Planting Orchids

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Planting Orchids

Thousands of species and manythousands of hybrids make this group of plantsone of the most fascinating and challenging tothe horticulturist and gardener. Many hundredsof species and thousands of different hybrids arecommonly in cultivation now, and both amateurand professional hybridists are introducingadditional new hybrids every year. Under theheading of Orchidaceae is a brief description ofthe botanical aspects of this complex family,along with some details of flower and plantstructure and its ecological origin and relation-ships. For many years orchids have been con-sidered to be very difficult to grow and it wasgenerally thought that growing these plants wasa hobby only for the very wealthy who hadprofessional gardeners especially trained to carefor the plants, but in recent years all this haschanged, due to modern cultural methods, andthe orchid hobby has come within the possibilityof all who are interested.

The American Orchid Society now has overto,000 members and is adding new ones at therate of nearly moo per year. Local orchidsocieties have sprung up in the larger citiesthroughout the country. These societies havemonthly meetings and annual orchid shows.These latter serve to educate and interest thepublic in growing these plants.

The lure of orchids as a hobby is many-fold.The very idea of growing them has a romantic-ally intriguing allure and of course the beautyof the flowers is the prime attraction. But fewpeople have any idea of the vast number offlower types available, from almost microscopicminiatures to huge hybrids as large as a dinnerplate and in an infinite variety of exotic shapesand colors. Once inoculated with the "OrchidBug," one finds that one's interest may expandinto many fields. In addition to the actualcollecting and growing of the plants, there are many fields of study and experimentation opento the orchid grower, so that one lifetime simplyisn't enough to compass the subject. Somepeople grow just a few orchids on their windowsills in order to have the flowers in the house,but most soon find themselves much moreinvolved in one particular facet or another in thestudy of this fascinating group of plants.

Here we will deal only with their uses asgarden and greenhouse plants. Culturallyspeaking, the orchids are divided into 2 maingroups and several subdivisions: (t) the HardyTerrestrials, which are hardy outdoors and dowell in northern gardens and (2) the ShowyTropical Orchids, which must be grown indoorsin the home or greenhouse in northern climates,or in shade houses or other protected areas infrost-free climates.

Cultivation of Hardy Orchids

Many of these are beautiful and quite showy—very worthwhile additions to the garden—andmost are quite easily grown if proper attentionis given to their requirements. Primary emphasismust be given to soil. Most orchid speciesrequire an acid soil of a fibrous loam or peattype that stays moist. See ACID-ALKALI SOILS.Knowledge of their habitat in the wild isessential because some grow in bogs or swamps,some in shady cool woodlands, while others arefound in meadows among the grasses where thesoil stays cool and damp and some grow even infairly dry, grassy plains areas. The mostimportant thing is to duplicate as closely aspossible their natural habitat in regard to soiland conditions of sun and shade.

Protection from cold during the winter is alsoimportant and a heavy mulch of leaves orseveral inches of peat moss spread over the bedwill usually be adequate.

Where to Obtain the Plants

Many dealers in native plant materials list anumber of the species most easily grown andhaving showy flowers. Oftentimes, these dealerscan also give suggestions as to their culture.Orchid bulbs are often imported for sale, mainlythose of Asiatic origin. Some may be collectedfrom the woods and fields, but one should checkon local and state conservation laws beforeventuring on this quest, and then only at theproper time. Sept. and Oct., when the bulbs andtubers have matured, is the best time for trans-planting, but the plants are almost impossibleto find then. The best way is to go to the woodsin the spring, locate and mark the plants whilein bloom, and then return in the fall to collectthem. Collecting these plants when in flower andwhile in active growth is nearly always fatal.They should be taken up with a sizable ball of soil attached to the roots, the bigger the better,and as large as you can manage to transport.Good ones to grow are: Arethusa, Blettilla,Calopogon, Cypripedium (native species),Habenaria, Orchis and Pogonia. Others thatwill also be worthwhile, though not quite soshowy, are Aplectrum, Goodyera and Liparis.

It is best to start with plants that are strong,full grown, well established in the pot and readyto bloom soon. Don't start out with small, weakplants, seedlings or back bulbs, since they willtake several years to bloom and are likely tocause trouble for the novice.

Culture of Tropical Orchids

Most members of the Orchid Family aretropical or subtropical plants and may befound growing wild throughout the warmerparts of the world. The greatest concentrationand the most interesting and worthwhile typescome from southeastern Asia and from centraland northern South America.

A few of these are terrestrial types, but most ofthe showy orchids from the Tropics are epi-phytes, or "air plants," as they are commonlycalled. These are plants that grow naturally inelevated positions on tree limbs or outcroppingsof rock and cliffs where their roots are eitherembedded in moss and accumulations of organicdebris or are completely exposed to the air.They do not grow in soil nor, in most cases, dotheir roots grow to reach ground level. Thisunique type of growth leads to cultural methodssomewhat different from those used with mostother plants, yet allows for rather generalcultural practices which apply to most tropicalorchids. Luckily, these general requirements arequite easy to supply in most homes and nearlyall greenhouses, and the result is that anyoneinterested can grow orchids successfully if theywill just follow directions.

General Growing Instructions

Orchids are not the delicate plants mostpeople assume them to be. Actually, they arevery well suited for growing as house plants,because they will generally thrive under homeconditions. More detailed instructions concern-ing individual species or genera are outlinedfurther on in this article.

Heat

Regular home temperatures are fine for mostorchids. From 6o-8o° F. is best, but occasionaltemperatures above too° F. or drops in tem-perature even to 35-4o° F. will not harm themas long as no frost forms on the leaves.

Sun

Sunlight is very important for plant growth

and flowering. In a northern climate, the bestlocation for growing orchids is in the sunniestwindow where they will get as much sun aspossible during the darker winter months.Three or 4 hours of sun a day will do, and thiscan be supplemented with artificial light ifnecessary, but natural light in a sunny southwindow, a bay window, sunporch or brightplant room is usually enough.

If artificial light is used, it should beused only during daylight hours—do notincrease the day length with artificial lightbecause most orchids are photo-periodic andtheir blooming date is determined by seasonalchanges in day length. If orchids are to be grownentirely under artificial light, then the lightsshould be on a time clock set to go on at sunriseand off at sunset and these settings should bechanged weekly, or at least monthly, to corres-pond to the normal seasonal changes in thelocality.

The quality of the light is important and aproper balance must be obtained between thered-blue parts of the spectrum. Best recentrecommendations seem to be a combination offluorescent tubes—one of the Gro-Lux typetubes for plant growth paired with one Deluxewhite tube, and multiples of such pairing.

Light intensity is also vital. Most orchidsrequire as much as these tubes can give; theleaves of the plants should be immediately underthe tubes and almost close enough to touch. NoOrchid except a few like Cypripedium andPhalaenopsis will bloom under lights if theaverage distance from leaves to tubes is morethan I5-2o in.

In summer months, or year-round in frost-freeclimates, light shade during the middle of theday is advisable, but full early morning sun andfull late afternoon sun is ideal. Plants may besuspended outside under a tree during the warmmonths of the year when the temperature isabove 50° F.

Be sure to choose a spot where the plants willget at least 5o% sunlight. The more sun theplants receive, without being burned, thestronger the growth will be and the heavier theplant will flower.

If it seems preferable to keep plants indoorsduring the summer months, any screenedwindow or screened porch is suitable. Givethem the sunniest spot possible and the screen-ing will provide all the shade they need.

soil attached to the roots, the bigger the better,and as large as you can manage to transport.Good ones to grow are: Arethusa, Blettilla,Calopogon, Cypripedium (native species),Habenaria, Orchis and Pogonia. Others thatwill also be worthwhile, though not quite soshowy, are Aplectrum, Goodyera and Liparis.

Culture of Tropical Orchids

In a northern climate, the bestlocation for growing orchids is in the sunniestwindow where they will get as much sun aspossible during the darker winter months.Three or 4 hours of sun a day will do, and thiscan be supplemented with artificial light ifnecessary, but natural light in a sunny southwindow, a bay window, sunporch or brightplant room is usually enough.

Be sure to choose a spot where the plants willget at least 5o% sunlight. The more sun theplants receive, without being burned, thestronger the growth will be and the heavier theplant will flower.

Potting Material

Orchids can be grown in a wide variety ofpotting materials and several different ones arenow in common use. However, almost anythingthat gives good drainage and ventilation to theroots and which does not rot or turn sour quickly will do. Tree fern and Osmunda fibers—coarse black fibers—and shredded bark frompine or fir trees are the commonest now in use.Plants in these materials should be repottedevery 2-3 years. The newest, and perhaps thebest material, is "E-Z-Pot 'n Gro"—an artificiallight-weight gravel. Since this is inorganic, itnever rots. Therefore plants started in thismaterial need not be disturbed until the planthas outgrown the pot. Coke is also a goodpotting medium and cultural directions are thesame as for the gravel.

Water

Orchids must be watered carefully, and mostorchids can stand too little water better thantoo much. Just how much and how oftendepends on several things: (1) How dry theconditions are; (2) Size of pot; (3) Pottingmaterial used. No one definite rule can be madeto cover all conditions. Some homes andgreenhouses are drier than others and, ofcourse, small pots dry out more quickly thanlarger ones. Therefore one must carefully watchthe plants, watering them individually and onlywhen each plant needs it.

Plants in Osmunda and tree fern fibersshould be allowed to become bone dry betweenwaterings. Then water heavily and don't wateragain until the plant is thoroughly dry. If theside of the pot feels clammy and cool, then it isstill damp inside, but if it feels dusty-dry andof the same temperature as the air, then it isready to be watered.

Plants in bark need slightly more water thanthose in Osmunda fiber. When first potted, thebark drains and dries very quickly, so the plantwill need water often. As the bark packs down,it will hold water longer and after a couple ofmonths watering should be done only slightlymore often than with Osmunda fiber. Old barkholds water a long time and so one must becareful not to water excessively plants potted insuch material.

Plants in gravel or coke dry out more quicklyand need more water than others—usually everysecond or third day. These materials dry out ontop immediately after watering, so feeling theside of the pot is the best way to check. Theplant should be watered thoroughly and thenallowed to dry out until the side of the pot feelsdusty-dry. It should not be watered if the potis still clammy and cool to the touch. Thesedirections are for regular clay flower pots—plastic pots hold water longer.

Food

All living things require food. Orchid plantscannot live indefinitely on air and water alone,even though they are called "air plants," so for strong growth and lovely flowers, be sure tofeed plants regularly with a good orchidfertilizer. The potting materials used for orchidshave very little or no food value, as they arechosen for their slow-rotting characteristics, soa regular feeding program is essential to goodculture.

There are many hydroponic, inorganic orchidfertilizers on the market and most are quite highin nitrogen content. These were developed forfeeding orchids growing in fir bark. A funguswhich develops on this material steals thenitrogen in the fertilizer and thus the highnitrogen content is necessary because of the firbark and not basically for the orchids. If plantsare in Osmunda fiber, tree fern, gravel or coke,a much stronger growth and better flowerproduction will result from using a fertilizerwith a lower nitrogen content. Experimentsshow the best results from one with a 1-2-3ratio, such as 4-8-12, and so forth.

Since these hydroponic or water-soluble foodsare used in very dilute proportions, they shouldbe used frequently—at least every other wateringor about once a week. They may be used withevery watering, but in this case the pots shouldbe flushed out thoroughly with clear water aboutonce a month to insure against any possiblebuild-up of fertilizer salts in the potting material.

In general, organic fertilizers are not recom-mended for orchids except in part for terrest-rials.

Humidity

No expensive equipment is necessary oradvisable to provide humidity for orchid plants.Any pan large enough to hold the plants is allright. Fill the pan with tiny stones, gravel, shellsor brightly colored aquarium stones. Next fillthe pan about half full of water. Place the panin a sunny window and arrange the pots on topof the gravel or stones. Be sure the pots sit abovethe level of the water—never in the water. Thisis the safest and best way to supply humidityto orchids growing in the home.

If the home or growing conditions areexceptionally dry, the humidity may be in-creased with a room vaporizer such as thoseused for asthmatic children, or a mist spraymay be used on the leaves of the plants duringthe morning hours so that they may dry offthoroughly before evening. Misting and frequentlight waterings must be done carefully, however,to avoid fungus leaf problems from continuingexcessive dampness.

Air

Orchid plants require the same atmosphereas do human beings, and are not adverselyaffected by any heating system—gas, oil, coaor radiant heat. If the air in the home is good tobreathe, orchid plants will thrive in it. Iforchids are growing in a small, closed-in area,such as a closed bay window or a small green-house, sun porch or plant room, the air maybecome quite stagnant and stuffy. A small fanor, better yet, 2 small fans on opposite sides ofthe plant area, blowing parallel to one anotherin opposite directions, will cause a circulation ofair which will prove of benefit to the plants andproduce better growth, as well as prettier andlonger-lasting flowers. Recent experiments showthat a considerable breeze in the greenhouse isof dramatic benefit to almost all plant growthand fan systems are now being installed ingreenhouses for year-round use.

Repotting

Repotting is necessary when the plant beginsto grow over the edge of the pot. Roots oftengrow outside the pot. These are simply aerialroots and do not indicate a need for repotting.However, when the plant itself grows over theedge, it is time to repot. It is also necessary torepot when the potting material no longerdrains well. The best time to do this is just asnew root growth starts, usually in spring orearly summer. Plants potted at this stage willroot into the fresh material immediately andsuffer the least pissible shock or set-back. See

While in Bloom

When the plant is in bloom it may be movedanywhere in the house, but it should not betaken out of the sunny window until the flowersare fully open. It is best to keep the plant in itsregular growing place until the third day afterthe buds start to open, because the buds andflowers need sunlight to open fully and theywill not gain their full color, nor will they lastwell, unless they have the sun while opening.

The regular watering and feeding scheduleshould be maintained throughout the bloomingperiod. The better the plants are cared for, thelonger the blooms will last.

When the plant has finished blooming, cutoff the flower stem and the sheath around it justabove the place where it grows out of the leafand bulb and return the plant to its growingplace. Soon it will start a new growth on whichnew flowers will appear and if the plant hasgood care it probably will have even moreflowers at the next blooming.

Then relax—and enjoy them! Growingorchids is fun! And they will actually thrivebetter on neglect than they will with too muchcare.

The instructions here apply to most of theeasily obtainable and commonly grown types,and are based on the experience of thousandsof orchid growers all over the world. A goodreference book with more detailed informationis "Orchids for Home and Garden," by T. A. Fennell, Jr., published by Holt, Winston andRinehart, New York, N.Y., 1956. Revised 1959.This is a good textbook for beginners.

Six Major Groups

There are 6 major groups of orchids whichare important in cultivation and make up thebulk of orchids grown in cultivation today. Thebasic growing instructions above apply to allof these groups, but in addition, each group,and many of the individuals in each group, havesome special requirements that must be met ifthe plant is to achieve its optimum growth andbeauty. Much of this must be learned individu-ally by each grower by trial and error under hisown particular conditions, but the hints in theoutline of each group below should help tostart the beginner in the right direction.

CATTLEYA. The Cattleyas are the best knownand most popular of all orchids. The large andfancy lavender corsage orchid, frequently foundin florist shops, is typical of the group. Thesegorgeous, large-flowered orchids are morewidely grown and have been hybridized morethan any other group. The genus, along with itsrelated genera (Brassavola, Broughtonia, Epi-dendrum, Laelia, Schomburgkiu, Sophronitis,etc.) and the many intergcneric hybrids, are theeasiest to grow and by far the most importantgroup of the Orchid Family. The plants arelarge, strong and tough and generally verytolerant to a wide range of cultural conditions.They are good ones for the novice because theycan survive a great deal of mistreatment andwill still bloom to encourage his interest.

Cattleyas usually produce clusters of 2-5large flowers per stem on each new growth.Some of the smaller-flowered types may haveas .many as 3o flowers in a cluster, while someof their relatives such as Epidendrum oftenproduce long erect sprays of 20-200 flowerslasting about a month, though some may lastconsiderably longer.

These plants are native to the foothills andmountains of Central and northern SouthAmerica at altitudes of 1500-6000 ft. wherethey have warm days with slightly cooler nights,an atmosphere of medium humidity (4o%-6o%),a rainy season during their growing period, buta fairly dry climate the remainder of the year,except for nightly dews which sometimes arequite heavy. Cattleyas and their allies do wellunder the general growing conditions outlinedabove. They have heavy fleshy leaves andpseudo-bulbs for storage and must be allowedto dry out between waterings. They should befed regularly all year; but more heavily when inactive growth. They usually do best close to thewindow where the light is bright and where thetemperature drops 8-12° at night.

CYMBIDIUM. These beautiful orchids of med-ium size often produce 20-3o flowers on long,gracefully arching sprays that last in perfectbeauty for months during the winter and spring.Colors are usually soft, clear pastel shades ofwhite, pink, brown and light green, but someare brightly contrasting. The Cymbidiums arenative to the Himalayas in Asia from India toBurma and are usually found at elevations of5000-8000 ft. where they get bright lightintensity, warm days and cool nights. Theyrequire a day-to-night temperature differentialof 25°-30° (5o°-55° nights—below 85° days) inorder to bloom properly and for this reasoncannot be recommended for home culture.Cymbidiums will grow well in a greenhousewhere proper conditions of temperature andhigh light intensity can be supplied. Conditionsvery considerable from one spot to another evenin the smallest greenhouse and careful observa-tion will soon show where each plant does best.Thus, Cymbidiums can be grown in conjunctionwith Cattleyas and other plants in the smallgreenhouse by the proper placement of plantsaccording to individual requirements, the Cym-bidiums in the brightest and coolest corner orat the cool end of the house, with the Cattleyasin the slightly more shaded corner and thewarmer end of the house.

In some frost-free areas of the U.S. wherenights are cool, such as in southern Calif.,Cymbidiums grow very well as garden plants.They are terrestrials and require a loose, well-drained soil with frequent waterings andregular fertilizing. When grown in containersthey should be given a sizable pot or tub fortheir extensive root system and should befertilized often.

CYPRIPEDIUM. The "lady-slippers," as theyare usually called, are a distinct and differentgroup of orchids with a unique flower shapetypified by the lip of the flower which is in theshape of the toe of a slipper or a pouch. Theflowers are usually quite stiff and waxy andoften last 6-8 weeks. Culturally, the plants arequite different from most other orchids. Theythrive best under low light conditions of 800-150o ft.-candles and, since they have no storagecapacity, they must be kept damp at all times.Most of the northern types (the true Cypri-pediums) are bog plants. The more commonlygrown tropical types (Paphiopedilums) areAsian in origin and many of these make goodhouse plants, thriving in a bright north windowor with an eastern exposure, but they must bewell shaded in southern and western windows.Those with mottled dark green leaves generallyneed warm tempratures; those with clear greenleaves, such as the Cymbidiums, usually prefercooler conditions, but even these often do well in the home if placed close to a window whereit is cool. Cypripediums are terrestrial orchidsthat require a soil with considerable moist peator loam. They should be fed often and regularly,since they are in growth much of the year.

DENDROBIUM. Over goo species make this oneof the largest of all groups in the Orchid Family.Flower and plant types vary widely, as do thecultural requirements. In general, the Dendro-biums commonly in cultivation fall into 3-4main groups. The lovely and fascinating flowersare usually profuse, in clusters or sprays, andare small to medium in size, and unusual inshape, often being twisted or curled. Most ofthe plants are tall and slender with long canesand with several to many leaves along the canes.Some are upright while others are pendant ingrowth habit and the base of the plant is almostalways compact, with a relatively small rootsystem that does best in a small pot. Dendro-biums do not respond well to being disturbedfrequently, so they should not be repotted untilit is absolutely necessary.

As a rule of thumb, most Dendrobiumsrequire lots of water and food when in activegrowth and then should be dried off and allowedto harden up when not in growth. Most do wellin fairly high light conditions. They will growwell along with Cattleyas, but can stand con-siderably more light. Many growers place themalong with Cattleyas during the growing seasonand then move them into a slightly brighterlocation and cut down on the amount of watergiven them to harden off the new growth. Someof the Dendrobiums need some cooler weatherat this time, also, in order to initiate buds.

The evergreen types such as D. phalaenopsisand the other cane-stem species and hybridsfrom the South Pacific area need warm condi-tions the year round and require water and foodregularly. The deciduous and semi-deciduouspendant types such as D. nobile, D. pierardii,D. superbum, etc., need a definite drying off andsome cool weather (down to 50° F.) in the fallin order to bloom properly. Well-grown Den-drobiums are among the showiest and mostrewarding of all orchids and have always beenvery popular with amateur orchidists.

ONCIDIUM. This is another of the largest andmost variable groups in the Orchid Family andalso one of the most popular with hobbyistsbecause the plants are usually easy to grow, theyflower freely and easily and most are inexpen-sive and well suited for home culture. The 3major genera in this group are Oncidium,Odontoglossum and Miltonia. Of these, theOncidiums are the most adaptable and tolerantof home conditions, nearly all varieties doingwell under the general growing instructionsoutlined earlier. However, most Odontoglossum

and Miltonia varieties are "cool growers,"needing night temperatures of 50° F. or belowand day temperatures under 70° F. if possible.They also need more shade, higher humidity andmore water. These seldom do well in the home,but can be grown in the basement or on a coolenclosed porch. They will thrive in the coolsection of the greenhouse along with Cypri-pediums or in a shaded place near Cymbidiums.

Colors, patterns and flower shapes are out-standing and highly varied in this group andmany hobbyists specialize in them for theirdelicate beauty and fascinating variety. Most ofthe Oncidiums can be recommended for thenovice. A few should be tried with caution asone's knowledge of orchids and one's confidenceincrease.

VANDA. This varied and extremely showygroup, indigenous to the Tropics from Africato the Philippines, has much to offer to thehobby-collector. Most are strong growing andeasy to flower; the flowers last well and manybloom several times a year. The Vandas them-selves come in almost every color and patternimaginable and vary in size (both plant andflower) from almost dwarf to quite huge. Theylike a loose, open potting material (chunks ofcharcoal, large gravel or large chunks of firbark) and considerable root room—either largeshallow pots or baskets are usually best. Theyshould be watered every day as long as drainageand ventilation in the pot are good and fertilizedoften—at least once a week if in an open,inorganic potting material. Under such condi-tions most of the many hybrids available todaywill bloom at least 2-3 times a year and somestay in bloom almost constantly. They will growwell along with Cattleyas but prefer slightlybrighter light for optimum flowering.

Vandas do best of all outdoors in the gardenin frost-free climates and are wonderful plantsto work into the landscape in rock gardens oras climbers planted at the base of trees andwalls. Once well established, they bloom almostconstantly and are a joy to have.

Closely related genera that are very fascinat-ing and well worth growing are: Aerides (veryfragrant), Angraecum (green flowers with tail-like spurs, from Africa), Renanthera (blood-redflowers in large sprays) and Rhyncostylus(tightly packed flower stems, known as "foxtailorchids").

Perhaps the best loved and most suitable ofall the Vanda group for home hobbyist cultureare the Phalaenopsis. These lovely flowers, onlong, gracefully arching stems, start to bloomin Dec.-Jan. and usually last through in perfectbeauty until May or June. The flowers aremedium to large and usually quite round andflat. Most are white or light lavender-pink, but the newer hybrids come in many colors andsome are polka dotted or striped in stunningpatterns and color combinations.

The plants are rather small and compact andproduce a fine show of flowers in comparisonto plant size—no other orchid will give as muchshow, as many days out of the year, and adaptso freely to such a wide range of conditions.These plants do reasonably well under thegeneral conditions outlined above, but preferslightly more shade, more water and more foodand a higher temperature (650-8o0 F.) than theothers. They are soft, fast, lush-growing plantsand do well under African Violet conditions, ingeneral. They should be kept slightly damp inan open, well-drained, well-ventilated pottingmaterial such as coarse gravel or large chunks offir bark. Repotting, when necessary, is best donein June, July or Aug. They need constant airmovement and are subject to fungus leaf rot instagnant, muggy conditions.

The "Botanical Group"

Traditionally orchidists have taken all thefascinating and intriguing smaller-floweredspecies of orchids which do not produce flowersof commercial value and lumped them togetherinto i group called "Botanicals." Presumably,this was started by early cut-flower growers whoconsidered these little gems as being worthy ofinterest only to botanists. Now, however, withthe increasing hobby-collector interest, the"Botanicals" have come into their own ascollector's items and, indeed, they are a trulyfascinating and very worthwhile lot. There areliterally hundreds of genera and thousands ofspecies in this group and one may make up acollection of these alone, as many collectors do!There are thousands of miniatures where plantand flowers, fully mature, measure only from1-3 or 4 in. tall. Some of these have flowers2-3 in. in dia.—actually larger than the plantsthat produce them. Others are almost micro-scopic, so that one needs a hand lens to see theflowers! Others in this group have flowers thatmeasure 12-18 in. from tip to tip of the sepals.Many are delightfully fragrant, while someproduce what can only be described as a stench!Many of these flowers must indeed be seen to bebelieved. The interrelationship of these unusualflowers with the insects that pollinate them andthe fantastic stratagems built into their highlyspecialized flower parts to insure that the rightinsects do the job properly constitute a fascinat-ing area of study and some people have devoteda lifetime to this alone. Charles Darwin wrote2 books on the subject! Many of these "botani-cals" have very imaginative and suggestiveshapes which lead to colorful and descriptivecommon names such as "Dancing Girl,"

Orchid

"Butterfly," "Flock of Birds," "Tiger," "Fox-tail," "Elephant," "Shower of Gold," "Dog-wood," "The Honey Bucket" and a host ofothers, limited only by the fact that most arenot sufficiently well-known to have acquiredcommon names. This is truly a collector'sparadise because the variety is so infinite thatthere is always another new and totally differentone just waiting to be discovered.

Some of the "Botanical" genera that arerelatively easy to obtain, easy to grow and tobring into flower and which have flowers largeenough, pretty or interesting enough to be worthgrowing by the average hobby collector are:Aerides, Ansellia, Ascocentrum, Aspasia, Bletia,Brassavola, Brassia, Broughtortia, Bulbophyllum,Calanthe, Chysis, Cirrhopetalunt, Coelogyne,Cycnoches, Epidendrum, Gongora, Haemaria,Laelia, Lockhartia, Lycaste, Phaius,Rodriguezia, Schomburgkia, Stanhopea, Tricho-pilia, Vanilla and Zygopetalum. And, of course,even in this field there are a great many hybridsto broaden the scope even further.

Anatomy of Orchid Plants

Though the size, shape and proportions ofthe various parts may differ considerably,orchid plants grow in 2 basic patterns: Mono-podial orchids are those having i central stemwhich grows out at the top and dies off at thebottom. This is a vinelike type of growth whichproduces leaves, roots and flower stems fromthe nodes, or joints, of the central stem, usuallyin an opposite and alternate pattern. Theseplants usually are in growth constantly and soneed constant watering and feeding since theyhave little or no storage capacity. Some of themore common orchids in this group are thePhalaenopsis and Vandas, and their relatives.

Sympodial Orchids make up the greater partof the family. These plants make new growthsor pseudobulbs each year during the rainyseason in their native habitat. These pseudobulbsare connected to the previous year's growth bya rhizome. This lateral type of growth is a "stopand go" progression related to the wet and dryseasons in the wild and allowance for this mustbe made in cultivation for successful results.The pseudobulbs act as storage for food andwater to carry the plant through dry seasons andshow that, as a general rule, these plants mustdry out between vvaterings.

The sympodial plant consists of a rhizomewhich grows out at the front and dies off fromthe back, making a lateral movement in growth.The pseudobulbs are seasonal growths producedat the front end of the rhizome and they usuallylast for several years. Each pseudobulb carriest or more leaves which usually last severalyears, though some few are deciduous. The blooms are then produced from the pseudobulbafter it matures. Most orchids bloom only onceon each bulb. The pseudobulbs have 2 or moregrowth "eyes" at the base, which form the nextsection of rhizome and the next new growth.Normally, I "eye" grows each season and theothers stay dormant, in reserve. If the plant isgrowing strongly 2 eyes will grow, resulting in abranching of the rhizome and producing a plantwith 2 front "leads." The roots grow out fromthe rhizome between the upright growths orpseudo-bulbs.

Dividing and Bottling

The only real work to be done in orchidculture is that of dividing and repotting whichbecomes necessary as the plants grow andbranch. In general, however, it is best not todivide or repot until absolutely necessary, sincethis disturbance often will result in a setbackto growth and optimum flowering.

There are only 2 reasons to repot: (t) Whenthe plant outgrows the pot. Orchids often throwaerial roots outside the pot which does notnecessitate repotting, but when the rhizome andnew growths cross over the rim of the pot it istime for a larger pot. If not repotted the firstyear after the plant starts out of the pot, therhizome may grow down the outside of the potin a misshapen way, making it difficult to repot.(2) When the potting material deteriorates.Organic potting materials used in orchids arechosen for their coarse-textured nature, allow-ing water to drain quickly and permittingventilation to the roots. When the pottingmaterial breaks down and begins to rot withage, it holds water too long and may turn sour.This eventually results in the rotting of theorchid roots and a sick plant. Therefore, repot-ting should be done whenever the pottingmaterial starts to deteriorate, and the sooner thebetter!

The best time to repot is just as the plantstarts new root growth so that it gets establishedin the new material as quickly as possible,without having to live on stored food until newroots start.

After removing the plant from its pot, all ofthe old potting material should be removedfrom the roots and dead roots should betrimmed away. Any roots that are still plump,firm and alive should be saved, as orchid rootslive for years and the more good roots the planthas, the stronger it will grow. This is a goodtime to clean up the whole plant ; strip off oldpaper sheathes, cut away dead and weakpseudobulbs and generally inspect the plant forrot, insects, etc. It is a good idea to wash theplants from the tip of the leaves down to theroots with a cloth, sponge or soft brush and soapy water at this time, too; then rinse theplant and repot.

The decision about dividing must be madefirst. Most beginners divide too often and keeptheir plants so small that they never get opti-mum bloom. It is best to keep plants as large aspractical for best bloom production. Branchedand undivided plants will bloom on severalstems at once. Then, too, the larger the plant,the more flowers per stem. If, however, theplant is too large for a pot of practical size, orif it continues to grow on a straight, unbranchedrhizome that would require a large pot, then itis advisable to divide the plant. However, thereshould be at least 3-4 pseudobulbs to eachdivision. The front division with the newestgrowth is the most important part of the plant.Back bulb divisions—those left at the back ofthe plant after the front division has been cutoff—may grow and be worth potting, but thegrowth eyes on them have been dormant solong that they are usually weak and, if they dogrow, the resulting plant will be poor. Mostgrowers don't bother with them unless they arefrom exceptionally fine or favorite plants, worthextra effort and several years of care before thefirst blooms can be expected.

The actual dividing is simple. Just cut throughthe rhizome between the pseudobulbs at thechosen spot. A sharp knife will usually do thejob, though some rhizomes are so tough thatgarden shears may be required. The cuts shouldbe sealed with a fungicide powder to cauterizethe wound, and the cutting instrument shouldalways be sterilized by flaming between cuts toavoid the possibility of transferring any diseasefrom one plant to another.

Potting Materials

Many materials can be used for pottingorchids, since any material that is not chemicallyphytotoxic and that is either fibrous enough orcomes in sufficiently large pieces to allow good,quick drainage and ventilation to the roots willdo. The longer the material will last withoutrotting, the better it will be.

For many years Osmunda fiber (the roots ofthe Osmunda Fern) and sphagnum moss werethe most commonly used materials. Both ofthese give some food value and last reasonablywell (about z years) in the pot, but both requirevery careful attention in regard to watering,since they will turn sour if overwatered. Further-more, both are difficult to use correctly andrequire a considerable amount of training andpractice if one is to achieve proper results. Inrecent years a number of more convenientmaterials have been developed. The mostpopular and widely used now is fir bark, or amixture of fir bark with redwood bark and fiber. This bark is now available in graded part-icle sizes for orchid potting and is quick andeasy to use, but it has several drawbacks. Itsheds water and is hard to moisten thoroughlyin the beginning—then after about 3 years in thepot it starts to rot and hold too much water,resulting in root rot. There is also a type ofwhite, cottony fungus which grows in this bark,and while this does not attack the orchids, itdoes plug up the drainage and eventually killsthe orchid roots. This fungus also steals thefood from the plant, particularly the nitrogen,so that heavy and regular feeding with a foodhigh in nitrogen is necessary for plants in firbark.

TREE FERN FIBER. A coarse, brittle fiber fromthe trunks of tropical tree ferns is anotherpopular potting material which is much likeOsmunda fiber but easier to work with andsomewhat longer lasting. It, too, is subject tofungus problems if overwatered and so wateringmust be carefully controlled. This material haslittle available food value; hence the plant mustbe fed regularly.

The newest potting materials which show realpromise are coke and expanded, light-weightgravels, such as E-Z-Pot Orchid Gravel. Theseare slightly porous and hold some water, yet neverget soggy nor turn sour, since they are bothinert and inorganic. These, of course, have nofood value and orchids growing in them requirefrequent feeding for proper growth; however,they have the advantage of lasting indefinitelyand of being virtually impervious to over-watering.

Standard, porous clay flower pots are the containers used mostfor orchids, though many growers prefer theshorter azalea pots and bulb pans. Specialorchid pots are made with slits cut into thelower sides of regular clay pots for additionaldrainage and ventilation and, if available, arewell worth the extra expense. Standard potsmay be cut and drilled with holes in the sidewalls by hand, using a wood rasp, a coarsegrinding wheel or an electric drill, if orchid potsare not locally available. The pots can be cutmore easily when wet.

Plastic pots are also used to some extent, butwatering must be done carefully since gaseoustransfer through them is not nearly so rapid aswith clay pots, nor do they dry out so quickly.Some of the new foam plastic pots seem to holdpromise for orchid culture, as they are said tobe more like the porous clay pots and to havea valuable insulation factor.

Wooden baskets and wire baskets are used bymany growers for outdoor culture in frost-freeclimates and are especially valuable in wetclimates where proper drying of the potting material is a problem. They can also be used ingreenhouses but are not recommended for homeculture because they dry out too quickly there.

Slabs and rafts of wood or various hard fibersand long-lasting barks such as Redwood,Cypress, Cork and Tree Ferns are also verypopular for mounting orchid plants for outdoorculture but, like the baskets, cannot be recom-mended for use in the home because they allowthe plants to dry out too quickly.

Potting Process

Using the new granular and chunk-typepotting materials, the process of potting isreally very easy. The most important thing isthe proper placing of the plant in the pot.Monopodial plants should be placed in thecenter of the pot with the bottom of the centralstern on the bottom of the pot, if long enough,and if the roots spread out through the pot.Then fill the pot with potting material, workingit in between the roots so that no large spacesare left empty. The top level of the materialshould come up to the bottom leaves of theplant, but should not bury them. If the plant istall with a long, bare stem, it will look better inthe pot, and also probably will grow better, ifthe bare stem can be shortened. It may be cutoff, working up from the bottom to the lastsection which has at least 3-4 good roots on it.Then put the plant down in the pot so that lowerleaves are as near as possible to the level of therim of the pot.

Sympodial plants should be placed in thepot so as to give the most growing roompossible in front of the new lead or "growingend" of the rhizome. If the rhizome is relativelystraight, the back end of the rhizome should beagainst the rim of the pot with the front point-ing out across the pot toward the opposite side.Choose a container that allows space for 2-3years of growth between the front of the rhizomeand the nearest rim of the pot. Then hold theplant in place with one hand, keeping therhizome running horizontally across the pot atrim level and spread out the roots in the emptypot. Then fill in the potting material, a handfulat a time, working it in between the roots untilthe pot is full. The rhizome should be halfburied, with the top half, along its length,exposed above the potting material. It shouldnot be completely buried, nor completelyexposed.

The only other thing of importance aboutpotting is that the plant should be held firmly inplace, so that new roots will not be broken asthey emerge by the movement of the plant inthe pot and material. If the plant has a goodroot system to begin with, and is properlypotted, it will be firmly held in the pot by the potting material alone, but if there are notmany roots, or if the plant moves in the pottingmaterial, then it should be staked and tied orclipped down into the pot so that it cannot moveuntil the new root growth anchors it firmly inplace. Plants that do move in the pot seldomdevelop good root systems. Floppy plants thatdo not hold themselves properly erect should bestaked and tied, also. Potting needs to be doneonly once every 3-4 years and since it is soimportant to the growth and flower productionof the plant, it should be done with great care.

Orchid Problems

Orchids are extremely tough plants that areseldom troubled by diseases, but there are a fewcultural problems that crop up. Plants thatgrow well but do not bloom, especially thosewith tall, slender, dark, glossy green foliage,need more sun or a food with less nitrogen."Black-rot" and "soft-rot" in the leaves andpseudobulbs are usually a sign of too muchwater, too high humidity, a lack of sufficient airmovement or ventilation or a need of repotting.Rotten areas should be cut out, cutting well intothe clear green tissue around it, and then thecuts should be sealed with a fungicide powder.Plants should then be dried off for a few days toallow the cut to heal.

Insect problems arise with orchids, as withother plants, but the plants are so tough thatthe effects are not usually drastic and thesymptoms usually take much longer to appearthan with other types of plants. Treatmentand sprays to be used are the same as for otherplants except that new sprays, unless specificallyrecommended for orchids, should be testedgingerly on a few plants first.

Sunburn usually shows up as large, rough,scalded or blistered-looking areas which turnblack with a yellowish margin and then turnhard, dry, gray and papery in a few days orweeks. If the blackened area is soft, squashy andwet or greasy to the touch, then the problem is"black-rot" rather than sunburn.

Virus Diseases

Several virus diseases are recognized inorchids and, though most are not very wide-spread, it is best to sterilize between every cut allinstruments used for cutting orchid plants toavoid transferring a possible virus infectionfrom one plant to another. The 2 most easilyrecognized are "Flower-Break" virus whichcauses uneven blotching and "color-break" inthe flowers, particularly on Cattleyas, and"Orchid Mosaic" virus which causes light anddark streaks parallel to the veins in the leaves ofCattleyas and some others. Another form isknown as "Ring-Spot" which causes yellowish

and sometimes dark brownish-black ring-shaped spots in the leaves. There is no knowncure for any of these virus diseases, so suspectedplants should be isolated until some authoritycan inspect them. Infected plants should bedestroyed, sincethe virus can be spread to others.Insects that chew and suck on the plants are saidto be one method of spreading the virus, but theorchid grower with his cutting tools is much morelikely to be the offender. He can spread thevirus every time he divides a plant, cuts off aflower, an old bulb or leaf, so it is best to steri-lize all cutting instruments between every cutand no doubt it would be wise to sterilize potsbetween uses, also.

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