The Atlanta Affiliated with the American Orchid Orchid Society, the Orchid Digest Corporation and the Mid-America Orchid Congress. Society 2001 Recipient of the American Orchid Society’s Distinguished Affiliated Bulletin Societies Service Award Newsletter Editor: Danny Lentz Volume 46: Number 12 www.atlantaorchidsociety.org December 2005 DECEMBER EVENTS The Meeting: 8:00 Monday, December 12 at the Atlanta Botanical Garden Annual Holiday Party It’s that time of the year again. For those of you who haven’t been with us long, the December meeting is traditionally a Holiday Party where we can all get together and have a great time. Please bring a covered dish to add to our pot-luck supper and an orchid related gift (inexpensive please) for the blind gift exchange. We will have our usual Exhibition Table, so bring those wonderful winter bloomers! There will be a SHORT (promise!) business meeting in which officers for 2006 will be installed. DUES ARE DUE Dues ($30 single, $45 household) for the calendar year 2006 are due. Your membership dues continue to bring you a monthly newsletter and underwrite the cost of speakers and programs presented throughout the year. Prompt payment helps us determine our budget for the year. Dues Rossioglossum insleayi can be paid directly to Reba Herzfeld at the December or January meeting Inside This Issue Atlanta Orchid Society 2005 Officers…………………………………………..….…………… Page 2 Collector’s Item……Cycnoches cooperi Rolfe. …by Ron McHatton….…………………….... Page 2 Events Out and About………………Dates for your Calendar…………...……….…….……… Page 3 Minutes of the November Meeting ….…….…...……….………….…………..………...….… Page 3 Member Spotlight – Pam Sanchez and Rita Goldstein…………………………...……....…….. Page 4 Recent Blooms at the Atlanta Botanical Garden……………………………………………….. Page 4 The November Exhibition Table ……………………………….………..………..…………... Page 5 Notes from the AtOS & SMOS Fall Show……………………….………..………..…………... Page 8 Notes from Linda Wilhelm’s presentation at the November meeting………………………….. Page 9 Recent Awards from the Atlanta Judging Center……….……………………………………… Page 11 All contents © Atlanta Orchid Society unless otherwise noted. Page 2 www.atlantaorchidsociety.org December 2005 THE ATLANTA ORCHID SOCIETY COLLECTOR’S ITEM Officers Cycnoches cooperi Rolfe Sik-NOE-keez cooper-eye President - David Mellard Tribe: Cymbidieae 3409 Regalwoods Drive Doraville, GA 30340 Subtribe: Catasetinae 770-270-5758 Etymology: Cycnoches – from the Greek kyknos, swan; auchen, neck in reference [email protected] to the slender, arched column of the male flower cooperi – to honor Thomas Cooper, English plant collector and breeder around 1900 Vice-President/Programs - Richard Hallberg The genus Cycnoches comprises some 33 species distributed throughout Central and 152 Sloan St. South America. Plants are characterized by a caespitose growth habit consisting of Roswell, GA 30075 770-587-5827 fleshy pseudobulbs with several internodes. The leaves are thin, typically heavily [email protected] veined, deciduous and the inflorescences arise from the upper nodes of the pseudobulbs. As is typical of most of the Catasetinae, flowers are unisexual. Under normal Secretary - Sandy Phillips circumstances, all flowers on a given inflorescence with be of one sex; however it is not 870 Virginia Circle NE uncommon to have basal flowers of one sex, apical flowers of the other sex and Atlanta, GA 30306 404-874-1417 hermaphroditic flowers in between. Female flowers, typically 2-4 carried on a very [email protected] short inflorescence are very fleshy, fragrant and very long lasting. Male flowers, up to 30 more produced on long, pendent inflorescences, are of thinner texture and less long- Treasurer - Reba Herzfeld lasting. In keeping with other members of the Catasetinae, male Cycnoches flowers 4798 Summerset Lane forcefully eject their pollinarium when triggered by the pollinator. Each species is Dunwoody, GA 30338 pollinated by a specific species of male Euglossine bee, a fascinating adaptation in itself. 770-394-3731 [email protected] These plants are epiphytes in lowland, moist to wet forest from sea level to less than 600 meters. Plants should be grown under warm to intermediate conditions with ample Immediate Past President - water and fertilizer while actively growing. After growth is complete they require a Evan Dessasau III relatively dry resting period. Overwatering at this point in their growth cycle will result 404-241-4819 in rotting of the pseudobulbs. [email protected] Cycnoches cooperi, although unknown in contemporary collections until rather Directors (year term expires) recently was first described by Rolfe in 1913. The flowers produce a powerful Mark Reinke (2005) chocolate fragrance and vary in color from a warm chestnut brown to much darker 864-718-0152 shades, with the best clones being full, round flowers of a deep bronze-red color. It [email protected] is found from Northern Peru to Brazil at an elevation of about 400 meters Jeff Whitfield (2005) 770-634-6153 [email protected] Sondra Nierenberg (2006) 770-579-3376 [email protected] Fred Missbach (2006) 404-237-1694 [email protected] Mikie Emerson (2007) 404-289-3684 [email protected] Danny Lentz (2007) 770-640-0112 [email protected] Other Volunteers Newsletter Editor/Greengrowers Danny Lentz Webmaster - Tom Kaschak [email protected] Librarians - Mikie Emerson and Karen Chandler Show Chair – David Mellard (above) Cycnoches cooperi male flowers. (top-right) close-up of male flower Plants grown by Atlanta Botanical Garden. (bottom-right) female flower Photos © Danny Lentz Page 3 www.atlantaorchidsociety.org December 2005 Events Out and About MINUTES OF THE NOVEMBER MEETING December Saturday, 12/10. American Orchid Society • The Atlanta Orchid Society Meeting was brought to order by monthly judging, Atlanta Judging Center, 2 Vice-president Richard Hallberg. The minutes from the last pm, ABG basement workshop. If entering meeting were approved as written. plants, please arrive before 1:30 pm to allow • The Atlanta Orchid Society and South Metro Orchid Society time for research and paperwork. show was great fun. Thanks to all who volunteered. Reba Herzfeld was presented with a gift in recognition of the Monday, 12/12. Atlanta Orchid Society outstanding job she did in catering and hospitality from monthly meeting, ABG, Day Hall, 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Holiday party. Please bring a covered dish • The recommended slate of officers for 2006 was elected and an orchid-related gift. unanimously: January President: Richard Hallberg Vice President: Mark Reinke Monday, 1/9. Atlanta Orchid Society Secretary: Sandy Phillips monthly meeting, ABG, Day Hall, 8 p.m. Treasurer: Reba Herzfeld Speaker: David Mellard will speak on Trustees for 3 year period: Barbara Dampog and Rob Rinn “Using the Right Fertilizer Based on Water • The annual Holiday Party will be held on 12th of December Quality”. at 8 p.m., following a short business meeting. Bring your plants Saturday, 1/14. American Orchid Society for judging. Please bring a potluck dish. Anyone wanting to monthly judging, Atlanta Judging Center, 2 participate in the gift exchange, please bring a gift valued under pm, ABG basement workshop. If entering $20, preferably orchid related. plants, please arrive before 1:30 pm to allow • Reba is working on the Atlanta Orchid Society cookbook. time for research and paperwork. Please send your recipes to her at [email protected] or bring to the meeting. • Send any orchid related articles to Danny Lentz for Congratulations to our officers and publication in our newsletter. directors elected for 2006 • Set up day for the Southeastern Flower Show is February 6, 2006. On-line entry is open. Details of the entry process, which President – Richard Hallberg is different from last year, will be covered at the January Vice President – Mark Reinke meeting. Treasurer – Reba Herzfeld • Danny Lentz was complimented for the excellence of the Secretary – Sandy Phillips newsletter: layout beautiful, photography beautiful. Directors (2006-2008) – Barbara • Tom Kaschak has served well in the capacity of web master Dampog and Rob Rinn the last three years and is ready to give up the position. If you can support the society by volunteering to maintain our web site, please let David Mellard or Richard Hallberg know. Welcome to our new members • Linda Wilhelm of Woodland Orchids near Charlotte, presented an excellent program on oncidium types and culture. Sandra Price, Atlanta • Our thanks to our orchid judges: Barbara Dampog, Bill David Glass, Atlanta Smith, Jeff Whitfield, Jeffrey Wolf. Jill Slavin, Atlanta • Our thanks to those who donated plants to the raffle table: Margo Brinton/Eldon Park (3 plants), Marianne Gilmore (3 plants), Helen Weil (3 plants), Woodland Orchids and others. Please visit our web site at • Our thanks to those who brought refreshments: Cathy http://www.atlantaorchidsociety.org Caine, Alice Hong, Mary Helen Reinhard, Geni Smith, David The Atlanta Orchid Society web site Tillis, Helen Weil and others. contains recent newsletters and articles, cultural information for growing orchids in The meeting was adjourned. Atlanta, as well as a calendar of events and Respectfully submitted, Sandy Phillips information about our annual shows. Page 4 www.atlantaorchidsociety.org December 2005 Member Spotlight My mother, Rita Goldstein, has been a plant hobbyist for over 35 years. Each of her gardens have won neighborhood awards. Lots of people ask for her advice about their gardens and homes. Considering Pam Sanchez and Rita Goldstein that she is a state licensed interior designer who is registered with the American Society of Interior Designers, this should not be surprising. She was born in New York and has lived on Nassau in the Bahamas, in the Bronx and Forest Hills in New York and in Atlanta for 45 years. Her two businesses are Interiors By Rita and Beauty and the Bath (gift baskets featuring Camille products). I can't remember when Mom received her first orchid. I know that most plants adore her and give beauty consistently. When you mentioned that you were in this society, we decided to join to spend more time together, and learn about a plant that we enjoy.