
Paph. gratrixianum
Exhibitor: White Oak Orchids
Paph. (Makuli x Hsinying Maru)
Exhibitor: Boomer’s Orchid Ark
Paph. Fanaticum ‘Hae Jong’
For a small show, the variety of
paphiopedilums was quite impressive.
Starting with a display composed largely
of paphs entered by Terry and Margaret
Boomer of Boomer’s Orchid Ark, paphs were
visible in almost every display. Although
Terry and Margaret didn’t get a trophy for
their paphs, a couple seedlings of Paph.
(Makuli x Hsinying Maru) demonstrated
the wide range possible within a seedling
population, and their Paph. charlesworthii
demonstrated the grace and beauty of this
species. Another eye-catching entry was
a fine Paph. venustum var. album entered
by Anna Chai. This plant not only had
high quality flowers, but also showed
exceptional culture. The honor of the best
20
Pot. Circle Spirit ‘Wide World’ AM/AOS
Exhibitor: Amy & Ken Jacobsen
L. anceps var. veitchiana ‘Tamara’
Exhibitor: D&D Orchids
paphiopedilum in the open class went to
Tom Perlite of Golden Gate Orchids. This
is a plant we’ve seen before in the Bay
area, since it received a CCM at the San
Francisco Orchid Show in 2005. Japheth
Ko won the trophy for the best advanced
paphiopedilum with his Paph. Maudiae
‘The Queen’, and the best intermediate
paph, Paph. Sophomore ‘#1’, went to
Rene Biggs. Finally, the award for the best
novice paphiopedilum went to Cordellia
Wong who entered a fine example of Paph.
armeniacum. The best first-bloom seedling
of the show was also a paphiopedilum,
specifically Paph. gratrixianum entered by
Diana Gross.
A large number of other cool growing
genera were also present. Since early January
is the peak of L. anceps season in Northern
California, several excellent examples of
L. anceps could be seen. Dennis Olivas
displayed a great veitchiana form in L.
anceps var. veitchiana ‘Tamara’. This same
blooming had just received an award of
merit from the American Orchid Society
a few days before the start of the Peninsula
Show. My wife, Amy, and I also showed
some fine examples of the typical L. anceps
coloration with ‘Ultimo’, ‘Mari’ and ‘Exeter’.
Of course, many Masdevallias were in
evidence, ranging from Masd. ignea entered
Slc. Wendy’s Redstone ‘Carmela’ HCC/AOS
Exhibitor: Kreg Martin
by Dan Newman of Hanging Gardens and
Masd. pallida entered by Ginette Sanchou
in the realm of species, through hybrids
like Masd. Highland Monarch ‘Sheila’
entered by Japheth Ko. Even an example of
Pterostlyis nutans was in evidence.
Of course, even in winter, warmgrowing genera bloom, and some excellent
examples of these were also in evidence.
Quite a few vandas and ascocendas were on
display including Ascda. Barbara Havernick
‘Crownfox’ brought in by Japheth Ko. In the
cattleya alliance there were several great
entries, including Slc. Wendy’s Redstone
‘Carmela’ entered by Kreg Martin. This
warm grower was good enough that even in
a region known for cool growers, it received
best in show.
The Peninsula Orchid Show isn’t
21
Ida fimbriata
Exhibitor: Hanging Gardens
Phrag. Sorcerer’s Apprentice
Exhibitor: White Oak Orchids
well, with each showing excellent examples
of the genera for which they are known.
Amy and I managed to assemble the best
amateur display and received the Orchid
Digest Bronze Medal for it.
Although there were no CSA awards
granted at the show since cymbidiums came
into full strength in Northern California
well after this show, there were four AOS
awards. Dan Newman of Hanging Gardens
entered a Maxillaria shunkeana which
received an award of merit of 83 points.
Amy and I also received an award of merit
of 83 points on our Slc. Circle Spirit ‘Wide
World’. This is one of the great recent
crosses made and registered by Frank
Fordyce over the past few years, and is an
indicator of where this line of breeding,
based on Lc. Culminant and S. coccinea,
will lead. It would be an unusual show
in Northern California if Tom Perlite of
Golden Gate Orchids did not get an award
on one of his plants. He didn’t disappoint,
as his Oda. (St. Clement x Robert Dugger)
was the third award of merit for this event,
Ida fimbriata, plant habit
Exhibitor: Hanging Gardens
known as much for displays as for the
individual plant entries, but the available
displays were of very high quality. The
Bronze Show Medal from the American
Orchid Society went to Golden Gate
Orchids; Tom Perlite provided an example
of the wide variety of cool growing genera,
all of excellent quality, for which he is
known. This display also won the award
for the best interpretation of the show
theme and contained the best specimen of
the show, Dendrochilum tenellum. All the
other commercial displays were excellent as
22
Onc. forbesii
Cym. Yai ‘Monica’ AM/AOS
Exhibitor: Amy and Ken Jacobsen
getting a score of 80 points. Rounding out
the awards, Anna Chai entered a spotless
example of Cym. iridioides (giganteum)
on which she received a certificate of
horticultural merit of 81 points.
The Peninsula Orchid show started
the new orchid season in great style, and
ended the winter orchid show doldrums
as well as any show can. Considering the
extremely cold weather that followed on
the heels of this show, in retrospect the
quality of the show is doubly appreciated.
In you happen to be in the San Francisco
Bay area the first weekend of 2008, make
a point of visiting this show – you won’t
regret it!
Cym. erythraeum
Exhibitor: May On Orchids
Ken Jacobsen has grown cymbidiums and
other genera for well over 35 years and has
been doing his own hybridizing for the past 15
years. He is a judge for the Cymbidium Society
of America and a past editor of the CSA
Journal. Ken is also a probationary judge with
the American Orchid Society.
Paph. armeniacum
Exhibitor: Corene Wong
23
Ten Favorite Cymbidiums:
A Chat with George Hatfield
By Heidi Kirkpatrick
W
hen I first began growing orchids,
I would attend a show and be
completely overwhelmed by the
variety of plants presented by the vendors.
How could I possibly pick a worthy plant
when there were so many that looked
wonderful? The best option, of course, was
to ask someone more informed than myself.
Sometimes I would discreetly watch what the
experts were buying; I was borrowing their
taste in orchids until I developed my own.
I still find it educational to study the
tastes of respected orchid growers. Often,
expert growers and hybridizers recognize
special qualities in plants that are not
immediately obvious to the average grower
perusing an orchid show. Perception of
beauty can be very personal, but most
experts have very cogent and persuasive
reasons for describing a plant as a favorite.
In my quest to discover which cymbidiums
find favor in the cymbidium community, I
recently caught up with George Hatfield
and encouraged him to list his top ten
cymbidiums. George is a past president
of the Cymbidium Society of America,
a judge for both the Cymbidium Society
of America and the American Orchid
Society, and chair of the Santa Barbara
judging region of the Cymbidium Society
of America. He is the owner of Hatfield
Orchids, which specializes in cymbidiums.
In listing his favorite cymbidiums,
George noted that the beauty of the flower
is not the only criterion determining
whether a plant makes it onto the list. He
also looks for cymbidiums that grow well
and are easy to bloom. Plants that do not
perform are not rewarding, no matter how
beautiful the flower. George noted that
easily grown and bloomed cymbidiums are
particularly important for novices, who are
encouraged in the hobby when the plant
they purchased gives them a nice spike of
flowers.
Photo courtesy Charles Rowden
Cym. Mae West
Cym. Mighty Sunset x Cym. Karen Easton
George’s list began with striking
color. This standard cymbidium could be
Cym. Mae West ‘Geyserland’
24
considered the brightest orange to date.
Said George, it’s the “most intensely colored
orange known. Period.” This namesake of
the voluptuous movie star is definitely of
exhibition quality. Three clones from the
grex have garnered Cymbidium Society of
America awards.
Photo courtesy George Hatfield
Cym. Hazel Tyers
Cym. Sussex Dawn x Cym. Cariga
In George’s opinion, Cym. Hazel
Tyers has everything a great orchid should
have. Not only is it easy to grow and
free blooming, but it has proven itself
to be a great parent, with a number of
award-winning progeny. As an example
of this quality, Cym. Hazel Tyers is the
mother of a past Grand Champion at
the Santa Barbara International Orchid
Show. George considers Cym. Hazel Tyers
to be one of the best of the modern pink
standard cymbidiums. Hazel Tyers was the
mayor of Cape Town.
Cym. Dorothy Stockstill ‘Forgotten Fruit’ B/CSA, HCC/AOS
Photo courtesy CSA Archives
Cym. Dorothy Stockstill
Cym. Phar Lap x Cym. Miss Muffet
George called this favorite one of the
most freely blooming pendent cymbidiums.
It is also one of the most cloned cymbidiums.
He noted that it is hard to complain about
a plant that is easy to bloom and produces a
large number of beautifully colored flowers.
In addition, this hybrid is wonderful to
grow to specimen size.
Cym. Dorothy Stockstill has proven
itself by winning a number of awards.
About 25% of cultural awards given to
pendulous cymbidiums have gone to
Cym. Hazel Tyers ‘Santa Maria’
25
plants of Cym. Dorothy Stockstill. His
own specimen plant earned him a Grand
Champion award in 1999 with 39 spikes.
Cym. Dorothy Stockstill was named after
the mother of Everett Stockstill, president
of the Torrance Branch of the CSA.
Cym. Kiwi Midnight
Cym. Janet Holland x Cym. Kaiphur
Cym. Kiwi Midnight is on George’s list
of favorites for its color; it is one of the most
intensely dark-colored cymbidiums to date.
The color of this pendant, intermediatesize cymbidium is rich and very attractive,
justifying the use of the word “Midnight”
in its name. George notes that some clones
of this particular hybrid are very popular.
He calls this “a shock and awe orchid.”
Cym. madidum var. album ‘Memoria Mu-Lan Wu’ HCC/AOS
is often sterile — a hybridizing dead end.)
However, Cym. madidum has a number of
attributes that would useful in a parent, so
George expects to see some good hybrids
in the future. In fact, he sees this species
as being one of the few used in hybridizing
into the future.
Cym. Mem. Amelia Earhart
Cym. Hazel Tyers x Cym. devonianum
This daughter of Cym. Hazel Tyers
Cym. Kiwi Midnight ‘Geyserland’ S/CSA, FCC/AOS
Cym. madidum
George considers this species a favorite
because it blooms at a very low point of the
year for cymbidiums. Better yet, it has a
wonderful count of fragrant flowers and is
easy to grow.
George feels that Cym. madidum has
been under-utilized in hybridizing. Perhaps
this was due in part to the fact that the
species was only recently converted to a
tetraploid. (Recall that crossing a diploid
and a tetraploid produces a triploid, which
Cym. Mem. Amelia Earhart ‘New Horizons’
26
also made the top ten list. In fact, George
considers this hybrid to be one of the top
five pendent cymbidiums of all time. Like
its parent, Cym. Mem. Amelia Earhart is
free blooming and easy to grow. There are a
number of wonderful clones of this orangeflowered cymbidium and many have won
awards. The cross itself has been remade a
few times. Amelia Earhart, of course, was
the noted aviator from the early days of
aviation.
Cym. Kirby Lesh
Cym. Pink Champagne x Cym. Red Beauty
Who can argue with a past Santa
Barbara International Orchid Show Grand
Champion? Cym. Kirby Lesh is a spotted
cymbidium that George called “stunning.”
It is easy to grow and free blooming,
with a nice spike habit. Furthermore,
George noted that a lot of good hybrids are
coming from this cross right now, so it may
prove itself to be a worthy parent.
Cym. Frank Kageyama ‘Keiko’ B/CSA
Cym. Frank Kageyama
Cym. George Formby x Cym. Red Beauty
Quite naturally, George placed this
new hybrid to his top ten list; it earned him
a Grand Champion Cymbidium Trophy
at the 2006 Santa Barbara International
Orchid Show. Cym. Frank Kageyama is
easy to grow. George considers this hybrid
to be one of the mostly freely flowering of
spotted cymbidiums. It is easy to bloom
and will do so on relatively small plants.
George notes that Frank Kageyama is a
well respected grower from the Torrance
area.
Cym. Phar Lap
Cym. Flame Hawk x Cym. madidum
This “timeless classic” has intense
coloration in the burgundy and maroon hues
and, for George, is a “stunning, shocking
beauty.” A cross of Cym. madidum by Cym.
Flame Hawk, this perennial favorite is a
parent of another plant or George’s list,
Cym. Dorothy Stockstill.
T he name itself has a rather
Cym. Kirby Lesh ‘Cinnabar’ S/CSA, AM/AOS
27
Cym. Blanche Ames ‘Liz’ HCC/AOS’
Photo of unknown attribution
Cym. Blanche Ames
Cym. One Tree Hill x Cym. Kasuda Shining
T he final cymbidium on George’s
list is also easy to grow and extremely
free blooming. Hatfield noted that this
“flowering machine” can almost kill itself
with flowers; often, growers are best off
breaking the flower spikes to force their
plants to grow. Cym. Blanche Ames is
one of the earliest bloomers of the season
and exhibits very good warmth tolerance.
Hatfield expects it to be a great parent in
future.
Cym. Blanche Ames was named
for the first recipient of the American
Orchid Society Gold Medal. Ames is an
interesting historical figure, known in the
orchid world for her detailed illustrations
on orchids, which she made to support her
husband Oakes Ames’ botanical research
on orchids. Blanche Ames was also a
staunch supporter of the women’s suffrage
movement and an avid inventor. At the age
of 90, she obtained a patent for her design
of a non-polluting toilet. She died in 1969
at the age of 92.
Cym. Phar Lap ‘Yoshie Kage’ S/CSA, AM/AOS
interesting story, one probably unfamiliar
to many Northern Hemisphere readers.
Phar Lap was a racehorse that ran during
the Great Depression. The horse became
an Australian national icon and is often
considered one of the greatest racehorses to
win the Melbourne Cup. In 1932, Phar Lap
was brought to North America to run the
Agua Caliente Handicap, which it won.
Mere weeks later, Phar Lap died suddenly
in mysterious circumstances; there were
rumors of gangster involvement in the
horse’s demise.
28
Recent Trends in
Paphiopedilum Hybridising
By Chris Hubbert
Adapted from a talk at the CSA New Zealand
Branch Winter Seminar, May 20, 2006
I
Photo courtesy Chris Hubbert
must say at the start that I have found
this a very difficult assignment, and at
the end of it I am not at all sure that
I have detected any “trends”. It is more a
rapid overview of hybrid paphiopedilum
breeding over the last 5 years, as evidenced
solely by awards given in the CSA system.
First, may I say that awards may not be
a particularly reliable barometer of “trends!”
There are too many random variables.
Apart from the vagaries of breeding
programmes in the first place —whether
a particular pollination “takes” at all, the
vagaries of ploidy, whether a pod that sets
is actually fertile, whether the pod contents
survive the in vitro process and emerge
as viable seedlings, whether the seedlings
survive and mature into flowering plants
— there are influences due to:
Paph. Alex Szabo ‘No. 7’ S/CSA
(Pavarotti x Ruth Curran)
Owner: Papa Aroha Orchids
A fine example of current paphiopedilum
breeding using Paph. Pavarotti.
it has been and what has been achieved
to date. I compare it with the navigator’s
chart on a ship; it tells you where you’ve
been, but it doesn’t necessarily tell you
what lies ahead. Sure, the navigator may
pencil in an intended course, but the actual
track the vessel takes may for all sorts of
reasons be quite different.
I looked first at registrations in the
Sanders lists over the last two years. I found
a total of some 1150 paphiopedilum hybrid
registrations in that period. Approximately
25% of that number had at least one species
as an immediate parent. My impression
(but without doing any detailed study)
is that this is quite a high proportion
compared with other “main” genera such
as cymbidiums, dendrobiums, cattleyas and
phalaenopsis.
As a matter of interest, I noted that
•the growing seasons and different
conditions in different orchid
houses
•when shows are held and of the
show schedules
• what an owner chooses to exhibit
• the judges themselves
Also consider this thought: What has
slipped through the judges’ fingers? What
did they not consider for scoring? What
did they score as Bronze or HCC, but the
owner did not proceed with the award
because he considered the plant deserved
better?
I don’t think awards necessarily
indicate the direction that hybrid breeding
is going. Rather, they are a record of where
29
Paph. bellatulum ‘Ruby Spot’ Paph. bellatulum is the species most frequently
used in current paphiopedilum breeding.
just 12 paphiopedilum species accounted
for two thirds of that 25%. These were
Paph. bellatulum, recorded 22 times; Paph.
fairrieanum, recorded 20 times; Paph.
delenatii, Paph. micranthum and Paph.
rothschildianum, each appearing 16 times;
Paph. malipoense, Paph. sukhakulii and
Paph. vietnamense, each recorded 13 times;
Paph. armeniacum with 11 registrations;
and Paph. emersonii, Paph. niveum and
Paph. wenshanense, each 10 times. Some
of the more recently discovered species
such as Paph. jackii and Paph. hangianum
are starting to make an appearance, and
no doubt more of the newer species will
make their mark in due course. I guess
one “trend” that does not require rocket
science to predict is that as new species are
discovered, they will make their entrance
into the hybridizing lists.
So much for the Sanders lists. Next
I looked back through the CSA Journal
and other recent orchid magazines,
but found little of direct relevance to
my theme. Norito Hasegawa, in “What
Improvements Can We Expect in Complex
Paphiopedilums” (CSA Journal, Mar-Apr
2004), made the point that many of today’s
judges came into the system perhaps in the
last 15-20 years when “novelty” type paphs
were predominant, and now the “complex”
Paph. fairrieanum ‘Red Top’ B/CSA
The second most commonly used species in current
paphiopedilum breeding is Paph. fairrieanum.
paphs are enjoying a resurgence.
Harold Koopowitz, in the Orchid
Digest of Jan-Feb-Mar 2006, writes most
interestingly on the breeding of miniature
slippers, illustrated with delightful photos.
The examples given are all very charming,
and point the way to further developments
along such lines. But I think it is far too
early yet to say if this is actually a trend or
merely just an interesting diversion. If minipaphs do catch on, they will undoubtedly
present a challenge to judging systems, and
it may be necessary to devise special points
scales to cope with them.
In the end, though, I resorted to
making a trawl through the CSA award
slides from just the last five years.
One immediate impression was a
large number of whites. Many of them are
progeny of Paph. White Knight (Green
Mystery x Skip Bartlett), but there are
examples from other breeding lines. Few
appear to be truly all white, but apart
30
Paph. White Knight ‘Century’ S/CSA (Green Mystery x Skip Bartlett)
Paph. White Knight has been parent to many
successful white paphiopedilums.
Paph. Knight’s Crown ‘Beauty Ocean’ (Green Mystery x White Knight)
An example of Paph. White Knight breeding.
Paph. Macabre ‘Color Amazon’ S/CSA
(sukhakulii x Voodoo Magic)
A coloratum form of this popular cross.
Paph. Coro Gold ‘Papa Aroha’ S/CSA, AM/OCNZ
(Freckles x Coastal Gold)
Owner: Selwyn Hatrick
An example of current white paphiopedilum breeding.
and “coloratum”. The early dark red Paph.
Macabre plants for which the cross was
named made a great impact, after which
it does take some mental adjustment to
fully appreciate the more subtle shades of
remakes made with different parents.
In recent years, Barry Fraser has
achieved remarkable success with hybrids
from Paph. Pavarotti (Harvest Time x
Divisadero). Such is the dominance of
Paph. Pavorotti that it becomes difficult
to tell some of the different hybrids apart!
Unfortunately, I think that there have been
times when the judges have effectively felt
from general greenish or yellowish tones,
allowances must also be made for variable
photography. Interestingly, one of the
best of the whites was Paph. Coro Gold
(Freckles x Coastal Gold), which was the
champion paphiopedilum at the Hamilton
Expo 2005.
No review of recent hybrid paph
awards would be complete without some of
the so-called “Maudiae” types. These come
in startlingly rich red tones, green tones,
31
Paph. Pavarotti ‘Papa Aroha’ AM/OCNZ
(Harvest Time x Divisadero)
Owner: Kevin Sherlock
Paph. Pavarotti is becoming known for
its qualities as a good parent.
maxed-out on Pavarotti crosses and as a
result have let some slip through without
scoring that really should have been scored
and awarded. One of those vagaries that I
mentioned earlier!
Species paphiopedilums crossed
with complex hybrids is always an area
for experiment. Sometimes good and
interesting things can result. Other times
one has to question why anyone bothered!
Clearly, and again this is not rocket science,
further breeding along these lines can be
expected, not only with the regularly-used
species, but also new species as they become
available. CITES, however it is interpreted
by different countries, seems to have slowed
legitimate access to new paphiopedilum
species for use in hybridizing, but has
certainly not stopped it!
Amongst the reds, there are the
“plain” ones and the spotted ones. Paph.
Winston Churchill (Eridge x Hampden)
continues to feature regularly in the direct
parentage, or at least recent parentage, in
both versions of the reds, even though it is
now some 55 years since it was registered.
It may be an oldie, but clearly it is still a
reliable goodie!
As I have said at the beginning, I don’t
think that what we have seen in this rapid
survey necessarily points to trends, but it
does give some idea of the breeding results
Paph. Winston Churchill ‘Indomitable’ S/CSA First made in 1951, Paph. Winston Churchill still is a
powerful presence in paphiopedilum breeding. Paph. Solo Flyer ‘Papa Aroha’ S/CSA
(Personality x Qantas)
Owner: Papa Aroha Orchids
Paph. Winston Churchill, through Paph. Personality,
is a grandparent of Paph. Solo Flyer.
that have been achieved in the opening
years of the 21st century.
Chris Hubbert is a judge with the CSA and the
Orchid Council of New Zealand. He is secretary of
the CSA-New Zealand Branch and Editor of both
the New Zealand Paphiopedilum Alliance magazine
and the North Shore Orchid Society magazine.
Chris has been interested in orchids since the early
1980s and grows mostly paphs with some cyms.
32
Meet the Grower:
Lauris Rose
By Heidi Kirkpatrick
T
hey say you can go around the world
just walking through an orchid
nursery. Lauris Rose’s encapsulation
of the world is Cal-Orchid, Inc., the Santa
Barbara, California nursery she owns
with her husband, James. As we wander
through the benches, Lauris points out
plants whose native habitats are so very
far away. Cymbidiums from Australia
and Asia. Epidendrums from Central and
South America. Laelias from Mexico.
Paphiopedilums from Southeast Asia.
Lauris doesn’t wait for the orchid
world to come to her. “Orchid guys have
to travel. Orchid guys have to see what
others are doing.” Last year, Cal-Orchid
had a presence at 12-15 shows. Lauris had
as many speaking engagements. And she is
very aware that the orchid world of today
is not the same as it was when she became
involved with orchids.
In the 1970s, Lauris Rose was fresh
out of school, with an english major, an
art minor, and an interest in the “green
plant revolution” of the day. She enjoyed
gardening in general and took care of her
parents’ orchids, many of which were gifts
from old-time Santa Barbara grower Helmut
Zoike. She spent a season with a cut flower
cymbidium grower, but it was in working at
the Santa Barbara Orchid Estate that she
began to meet other members of the orchid
community of which she would become a
part.
During her ten years at Santa
Barbara Orchid Estate, she developed her
appreciation for orchids and the knowledge
Lauris Rose at Cal-Orchid
of how to keep a satisfied customer. Paul
Gripp, who owned the Santa Barbara
Orchid Estate, “really genuinely loved
orchids.” It was from Paul that she gained
her first understanding of orchids.
James Rose worked as the manager at
the Santa Barbara Orchid Estate. “James
and I were kind of a team” early on,
reminisces Lauris. They married in 1981.
Lauris was invited to join Stewart
Orchids, which had a branch in Carpinteria.
There, she worked with Leo Holguin and
Ernest Hetherington. “I really, really, really
enjoyed sitting in that office and talking
to Leo Holguin and Ernest Hetherington,
being associated with a company like
Stewarts with history and prestige.”
But she and James were looking for a
place of their own. They found it in Orchids
by Rowe, a cut flower cymbidium nursery
then owned by John and Bob Rowe. They
33
purchased the nursery with the help of an
investment partner in 1987 and sold off
the cut flower plants as landscape plants,
gradually replacing them with breeding
stock and a greater variety of orchids.
She and James “had a lot of confidence.”
They had contacts. But, says Lauris, “It is
humbling, embarrassing, and scary to start
a new business no matter how much you
know.”
James was the point man. He wanted
to breed lycastes, for which he had begun
to make himself a name. Together they
wanted to breed standard and miniature
cymbidiums. Lauris describes James as
having a “tremendous ability to pick plants
out of inventories of other nurseries that
they hadn’t seen.”
Along the way, they have had set backs.
A fire New Year’s Eve of 1996 burned 25% of
Cal-Orchid. They lost the lycaste breeding
program and many cymbidiums. Their
Japanese partner withdrew. And James
was diagnosed with hepatitis, probably
from a blood transfusion after a youthful
motorcycle accident. Lauris counts it
fortunate that Ned Nash was involved with
Cal-Orchid while James was ill.
Today, Cal-Orchid is looking for its
niche in a changing orchid world. Lauris
sees that the wholesale business is driving
the orchid business. Consumers are
presented with the cheap products of the
“big box” stores and see them as throwaway plants.
Shows, Lauris notes, are different,
too. There are, she says, a “million” orchid
shows and a “million” vendors, and nothing
seems special about any of them. The flea
market aspect that she sees in the orchid
show of today has taken the panache out of
being an orchid grower.
There are also fewer orchid enthusiasts
willing to pay $50 and more for a plant.
During the 70s, 80s and 90s, there was
a tremendous cash flow from orchid
hobbyists, many of whom had very deep
pockets. Today, Lauris sees the $25 plant
as the golden ideal for nurseries. The
Slc. Hsin Buu Lady ‘Y. T.’
challenge is finding the plants that appeal
to the orchid buying public that a nursery
can easily produce to make a profit at that
sales price.
Lauris feels Cal-Orchid can reach this
ideal with a distinctly different product.
Their goal is a plant that looks balanced on
the table, something with attractive flowers
and attractive growth. Cal-Orchid looks
to produce something for the wholesale
market and for the hobby grower.
After the devastating fire, it has
taken time for the Cal-Orchid cymbidium
breeding program to be rejuvenated. Now,
they are breeding for different colors—
oranges, classic whites and reds. About
90% of their breeding product is upright.
Lauris notes that pendulous plants are too
hard to pack as a pot plant.
Lauris stops by a cross of Cym. Golden
Elf with Cym. madidum called Cym.
Dutchman’s Gold. The cross has gone into
production with the clone ‘Bonanza’. She
notes that this plant has a broad market
because it grows outdoors in Santa Barbara,
and in warmer areas like Hawaii and
Florida. And it has the plus of fragrance.
Among Lauris’s favorite cymbidium
species is Cym. devonianum. She likes the
look of it and notes that it is grown as a
garden plant in New Zealand. Harder to
grow is Cym. canaliculatum, but Lauris likes
this plant for the tactile appeal of its stiff
leaves and for its unusual flowers. She notes
that there are some interesting hybrids of
34
this species coming up. Cym. tracyanum is a
favorite because of the “cheerful abandon”
of the spots. Lauris says it is an easy plant
to sell.
Cal-Orchid is also experimenting with
Laelia anceps hybrids. The species grows
very well outdoors with cymbidiums, but is
difficult to use in breeding and slow from
seed. Cloning can be challenging because
L. anceps is unstable as a meristem, but
a commercial nursery can’t get a large
production on seedlings. Nevertheless,
Lauris says some of the hybrids are
promising. For example, Slc. Hsin Buu Lady
is a cross of Slc. Wendy’s Valentine and L.
anceps that she particularly likes. It stays
short, has a fire-engine red flower, and will
grow with cymbidiums.
Cal-Orchid sells a number of sobralias,
Australian dendrobiums and masdevallias.
Lauris notes that production from the lab
holds them back a little, particularly with
masdevallias. The Dutch are breeding
warm-growing masdevallias, but these often
spot in the rain outdoors in Santa Barbara.
Odontoglossoms, which Cal-Orchid also
grows, do well in Santa Barbara but often
find summers a little too hot.
One of Cal-Orchid’s major breeding
programs, and one particularly dear to
Lauris, involves epidendrums. After mingling
Japanese and Hawaiian breeding lines, CalOrchid has a product that flowers in three
years out of the flask.
Lauris picks up an epi from a bench and
tells me that the first flowering reveals the
color and a hint of the size. The second and
A head of epidendrum flowers —large as a hand.
third flowerings result in the hydrangeahead spikes. If it throws keikis, she culls it
because keikis make for a messy plant. In
fact, Lauris notes that some growers cut
the epidendrums back by a third, like a
rose bush, to neaten the plant for the next
season.
Not every buyer likes the same look
in a plant. The Japanese prefer epis with
delicate stems. Americans like robust
stems. The Dutch want clear colors—pink,
yellow, red—not blends like “dusty rose.”
But everyone seems to like the profuse
heads of flowers.
While they have not done chromosome
counts, Lauris speculates that some of the
particularly robust plants may be tetraploid.
The color range is broadening after several
generations of hybridizing. And better yet,
with both warm and cool growing species in
their backgrounds, Lauris finds the hybrids
to be temperature tolerant.
The breeding line of the future? Lauris
thinks so.
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35
How and When to Water Your Plants
By Lance Birk
This chapter is reprinted with the kind permission of the author from his book, The
Paphiopedilum Grower’s Manual, the second edition published in 2004 by Pisang
Press, Santa Barbara, California.
A plant’s
growth is
determined
in direct
proportion to
the amount
of water it
receives.
Paph.
Bruno
‘Model’,
CSA Archives
T
his is not a theory waiting to be
proved…it is a fact. You can see
the results of this in everyday life. If
you would like your orchids to grow large,
healthy and robust, give them plenty of
water and they will respond accordingly.
Water them often and they will just keep
growing. But!
But… read further to learn the details
of the procedure, and to understand what
else is necessary to grow those magnificent
plants yourself. These following principles
are tested and proved, in greenhouses
around the world. They have been adopted
by countless orchid growers who read the
First Edition of this manual, and who
then applied them, not only for their
Paphiopedilum orchids, but also for the
other orchids in their collections as well.
The fact that numerous other authors have
now adopted these same methods is proof
that they do indeed work, and many species
of orchid plants in many collections have
benefited from renewed vitality and vigor.
You can achieve this same success.
“When should I water my plants?”
This question is asked by every beginning
orchid fancier.
The correct answer is of course, “When
they need it.”
Unfortunately, this answer does not
begin to satisfy someone who is having great
difficulty trying to understand how often to
water his plants, especially since everyone
he talks to tells him something different.
Because of the many types of growing
media, climates, greenhouse conditions
and individual microclimates, there are
36
probably no two persons doing the exact
same thing with their plants. One must
know all the variable conditions in order to
advise a beginner correctly.
If the conditions for sufficient air
movement are not provided, the single
most frequent cause of death of most
orchid plants is from improper watering
techniques. Anyone wishing to raise
paphiopedilums should be fully aware of
the influence water has upon the success
or failure of his endeavor. If you wish to
cultivate these beautiful orchids, then you
should also assume the responsibility for
their successful culture, and it is essential
that the dangers of improper watering
techniques be thoroughly understood
and be avoided in order for the health
and survival of these unique plants to be
maintained.
Following are specific elements which
will help you to understand what happens
when you water your plants.
as such, your success in their culture will
be greatly enhanced. If you remember that
epiphytic orchids are those found growing
in mosses on trees, they are subjected
to constant air circulation and they dry
rapidly after a rainfall. With this in mind
it should not be difficult to understand the
basic concept for watering Paphiopedilum
orchids.
Most habitats of paphiopedilums are
subjected to prolonged periods of heavy
winds and rainfall called monsoons. Some
regions have both a wet monsoon and a
‘dry’ monsoon (less rainfall), others only
a wet monsoon. Monsoons are large-scale
wind systems and they are seasonal and
predictable in their time and direction.
Regardless of the fierceness of these wind
or rain storms, many plants and animals
depend upon them and have adapted to
their cycle.
It is even possible to examine the plant
structure of some species of paphiopedilums,
and to guess rather accurately, the general
area from which they originate, or at least
the climate in which they can be found.
For instance, Paph. celebesense is a
species with a few, long roots, and it has
thin leaves which are fairly short. Small bits
and pieces of detritus will be found clinging
Habitat Conditions
In both literature and horticulture,
paphiopedilums are referred to as terrestrial
orchids. Yet some species grow upon trees
with their roots embedded in mosses and
lichens, and like the American laelias, they
should be termed epiphytic orchids. Many
species grow lithophytically in mosses on
rocks, and some even grow upon the soil.
This however, does not substantiate their
being called terrestrial orchids.
Those found growing on the ground
actually have their roots coursing
throughout the leaves and detritus of
the forest floor, and seldom do the roots
penetrate the true soil. The plants found
with their roots in soil often appear to have
had that soil washed or fallen over them,
after having been first established in that
particular growing spot.
In view of the growing conditions I
have personally observed in numerous
different habitats, I regard Paphiopedilum
orchids as epiphytes; and if you view them
Paph. bullenianum ‘Michelle’
Closely related to Paph. celebesense.
37
stomata. Unlike other kinds of plants,
orchids have fixed stomata, which always
remain open, and they cannot regulate the
amount of moisture they gain, or lose.
In habitat, when temperatures rise
during the day, the ambient humidity is
readily assimilated, and growers living in
these regions might not irrigate their plants
for several months. In fact, they find it
necessary to protect their plants with an
overhead shelter to prevent any rainfall
from reaching them, thereby causing them
to rot. A large number of orchid growers
from these regions grow many species of
their orchids, (but not paphiopedilums),
in wooden baskets or in clay pots, with
no potting media. The pots or baskets are
used simply to confine the orchids and to
give their roots surfaces to which they can
attach. With so much ambient humidity,
the ideal conditions also exist for fungi and
bacteria, and these precautionary measures
must be taken to prevent diseases from
gaining a foothold.
In a greenhouse, too much humidity
would be a problem unless large volumes
of air could be circulated to keep
surfaces dry, since the normal differential
between outside temperatures and inside
temperatures will cause continual dripping
from the roof. In order to keep the plants
healthy, a small gale would have to be
maintained inside the growing area.
Fortunately, the real problem seems to be
in trying to maintain enough humidity in
most domestic greenhouses, so this is not a
common problem. It does however, serve to
illustrate the needs of these plants.
Plants of the Brachypetalum section
all have large masses of succulent, hairy
roots. Their leaves are thick and numerous,
although they are small plants. The species
are usually found growing close to bodies
of water and have their roots embedded
in thick pads of mosses, which grow in
water seepages on rocks. Even though they
periodically are exposed to hot drying winds
for months at a time, the small surface areas
of their leaves restricts the water loss, while
to these roots. This species inhabits a cloud
forest, out of the path of the monsoon,
and is subjected to heavy clouds and
continual moisture vapor from the nearby
sea. Plants inhabiting areas with abundant
and continual moisture do not need a
large root system, nor do they need thick
or large leaves for water retention during a
prolonged dry season.
On the other hand, a species like P.
godefroyae, found growing at sea level in
Paph. godefroyae var. ang-thong ‘Izayoi’
A succulent-leaved, thick-rooted member
of subgenus Brachypetalum.
the Gulf of Siam, has many very thick and
succulent leaves, and its huge mass of thick
roots weighs much more than its leaves.
Judging by the plant, one would think that
it comes from the desert, not from one of
the most humid places on earth. But, while
there are seasonal periods of long and heavy
rains in the gulf, it is also a place where
almost no rainfall will occur for five or six
months. Knowledge of climates can be very
helpful in governing the way in which we
grow our Paphiopedilum species.
Throughout most of the areas where
Paphiopedilum orchids grow, humidity
constantly remains high. The majority
of the species have relatively thin leaves,
and they receive much of their moisture
requirements through their leaf pores called
38
their massive root system and their close
proximity to open water, enables them to
gather and store every obtainable drop.
During the prolonged wet season,
the mosses in which they grow are porous
enough to allow air circulation to reach
the roots, and they help to drain off excess
water, thereby preventing the roots from
decaying from lack of air. The orchid’s
hard, fleshy and wax-coated leaves are
accustomed to excesses of moisture, and
are not damaged by constant rains and
high humidity. (Paph. delenatii, previously
included in the Brachypetalum section, does
not have the same plant structure as others
in this group, and it is not included in this
description).
If excessive water really was a certain
cause of death to these orchids, none would
survive the monsoon, or even the heavy
and prolonged convectional rains they are
subjected to in habitat. Their adaptation to
these prolonged wet periods is by growing
in these mosses and other freely aerated
surfaces, as their means of survival.
Each species of Paphiopedilum has
adapted to its own particular climate.
While only a few species can be found
growing on trees, and a slightly higher
number can be found on the forest floor,
most will be found growing in mosses on
rocks. They live in regions with both high,
and moderate levels of humidity. Whether
they inhabit one‑monsoon or two‑monsoon
areas, they have survived by changing to fit
the conditions in which they live, as have
the Brachypetalum species.
While we cannot reliably maintain the
same conditions to which each species has
adapted, we can cater to the basic needs of
these plants. Their needs are very simply,
to grow in relatively high humidity, to give
them a porous growth medium, and to keep
them from remaining too wet by supplying
sufficient volumes of circulating air.
Paph. delenatii
A member of subgenus Parvisepalum with different root
structure than species in subgenus Brachypetalum.
same time. Because of a large number of
variables, one plant will always dry out
sooner than another. Factors such as the
size of the root system, whether or not the
plant was recently repotted or if it needs to
be repotted, the number of growths, the
type of potting soil, if it is in a clay or plastic
pot, the time of day and the time of year,
the temperature, the humidity, the amount
of light, the volume of air movement a
plant receives and the weather forecast for
tomorrow, are all factors which must be
weighed in order to properly gauge the time
to irrigate.
The final answer to the question of
when to water can only be learned after
many years of experience. But, by taking the
above considerations one at a time, it will
help to answer some of those first questions,
and it will give the beginning Paphiopedilum
grower a better understanding of how these
plants function.
When a Paphiopedilum has been
recently divided and repotted, the roots
do not function because they have been
damaged. Applying water to these roots too
soon or too often can cause them to decay.
Keeping them slightly moist will allow their
recovery and will encourage new growing
tips to emerge, therefore it is best just to
mist a recently repotted plant daily for a
week or two.
On the other hand, a root-bound
orchid with multiple growths would need
When to Water
No two plants need water at the
39
to be watered several times a week. It could
be maintained by misting, but in order for
it to grow and prosper, it would need pot
watering. If either plant were potted in
plastic, it would need much less water than
if it was in a clay pot, since clay is such
a porous container. And a ‘heavy’ mix,
meaning one that is composed of small
particles which retain more moisture, would
require fewer irrigations than a ‘light’ mix
would, because the latter would dry out
much sooner.
Plants growing in high light intensities
require more water than those in shadier
places, since the sun increases both the
ambient temperature and the speed of plant
metabolism. Also, the greater the volume
of air passing over each plant, the more it
will dry out from evaporation.
If the weather forecast for tomorrow is
for rain, perhaps you might want to wait to
water until fairer skies are predicted, since
during a rainstorm the relative humidity
goes up significantly. Since it will be cooler
and darker during the rain, plants will not
be respiring at their normal rate and it
would be best to wait.
If you missed watering your plants in
the morning, it usually is best to wait until
the following morning rather than to water
them too late in the day and have them
remain wet during the nighttime. In the
summer, with high temperatures during
the nights, it is not so much of a problem,
but during the winter it could cause plant
diseases to gain a foothold, frequently with
disastrous results.
Keep this one thought in mind: Plants
respond in direct proportion to the amount
of water they receive. When properly potted
in a healthy mix suitable for your particular
conditions, you should be able to water
your paphiopedilums twice a week or more,
without fear of over-watering them. I have
found that many paphiopedilums can be
watered nearly every day when the weather
is bright and sunny. All factors, particularly
air circulation and potting media, must be in
balance to allow for this, but it is not difficult
to establish and to maintain once you get to
know your individual plant’s conditions and
needs. The results of frequent irrigations
can produce growth in your plants which
will simply amaze you.
How to Water
Orchid culture can be filled with
shortcuts, but watering is the one area
where they really do not belong. It is easy
to turn on the watering hose and water all
the plants with a soft spray. They all get
wet; you know they do because you can see
all that water. Drenching them with water
can be done in just a few minutes. But the
proper method of watering your plants
takes time.
Watering is the most important
technique (air circulation is a condition, not
a technique) in orchid culture, yet it is the
most readily misunderstood. Most orchids
can live with the wrong temperature, the
‘wrong’ amount of light or be in the wrong
location. But few can survive if they are
improperly watered.
You have to make a concentrated
effort to water correctly, and it takes time
to do it thoroughly. The rewards of seeing,
or of showing a well-grown plant or a group
of plants, are very satisfying indeed, and
it should be high on the list of priorities
of every orchid grower. Just being able to
maintain a plant is not good enough these
days; you should strive to do better with
your plants every season. If you limit the
number of plants you raise to those that you
can care for well, then you will find the task
much less forbidding. And if you do not feel
that you have the time or inclination to
water properly, then perhaps orchid culture
is not for you.
Hand watering is most easily done with
a ‘rose’ type-watering nozzle, which breaks
up the flow of water without restricting the
volume. With this attachment you are able
to direct large amounts of water towards
even freshly potted plants, without the
danger of having them become dislodged.
40
The flow should be full enough to fill the
salts become locked-up in the compost and
pot, and to flow freely out the drain holes at
cannot be released, regardless of how often
the bottom, yet without welling up within
you leach, in which case chemicals must
the pot and loosening or scattering the
be used to dissolve them so they can be
compost.
eliminated.
Water the tops of the plants freely, as
Salts also can cause changes in the
well as the undersides of the leaves, if that
pH, which can lock-up needed nutrients,
is possible. But do try to keep the water out
thereby depriving the orchid of these
of the flowers since it can cause them to rot.
elements. Signs of excessive salt are: loss
When you water, maintain a side-to-side,
of roots, lower leaf drop, leaf‑tip die‑back,
broad, figure-eight, or perhaps a circular
chlorosis, lack of vigor, premature flower
motion, watering several plants at the
drop and I suspect, loss of fertility. Each
same time, as it will allow you to complete
of these symptoms is indicative of other
your irrigation more
problems, but because
quickly. The plants
salt buildup is such
should be thoroughly The most important step
a frequent cause of
soaked before moving in watering
plant troubles, you
on to the next group,
should look there
and you should look is to go back and
first.
for those which need repeat the irrigation. There also is
watering from both
another
condition
This step, called leaching,
sides of the pot.
sometimes encounThis is only the is most often overlooked,
tered in Paphiopedilum
first step in watering.
culture, caused by
The most important yet is the one step excess salts, but its
step is to go back which no one should omit.
diagnosis is not readand to repeat the
ily apparent. Perhaps
irrigation a second
you have seen it. In
time. This is called leaching, and it is what
a collection of nice looking and seemingly
must be done in order to maintain healthy
well‑grown plants, suddenly, a large number
conditions in the pot. This step is the one
of plants will exhibit leaf‑tip burn, root loss
most often overlooked, yet is the one step,
and even mid‑leaf or crown rot. The effect
which no one should omit.
will appear in different species throughout
Common sense tells us that it hardly
the growing area.
would seem to make any sense to re‑water
Some of the damage could be fungal
our plants; after all, they can only take up
or bacterial, but usually it is caused by a
so much water at a time. It seems such a
rapid increase in the concentration of salts
waste of time and water. But it is not at a
within the pot. The condition is the result
waste when you understand what happens
of growing the plants without periodically
as you water your plants.
leaching the medium, and by allowing
Each time you water your plants, salts
them to suddenly dry out, when they are
(both soluble and insoluble) are deposited
normally maintained fairly moist. This
inside the pot, carried there by the irrigation
action causes an increase in the percentage
water. Every irrigation deposits more and
of salt concentrations in the mix.
more salts which cling to the roots, the
When the weather changes to hot and
compost and to the walls of the pot as the
dry, or if an irrigation or two is missed, the
water evaporates. Salts are found in the
water within the pots dries out more than
water and in most potting soils, and are the
usual, thereby it can raise the concentration
components of fertilizers. Some of these
of salts to a toxic level. The ensuing
41
rupturing of plant cells either shows up as
salt damage, or else it can allow diseases
to enter, (masking the original cause of
injury). Once the normal watering schedule
is resumed, the damage seems to clear up,
but the cycle frequently can be repeated
a second or third time, never giving the
grower a clue as to the real cause.
Damage from accumulated salts usually
happens so gradually that it frequently is
not noticed until it becomes widespread. It
is unlike a rot, which can suddenly consume
an entire plant. The cause of the salt
damage cannot be easily determined, since
there appears to be no relation between
what seems to be “thorough” watering, and
the leaf burn.
You should be aware of the potential
for this damage to your plants, and be quick
to remedy the situation. Realistically, it may
not be necessary to leach at each watering,
although it would be most favorable for your
plants. Leaching can be done every third
or fourth irrigation, or at any frequency
consistent with the good health of your
orchids. But, it must not be put off.
Chemicals are available to mix with
the irrigation water, which have a residual
effect, and after irrigation they continue to
dissolve salts until the next irrigation when
they will then be washed out. Phosphoric
acid dissolves most of those alkaline salts,
and is itself a fertilizer. Two operations at
once can be performed by its use; however
it can change the pH considerably so it
must be used with caution. Where water is
a restricted resource, perhaps greater use of
chemicals can be made instead of frequent
leaching in order to conserve water.
Paph. concolor ‘Rakuten’
A species sensitive to fertilizer damage, like other
members of the subgenus Brachypetalum.
improvement when fertilized, and it should
be applied at a more reduced rate than that
given other kinds of orchids.
Those species with plain leaves seem to
benefit from weak applications at frequent
intervals, much more than do those with
tessellated leaves, (this is not a rule, just
an observation!). The thick‑leaved species,
from the section Brachypetalum are easily
and quickly damaged, even by light doses
of fertilizers and should be given only
fractional amounts at three‑ to four‑month
intervals.
There are no specific requirements for
paphiopedilums, but any good, complete
fertilizer, which is heavy in nitrogen, may be
used. Any Cattleya or Phalaenopsis fertilizer,
used at either one‑half, or one-fourth the
recommended rate will do well.
Although some growers have success
with them, placing resin-encapsulated
fertilizer pellets on the surface of the potting
medium heightens the risk of root burn,
and incorporating them into the potting
soil is only slightly less risky. Fertilizers
are best applied in liquid form through the
irrigation system, to irrigate both the leaf
area as well as the root zone.
Paphiopedilums potted in straight fir
bark, as well as those grown in high‑light
intensities will both require more fertilizer
Fertilizer
Most Paphiopedilum orchids do not
seem to require fertilizers. Because these
‘terrestrial’ epiphytes seldom if ever, exhibit
the same signs of leaf yellowing that a
Cattleya orchid does, it may seem hard
to justify using any fertilizers at all. But
experience has shown that they do show
42
than those grown in compound mixes and
under low-light conditions.
In view of the problems of salt burn,
which seems prevalent with these Lady’s
Slipper orchids, it becomes a matter of
personal choice whether or not to fertilize
them. I would recommend fertilizing, but
with the caution that a close watch should
be kept over the plants, and that remedial
action be taken at first sign of damage from
excess salts.
Rainwater is either neutral, or slightly
acidic, having a range of 6.0 to 7.0, mostly
the latter. Species paphiopedilums thrive
in the slightly acid range of pH. Very low
acidity, in a range from 3.5 to 5, also causes
certain chemicals to lock up and become
unavailable to the plant, but on the other
hand, it does not allow many salts to
accumulate within the pot.
A neutral pH water source is best for
our plants, since it causes the least number
of problems. Most fertilizers can be used
under such water conditions, without such
frequent leaching as would be required
with more alkaline irrigation water. Few
chemical treatments would be necessary
with a water supply having a pH below 7.0.
Small amounts of lime could be
incorporated into the potting soil in areas
with water of lower pH, to counteract that
greater acidity. Potassium hydroxide could
also be added to the water supply to raise
the pH, while phosphoric or hydrochloric
acid can judiciously be used to acidify an
alkaline water source, the former being the
first choice.
Fresh rainwater is beneficial to your
plants; you can almost see them grow after
they have been out in the rain. Stored
rainwater does not seem to have quite
the same effects, but it does have many
benefits. One of them is its purity and an
absence of salts. Rainwater is slightly acid,
and because of this, it helps to dissolve
those accumulated salts in potted plants.
If collected from a clean surface, stored
in impervious containers and kept from
contamination, it will last indefinitely. A
disadvantage of storage is that it either must
be stored in a raised tank for gravity flow,
or else it must be pumped mechanically.
Fresh water from wells or lakes can
have high concentrations of dissolved
solids, and it should be tested before being
used on plants. Swimming pool water
should never be used on orchids because
of the high concentrations of chemicals
used for its purification. Also, softened
water from a home softener should never be
Quality of Water
Every community’s water supply
is different, even within the same city
and at different times of the year. The
combinations and concentrations of
minerals and trace elements, as well as the
pH, vary from time to time and from source
to source. Most are slightly alkaline, loaded
with trace elements and have been treated
(mostly with chlorine or chloramines) to
make them potable.
A water pH of 7.0 is neutral; readings
above that level are alkaline, and those
below are in degrees of acidity. Your water
district can give you details of your water
quality and its components, or you might
wish to test your own water supply and you
can obtain an inexpensive pH test kit from
your local garden supply store.
Excess alkalinity in our artificial
growing habitat can lock-up certain
elements, and it can cause salts to
accumulate faster within the root-zone.
Alkaline water causes more problems for
Paphiopedilum growers, despite the fact that
many of the species are found growing on
alkaline limestone. While it would appear
that in their habitat, the limestone is a
contributing factor to their nutritional
requirements, in reality the mosses and
leafy detritus into which their roots are
imbedded are acidic. Since limestone is
more readily dissolved in cold water, the
warm tropical regions where Paphiopedilums
are found growing cannot supply more than
a trace amount of that substance.
43
used for plants, since most of the softening
chemicals (usually common table salt),
can be lethal to plants. This is particularly
important to remember if you have ever
watered your plants in the kitchen sink.
Mechanical means are available
whereby water of the utmost purity
can be obtained. Both de‑ionizing and
reverse-osmosis machines filter out all the
chemicals and impurities from the water,
thereby delivering water as pure as distilled
water. At the time when these systems first
became available to orchid growers, it was
thought they would solve the problems of
salt burn and the excesses of unwanted
mineral elements. As has been learned
since, plants require many of the trace and
macro elements which are removed from
the water, although it is not known precisely
in what quantities they are needed.
Unfortunately, they waste a tremendous
amount of water in the purification process.
Another major disadvantage of these
systems is their initial purchase price or
their monthly rental fees, both of which are
expensive. Another factor which precludes
their use, except for very small needs, is in
the fact of the limited volumes they are able
to produce and the length of time it takes
to deliver the purified water. Additional
tanks and pumps must also be maintained
to collect and to store the water for its use.
While other crops have been grown
hydroponically, orchids have seldom been
successfully raised by such systems. They
like to have fresh water at their roots, not
that which has been used several times
before. Collecting and re‑using water is fine
for the conservation of resources, but one
must be knowledgeable about its use, and
to know how it can be treated for re-use, as
well as when it must be discarded.
Extremely cold water should not be
used on orchids, and neither should hot
water. Water which is comfortable to your
touch, even though it may seem cold, is
suitable for orchids. It also depends upon
the interior temperature of the growing
area. If the plants inside the greenhouse are
at very low temperatures, very cold water
could cause them some harm. On the other
hand, if the inside temperature is warm,
very cold water would not remain very cold
for long, and therefore would not cause any
damage. Common sense can guide your
decision.
To summarize, since you now know
more about the effects water has on our
plants, you can train yourself to be observant
to the results of your watering practices.
Learning when and how to properly water
your paphiopedilums requires a studied
effort; it will not just happen. Every time
you irrigate your plants, you should also
observe each plant individually, making
note of its condition. The next time you
observe the plant, either to irrigate or just to
look, compare its condition to the previous
visit. If anything has changed, is it because
of the effects of water?
Study your watering practices and ask
yourself questions such as: Do you always
water about the same amount, or do you
really pour it on one time, and then lightly
dampen them the next? When you see
some of your plants going limp between
watering, or rotting, or doing beautifully,
or poorly, can you correlate the problem to
your watering methods?
Answers do not always come easily.
You will have to search for them at first.
But they are there, and since you have
now learned how to understand the effects
water has on orchids, your confidence and
satisfaction at how well your plants are
growing will increase as you find those
answers. Your success at watering will be a
satisfying, and very comforting reward.
Lance Birk has traveled to Southeast
Asia, China, and Central and South America
in search of orchids in their native habitats.
His study of orchids in the wild and paphs in
particular has extended over some 25 years
of travels in remote locations. Lance can be
reached at www.lancebirk.com.
44
NA OKIKA O HAWAII
Hawaii Orchid Journal
Published quarterly by the Honolulu Orchid Society and available through membership in
the society. A wealth of information about local societies, growers, shows, judging and orchid
culture - all slanted to Hawaiian conditions. Color galore! Incidentally, Na Okika O Hawaii
means orchids of Hawaii.
Annual membership dues in HOS are $20 for regular, $5 for associate (without bulletin), and
$1000 for life, foreign mail service surface first class $10, airmail $15.
Address inquiries to:
Honolulu Orchid Society, P. O. Box 558, Honolulu, HI 96809-0558
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE
AUSTRALIAN ORCHID COUNCIL
• Subscribe now to Australia’s oldest orchid
magazine (Est. 1935) • 6 issues per year
• Big A4 color format • Covers all genera,
92 Pages
Eye-catching Color
including Australian Natives and a
big section on Cymbidiums every issue.
Subscription Rates
Air Mail Aust. $65.00 (six copies)
Single copy Aust. $10.00
Subscription Rates
Surface one year $US41
Two years $US75
Three years $US107
Air Mail One Year $US53
Two Years $US98
Three Years $US139
Single Copy Air Mail $US 9.50
Check out our home page on the internet
http://www.orchidsaustralia.com
Orchids Australia
P. O. Box 145, Findon, S. A. 5023
Australia
Send your Subscription to:
Australian Orchid Review
14 McGill Street, Lewisham,
Sydney 2049, NSW, Australia
Phone:(02) 9560 6156
Fax: (02) 9560 6677
(Advise Card Name,
Number and
expiry date)
Most Credit Cards Accepted
The Slipper Orchid Alliance
Join an international organization for lady-slipper enthusiasts.
The SOA is a resource center with quarterly newsletters,
speakers and web-site (www.slipperorchid.org).
Contact: Jean Metcalf, Membership Secretary
2323 Edinboro Rd. GH #6, Erie, PA 16509
814-866-3437, [email protected]
Dues: $25 per household, $50 supporting (commercial)
45
The Cymbidium Society of America, Inc.
www.cymbidium.org
OBJECTIVES OF THE SOCIETY:To stimulate and extend the
appreciation of Cymbidium, Paphiopedilum, Phragmipedium, and
other orchids grown outdoors in Southern California and similar
climates, and to develop, acquire, and disseminate information
concerning them and their culture.
Officers
Jim Lothrop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . President
Greg Stanley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vice President
Rita Pascoe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Corporate Secretary
Clara Moura. . . . . . . . . . . . . Membership Secretary
Eric Andreasen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Treasurer
Sandra Svoboda . . . . . . . Immediate Past President
Judging
Robert Streeter, dvm. . . . . . . . Awards Chairman
Regina Velardi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Awards Treasurer
Isao Muramatsu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Japan Judging
Tony Velardi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Los Angeles Judging
Ross Tucker. . . . . . . . . . . . . . New Zealand Judging
George Hatfield . . . . . . . . . . Santa Barbara Judging
Paul Chim. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . San Francisco Judging
Directors
Gold Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amy Jacobsen
Golden Gate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rita Pascoe
Orange County. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Theo Johnson
Sacramento. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rich Heisler
San Diego. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Loren Batchman
San Gabriel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Greg Stanley
Santa Barbara. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Thurber
Torrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bob Streeter
Westside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Don Misumi
Japan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . George Hatfield
New Zealand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andy Easton
Directors-At-Large
CSA Journal Administrator. . . . . George Hatfield
Cymbidium Congress . . . . . . . Lucia Brandt Maeda
Membership Information
Membership in the Cymbidium Society of America, Inc., includes 6 issues of the CSA Journal.
Branch dues are separate, optional, and payable to the individual branch secretary.
Annual Membership. . . . . . . . . (Periodicals Class/Overseas Surface Mail delivery). . . . . . . . $30.00 U.S. per year
For 1st Class Mail delivery in the USA, Canada, or Mexico. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $38.00 per year
For Overseas Air Mail delivery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $50.00 per year
Please enclose your check, in U. S. Funds only, payable to the Cymbidium Society of America, Inc.,
including your name and mailing address, and send to our Membership Secretary. For credit card
subscriptions, (VISA, MASTERCARD, JCB), supply the card number and expiration date to:
Clara Moura, Membership Secretary
1742 Grove Way, Castro Valley, CA, 94546
Phone: (510) 537-8923 [email protected]
Official CSA correspondence: Jim Lothrop, 67 Parklite Circle, Sacramento, CA 95831
Gold Coast Branch
Regular meetings 3rd Friday of each
month, September to May except
December, 7:30 PM, San Mateo Garden
Center, 605 Parkside Way, San Mateo,
CA
Golden Gate Branch
Regular meetings 4th Wednesday of
each month (Nov & Dec 3rd Wed.) 7
p.m., Lakeside Park Garden Center
666 Bellvue Ave, Oakland, CA
Contact: Rita Pascoe at (510)
276-2851, [email protected]
Orange County Branch
Regular meetings 2nd Wednesday of
each month, year round, 8:00 PM,
Garden Grove Community Center,
1130 Stanford Ave, Garden Grove, CA
Call Susan: 714-289-0405
http://ocbcsa.com
Officers
President: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeff Trimble
Vice President: . . . . . . Eanghak Quach
Secretary: . . . . . . . . . . . . Ed Dumaguin
Treasurer: . . . . . . . . . . . Amy Jacobsen
Membership:. . . . . . . . . . . Ken Bruland
Ways & Means:. . . . . . . . . Trudy Hadler
Officers
President: . . . . . . . . . . . . Chuck Pascoe
Vice President: . . . . . . Edward McLean
Secretary: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rita Pascoe
Treasurer: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jewel Pierce
Past President:. . . . . Chester Laskowski
Membership:. . . . . . . . . . . . Rita Pascoe
Officers
President: . . . . . . . . . . . . Theo Johnson
Vice President: . . . . . . . Mandy Salzedo
Secretary: . . . . . . . . . . . . . Irma Hughes
Treasurer: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roberta Fox
Membership: Gerda Hayese,Terry Mora
Past President:. . . . . . . . . . Jane Clayton
Directors
Past President:. . . . . . . . . . Ken Jacobsen
Weegie Caughlan . . . . . . . Darrel Wong
Elizabeth Storti
CSA Rep. . . . . . . . . . . . . Greg Corrales
CSA Membership: . . . . . . Ken Jacobsen
Newsletter Editor:. . . . . . . Carl Jukkola
Directors
CSA rep.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rita Pascoe
CSA Judging coordinator. . . Paul Chim
Joe Giangrasso. . . . . . . . . . Clara Moura
Mimi Rogers. . . . . . . . . . . . . Mel Jones
Directors
CSA Rep.: . . . . . . . . . Loren Batchman
Mamie Hall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ron Nash
Mary Gerberick. . . . . . . . Tony Glinskas
Carol Holland. . . . . . . . . June Sandberg
Ted Tucker. . . . . . . . . . .Virginia Tucker
Helen White
Sacramento Valley Branch
Regular meetings 4rd Wednesday of
each month, October through June,
except December, 7 PM, Shepard
Garden & Art Center, 3330 McKinley
Blvd., Sacramento, CA
Call Rich: 916-989-1650
San Diego Branch
each month, September thru June, 7:00
PM, Womens Club of Carlsbad,
3320 Monroe, Carlsbad, CA
Contact: [email protected]
San Gabriel Branch
Regular meetings 4th Tuesday of each
month, September thru June, 7:30 PM,
Los Angeles County Arboretum,
301 N. Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA
Call Greg Stanley: 626-355-1424
Santa Barbara Branch
each month, except March and August,
7:30 PM, Franklin Neighborhood
Center, 1136 E. Montecito St., Santa
Barbara, CA
Torrance Branch
Regular meetings 2nd Tuesday of each
month, October thru June, 7:00 PM,
Sam Levy Adult Education Center,
340 229th Place, Torrance, CA
Westside Branch
Regular meetings 1st Tuesday of each
month, November thru May, 7:30 PM,
Grant Elementary School Cafeteria,
2425 Pearl Street, Santa Monica, CA
email: [email protected]
New Zealand Branch
For information, contact:
Chris Hubbert, P O Box 3451,
Auckland 1015 NZ
Phone 09-300-6933
email: [email protected]
Japan Branch
For information, contact Hajime Mori,
e-mail:[email protected]
Meetings 1st Sunday of each month
except August, The International
House of Japan, 11-16 Roppongi 5chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo Tel. 03-34704611 Fax 03-3479-1738
Officers
President: . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rich Heisler
Vice President: . . . . . . . . . . Bob Conaty
Secretary: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Juan Alejo
Treasurer: . . . . . . . . . . . . Ellen Kraemer
Membership: . . . . . Anthony Barcellos
Officers
President: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bruce Kidd
Vice President: . . . . . . . . James McCord
Second VP:. . . . . . . . . . . Bobbie Barbes
Secretary: . . . . . . . . . . . . Veryl Mitchell
Treasurer: . . . . . . . . . . Estelle Hoffman
Membership: . . . . . . . Sandy Sandquist
Officers
President: . . . . . . . . . . . Norma Johnson
Vice President: . . . . . . . Eric Andreasen
Secretary: . . . . . . . . . . . Barbara Breicha
Treasurer,-Membership: . . . . Charles Johnson
CSA Rep.: . . . . . . . . . . . . Greg Stanley
Past President:. . . . . . . . . . Greg Stanley
Officers
President: . . . . . . . . . . . David Thurber
Vice President: . . . . . . . . . . . . Phil Watt
Secretary: . . . . . . . . . Heidi Kirkpatrick
Treasurer: . . . . . . . . . . . . Shirlie Carter
Officers
President: . . . . . . . . . . Everett Stockstill
Vice President: . . . . . . . . . . Byron Chan
Secretary: . . . . . . . . . . . Violet Stockstill
Treasurer: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bert Tagami
CSA Rep: . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bob Streeter
Officers
President: . . . . . . . Lucia Brandt Maeda
Vice President: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Open
Secretary: . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bobbi Flusser
Treasurer: . . . . . . . Lucia Brandt Maeda
Membership: . . . . . . . . . . Sharon Gage
Officers
President: . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Austin
Vice President: . . . . . . . . . . . Joe Vance
Secretary: . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Hubbert
Treasurer: . . . . . . . . . . . Jeanette Austin
Membership: . . . . . . . . . Chris Hubbert
http://www.cosmo.ne.jp/~csa
Officers
President: . . . . . . . . . . Masanori Miura
[email protected]
Vice President: . . . . . . . . Kamezo Saito
Secretary: . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hajime Mori
Treasurer: . . . . . . . . . . Shigehisa Sakata
Membership: . . . . . . . . . . . Hisao Nagai
Directors
Past President:. . . . . . . . . . . Jim Lothrop
CSA Rep. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rich Heisler
James Wolf . . . . . . . . . . . . Julio Orozco
Bobette DelCambre . . . . Brian Lothrop
Directors
Past President:. . . . . . . . Lorin Ellsworth
CSA Rep. . . . . . . . . . . Loren Batchman
Craig Johnson. . . . . . . . . . . . Joel Goode
John Kidwell. . . . . . . . . . Dave Mitchell
Jerry Spencer
Directors
Richard Arlien . . . . . . . . . Susan Arlien
Ernest Hetherington. . . Mitsuru Kubota
Wen Lin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Regina Velardi
Tony Velardi
Directors
Past President:. . . . . . . Frank Methman
CSA Rep. . . . . . . . . . . . David Thurber
Dick Swain . . . . . . . . . Randall Umland
Contact: [email protected] or
[email protected], 805-563-2894
Directors
George Nakayama . . . . Dave Teuschler
Ha Bui. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Don Shigaki
Woody Yoshimoto. . . . . . . . . . Joe Santy
Robert Shigeno. . . . . . Frances Shigeno
Stan Noguchi
Directors
Past President: . . . . . . . . . Don Misumi
CSA Rep: : . . . . . . Lucia Brandt Maeda
Judge Lawrence Drumm. . . Betty Wong
Edward Saraffian. . . . . . . . . David Berry
Moshe Sergeant
Directors
CSA Rep. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andy Easton
Judging Chair:. . . . . . . . . . . Ross Tucker
Heather Cooke. . . . . . . . . Mick Hughes
Betty Vance
Directors
Judging . . . . . . . . . . . . Isao Muramatsu
Corresponeence . . . . . . . Yosio Yosikawa
Tomoyoshi Ozawa. . . . . . Akira Ishibiki
Morikatu Yamazaki
CSA Rep. . . . . . . . . . . . George Hatfield
[email protected]
The
Subscription form for
The Cymbidium Society of America was formed over 50 years ago in 1946 to stimulate
and extend the appreciation of cymbidiums, paphiopedilums and other cool or outdoor
growing orchids. Now consisting of ten individual branches (including three overseas
branches), the Cymbidium Society strives to develop, acquire and disseminate information
concerning these beautiful and enchanting orchids.
As the official voice of the Cymbidium Society of America, Inc., the CSA JOURNAL is
published bimonthly, with an international range of coverage. While the cymbidium and
paphiopedilum scene on the West Coast of the USA is the major area of coverage, articles
are included on the other cool-growing genera that will grow under cymbidium type conditions. We strive to include something for everyone in each issue, from the newest beginner
to the most advanced grower.
The CSA JOURNAL features full color covers that highlight recently awarded varieties
and 8 or more pages of interior color. Articles are continually presented by many world
famous authorities, which enable the reader to stay current with what is happening in today’s
ever-changing orchid world.
The current subscription rate for the CSA Journal is $30.00 per year, U. S. funds only,
(sent via Periodicals Class Mail anywhere world-wide), which includes membership in the
Cymbidium Society of America, Inc. The $30 does not include individual branch dues.
To: Cymbidium Society of America, Inc.,
c/o Clara Moura, Membership Secretary,
1742 Grove Way, Castro Valley, CA 94546.
For credit card subscriptions (VISA, MASTERCARD, JCB), enter the following:
❏ VISA ❏ MASTERCARD ❏ JCB
Card Number______________________________________ Expiration Date _____________
❏ 1. Please send me the CSA Journal for the current year (via Periodicals Class Mail), for which
I enclose a check/money order/foreign bank draft in the amount of $30.00 (in U.S. funds).
❏ 2. Please send me the CSA Journal for the current year via First Class Mail, for which I
enclose a check/money order/foreign bank draft in the amount of $38.00 (in U.S. funds).
❏ 3. Please send me the CSA Journal for the current year via overseas Air Mail, for which I
enclose a check/money order/foreign bank draft in the amount of $50.00 (in U.S. funds).
Name ________________________________________________________ Date _________
Address ____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
City ______________________________________ State _______ Zip Code ____________
E-Mail Address ______________________________________________________________
48
The
Your magazine for
Cymbidiums
Paphiopedilums
Other cool growing orchids
V Olume 7, n umber 3 • m ay /J u n e 2007
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Reach Your Target
Audience Directly!
For information about
the new CSA Journal
advertising rates, contact:
Heidi Kirkpatrick
2687 Dorking Place
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
[email protected]
ry
20 07
, inc.
Paphiopedilum Alex Szabo ‘#7’ S/CSA
This flower combines the pale green color often found in Paphiopedilum Ruth
Curran with the yellow-orange color common in Paphiopedilum Pavarotti to
produce a pale yellow flower of medium size but exceptional shapeliness. As
with other Paphiopedilum Pavarotti offspring, there are mahogany markings on
the petals and dorsal and a wide white margin on the dorsal which provide a
contrast that enhances the overall appearance. This plant was shown by Papa
Aroha Orchids on July 10, 2004 in New Zealand and merited a silver award of
80.04. The photograph was taken by Val Bayliss.

the influence Of cOmmercialiSm On JudGinG recent trendS in

Transcription

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