Tulip Mania

As we barrel toward the end of April I thought it would be a good idea to review the Cats and Catts 2011 tulip experience. Riley and Bean were especially interested. I purchased a variety in September without a true bulb agenda. I planted the daffodils in front of the tulips, and the short flowers in front of the bigger flowers, and let nature take it from there.

The results surprised me. The varieties I thought I'd like were unimpressive, and the ones that looked gaudy on the label turned out to be elegant in bloom. Cats and Catts fans know how much I love white Cattleyas and Brassavolas, so it was natural that I would buy some white tulips. But they didn't really do it for me and smelled unimpressive. 'Shirley' grew on me, but I don't like its black throat. The red Darwins, however, were awesome. The Fosterianas with the smaller stems and blooms didn't impress me either. To be fair, it all impressed me, but the taller, more vase-friendly, plants were simply fantastic. Some of them opened so flat that they took on the form of an entirely different flower.

There's plenty of room for more bulbs six months from now, and it will be interesting to see which ones come back for the 2012 Spring. With all of the mental energy demanded by the orchids and the daylilies and the cats (and sometimes the frogs), I doubt I'll be making any cut-throat decisions about tulip bulbs six months from now. On the other hand, it's not too early to look at bulb catalogs.

 

Red Riley

Riley is posing next to a Brachy complex hybrid from the Orchid Inn. You can buy your own right here. These hybrids are part of Sam Tsui's effort to breed a solid red dorsal. I bought this in bloom over a year ago and was happy to see it bloom again this month.

Its name is Paph. godefroyae (syn. Paph. leucochilum) 'Florida Red' HCC/AOS x (Bella Lucia x Sabatino) 'Red Moon.' Some Cats and Catts readers, particularly those who studied Bean's series on Brachypetalums, will find the name immediately understandable. Others might appreciate a reminder that the pod parent is species Paph. godefroyae (also referred to as Paph. leucochilum and Paph godefroyae var. leucochilum), typically noted for its strong flower stem and dark burgundy blotching. 

The pollen parent is an unnamed hybrid that Orchid Inn has registered as 'Red Moon.' Paph. Bella Lucia is Paph. bellatulm x Paph. Wellesleyanum and Paph. Sabatino is Paph. Muriel Constance × Paph. Greyi. In other words, the pollen parent is a Brachy mutt with a lot of bellatulum in the background. Paph. bellatulum typically has weak flower stems, and that trait expressed itself in this cross. Maybe the stem is floppy because I raised the plant poorly, but I'd rather blame Nature.

 Is anyone still awake? I think the genealogical heritage of my plants is endlessly fascinating, but let's talk about its prettiness. This is another gem from the Orchid Inn. The heavy blotching on the dorsal contrasts nicely with the white pouch. The pattern is mesmerizing, especially with the light at its back.

I'm thrilled with the shape, too. The lateral sepals are slightly reflexed to give it a full and round face. I might be too quick to overlook its flaws, but it had a rough start. The bloom unfolded with one sepal pulled back and the other falling forward. I was concerned during the few days it took to regain symmetry. It had nothing to do with poverty or world peace, but I can become a tad high-strung after waiting months for a single flower to open.

I trusted Riley not to harass the flower and my trust proved well-placed. He often rises to the occasion for photo shoots. Riley can appreciate a nice flower, even if he is one of the weirdest cats in the house.

Fred's Lan Lan

This looks like a cat and orchid disaster, but Lan Lan pulled back at the last moment and left the flower intact. Lan Lan was showing (too much) interest in Dtps. Fred's Redlip (Phal. Devon Ace x Dtps. Ilse of Beauty). I'm not sure the lip is, indeed, red, but we're dealing with dominant and recessive traits and the many unknowns that make up flower hybridizing. I love the sparkling white petals and the flatness of the flowers.

 

Fred Bergman is a longtime member of the Orchid Society of Greater Kansas City and he's well-known for his hybridizing efforts. OrchidWiz lists over 250 registered crosses and I know he's created hundreds more. Almost all of his plants are named 'Fred's ____.' 

Fred ran the Beginner Group for my orchid society and I always tried to attend. Fred approaches orchids like a scientist and has little patience for untested theories, remedies, and folk advice. In Beginner Group he always emphasized the flexibility of orchids' cultural needs and the necessity to find out what works with your particular growing set-up. I could see how this approach could frustrate some who want a bottom-line answer to a question like "how often should I water?" but it was a very familiar outlook for me having grown up with a father and mother in the science and medical fields respectively. Fred is skeptical of the supposed benefits of reverse-osmosis water, the power of Michigan State fertilizer, and the hottest trends in non-decomposing potting media. His success with tap water, urea-based fertilizer, and peat mix is ample evidence for his skepticism.

So, it was a great moment at our orchid society meeting when Al Clinton revealed that he had named one of his Masdevallia crosses after Fred (Masd. Fred Bergman, which is Masd. striatella x Masd. Gold Purse.). It was an extremely cool looking flower. Our Orchid Society blogger, Jami Parkinson, recorded the moment and has a nice post about the event here. All of this goes to show that the flowers might draw someone into the orchid cult, but it's the good people one meets along the way that sustains the addiction.

Winning

Orchid exhibiting is like karate. I've never done karate, but I've seen The Karate Kid a few times and I remember Mr. Miyagi scoffing at the idea that Daniel could learn martial arts from a book. I have no idea how to win at flower shows but I'm pretty sure this book isn't going to help. It's not a very good book, to be perfectly honest with you and, following Mr. Miyagi, orchid showing seems to be one of those things that you can only learn by doing.

That said, the new issue of Orchids magazine has a number of articles about AOS awards and judging that are worth reading. These articles discuss the history of the AOS judging system, how it compares to other judging systems, and the considerations judges take into account when making their decisions. As one of the articles points out, previously awarded clones -- except in the rare instance when it improves substantially on the original -- aren't going to be selected by the judges for AOS consideration. It all starts with the collection.

Orchid shows also seem to be a lot like little league baseball. I've never played baseball, but I saw Hardball once or twice and I remember Keanu Reeves praising the disadvantaged inner-city youth for showing up. Half of the battle is having the orchids show up. I've learned that plants in which you have little faith might be big winners. The judges might see something you don't. In fact, they're very likely to see something you don't because they've spent nearly ten years of their life training to be an orchid judge. Beyond that, your flower might be the only one in its class. It's all about showing up.

Perhaps the comparisons to karate or baseball are stretching things too far. It seems to me that growing good looking orchids is the fundamental key to successfully exhibiting them. Growing what you love is its own reward, but I want more ribbons and glory. I need to focus my collection for that to happen. I need to make sure the flowers show up to the orchid shows. And I need to learn that special crane kick from Mr. Miyagi.

Epiphyte Day: The Secret Life of Oncidiums

Onc. cornigerum, Curtis's botanical 1836

-- An April Rainforest Garden Epiphyte Day Post --


My first successful orchid experience (after slaughtering a couple of Phals.) was a Miltassia Charles M. Fitch 'Izumi.' I've written about this plant several times and it continues to be one of my favorites. If someone were to ask me to recommend a first orchid, I would steer them toward something in the Oncidium Alliance.

The genus Oncidium comprises over three hundred species, most of which are epiphytes. The Oncidium Alliance includes related genera like Miltonias, Odontoglossums, and Tolumnias. Oncidiums, at least the ones we see for sale, produce sprays of flowers on long, arching inflorescenses. They want more light than your Phalaenopsis, but can tolerate less light than Brassavolas and Cattleyas. Most Oncidiums are happy in warm temperatures and appreciate a 10-15 degree temperature swing between day and night. They like to dry out between watering sessions, but are forgiving.

For me, the appeal of Oncidiums is the effect created by the mass of flowers crowding an inflorescence. It's a big, colorful show where the whole of the display is more than the sum of its individual flowers. That said, the individual flowers are very cool unto themselves and, like snowflakes, have slight differences in the color patterning. A second advantage of an Oncidium orchid is its lush foliage, providing visual interest all year long. Dark green leaves are an indication of insufficient light. Yellow leaves suggest too much light. Dark spots on the leaves -- speaking from experience -- are usually signs of sunburn, but they could also point to a fungus problem if sunburn isn't a possibility. Finally, many Oncidiums have an amazing scent. The best known of these is probably Onc. Sharry Baby, which gives off an awesome chocolate smell (specifically, Swiss mocha with a dollop of vanilla).

Oncidiums are a perfect starter-orchid because Oncidiums tell the owner in a variety of ways when they’re unhappy. My beloved Brachypetalums show few red flags when they're in trouble; the leave might have a nice gloss while the root system rots away to nothing. Oncidiums, by contrast, are like a Tall Flags Pageantry Corp. When an Oncidium is unhappy the psuedobulbs will wrinkle, the leaves will develop pleating, and the visible roots will start to resemble straw. 


I'm not an expert on Oncidiums, and I only have three (including a de rigeur Sharry Baby) but I think I've discovered a secret to their care: dragging them into the shower. I know some people take their orchids into the bathroom to give them a humidity boost. I propose something a little more radical. I take them into the shower and let them experience a full blast of water. The leaves seem to love it, staying perky all through the dry Midwestern winter. I've stopped worrying about the effect of soap, the heat, and the volume of the water -- it doesn't seem to matter. It's a poor substitute for a rainforest, sure, but it's the best we can do in Zone 5.

Separation Anxiety

My limited experience with orchid shows has taught me a few things. First of all, as Dalton from Roadhouse would say, "expect the unexpected." Orchid damage is the biggest fear, so I've packed them with utmost care. The Paph. was easy enough, but the Phal. needed elaborate consideration. I could have used more pillow stuffing, I think. 

These two spent last weekend in Springfield Missouri and are headed to Omaha this weekend. Expecting the unexpected, I didn't know what to think, but both did really well in Springfield. Our society exhibit also rocked.


I wasn't there to see our exhibit, the show, my plants, or the competition, so I had some separation anxiety. I knew they were in expert hands but I was still relieved to hear that they didn't spontaneously immolate or something. Wish them luck in Omaha!

The Place for Ice

I had the delightful opportunity to work a few shifts at the information table at the Kansas City Orchid Show. A high percentage of individuals introduced themselves like this: "Hi, I bought an orchid about six months ago and I've been giving it three ice cubes like the instructions said. Why isn't it blooming?" Always diplomatic, I discussed how the ice cubes help avoid over-watering, but invite other problems like root shock and under-watering. It works for some people, but I heard some sad orchid tales during my time at the table. I always suggested that the way to overcome the death of an orchid was to buy another or three.

Masdevallia Highland Monarch

There might be a place for ice, however, with cool-growing orchids. We bought a large used aquarium from Pet World wherein we placed our two Masdevallias. They want good light, high humidity, and temperatures ranging from 50-65 F. The aquarium is working out so far, but it's difficult to get it nice and cold. I've been adding two cups of ice twice a day and that's managed to keep the temperature about 5-7 degrees cooler than inside the house. It's a start. The summer will pose additional challenges, but I'm sure Lan Lan and Sabine will have something figured out by then.

Back from Surgery

Riley, post-operation, with a kitty IV tube

Riley sailed through surgery yesterday morning and spent the night recovering at the Clinton Parkway Animal Hospital. They recovered a dime-sized bladder stone that had been causing him all sorts of pain. Trixie visited him yesterday and, when he got to say hello, he toppled over and his face fell into the food bowl. Poor little freak! He tried to meow, but could barely manage it. This morning was a different story. Riley truly looked forward to returning home and was telling everyone within a wide radius his sad plight.

We let him adjust alone for some hours and then released him into the general population. Emboldened with new freedom, he went upstairs and promptly fell asleep on the bed next to Lan Lan. Griffin joined them a few hours later.


We were worried that Riley would have to wear one of those funny cones and that the other kitties would make fun of him. He has stitches, but no cone. He's already eating, scratching the scratching post, and acting cute. We're looking forward to a speedy recovery.

Poor Little Guy!

The Cats and Catts house requests that you send Riley your best thoughts, wishes, and prayers because he's undergoing surgery Tuesday to remove a bladder stone. He's also having two teeth extracted. All in all, it's been a rough time for the little guy. The kitties are rallying around him in support (or so we imagine).

Griffin & Riley, Best Friends

We're really thankful for our vet, Dr. Olson, at the Clinton Parkway Animal Hospital in Lawrence for his expert care and bedside manner. Trixie and I really appreciated his willingness to explain Riley's problems.

ultrasound arrow points to Riley's bladder stone

Riley is sometimes the worst kitty in the house and sometimes the cutest kitty in the house, but today he's definitely the saddest kitty. We're going to do our best to make him comfortable until Tuesday's surgery and we ask you to keep him in your thoughts. 

Scary Spice

Lan Lan wandered into the frame and created a frightening scene. As the photographer, it was a bit like being in a shark cage and having one of the weirdest sharks in the ocean swipe at you. She was circling around Paph. spicerianum 'Green Mystery' x 'Mallingham' HCC/AOS from Windy Hill Gardens. This is an extremely cute species. The jade pouch and fringed petals are cool, but the flower's white dorsal with the regal red stripe is its main drama. It's hard to see in the photo, but the dorsal sepal looks diamond-dusted, catching the light in a particularly magnificent way.

Paph. spicerianum 'Green Mystery' x 'Mallingham' HCC/AOS

Harold Koopowitz's Tropical Slipper Orchids has a thorough description of this species. He reports that Paph. spicerianum is named after someone named Lady Spicer and it's a key species for complex-standard hybrids, and -- more so than most other Paph. species -- the dorsal reflexes, or falls forward, a short time after opening. According to Koopowitz, the sloped dorsal is a good quality, evolutionarily speaking, because it creates a gutter for rainwater to run off the back of the flower. This is poor quality, however, from a showing/judging perspective because a straight dorsal reveals the flower in its full glory. Is this flower more beautiful when it's showcasing its functionality compared to when the dorsal is straight and flat? Lan Lan prefers the former and I favor the latter, but we both agree that it's a super awesome flower and one we'll both be keeping our eyes on.