SOUTHERN ONTARIO ORCHID SOCIETY October 2018, Volume 53, Issue 9 Meeting since 1965

Next Meeting Sunday, October 7, 2018, Floral Hall of the Toronto Botanical Garden.

Vendor sales noon to 1pm 12:15 pm Cultural Snapshots by Alexi Antanaitis on the stage. Program at 1pm Jason Fischer of Orchids Limited in Minnesota. Jason will give a talk on alternative growing methods which should be of interest to everyone.

Member table. Bring in your flowering for show and tell and points

Raffle

Paphiopedilum Macabre Pops Vandachostylis Viboon Velvet” Cobalt Treasure” AM 80 grown ”CAD's Burgundy Wopper” AM 83 grown by David Bryan by Terry and Doug Kennedy

President’s Remarks: Welcome Orchid By the time that you receive this newsletter, Laura Enthusiasts. Fall is around the corner, although it doesn’t feel like it as I write this mid-month, as we were Liebgott will have travelled to Cambridge to put on our experiencing height of summer temperatures. An early Society’s display for the Central Ontario Orchid Society September photo, sent from my daughter in Calgary Show on Sep.22-23.There are still more shows this fall, with snow on the cars, was a gentle reminder that cooler and Laura and Don Wyatt will once again be temperatures are coming. If your plants are still outdoors representing SOOS with beautiful award winning like mine are, then they are loving the warm weather and displays. They will be on the lookout for plants, so high humidity. I’ve been doing a lot of repotting lately, please help them out by sending some of your “babies” and I’m seeing great root growth. With all of the new with them to one of the Fall shows. They may even summer growth, new flower buds are appearing each come back with some awards. day that I examine my plants closely. Just in time for the Fall Show season. If you are interested in helping out with any of these And displays, please contact Don and Laura, as I’m sure that they would appreciate any help. www.facebook.com/SOOSOrchid/ On instagram at  Windsor Orchid Society - Oct. 20- 21 – Laura Liebgott will be designing the display. instagram.com/soosorchid/  Essex County Orchid Society Show, Kingsville (Collasanti’s) - Nov. 3- 4 – Don Wyatt will be designing the display. Plant of the Month Well done Synea! Thank you in advance for those members who Synea Tan and her generously lend their precious plants. The SOOS green thumb won the day yet again! – displays could not happen without you With her nicely grown and flowered Our future speakers are as follows: Paphiopedilum Saint Swithin October 7, Jason Fischer, Orchids Limited (rothschildianum x philippinense). She (Minnesota) (https://www.orchidweb.com). has it potted in a mix of bark, chopped Jason will give a talk on alternative growing methods moss, which should be of interest to everyone. coconut chips and Perlite. She th summers it out of November 4 : John Marcotte, Orchids Canada, doors on the north (https://www.orchidscanada.com/), The subject is side of her house on Disas, an open veranda. Out there it gets watered every 2-3 days and every day when it is hot and dry. She fertilizes with every December 2nd: Annual auction and pot luck watering with a very weak MSU fertilizer solution. She applies slow release fertilizer pellets once or twice per year to all her plants. She is experimenting with Orchidata, the bark of Pinus Our cultural snapshots will continue to take place on the stage radiata, a pine with a small native California range, but at 12:15 pm, with Alexsi Antanaitis running these sessions. imported and grown in Australia, Chili. South Africa and New Everyone is welcome to participate. Remember, if there is a Zealand, (as told to us by Fred Clarke). The bark lasts longer topic you would like us to cover, please let us know. than that of other pine species, but must be watered frequently when it is new. It is usually heat treated or drenched with Methyl bromide before being allowed into the USA or Canada. Now is the time to get your 2019 SOOS memberships. The “Kiwi” bark is the same bark, but it has not been treated and as earlier you purchase or renew a membership, the more a result the pH stays much more stable because the micro- opportunities you will have to win the draw for a blooming organism balance in the bark is more stable. Also it holds onto orchid at the November, December and January meetings. fertilizer better (because it has Cat-ions on the surface) You must be in attendance to win the orchid draw, so if your improving nutrition of the plant grown in it. It will last 2-3 years. name is chosen and you are not in attendance, we will draw again until a winner is chosen. All names go back into the draw for the following month, so purchase your membership 2019 Orchid Show and Sale Update early to increase your odds of winning. The 39th Annual Show will be held Saturday and Sunday, th th th Thank you also to those members whose names begin with the February 9 and 10 with setup on the 8 . The theme letter N through R, that supplied treats for the September chosen for the show is “Obsession”. meeting. Posters and coupons are ready to begin sending out. Feel free to take some to hand out or put up at your The members whose names start with the letters favourite venue. S through T are scheduled for the October's We will have a display of the artwork of Gerard Bender treats. à Brandis. Please contact Inge Poot if you have We will see you soon. something which you are willing to loan. We are looking for volunteers for the following: John Vermeer 1. Hospitality – Someone to oversee the feeding of the volunteers on Friday,

We are on facebook at: Saturday and Sunday. If you can do one or https://www.facebook.com/groups/29 more time slots, that would be awesome. 8874747302722/ 2. Art and Photography – Someone to November 3 judging). promote and set up the Competition and November Display. We can split the duties between October 31- November 4, AOS Member’s two or more people. meeting in Florida 3. Display Setup on Friday, February 8th – This 3-4, Essex County Orchid Society is your opportunity to take a number of Show, Colasanti’s Tropical Gardens, beautiful orchids and create a stunning Kingsville, Ontario.. display. Great opportunity for a novice 4, SOOS meeting, Toronto Botanical Garden, sales grower; the orchids are brought to you and 12 noon, program 1 pm, Floral Hall there are lots of knowledgeable people 10,11, Niagara Frontier Society Show, around who can assist when desired. Buffalo. 17, Monthly Montreal AOS judging, Jardin botanique de The benefits of volunteering include free admission, Montreal incredibly good free food and drink as well as getting to December know other members and vendors. Friday volunteers TJC Monthly AOS Judging at TBG. can peruse vendor tables without being jostled by the 1, crowds of Saturday and Sunday. 2, SOOS meeting, Toronto Botanical Garden, sales We can find a job for every personality type whether it 12 noon, program 1 pm, Floral Hall be at the front welcoming visitors, in the kitchen 8, , Monthly Montreal AOS judging, Jardin botanique de helping to prepare food, giving tours, helping with set- Montreal up and tear-down, security, clerking at the Saturday morning judging (which includes breakfast), assisting at the plant and coat check or just simply being available for whatever Marion needs you to do, we can make use Conservation Corner of your talents. Your society has a group of enthusiastic members that meet regularly to discuss orchid If you would like to participate in the nitty gritty of conservation issues and develop conservation planning the show, you are welcome to attend the action plans. This group is under the active committee meeting after the regular Sunday afternoon chairmanship of Tom Shields. The group meeting. recommended the following donation to the Nature It is also not too early to start preparing an orchid or Conservancy of Canada: orchid art display of your own, just let us know what SOOS is pleased to announce a $10,000 donation to the space you will need. Nature Conservancy of Canada to aid in the purchase of Cathy Dunn SOOS Show Chair 100 acres of land at Dyers Bay West on the Saugeen ([email protected]) Bruce Peninsula. This project was chosen because it is a worthwhile extension to existing orchid habitat in the area.Tthree orchids have been found on the property: Menzies’s rattlesnake plantain, Yellow Lady’s Slipper and Hooded Ladies’ Tresses. A full inventory has not yet been completed and there may be more. Coming Events 2018 The Dyer's Bay West property includes habitats for September numerous at risk species, and it will connect with other 22,23, Central Ontario Orchid Society conservation lands such as NCC’s Dwarf Lake Iris Reserve. Show, Cambridge, Ontario. Proceeds from the SOOS annual February Show and October Sale funded this donation.

6, TJC Monthly AOS Judging at TBG.

7, SOOS meeting, Toronto Botanical Garden, sales 12 noon, program 1 pm, Floral Hall AOS Judging Results 13, Monthly Montreal AOS judging, Jardin botanique de Toronto Centre September 1, 2018: Montreal Paphiopedilum Macabre Pops (Macabre Magic x Magic 20,21, Windsor Orchid Society Show. Pops)” CAD's Burgundy Wopper” AM 83 grown by David 27, TJC.Business Meeting and Bryan monthly Judging at TBG. (replaces Vandachostylis Viboon Velvet (V. tubtim Velvet x Rhyn unusual overall spotting pattern was the cross Gordon Dillon. Below is a smoky blue clone, but the cross also produced blue, purple coelestis)” Cobalt Treasure” AM 80 grown by Terry and or pink clones. Doug Kennedy

Next judging October 6, 2018 at the TBG Agenda 10.00am Judges education. 1:00pm: AOS Judging AOS Judging is a service of the American Orchid Society and is open to all! Bring us your flowering orchids.

SOOS and the Toronto Judging Centre have each pledged a $1,000 US donation towards an endowed American Orchid Society award to be called the Mario and Conni Ferrusi Award. This annual award will be given to the grower of the most outstanding Masdevallia, Dracula or Dracuvallia orchid of the preceding calendar year. Proceeds from the SOOS annual February Show and Sale funded the SOOS donation. Mario and Conni were active members of SOOS and the AOS. Mario was a president of SOOS and a Vice President of the AOS. Conni was always an active participant in anything Mario undertook. Mario was an expert grower of Pleurothallids as well as many other orchids. What needed to be improved? Flower size – it is easy to improve, by just selecting the largest progeny of every generation of line breeding the parents. Vanda sanderiana flowers are typically 8-9cm across with their line- Trends in Vandaceous Hybridizing by Robert bred AM clones ‘Athena’ (a pink background clone, 10.2 x 11.1cm natural spread) and ‘Robert’ (a white background clone, 10.0 x 12.1cm Fuchs of RF Orchids, Homestead, Florida natural spread and 20 flowers Transcribed by Inge Poot per !) they had a (Thank you to Bob Fuchs for permission to use his images and his good start for the cross Vanda generous supply of the two programmes he presented to SOOS to Robert’s Delight where a help in the transcription) natural spread of 13.9cm was Growing orchids is a family trend for Bob, who took over his father’s achieved in the clone ‘Crownfox business and therefore grew up with orchids around him. Florida is a Big Red’ FCC/AOS and a N.S. of great place to grow high light and 14.7 x 15.2 cm in the clone warmth requiring orchids and ‘Garnet Red’ AM/AOS. (Looking were a given. Even though at all the awards and other Florida is more and more plagued posted pictures in Orchid Wiz by hurricanes RF Orchids appears and AQ+ this cross also to rise from the rubbles like the produced a bewildering array of proverbial Phoenix! It has not different colours from pink to red stopped their breeding to blue to almost black and even programmes and the huge number more different: the clone ‘Blue of awards on their record attests to Picotee’ JC/AOS which has its their success. tessellation turning from red to “Classic” Vandas have large blue-purple along a band edging flowers borne on very large plants, the sepals and petals) such as Vanda Jennie New Colours: not so easy, since other traits often get lost when using Hashimoto‘Starke’s’ CCM/AOS a new type of parent. But the above cross is a good start!

The limitations that had to be overcome were also that they were Other new colour patterns were achieved mostly very warm growing by using Vanda curvifolia. Its yellow lip (exception: V. coerulea and its side-lobes are very appealing and hybrids) and the limited colour dominant in crosses. It also adds red and range exhibited by classic vandas. orange to the Vanda colour palette. There were pink two-tone flowers such as V. Pimsai ’Aztec’ HCC/AOS shaped like the above flower, but the pale brown replaced by rosy pink. Using Blue was also an option as selected stud exemplified by plants such Vanda Sansai Blue ‘Acker’s as a V. Yip Pride’ FCC/AOS Sum Wah with light Yellow was also available as tessellation shown with the luminous Vanda all over the Fuchs Sunbeam ‘Yellow Bird’ flowers, or the spotted These hybrids consisted of mostly clone ‘Kimi’ Vanda sanderiana and Vanda HCC/AOS, RF Orchids got different coerulea with a bit of Vanda colour patterns. luzonica, dearii, tricolor thrown in. An example of an hybrid with some clones showing an unusual This type of breeding was very new about smoky purple colour and an 15 years ago and resulted in such crosses as V. (Ascda.) Guo Chia Long ‘Spotty’ AM/AOS In summary: All but size of flowers was achieved by using the former was a nice full gold Ascocentrum species with bold red spots, Vandas average 8-10 flowers per inflorescence in the “classic” while hybrids V. (Ascda.) Ken Ascocendas average 20-40 flowers per inflorescence in the early Kone ‘Confetti’ hybrids AM/AOS and V. Smaller, more numerous flowers in new colours are produced with the (Ascda.) Suksamran former Ascocentrums. Spots ‘Connect the The plants are smaller and mature Dots; AM/AOS were much faster and flower more easily. gold with mahogany Vanda Suksumran Beauty has about spots. 2000 excellent clones, many reawarded several times and many Another plus for will bloom all year long. these crosses is that they mature in half the time as V. At this point Bob gave us a bit of sanderiana, that is in five to seven years. history of his firm. At 4 AM in the morning, on the 22 August in 1992 a Decrease Plant size: Easy, but often get a reduction in flower size as hurricane wiped out their entire well… collection! All they had left were the Crossing Vanda Kultana Gold keikis of many of their stud plants that (a typical yellow vanda, 11 flowers, they had sent to their propagation 9.2cm) with area in Thailand. In many respects it Asctm. miniatum, the smallest of the was back to square one and former Ascocentrum species with rebuilding the collection and breeding (1.2 – 1.5cm flowers) Resulted in programme had to start anew. Ascda. Bangkhuntian Gold In 2012 Ascocentrum was much smaller plant, smaller flowers moved by taxonomists to (88 +20 buds on 5 infl., flowers, the genus Vanda and as a 4.6cm), but you lost the full, large result 35 hybrid genera flowers. were retired.

Improve Cold Tolerance: there are some cold tolerant Vanda species whose cold tolerance has to be carefully selected for in the progeny. Vanda coerulea comes from 2300 feet elevation from Cheng Mai. This species has been used in hybrids for over 100 years.

Another species that is more cold tolerant is Vanda denisoniana. It has spoon-shaped yellow flower parts and a white centre.

Increase Floriferousness:

a- Number of flowers per inflorescence (without losing flower size!) The third species is b- Frequency of bloom Vanda tessellata The introduction of This plant withstood Ascocentrum species into the 32F (0C) for two mix brought many positive new hours and only had a traits to Vanda hybridizing, bit of damage! including floriferousness. More flowers were produced more is often cool tolerant Vanda Laksi ‘Chili Pepper’ AM/AOS is a delightful cross of Thonglor with curvifolia. When awarded it had 33 flowers on one Several Ascocentrum species tolerate cooler winter temperatures inflorescence and the flowers were a wonderful red set-off by a lip with bright yellow side lobes. Small flowered but a shiny red! (4.4 x 3.9cm natural spread). Rhynchostylis coelestis is also more tolerant of cool Aerdv. Tsuruko Iwasaki (Aer. temperatures and this carries on lawrenceae × to the first generation at least. V. sanderiana) is a rather nice cross, but the sanderiana is quite There is a pink clone of recessive in it. Rhynchostylis coelestis and when selfed gave 100% pink Both hybrids have been remade offspring. This helps with the with improved parent plants and are colour palette available in cool available in the trade today. tolerance breeding. Early 1990s saw a renewed interest in this type of hybrid. 1993: Aerdv. Barney Garrison (Aer. lawrenceae × V. Fuchs Delight) garnered 13 AOS awards, including an AQ/AOS But the flowers were not as flat as the previous or the following cross. The flowers were white with pink tips.

1993: Aerdv. Fuchs Jewell (Aer. lawrenceae × V. Fuchs Starlite) received 8 AOS awards, including an AQ/AOS The most cold tolerant of all the Vanda species is Vanda falcata 1993: Aerdv. Fuchs Lemon Cream (Aer. lawrenceae × V. Charlie Clark) received 3 AOS awards. The clone shown had upright of cupped snowy white flowers with a pink-tipped lawrenceae-like lip and two pink Add Fragrance: dots on the anther cap. And this little jewel is fragrant too! But virtually all of these hybrids Neostylis Lou Sneary (Neof. are dead-ends, with no progeny. falcata × Beautiful as they are, the flowers are sterile and do not breed. Rhy. coelestis) has smaller, And most produce similar pastel colored flowers, regardless of the numerous flowers, that are very Vanda parent. fragrant and the plants are more temperature tolerant In 1969, Miss Welda Christie in Miami crossed Aer. lawrenceae with Neostylis is now Vandachostylis Ascocenda Meda Arnold, producing the first Christieara, Chtra. Mem. Lillian Arnold, Other trends: now an Aeridovanda. The Introducing other genera –there is a long history of intergeneric cross has 10 AOS awards hybridizing in vandaceous orchids. Closely-related genera interbreed readily. Aeridovandas – crosses between Aerides and Vanda First Aeridovanda hybrid was registered in 1944: Aerdv. Ruth (Aer. crassifolia × V. cristata) Earliest hybrids were crosses between Vanda species and smaller Aerides species

Aerides lawrenceae is the largest Aerides species, both in plant and flowers; long flower stems can be longer than the The success of this hybrid prompted a leaves. flush of other Christieara Aer. lawrenceae first (Aeridovanda) crosses in Thailand in appears as a parent in the early 1970s, most of them hybrids 1948. 151 F1 hybrids small-flowered Aerides species. None were registered 1948 – proved memorable. 2015!

The first crosses with Robert Fuchs was at the Chelsea Flower show one year with a large flowered vandas Vandaceous hybrid display and was told that Queen Elisabeth and her were made in 1951: entourage might wish to look at his display. He was of course thrilled Aerdv. Blue Spur (Aer. about the possibility and tried to put his best foot forward. When the lawrenceae × entourage approached his booth, the Queen caught her foot on a V. coerulea) a ho-hum sticking up piece of grass and in the resulting slight stumble, walked bluish flower –open and right past his booth…foiled by grass! the petals are trying to achieve the V. coerulea

180 degree twist…

In 1975, Henry Furumizo in Hawaii registered Chtra.(Aeridovanda) Ruth V. Betty Baderman (Barbara Murai, a cross of Aer. lawrenceae with Krantz × Crownfox Beauty) Ascda.(V.) Yip Sum Wah. registered in 2004. The pink of 12 cultivars of Chtra. Ruth Murai have the flower has a lovely luminous received awards from the AOS and quality. SFOS

The addition of Asctm.(V.) curvifolium, through the Ascocenda parent, has The breakthrough cross, introduced a new color palette, and registered in 2006 greatly changed the flower shape. Was V. Fuchs Sunrise × V. This addition broke the color and Doctor Anek shape dominance of Aer. lawrenceae.

Christiearas became popular, and 125 hybrids were registered. But most of them are sterile, too, bringing this particular trend to a halt. The genus was “retired” in 2012, most are Aeridovandas now –like the charming two-tone Cynthia Lee shown. The cross was named V. Judy McKemie. It came in new “art shades” of copper and bronze

A more recent color trend, in the early 2000s: cross yellow with Two cultivars have received purple/pink. Examples are: flower-quality awards from Ascda. Copper Pure (Ascda. the AOS Fuchs Gold × V. Gordon Dillon) 2002 (Thailand) showed a gold flower with copper spots and light copper overlay, getting heavier towards the edges. V. [Ascda.] Crownfox Avocado Honey is (Ascda. Siam Spots × V. Doctor Anek). It was honored with an AQ/AOS in 2008 Five cultivars have received flower quality awards from the AOS. The ‘Redland’ clone shown had a cream background and smoky light purple spots and an overlay of the same colour on the lateral sepals and edges of the rest of the flower parts. V. [Ascda.] Ken Slump (2011) (Ascda. Crownfox Yellow Sapphire × V. Crownfox Goliath) were illustrated with the clones ‘Crownfox’ AM/AOS 2013 and ‘Joburg’ GM/21WOC. The ‘Crownfox’ clone had flat full white flowers heavily spotted and washed with burgundy red. The ‘Joburg’ clone was not as flat on the edges, but had light yellow flowers overlaid medium brown, leaving a central yellow halo which was spotted dark brown. V. Robert Moraru (2011) (V. Crownfox Gold × V. Doctor Anek) illustrated with the stunningly coloured clone ‘Crownfox’ AM/RHS was quite a breakthrough!

What trends would you like to see in the vandaceous orchids of the future? Bob credited the photographs to: Greg Allikas, Carlos Fernandes, Tom Kuligowski, Mei-Ling Meléndez, Alan J. Miller, Alberto Rodriguez, Julie Rosenberg, Ernest Walters

Some comments arising from questions from the audience were: Side-branches on inflorescences are sometimes formed on strong healthy plants of Vanda curvifolium and Vanda sanderianum.

With the lack of sun and heat at our northerly location, it is chancy to pot Thick-rooted Vadas in potting medium. They tend to rot. Even in Florida it is better to use a minimum of medium. What have we accomplished in nearly 100 years of hybridizing vandas Potting for RF Orchids consists of using a double basket with 3 inches and their relatives? of moss around the perimeter between the two baskets. An example of Larger, better-formed flowers eg: V. Robert’s Delight ‘Garnet Beauty’ a plant very intolerant of potting medium is Vanda denisoniana. FCC.AOS: Frequency of watering must of course increase when there is as good as no potting medium. Any other thick rooted vandaceous plant has the same potting dislike, so plant it like Vanda denisoniana.

Fertilizers recommended were Nutricote (used by RF Orchids), Osmocote –get from Home Depot. Ebb and Flow culture works with Vandas.

on smaller plants:

more flowers, flower more often. New colors and patterns:

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Sept 2, 2018 Show Table Ribbons

Class First Second Third Class 1 Blc Sun Ya Green ‘King Brassavola nodosa Rlc (Pot) Lynette and Cattleya Alliance Dragon’ Stanley Luk Erika Lorincz Alan ‘Gene’s Flare’ Rlc. (Pot) Mark’s Valentine HCC/AOS John Vermeer John Vermeer C. (Slc) Andria Kubo John Vermeer Class 2 Paph St. Swithin Paphiopedilium Synea Tan

Class 5 Cym Golden Elf Cymbideae Synea Tan Class 7 Catasetum Lovena All Others Joe DiCiommo

About SOOS Web site: www.soos.ca ; SOOS Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/298874747302722/ Member of the Canadian Orchid Congress; Affiliated with the American Orchid Society, the Orchid Digest and the International Phalaenopsis Alliance.

Membership: Annual Dues $30 per calendar year (January 1 to December 31 ). Surcharge $15 for newsletter by postal service Membership secretary: Liz Mc Alpine, 189 Soudan Avenue, Toronto, ON M4S 1V5, phone 416-487-7832, renew or join on line at soos.ca/members. Executive: President John Vermeer,; 905-823-2516 Vice-President ? Treasurer, Cathy Dunn, Secretary, Sue Loftus 905 - 839 - 8281; Past President Laura Liebgott, 905-883-5290 Other Positions of Responsibility: Program, Terry Kennedy; Plant Doctor, Doug Kennedy; Meeting Set up, Yvonne Schreiber; Vendor and Sales table coordinator, Lynda Satchwell ; Library, Liz Mc Alpine ; Web Master, Max Wilson; Newsletter, Peter and Inge Poot; Annual Show, Cathy Dunn; Refreshments, Joe O’Regan. Conservation Committee, Tom Shields; Show table, Synea Tan, Cultural snapshots, Alexsi Antanaitis, Directors at large Marion Curry, Jay Norris,

Judy Palmer, Sherry Xie, Eric Tai, Anne Antanaitis.

Honorary Life Members: Terry Kennedy, Doug Kennedy, Inge Poot, Peter Poot, Joe O’Regan, Diane Ryley, Wayne Hingston. Annual Show: February 9-10 , 2019.