SOUTHERN ONTARIO ORCHID SOCIETY NEWS April 2017, Volume 52, Issue 4 Meeting since 1965

Next Meeting Sunday, April 2, Floral Hall of the Toronto Botanical Garden,

Cultural snapshots will return at a future meeting. Please note we will be in the Garden Hall, not the large Floral Hall.

Member and Vendor sales noon to 1pm

Program at 1 pm Inge Poot will present the genus Brassia and its influence in hybridizing.

Member table review. Show your , win points.

Raffle

Don’t Forget to renew your membership for 2017

SOOS Exhibit at the London Orchid Society Show photo pp

on your awards. I would also like to thank all the members who willingly allow me to take their precious

President’s Remarks Welcome Orchid babies to the different shows. I have received nothing Lovers. Welcome to spring. The weather has been but compliments from the public over the variety and well very unpredictable, as usual. Welcome to Canada. I cared for plants. Time to give yourselves a much have been lucky to date, as the days I travel to the deserved pat on the back. Thanks, Jocelyn Webber, for different shows have been good. I will be on my way to backing me up and coming with me to create SOOS' Montreal by the time you receive this newsletter so here displays. This is a job that takes more then one person is hoping the weather will be just as good. and I am grateful for all the help received.

Our show in London went extremely well. I came home Our culture workshops are going to take a hiatus during with 40 ribbons, two rosettes and a trophy for best April and will resume again in May. When you come to phalaenopsis in show. Please see the chart later in the the meeting and see Alexsi, please let him know if there newsletter as to who received these ribbons. It attests to is a topic you would like him to cover. what great growers our members are. Congratulations The following shows are coming fast and furiously: 14, SOOS meeting, Toronto Botanical Garden, sales Ottawa Show: April 22 — 23 I will be doing this display 12 noon, program 1 pm, Floral Hall TAOA Show: April 29 — 30 Once again, Don will be 20, Monthly Montreal AOS judging, Jardin botanique de working on this display. Please be generous with your Montreal. precious little ones as it is the only way we can create 17-21, AOS Members meeting, Redlands orchid sale, the vast variety of displays. South Florida. June The treats for the April meeting fall to the members with 3, TJC Monthly AOS Judging and business meeting at the last names begin with H through to K. The March treats were delicious. Thanks members E through G. TBG.

4 ,SOOS meeting, Toronto Botanical Garden, sales The programs for the next few meetings will be as follows: 12 noon, program 1 pm, Floral Hall April 2nd Inge Poot Topic: Brassia th 17, Monthly Montreal AOS judging, Jardin botanique de May 14 Round Table Topics: Orchid Wiz — Terry Kennedy, Kikis — Synea Tan, Pests, Bugs and Their Montreal Removal — Alexsi Antanaitis and Fertilizer Math — Alla July Linetski June 4th Leslie Ee Topic: TBA 8, TJC Monthly AOS Judging at TBG. August 6th Orchid Fest Speaker: Andrea Nissen 15, Monthly Montreal AOS judging, Jardin botanique de Happy Orchiding, Montreal Laura Liebgott Questions or comments: Please contact August 6, Orchidfest Floral Hall, me at: Toronto Judging centre judging 10 am [email protected] or 905 883 5290 and afternoon talks by Andrea Niessen Plant of the Month for March 19, , Monthly Montreal AOS judging, Jardin botanique de Montreal 12, 2017 nd November 8-12, 22 World Orchid Kayla Fodi shared her Conference, Guayaquil, Ecuador Cattlianthe Jewel Box ‘Scheherazade’ AM/AOS with us and AOS Judging Results had us wonder how RBG Show, Saturday February 25: she got it so Paphiopedilum gratrixianum ‘Gail's Delight’ HCC /AOS beautifully flowered! 77 points,Don Ingram She got it as a small Fire Wings ‘Crystal Star’ CCM/AOS plant 5 years ago. She keeps it outside under shadecloth 81points Crystal Star Orchids Dendrobium Fire Wings ‘Crystal Star’ HCC/AOS 75 for the summer and winters it under four T5’s in her points Crystal Star Orchids house. The lights are on during the cheap hours during Phalaenosis Mad Hatter ‘Fran’s Gift’ CCM/AOS 84 the night. She mists it every day and uses Flora- Nova- points, John Marcotte Grow a 7-4-10 hydroponic fertilizer. Well done! Pleurothallis bivalvis ‘ Hill Island’ CHM/AOS 84 points Joyce Medcalf Lepanthes cloesii ‘Hill Island’ CHM/AOS 83 points Joyce Coming Events 2017 Medcalf April display Tropical Haven Show trophy 87 points, Silver 31- 2, Genesee Region Show, Rochester, NY. Certificate 86 points, Doug and Terry Kennedy 1, TJC Monthly AOS Judging at TBG. Paphiopedilum Cocoa Pacific In-Charm ‘Wilson's 2 , SOOS meeting, Toronto Botanical Garden, sales Choice’ AM/AOS 83 points, Wilson Ng 12 noon, program 1 pm, Garden Hall Toronto J.C. March 4: 7-9, Alberta Show and Canadian Orchid Congress, Edmonton, Alberta. Propetalum Lise Bee 'Purple Rain' HCC/AOS 78 points 8-9, Quebec show. Jeannie Kaeding 22-23, Ottawa Show and, Monthly Montreal AOS Cattleya Pink Opal 'Rose Orb’ HCC/AOS 78 points, Alan judging. Sowinski 29-30, TAOA Show, Toronto, ON. London Show March 18: May Show trophy 83 points Orchids in Our Tropics. 1, TJC Monthly AOS Judging at TBG. The next judging will be held Saturday, April 1 at the Phalaenopsis Cupid Sprint Inge Poot Toronto Botanical Gardens at 1 pm.,. AOS Judging is a Phalaenopsis OX Black Face (OX Queen x OX Spot service of the American Orchid Society and is open to Queen) Inge Poot all! Bring us your flowering orchids, Cattleya Hybrid Joe O'Regan Ludisia discolour Joe O'Regan Southern Ontario Orchid Society: Phalaenopsis Dragon Tree Eagle X Phalaenopsis Nobby's Fox Synea Tan Valentine's Day Show 2017 SOOS Exhibits Ribbon Report Rosettes st 1 Place Ribbons Cymbidium Asilomar 'Wilson's Choice’ AM/AOS Synea Odontocidium Wild Bobcat Sylvia Raynham Tan Phalaenopsis Crystelle Nila Ryabova Cymbidium Green Sylvia Raynham 2nd Place Ribbons Paphiopedium Odette on High (Odette's Glory X Superb Vandaenopsis Jiaho's Orange (Vandaenopsis Irene Fred) Laura Liebgott Dobkin X Phalaenopsis Zuma's Pixie) Inge Poot Phalaenopsis Hybrid Natasha Guz Paphiopedilum (Pinocchio In- Charm X Paphiopedilum In Charm White 'Co-operation' BM/TPS Synea Tan Rosette Rhynchostylis gigantea Synea Tan Phalaenopsis Hybrid Natasha Guz Phalaenopsis Wedding Promenade Inge Poot

nd Phalaenopsis Sweet Paradise (Candy Kiss X Brian 2 Place Ribbons Carter) Inge Poot Cattleya ( Potinara) Toshie's Charm John Vermeer Dendrobium Roy Tokunaga Synea Tan Dendrobium Nobile Honey Leen Nila Ryabova Phragmipedium Fritz Schomburg (besseae x kovachii) Phalaenopsis Brother Redland Spots Synea Tan Inge Poot Ludisia discolour John Spears Phalaenopsis aphrodite Synea Tan Sophronitis coccinea 'April Showers' John Vermeer Epidendrium Rose Valley ‘Cardinal’ Joe O'Regan Cattleya Brabantiae ( loddigesii 'Blue Sky' X aclandiae Phragmipedium Suzannae Decker (kovachii x Cape 'Blue Sky' AM/AOS) John Vermeer Sunset) Inge Poot Cymbidium Hybrid Connie Charlton Phalaenopsis Hybrid 5 Joe O'Regan Display Cathy Dunn, Nila Ryabova, Don Wyatt Paphiopedilum Ken Ichi Takaya (supardii x Phalaenopsis Hybrid 3 Peter Goulding philippinense) Inge Poot Phalaenopsis Baldan's Kaleidoscope 'Goldern Treasure’ Miltonia Mario Van Peebles 'Ruby Storm' AM/AOS Natasha Guz Synea Tan Display Jocelyn Webber rd 3 Place Ribbons Doritanopsis Everspring Prince 'Black Eagle’ 3rd Place Ribbons Natasha Guz Dendrochilum wenzelii Inge Poot Paphiopedilum Makulii Synea Tan Dendrobium SOOS Celebrates 50 Synea Tan Rossioglossum Rawdon Jester 'Great Bee' Nila Epidendrum Rene Marques 'Flame Thrower' HCC/AOS Ryabova Synea Tan Paphiopedilum Makulii Synea Tan Award of Merit Laeliacattleya White Island Synea Tan Phalaenopsis Brother Redland Spots Synea Phalaenopsis Hybrid 3 Joe O'Regan Tan Paphiopedilum Yerba Buena HCC/AOS X Paphiopedilum In Charm white Hsinying Ingrid Wauro RBG ribbon results 2017

1st Place Ribbons , A Primer by Terry Kennedy, Cymbidium Asilomar 'Wilson's Choice AM/AOS Synea transcribed by Inge Poot Tan At the March 12, 2017 SOOS meeting Terry Kennedy BLC Young-Min Orange 'Golden Satisfaction' presented a great summary of how to grow the different Synea Tan groups of this large and diverse genus. It contains 1000 Comparettia macroplectron 4N Synea Tan to 1200 species and is divided into 40 sections. Paphiopedilum Fumi's Delight 'Synea' AM/AOS Synea The genus was established in 1800 by Olaf Schwarz. Tan The name Dendrobium means ” tree life” and that gives Chondrorhyncha amazonica 'HOF X amazonica C012-1 you a good clue about their culture. They grow on trees Synea Tan and therefore need perfect drainage and quick drying Cattleya Crown Fox’ Sweetheart’ John Vermeer after wetting. More on that later. Paphiopedilum (Camberchrome X George Hughes) X Watercolour artist Joe O'Regan Dendrobiums are found in a huge area encompassing By adding the more the tropical areas of South East Asia and adjacent forgiving species Den. islands, all along the east side of Australia and the moniliforme and Den. islands south and east of Australia. Habitats range from stricklandianum to the warm to hot, sea level to elevations of 1500 meters hybrids of Den. nobile via where it is much cooler. Plant size too varies from ½ cm the hybrid Dendrobium Ise to 2.5 to 2.8 meters (7-8 feet) tall. Contrary to some (moniliforme X genera such as Phalaenopsis where all member species stricklandianum) more easy look noticeably similar, dendrobiums are so varied that it to flower hybrids resulted. is often hard to tell that they are dendrobiums. This is The white flowers of Den. especially pronounced in the plant shapes found in the Ise also last for two to three genus. A Phalaenopsis is easy to recognize even months. without a flower, but dendrobiums can have thick or thin The famous Yamamoto leaves, upright, pendent or crawling growth habits. Dendrobium hybrids were Flowers can be minute to quite large and be in any developed by Jiro colour but true blue. Longevity of flowers also varies Yamamoto and they require widely: some flowers last for months, others have their a three to four week chilling buds open nine days after a rain and then last only two period at 14C (59F) or less days! The flowers can be scented or scentless and the to set flower buds. They do scents vary from very pleasant to unpleasant, but they not need to be kept dry. never get as nasty smelling as some bulbophyllums! Another common trait in the genus is the ability of Section Phalaeanthe contains 6-7 species. growths to rebloom! This results in some stunningly well- bloomed specimen plants. The flowers are So what do all reminiscent of dendrobiums have in those found in common? The bases of the genus their lateral sepals are Phalaenopsis, fused into a nectary or but require little spur. Most like high different culture. light. All love humidity and They originate in most grow at intermediate Australia and temperatures. They must New Guinea. have a well-drained They need it medium and should not be warm (since re-watered until the medium is almost completely dry. they grow below They are tree dwellers 600m) in a semi- and therefore love arid environment, that is, good air not too much water, and movement. Using very bright light. Rainfall as small a pot as in their native habitat is possible facilitates fairly high in July to rapid drying. September, but falls off Next Terry rapidly after that. They do discussed culture not lose their leaves and hybrids of the unless they are grown too most popular cold! They have 2.5 to 3 sections: foot stems.

Their pretty shape has Section Dendrobium: the best known species of led to their frequent use this group of about 50 species is Dendrobium nobile in hybrids. The species

Dendrobium bigibbum is Plants in this group have soft canes and need a quite small growing and three week cool period at about 10C (50F) to initiate often has even wider flower buds. During this cooling off period they still petals than Dendrobium need good light. In the winter they have to be kept phalaenopsis and is dry or all you will get is kiekies or rot! When you see therefore also used a lot buds on the old canes (does not flower on new in hybridizing. Den. canes) do not water until they start to differentiate or phalaenopsis has very they will turn into kiekies. This only makes your long lasting flowers, but friends happy!!! those of Den. bigibbum last less long. Flowering Phalaenopsis; Does Magnesium or Phosphorus Applied in the Autumn Promote Flowering? Orchids, Aug. 2004. Section Hybrids of section Phalaenopsis and Spatulata are very Spatulata, the popular with the cut-flower trade, because the flowers antelope are colourful and last so long. They tend to look like a dendrobium phalaenopsis with slightly twisted segments. section contains The next species have different cultural about 50 species. requirements from the groups discussed previously: Most require Dendrobium unicum is a bright light and miniature species with year-round warm bright orange, fragrant growing flowers. The species conditions, since needs intermediate light most come from and temperatures. Some sea level shade is needed in the elevations. Most have narrow, often upright twisted summer. Watering is petals and usually wider less twisted sepals. To Terry greatly reduced in winter, the flowers look like Easter bunnies! This section while the diurnal contains many large-growing species. Examples are temperature difference in Den. anteniferum, Den. lasiantherum , Den. sutiknoi and greatly increased at that Den. stratiotes. time. Good air movement is critical at all times. A well-grown plant of Dendrobium In Hawaii the species stratiotes is over six with fairly long to long feet tall! dangling pseudobulbs are called the Your transcriber’s Honohono Orchids favorite species of Den. superbum now this section is called Den. anosmum Dendrobium comes in pink and lasianthera . A well- white flowered or all coloured , well white flowered grown plant of this varieties. The new often gigantic name is a misnomer, species is a sight to because it means behold! However “scentless”, yet the growing it too cold species has a strong makes it drop its fragrance! The long leaves and usually canes covered in die..... flowers are quite a sight, even though the flowers are not A hybrid of Den. long lasting! stratiotes is Den. Norman. It is mostly Den. stratiotes but a well-grown clone of it, the clone ‘Pam’ will be over eight feet tall! It Den. parishii has has to be grown in full sun, kept warm and fertilized with fairly short pseudobulbs that are often upright. The the Michigan State University fertilizer (MSU fertilizer for flowers are pink rain water is available from Peter Decyk). with the lip lighter, The Michigan State Fertilizer but sporting a Best article in Orchids Magazine; “Without High fringe and two Phosphorus “ by Jan Szyren, June 2003. Summary: dark eye-spots in Low Nitrogen is responsible for flowers. High the throat. Culture phosphorus above 3% in the N-P-K ratio is not as for Den. necessary. If you use rainwater or RO water, the unicum calcium requirement is 8% and magnesium 2%. These results have been confirmed by researchers publishing in Orchids: The Flowering of Orchids by Roberto Lopez and Erik Runkle, PhD. Orchids, Mar. 2004. The plants grow in evenly warm conditions all year with Den. primulinum is a days 9-11C (16-19F) warmer than the nights. Reduce variable species with watering and fertilizing a bit in winter. Give phalaenopsis a wide open heart- to slightly higher light levels. shaped lip that has Section Dendrocoryne contains mostly species from short hairs along the Australia. They have hard canes, are evergreen and margin and may or have fragrant flowers. They require three weeks of 10C may not have a large (50F) to set flower buds. golden blotch on the The most spectacular species of this group is lip. It is cultured like Dendrobium the above two speciosum. This species, that is, with species is wide- a bit of shading in fall spread and as a to spring and the dry result comes in winter with the larger diurnal temperature difference. many varieties some of which The above four species are deciduous, most flowers are do just barely fit fragrant but short lived; the plants need a cool period into a moderately to initiate flower buds. Drying plants in November and sized growing cutting back on nitrogen fertilizer helps the leaves to area, while drop. Leaves drop one to two months before the buds others are are initiated. Pseudobulbs with leaves do not flower. absolute giants! Section Pedilonum have one to many short The flower colour can vary from cream to gold. inflorescences produced from leafless pseudobulbs. The species needs very bright light especially in winter In Den.secundum several pendent clusters of rosy to set flower buds. To get the required 3000-4500fc we flowers with orange tipped lips are arranged near the tips may have to supplement with high wattage LED lights in of the canes. Plants like bright sun short of burning the the winter at least. Strong air movement is needed all leaves with a bit of shading in the fall to early spring. year. They grow cool. Keep evenly moist, but a bit drier Strong air movement is needed at all times. They are in winter. Reduce or eliminate fertilizer in winter. very warm growing plants with the warmest part of the Summer days average 20-21C(70-72F), nights 10-13C year in late spring before the summer rains start. The (50-55F), diurnal temperature difference rises from a summer low Winter days average 11-14C (52-58F), nights 2-5C (36- of about 7-9C to 11-18C in winter. 41F) Dendrobium smilleae has usually single terminal, upright inflorescences Dendrobium kingianum is a miniature species which has made up of been line-bred to by densely, spirally now have full flowers arranged, ranging in colour from tubular flowers white to pink to dark found on magenta. The flowers leafless canes. are fragrant, but only The flowers are last two weeks. The cream with same is true for various amounts Dendrobium of pink overlay tetragonum, whose and the lip is spidery flowers in good deep green on clones have a most the distal delightful red-brown half.This species picotee on the sepals. requires dappled light only. The temperature is pretty It grows best in light that turns its leaves slightly purple. steady all year at 18C (65F) during winter nights to 22C About 2500-4000fc may be needed. Some growers are (72F) during summer nights and with day temperatures successful in bright phalaenopsis light. Under lights 14- about 7-8C (13- 14F) degrees warmer. It gets lots of rain 16 hours per day are recommended. Shade lightly in in summer, but enters a dryer period from fall to early summer. Summer days are 24C (75F), nights 14-15C spring where the rain is replaced by heavy dew. A very (57-59F), winter days 15-19C (58-66F), nights 4-7C (39- humid atmosphere at all times works best. 45F). The seasonal variation is essential for plant health. Dendrobium bracteosum flowers with dense clusters of In winter reduce watering and fertilizing so that plants slightly star-shaped flowers emerging all over the canes, just barely dry out between watering. High humidity and but more densely on the proximal half of leafless canes. brisk air movement are a must. The flowers can be cream to deep pink with orange lips. phalaenopsis 2000-3000fc. Day temperatures all year Section Rhizobium is are 21-22C (70-72F) and night temperatures are 8-9C found in Australia and (14-16F) degrees cooler. They probably can adapt to a New Guinea. Most of bit higher or lower temperatures, since they are found the species have terete over a large area. Rainfall is heavy all year, but a bit less leaves, flowers usually for two month of the winter. Never allow to dry out. are non-resupinate Dendrobium cuthbertsonii is the king of the oxyglossum (which means they are dendrobiums! It up-side down) has been line- The miniature species bred so much Dendrobium wassellii is that the most a cute example from wonderful colour Australia and New forms can now Guinea. be found on the The plants need more market. It has or less even warm small leathery temperatures, good leaves that are moisture, a little cooler covered with and drier in winter, but warts and a never let the creeping growth temperature drop habit. below 10C(50F) or let Grow in shaded to dappled light conditions. Grow cold or the plants dry out for 10-14C (50-58F) at night with days 10-15C (18-27F) long periods. Give Cattleya light in winter, a little less in degrees warmer. May adapt to temperatures 3-4C (6-8F) summer. Good air movement all year. degrees colder or warmer. The warmest part of the day is in the morning. Misting between watering may be Dendrobium rigidum is another miniature Australian beneficial. Use rain water or other very low solute water. species with cream flowers and a red and gold lip. It Flowers may last up to nine months! grows much like the previous species, but should be The best potting medium is sphagnum moss, but it must protected from temperatures above 30C (90F) in be replaced as soon as it starts to break down, since summer. stale sphagnum kills roots and dead roots kill the plant Dendrobium toressae is a truly tiny miniature with little very quickly. It is not adapted to withstand any water clustered bumpy leaves forming a mat, out of which are shortage and dead roots have the same effect on a produced little cream flowers with a darker cream to light plant as a dry rest – deadly for this species and many of orange lip. It grows hot and slightly shaded. It needs its related species. It is better able to withstand a hot most water in spring to fall, much less in the rest of the summer like the summer of 2016 in the Toronto area, year and high humidity all year. Never dry out for any but no dying out. length of time. Section Oxyglossum consists of plants with miniature Dendrobium tannii from Papua New Guinea has longer growth habits. They require cool to intermediate cane-like pseudobulbs and clusters of lilac flowers near temperatures with temperatures being more or less the base of the canes. Orchid Wiz has no cultural constant all year. They want high humidity. They have information for this species, but it is presumably warm bird pollinated flowers. They must be watered with very growing. pure water, never allowed to dry out completely and not Section Latourea contains about 50 species and most over-fertilized. are found mostly in New Guinea. The flowers are long- Dendrobium subacaule makes little tufted mounds of lasting, large, but nodding. As a result the boldest fairly fat elongated leaves out of which emerge tubular markings are on the exterior of the flowers, because that red flowers with yellow lips. They grow under is the part of the flower that the pollinator will see from intermediate temperatures, but may take lower or higher afar. The base colour of the flowers may be white, temperatures since they are found over a large area. cream, green or same shade of brown. The edges of all Day temperatures are 10-11C (18-20F) higher than night segments tend to be more or less crimped, depending temperatures. Never allow to dry out completely. on the species. The leaves are evergreen. The plants do Dendrobium violaceum has light lilac flowers with a not need a dry rest and are tolerant of extremes of cream to dark brown, orange-tipped lip, The flowers are temperature. held quite low in the loose tufts of thin leaves. Give it Dendrobium rhodostictum has large, full cream flowers even temperatures all year 22-24C (72-76F) days and in small terminal inflorescences. The lip has a thin with nights 10-12C (17-21F) degrees cooler. Never allow magenta edge- pretty! It likes dappled light and tolerates to dry out completely. cool to warm temperatures. Dendrobium laevifolium have full, white to deep pink Dendrobium atroviolaceum has inflorescences of about flowers with a cream to yellow tipped lip. They are borne half a dozen cream to chartreuse to pale yellow flowers singly from small rounded pseudobulbs with one to three with bold aphid-sized brown spots on the exterior of the smooth leaves. They like about twice the light of flowers. The spots bleed through blurrily onto the interior surface. Lip veined and often also flushed deep flat flowers, snow white magenta. Lightly fragrant. with some maroon Grow warm to hot in dappled light. markings at the base of Dendrobium musciferum now considered a synonym for the lip. macrophyllum can have white, yellow to chartreuse Grow in bright indirect flowers whose lips are veined purple to maroon. The light in warm to hot sepals have a delightfully hairy exterior and the hairs run temperatures. down the ovary as well! Very fly-like! Too bad this is another case where the better name does not have Its most famous priority… It grows in hot temperatures in dappled light. offspring is the cross Dendrobiun convolutum is hot growing, in dappled light with Den atroviolaceum, and is a native of New Guinea. It has flat chartreuse Dendrobium Roy Tokunaga: It is a large growing plant flowers with shiny quite flat lips that are veined and but will rebloom from old canes and produce a great flushed with dark brown. This species is now on the specimen plant. Grow in bright, indirect light in warm to CITES Appendix 1 list and will be hard to find and/or hot temperatures. Keep moist in spring and summer and import. fertilize weekly, weakly. Reduce water and fertilizer for Dendrobium aberrans is the rest of year. cutest little miniature and has really quite large well-shaped flowers. It is used in hybridizing to bring down plant size, flatten and enlarge lip shape and increase floriferousness. Grow in dappled light in cool

to warm temperatures.

The close-up of the flower shows the huge lip with the large side-lobes and the strange deeply Dendrobium Roy Tokunaga’s most successful offspring: cut mid-lobe. To finish this Dendrobium spectabile can grow to gigantic size and section: (Photo has the most by Terry wonderfully curled Kennedy) flowers! The flowers are large, sepals and petals chartreuse to light beige, slightly veined maroon, edges undulate. The lip is white, mid-lobe yellow, the whole lip reticulated maroon Notice how and shaded maroon dominant Dendrobium to red centrally. The aberrans is for shape anther cap is green. and colour of the flower Additionally all segments curl. Weird and almost scary! and small size of the Grow in dappled to bright indirect light, in warm to hot plant. temperatures. Days are 29-32C (84-89F) with nights 9- 12C (16-21F) degrees cooler. Reduce water in Section Formosae, the temperate climate winters, but never allow to dry out nigro-hirsute completely. Dendrobiums occur Dendrobium johnsoniae is considered the best white from to the flowered parent for hybrids from this section. It has quite Philippines. As the in the form of a curious narrow appendage. name suggests they have lots of black hairs on their Neither parent species pseudo-bulbs. Grow is very easy to grow, most of them like but the hybrid is much Vandas. Fertilize less fussy. heavily during the Another well-known summer. In Hawaii successful cross is the growers use one Dendrobium Dawn teaspoon soluble Maree (formosum X fertilizer per gallon of cruentum). The lip water per week in the markings can be summer and ¼ teaspoon per gallon in the winter. They subtle as in the recommend the MSU fertilizer. illustration, or in some clones the lip is almost solid orange, another had a red blotch in the lip followed by a Dendrobium formosum has very large, well-shaped, yellow band. A stunning white flowers. The lip has a yellow to almost orange cross! chevron to quadrate shaped blotch in its centre. The Grow it in dappled to flowers last well, even though the 2n forms appear thin- indirect bright light, in cool substanced. to hot conditions - just change it if your clone Dendrobium cruentum is a species from . It is does not respond to used a lot in hybridizing whatever temperature you because of the orange- decided to try it at first. red markings in its lip. Keep evenly moist in Some clones are also spring to summer, drier pale chartreuse and this the rest of the year. creates a lovely contrast Fertilize weekly, weakly. with the red lip Pot into a well-draining markings. Grow it in medium in as small a pot dappled light at hot as possible. Using a 4n temperatures, that is at (or tetraploid = 4 copies of 27-30C (81-86F) days each type of chromosome, which is twice the normal and 21-22C (70- 72F) at number) of Dawn Maree and back-crossing it onto night. Temperatures are Dendrobium cruentum gives Dendrobium Green warmest and diurnal Lantern, some of which turned out to have a greener temperature differences flower than Dawn Maree. are greatest in the spring. Rainfall is Section Callista has plants with hard canes, that need reduced for 3-4 months three weeks of cooler temperatures to set flower buds. It in the winter is not necessary to dry the plants in this group. The accompanied by very plants produce such showy grape-like clusters of low humidity. Allow flowers, that they are very popular even though the plants to dry out flowers only last two weeks. between watering in the winter, but do not keep Dendrobium them dry for long periods. thyrsiflorum has snowy Increase light short of white sepals and petals burning the foliage during and a yellow to orange- the winter. Re-pot in early gold lip. spring when roots start The very similar growing. Dendrobium densiflorum has all One of its offspring is yellow flowers, but the Dendrobium Peng Seng lip is a darker shade. (cruentum X tobaense) Dendrobium where Dendrobium chrysotoxum has more tobaense is a green loosely arranged gold species with a large flowers with a dark yellow to dark red blotch in the lip. orange callus in the lip. The mid-lobe of the lip is Dendrobium amabile has densely arranged flowers with white, pink-flushed sepals and petals and a white lip with a large central yellow to gold blotch.

Dendrobium lindleyi, formerly Den. aggregatum is a miniature plant in this section. It has about 7-cm tall pseudobulbs and when well-grown will cover itself with loose inflorescences of 5 to-almost 20 yellow flowers with a very round large lip whose centre has a gold blotch. The closely related Dendrobium jenkinsii has even smaller pseudobulbs that form a tight mat and produce single flowers, much like those of Den. lindleyi.

Summary Old timers all agree that roots are the most important part for growth and flowers. Ph of media should be 5-6. Low salts in media. Leaching is very important. Pedilonum and soft cane Dendrobiums need to drop their leaves before flower spikes can initiate. Dry cool winters help to drop the leaves. Nobile and Dendrocoryne Dendrobiums require three weeks of cool night temperatures below 14C ( 59 F) to initiate flowers.

The Real Flower Booster There is one nutrient needed in large amounts at the time of flowering: Calcium Calcium is highly immobile. It only moves in the xylem with the transpiration stream. If the humidity is too high or the stomatas are closed, calcium cannot move. Calcium must be absorbed by the roots and transported in the xylem at the time of flowering. It cannot be stored in the bulbs or roots for future use. Terry recommends that you start applying a high calcium soluble fertilizer at 1 tsp per gallon, weekly, starting one month before spikes appear. Continue until the last bud opens. Nitrates do not interfere with the flowering. Water as needed and do not use an ammonia based fertilizer until flowers are done.

The H&R formula; use only in Hawaii or other areas where theret is bright light year round. Scotts Cal-Mag special in 25 pound bags is 15-5-15 with 5% calcium and 2% magnesium At H& R they also add 20% calcium nitrate by weight. At another time, they apply 20% by weight of magnesium sulfate. They apply this as a constant feed through the irrigation system with about 6000 gallons of water. In Hawaii, most hobbyists will use one tsp of soluble fertilizer per gallon of water and apply weekly. This is the maximum H& R would normally recommend for the summer. The rate drops to once a month in the winter.

.Crystal Star Orchids

broker service with over 15 top orchid nurseries Summer Open House From June to August weekends only From 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. By appointment only Tel: 905-478-8398 or email : [email protected] 20815 2nd Concession Road East Gwillimbury Ontario L9N 0G9

Ching Hua Orchids, In Charm, Krull Smith, and Sunset Valley.

.

Mar 12 2017 Show Table Ribbons

Class Hsinying First Second Third Class 1 Cattlianthe Jewel Box C. Dolosa Epi. Shinfong City Cattleya Alliance ‘Scheherazade’ John Vermeer Marion Curry Kyla Fodi Cattleya Coccinea ‘April Shower’ John Vermeer Class 2 Paph Toni Semple Paph Lady Isabel Paph (Spotglen ‘Doodleuy Paphiopedilium Jean Chang Jean Chang HCC/AOS x Duncan Your’s tuthard AM/AOS) Jean Chang Class 3 Rhynchostylis gigantea Phal aphrodite Phalaenopis and Vanda Synea Tan Synea Tan Alliance

Class 4 Comparettia speciosa Miltonia Herralexandre x Oncidium and related Synea Tan Mary Sugyama Alex Antanaitis Class 6 Den Mini Salaya Den Yamamoto Den Miyakodori Dendrobium Synea Tan Marion Curry Rosanna Li Class 7 Dendrochilum glumaceum All Others Rosanna Li Class 8 Cattleya trianae Specimen Plants Jocelyn Webber

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, Laura Liebgott, 905-883-5290; Vice-President and Treasurer, John Vermeer, 905-823-2516, ; Secretary, Sue Loftus 905-839-8281; Other Positions of Responsibility: Program, Ann Antanaitis ; Plant Doctor, Doug Kennedy; Meeting Set up, Yvonne Schreiber; Vendor and Sales table coordinator, Diane Ryley; Library, Liz Mc Alpine ; Web Master, Max Wilson; Newsletter, Peter and Inge Poot; Annual Show, Peter Poot; Refreshments, Joe O’Regan. Conservation Committee, Tom Shields; Show table, Synea Tan, Cultural snapshots, Alexi Antanaitis, Directors at large Marion Curry, Lynda Satchwell and Kevin Hushagen . Honorary Life Members: Terry Kennedy, Doug Kennedy, Inge Poot, Peter Poot, Joe O’Regan, Diane Ryley, Wayne Hingston.

Annual Show: February 10-11, 2018.