DIAGNOSIS: ORCHID FEVER

Many autumnal orchids are featured in group displays, such as this one, where growers assemble plants from their collections which are in peak perfection, often featuring more of their most unusual species such as this Pleurathalis species which displays it’s tiny blossoms within its leaf. Not all orchids are showy, many are odd, and may seem very-un-orchid like at all, yet most orchids are not what you think.

A striking golden yellow Cattleya blooms in a growers display at the Massachusetts Orchid Society Orchid Show this past weekend at the Tower Hill Botanic Garden, in Boylston, MA.

Genrally, Orchid shows and exhibitions are held in spring and autumn in North America, and there is a good reason for this – in the orchid Family, there are many species that can be found in bloom most every day of the year, but it is during these transitional seasons of summer passing into winter, or winter passing into spring, when many species bloom in abundance. Spring shows might be larger, and seem like a respite after a long, cold winter, but my favorite shows are these autumn shows, maybe because my mind is getting ready for winter gardening adventures both in the greenhouse and on the windowsill. I have a long wish list of orchid species to yet master ( for I have mastered few), but Plerathalids, Dracula and many others will need to wait, until I have more time to focus on their specific needs.

I might try Vanda orchids again, after seeing this incredible green one. Vanda sanderiana ‘alba’ with its chartreuse and white blossoms caused traffic jams in the hallway.

I fell in love with this new ‘tea cup’ Paphiopedilum helenae, so I bought one, only to find out that Joe was already paying for one. At $60 for a seedling, one of us had to put one back. Now, I need to finish this post so I can research more about these amazing, tiny ladyslippers!

Here is a good example of how tough it can be identifying orchids. This plant was labeled Odm. ‘cartagena’ x Odm ‘Goodale Moir’.  Yet later, while researching for more information on-line, all I could find was Mtssa ‘cartagena’ x mtssa ‘Goodale Moir’. A but confused, I assumed that Odontoglossum may be related to Miltassia, or Brassisa, and well, yes – apparently this appears to be a mericlone ( which is a meristem cell propagated clone) of a well known named Miltassia listed under the same name – or is it? I am still confused, as any photos I could find at on-line nurseries were quite different – and here is why I may never become too geeky about orchids – there are others who are far geekier than I, who can ( and will) figure this all out for me!

Gotta love all Papheopedilium super bum selections, for foliage and stature. They take me back to my first job in the 1970’s when I worked at the Stoddard Estate in MA, I used to drool over these plants in their greenhouse. Time, me thinks, to add some more to mine.

I never got the name of this amazing black orchid ( it’s Monnierara Millenium Magic ‘Witch Craft’ AM/AOS – thanks to Marc Hachadourian) , but it was on display grown by neighbors A&P Orchids in Swansea, MA, and they were kind enough to take it into the conservatory so that I could try and get a better shot of it for you.

Some growers specialized in tiny gems, which appeal to many serious collectors as they can grow them in small spaces, Wardian cases and even some large terrariums. Check out this little Dendrobium species no larger than a fifty cent piece. It’s in a one inch diameter pot, for $75.

We all are familiar with Phaleonopsis ( yawn), but how about this species? Meet Phalaenopsis heiroglyphica.

So, again, Joe and I dump a few dinero on some choice plants, You know, just to test the waters a bit, as, like I said in my earlier post, we are making some room for perhaps some new species in the greenhouse……just sayin’.

It’s been about ten years since I was relatively ‘serious’ about orchids. I placed quotes around “serious” because serious connotes something completely different in the world of orchid collectors. I would never claim to be a serious orchid grower or collector for that matter, but I think that it would be safe to say that I sit somewhere between “somewhat knowledgeable enthusiast” and “entry level orchid geek”. Clearly I am not a “phalaenopsis-from-the-super-market grower” tossing in my ice cubes and shot glasses of H2O into my potted Sky Blue Phally, but yet, I am not dragging my choice 12 spiked specimen plant into an orchid society meeting on judging day – as this is where the real, serious and talented growers bring their best specimens to win awards and medals ( those acronyms found attached to those long orchid names).

A nice display of mixed, autumnal blooming orchids.

I fall in the middle, preferring to grow unusual orchids first, ones which ‘speak’ to me for various reasons – such as that large Dendrobium speciosum in the middle of my greenhouse growing in a 3 foot wide wood-slat basket, (maybe someday I will feel good enough about it to bring it in for judgement, but even though it produces an annual bloom in abundance, I always feel that it is inferior in some obvious way ( a bungled leaf, a spot or two), I am not that concerned with winning special orchid society ribbons at this point.

I grow species that need cold or cool conditions in the winter, so many Cymbidiums do well for me, as to many cool-growing Dendrobiums, particularly the Australian ones. Pahpiopedilums seem to do quite well, and these along with the cane-type of dendrobiums might become my new passion – but we’ll see, for any orchid collection is an investment, and therein is the problem….with house repairs and the need for a new truck soon, I should really be thinking about other investments besides those of the orchid bark kind ( like that logic ever stops us!).

This species from Ecuador, where it grows on the cliffs near waterfalls interested me, so I bought one. Eriopsis biloba offers exactly what I like in many orchids – specimen plant potential, height, massiveness and horticultural interest – meaning that this is a species you are not going to find at most nurseries or garden centers. Lust! I want plants in my collection that you would find in Charles Darwin’s greenhouse, or in the hidden greenhouse at a botanic garden.

So perhaps I will play with some newer orchids, for some are attracting more than I should admit, Particularly the smaller ( dwarf) phapheopediliums, the ‘tea cup’ paphs. So small, for tropical ladyslippers, yet with foliage more reticulated and blossoms in greater number – perfect. Only problem, most of these are bred from species that demand warmer temperatures, so a place in the house may need to be prepared for the coldest winter months.

Not the best photo, but here is my plant window with some of my new additions from this weekend (the rest are already out in in the greenhouse, ready for repotting). I also came back with some bags of orchid mix – as these shows are sometimes the best place for any of us to find orchid supplies besides on the internet.