has not forgotten his followers in the blog and written up his observations and experiences interspersed with some fine visuals. I am posting them here for all viewers to enjoy. Here goes:
The South Florida Orchid Show
By Indra Anandasabapathy
Several years ago while growing up in Colombo, I came across a news item that referred to the orchid society in Colombo that was celebrating a major anniversary. So they had planned to do so by planting orchid plants on the trees lining Bullers road ( now Bauddhaloka Mawatha ). The conditions were perfect with diffuse sunlight, humidity and shade. The motive was laudable and ambitious. I used to travel to school that way, so was able to see their work. There was one epiphytic orchid on each tree. One thing was missing however. So what happened later was predictable and sad. Almost all of them vanished almost overnight from those magnificent old trees. So much for citizenship.
Whoever stole the plants probably saw them perish as orchids are not easy to take care of without some basic knowledge. The story always intrigued me to the point several years later, I made growing them as a hobby in New York.
Is it difficult . Somewhat, but not hard as long as one has the right conditions, diffuse sunlight, humidity and shade. I do not have the conditions all perfect but have over the years managed to nurse and coax to flower about twenty five plants.
Orchidaceae is a family with about 28,000 species (in fact one of the most successful plant species) and orchids grow from the tropics to the foothills of the Himalayas. Most are epiphytes, but several are terrestrial. Orchids are among the largest of plant species encompassing about 6-11% of all seed plants. After man got involved with their cultivation, there are over 100,000 hybrids.
There are over 175 species of orchids in Sri Lanka and about 75 are endemic to the island. Two of the most famous here are the scorpion orchid (worn on lapels) and the Vesak orchid, Dendrobium McCarthea.
The source of Vanilla is an orchid plant - a trailing or climbing plant. While some plants have large flowers, yet there are others with tiny flowers in inflorecenses. The photographs show both forms. Some orchid flowers have sweet scents.
Annexed are pictures from my recent visit to the annual orchid show in South Florida. It attracts about a hundred vendors and exhibits. The largest I have been to is the New York Orchid Society annual show which was free and attracted over 750 vendors and exhibits and is held usually in April.
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| Best exhibit |
An uncommon pink Catteleya
More Catteleyas
Catteleya Orchid
Different coloured Vandas in bloom
Cattleyas
Prize winner - Cattleya
Selby Gardens
Dendrobium (Dancer)
Dendrobium in bloom
Whar a beautiful collection of colourful objects! Only second to a group of Sri Lankan ladies in colourful sarees and jackets at a function, although I hasten to add that I wouldn't label them objects!
ReplyDeleteMy knowledge of orchids has increased by 100% after reading this. I love orchids and always have a few plants in the house but my record of preserving the flowers when they bloom is abysmal. I have tried all sort of watering and feeding methods, but we just don't get on and they soon dry up and hang on for dear life faded and jaded to stems. Any advice on prolonging their useful life and avoiding palliative care?
Indra
ReplyDeleteThank you for that lovely introduction to orchids. What a riot of colour!! They are natures gift to humanity. Reminds me of growing up in Nugegoda when my grandparents grew them in great abundance. My wife grows them now and I see them as I write, on the window sill, giving it life and colour and bringing us such great joy..
Having seeing beautiful collections of orchid plants,my memory went back to the days when our own BL(B L Perera)was alive.He was a very enthusiastic collector of exotic plants ,including orchids.He had a collection in his home and also his wife's brothers home at Nugegoda.I have visited both and saw his beautiful collections.If,BL were to be alive,he would have been the first to comment on this exhibition,by Indra.We too have a few orchid plant at home.Sri Lanka has a large collection of orchids,in virgin rainy forests,such as Sinharaja and jungle leading to Sripada.
ReplyDeleteThats is interesting , never knew BL had an interest in growing orchids. I have not been to either of the places you mentioned here.
Deleteia
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DeleteA few in the pictures are from Selby gardens in Florida, including the pink in its glory on a tree and the little trailing white orchid flowers in a basket. The latter are miniature orchid flowers.
ReplyDeleteia
Indra, Thank you for these beautiful images and the article. My mother was fairly successful in raising orchids as well as other plants. But I have no skills in that area at all! I manage to kill all indoor plants eventually, although I do have better luck with the plants (perennials, mostly) outside. I am told that the orchids available in the Northeastern US thrive best when benignly neglected (Infrequent watering, indirect sunlight etc). So I neglect them, and they die...
ReplyDeleteSounds familiar Srianee. I have tried neglect. hyperlect, moderatelect but although the plant survives, the flowers just dry up and hang on for a while and then drop off.
DeleteVandas ( the ones in picture 5 do not like the cold ).
DeleteEasiest to grow in the north east are Phelanopsis ( moth orchid ), Dendrobium ( the flowers look like kandyan dancers, Cattleya (picture 2) and Cymbidiums ( the leaves are long and grass like )( there are none in the pictures but occasionally I have seen Costco and some supermarkets carrying them).
Do not get aggressive with watering- once a week will usually be fine, and do not let water to stand in the tray under the flower pot. Place plant where there is some sun light , fertilize with orchid fertilizer once a month. At home it is difficult to provide humidity,best for optimal conditions for them to thrive.
Cymbidiums need a cold spell like that in October to set flowers. Be careful not to let the plant freeze, that happened to me once and the results were tragic.
After a few years the root balls get too tight inside the pot and need to be divided.Change all the bark at that time to fresh bark.
Orchid bark is usually available in places like Home Depot.
I leave the plants outdoors once the weather has turned warm, but keep the plants in the shade.
ia
Indra, thanks for the tips. Perhaps I will give them another try.
DeleteShall have another go. I watered only once a week and I was advised to run tap water into plant for a couple of minutes letting it drain and then place back on dry saucer. Was that bad advice?
DeleteThis fascinating information is from the Web. I was always intrigued by reference to the male "balls" or testes as "orchids" as in Orchidectomy. This is what I found.
ReplyDeleteOrchid came into English about 1845 borrowed from New Latin Orchideae, Orchidaceae, the plant’s family name, and was assigned by Linnaeus in 1751, from orchid-, erroneously assumed as the stem of Latin orchis.
The resemblance of orchid roots to “testicles” more than 2 000 years ago led to the mistaken belief that orchids possess aphrodisiac properties. The identity of the true male orchis of the Greeks and Romans has never been established. Mystery still surrounds this magic plant whose root was dissolved in goat’s milk by the ancients. One drink of this solution, wrote one incredulous historian, and a man could perform sex as many as 70 consecutive times.
Orchis is supposed to have been the main ingredient of satyrion, the love food of those lecherous satyrs of Greek mythology. The orchid, the Turkish orchis morio, the truffle, the mandrake, and several other plants have been credited with being the male orchis (aphrodisiac) of the ancients, but the true identity of satyrion is probably lost for all time; unless you count ™Viagra as its replacement.
Very interesting information, Mahen! "70 consecutive times?" Not with the same woman I hope - she'd be dead!
DeleteShe IS dead, I am reliably informed!
DeleteSrianee and Mahen, You two are so funny ! Thanks for the mini dialogue - Iam still laughing !
DeleteHer gravestone says, "Here lies a supremely happy woman"
DeleteBy the way, she passed away in the 70s (not in her 70s).
I am speechless!! At that rate long term survival is probably far less than 70%.
DeleteIn a poll in the 70s, 70% of over 70s agreed with the finding you refer to Srianee, I.e., that long term survival is less than 70% with the caveat that accuracy is only 70%.
DeleteIndra, the trailing white orchids are very pretty. Are the whites in pic 12 the same, and do you know their name?
ReplyDeleteA very pretty white orchid my mother treasured was called the Holy Ghost orchid-
The flowers were on an erect stem and the inside of the flower had an appendage in the shape of a little dove. I think it also had a fragrance if I remember right. Wonder whether you have come across this . I don’t know it’s scientific name - need to consult Google!
Google has some nice photos of it if you haven’t seen the real thing- Scientific name Peristeria Elata- also called Dove Orchid or the Holy Spirit Orchid.
ReplyDeleteMy mum got it from the Peradeniya Gardens and it flowered beautifully outdoors.
The trailing white orchids Rohini are gorgeous. The close up is the one in picture 12 indeed. It was very small .
ReplyDeleteOn the subject of the plant growing and being a tight fit in the pot , at that stage as I said the whole plant needs to be taken out of the pot, get rid of the old potting bark , divide the plant up at the root, and repot in separate pots with fresh bark and water. there are orchid plant supports ( metal ) that are available from suppliers and from local nurseries that can be used for support if the plant needs it, for a few months until it has set new roots and grown in its new pot.
ia
I think you should put up a notice outside your house.
DeleteORCHID DOCTOR. Please arrange consultation by ringing the number below this notice. Rates very reasonable and will only cause a moderate dent in your wallet!
Sumathi , any idea about the whereabout of Douglas Arulanandan?
ReplyDeleteia
Hi,Indra,
ReplyDeleteOur old friend Douglas's address has got lost with throwing away of my old diaries.I am sure I can get his address from the Medical Directory.I contacted him over the phone,as soon as I got his address from the Medical Directory.I remember,Douglas was an active member of the Christian Soc,during his Medical student days.He was a real gent during the Bloem,days.Sorry for the delay in reading your blog.
Sumathi and Indra, I will try to track down Douglas Arulanandan since I am here in Colombo. When he was living at the 'Bloem' he would drop in at our house on Rockwood Place on and off. He got to know my family pretty well. (We sometimes had the Student Christian Movement Committee meetings on our front verandah.) My sister remembers him telling her "You know, it is hard enough to get into Medical College, but it is even harder to get out!" He had a great sense of humor. Apparently he once brought a huge sack of Tamarind to our house (my sister remembers this). My mother had made tamarind chutney and sent some back to the 'Bloem.'
ReplyDeleteThis is Zita, rather late as usual. I was unable to make comments so in the end I didn't even visit the blog. But I looked at these beauties and although my knowledge of orchids is minimal, even I can appreciate what I see and read. Thanks for a informative, interesting and stunning presentation. The number and quality of the comments it has attracted is proof enough! Glad I am managing at last to print a comment. Hope I am not talking too soon. Here goes! Publish! From Zita
ReplyDeleteZita, Thank you for the comment , which I take as someone cared to read the write up, which was a long time in coming. It is an interesting and rewarding hobby because orchids are not only pretty , and uncommon but they also last a long time, most at least three weeks unless one is negligent in taking care of the plants. They are not as difficult to take care of, and certainly at least in my experience easier than roses. Of course they need some attention and the right choice of plants as well as conditions is imperative.
ReplyDeleteia
Several years ago I was at the New York ORCHID SHOW that is an annual spring fixture in the beautiful large glassed ATRIUM in downtown, Manhattan, not far from the World trade center building that was attacked later .They even had palm trees here.The atrium too,which was shared by American Express was damaged and the orchid show moved to Rockefeller center for several years. There were vendors from several countries but mainly from Thailand and the state of Hawaii.
ReplyDeleteThere was a time I was getting a white infestation on some of my plants and on closer look I noticed very small white insects. I tried liquid soap spray, and insecticide spray without much success.
During my visit to the show I met a nun from the Bronx about whose orchid exhibits there was a write up in the local press.I happened to see her and I walked up to her and while talking to her about her interest I inquired about my problem with some of my orchids. She advised me to spray the plant with isopropyl alcohol, available in most plant supply stores and often in hardware stores too. One spray is often all that was needed. It took care of my problem.
A fan set at slow speed helps to keep the air around orchids circulating and they like that .
Right now I am in the process of down sizing and have only about 20 orchid plants.
ia
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ReplyDelete