Life Just Got Easier

Remember when you only had six orchids in your collection and you could water them all at once in the sink? It took only five minutes. Remember that? It’s a fading memory for me, too. I've graduated from the sink to the bathtub, and I've used various empty fish tanks to accomplish my watering goals. But no more! My fantastic father-in-law swooped in from Forks, Washington and installed a deep, two-tub, sink in the orchid room. Normally a chore that takes several hours, I was able to water all of my plants today in about twenty minutes. I put the orchids in the tub, turned on the water, and set them back to dry. Amazing! I'm also able to fill the humidifier without leaving the room to fetch water. That’s huge. I fill the humidifier everyday from September to April, and not having to leave the room to fill it up is a major time-saver.

Oh, and Randy also remodeled the bathroom: removed the tub and sink, tore up the floor, and replaced everything. New mirror. New cabinets. New light. The crazy thing is that it only took 72 hours and one or two trips to the hardware store (I might be exaggerating the low number of hardware store trips). Seriously, it was like one of those house remodeling shows.
 

The new bathroom is awesome, Lan Lan loves the new faucet, but have I told you about the sink in the orchid room? I have? Sorry. I'm just excited.

My advice? Boys, when you grow up, make sure that the woman or man you married has a father who is a general contractor, expert woodworker, and overall awesome dude.

Penguin Cam!

Broadcasting live with Ustream

Have you seen the San Diego Sea World penguin cam? It's one of the coolest things ever. I haven't seen March of the Penguins. I'm not sure I would've mentioned penguins if, a week ago, you had asked me to list my favorite animals. The Penguin cam, though, quickly won me over to Team Penguin. They are impossibly cute. The Penguin cam is only available for a couple of months, so take advantage of it while you can!

The Cat Ate My Blog Homework

Paphs in bloom, March 2012

We're back from hiatus! There's nothing sadder than a neglected blog, so I'm happy to get back into orchid and kitty postings. My absence was due to an array of causes, but the central one, I think, was purely technological. I replaced my laptop and desktop machines, and the transition period was slow. My brother and sister-in-law got me a phenomenal birthday gift -- an iPad2! It’s as life-changing as promised (and I’m a PC guy), but it’s interface with Blogger (both the Blogger app and Blogger functionality via Safari) is kind of horrible. It's taken me weeks to figure out a reasonable process and routine. All of these are, as the kids say, “first world problems” and, as such, lousy excuses. The time away has taught me that the orchids are going to bloom whether I blog about them or not. So, I might as well blog about them. Right?

There’s been plenty of action in the orchid room. I have a few Paphs in bloom (see above), my B. Little Stars is wrapping up its yearly show, and two flowers opened today on the only Cattleya in my collection (C. Bob Betts). The daylily project is also moving forward. I planted 40 seeds and about half of them have developed into healthy seedlings.

And the kitties? They're adjusting to a new food regime prompted by concerns about Lan Lan’s kidney health. No more free grazing! Special food! Three of our cats are adapting remarkably well. Griffin, however, demands more feeding times and extra treats. Some things never change.

Kovachii, The Next Generation

Phrag. Peruflora's Cirila Alca x Phrag. schlimii

In 2007, orchid expert Glenn Decker said that the "full potential of the Phrag. kovachii hybrids has yet to be seen," and that "once we get into second-generation hybrids we will truly see its potential." I don't see my plant revealing the greatness of these hybrids, but it's mine and it bloomed for me, so I'm happy with it. It's an unregistered hybrid: Phrag. Peruflora's Cirila Alca x Phrag. schlimii. Peruflora's Cirila Alca is kovachii x dalessandroi. So, there's two rounds of breeding involving three species. Was it all worth it?

Riley and the kovachii hybrids

My plant flowered in mid-December and the first bloom (featured here) had obvious "flaws" but I still loved it. The Phrag. dalessandroi should give it the potential to have multiple blooms, but likely at the expense of proper shape. You can see purple and pink having a little bit of an identity crisis, but I'm optimistic that next year's blooms will arrive at a more uniform color scheme. Maybe I'll buy another one from Bird's Botanicals just to make sure.


If that doesn't work out, I'll blame Riley. I've put him in charge of my small, but growing, collection of kovachii hybrids. It's a lot of responsibility, but the promise of cool purple flowers are totally worth it.

Sukhakulii Without the Warts

I've discussed my affinity for the Brachypetulam subgenus in a number of blog posts, most notably in the "Brachypetalum: Church of the Subgenus" series. But I'm finding myself increasingly drawn to the Barbatum Alliance. I love Maudiae types: regal, classic, and all-around awesome. I also like that I can grow these plants without much drama. They seem to like my setup. Paph. sukhakulii is one of the most important species of the subgenus. It's recognizable with its warts and hairs. It's a freaky looking thing and definitely an "acquired taste." So, I was a little skeptical when I purchased this one from Windy Hill.

But I love it! Oh my goodness! It's Paph. sukhakulii var. aureum ('Green Eagle' x 'Green Ghost'), so it's got green going on all day long. You can buy one here. The crazy hairs and warts characteristic of sukhakulii just aren't there, and I like it like that.    

Nerd Nite!

Isn't this the coolest flower you've ever seen? This is Paph. Makuli (sukhakulii var. aureum 'Green Eagle' x Maudiae 'The Queen' AM/AOS) purchased from Windy Hill Orchids. You can't hear it, but it's screaming, "Take me to a flower show! Take me to a Judging Center!" The petals have a 13.7 cm horizontal spread and the last AM of this particular hybrid (awarded in 2004) had a 14.0 cm spread. The symmetry is gorgeous. I love how the warts line up on the topside of the petals. It's an instant favorite.


Last night, I had an opportunity to show off my enthusiasm for orchids at Nerd Nite and I brought the Makuli along as a visual aid. Nerd Nite is nationwide phenomenon based on the idea that nerds should gather to share their passion about nerdy and geeky things. It's a brilliant idea. Typically, Nerd Nite takes place on a monthly basis, is hosted by a restaurant or similar venue, and attracts a crowd for three 20-minute presentations. My talk was titled "Paphiopedilum Dreams: Confessions of an Orchid Freak." I hope to post the video soon. Stay tuned! 

Team Bella

I love the double bloom! This is Paph. Triple Bella (Paph. Bella Lucia and Paph. Triple Trix), last seen under Sabine's supervision here. This plant and my glorious Phrag. have made for an exciting Autumn. A third show-stopper opened yesterday (details soon).

Despite my love of Brachys they're living up to their repuation as a tough Paph subgenus to cultivate. I think I'd do better if all of my plants were Brachys (not happening) and I'd do better if I took my own advice. Like I tell everyone, you'll kill your Brachys if you water them with the rest of your Paphs. Wait another day or two.

However, our risk of insanity increases exponentially with every complication we add to our watering routine. Is it worth the risk? The fungus-infested plants I've killed say no, but the two flowers above say yes, yes, and YES.

Hilltop Hints

Cute Kitties Posing with Fallen Phrag Flower

I mentioned in the last post that I was like a kid on Christmas when my Phrag. Eumelia Arias bloomed. It was a big event in the Cats and Catts house. I took it from an aspiring seedling to its full glory, and the timing appeared to be perfect. Dick Wells from Hilltop Orchids visited our orchid society on Sunday and I intended to show him the success I've had with one of his hybrids. So, of course, the flower decided to fall off Sunday morning. Drat!


I didn't get to show off my Phrag. (well, I brought the fallen flower), but the visit was outstanding nonetheless. Dick Wells shared his vast wisdom with us, gave a potting demonstration, and talked specifically about cultivating Phrag. kovachii hybrids. Here are some highlights:

Rice hulls are the New Perlite The cost of perlite is soaring, leaving orchid vendors searching for alternatives. Rice hulls dry out at a nice and even rate, and Hilltop has had great success incorporating rice hulls into their standard potting media. You can purchase their mix here. Also, RePotme.com sells bags of rice hulls.


Epsom salts for the kovachii hybrids Use 2-2.5 Tbs per gallon. Wells recommends spraying the plants with it every 2-3 months (I've used it successfully as a monthly drench). Using it with a fertilizer, however, will nullify the benefit (the plant can only use so much magnesium sulfate at any one time).


You're Probably Over-Potting Well, I am at least. I've been too squeamish about damaging the roots. I didn't think I was over-potting until I saw Dick give a little demonstration on four or five plants. The roots need even less space than I imagine. The crew at Hilltop Orchids repot 500 to 600 orchids a day, so I trust Dick's judgment.


I drove home with a couple of new plants -- Phrag. Fritz Schomberg and Phal. equestris var. alba. -- and several new ideas for improving my orchid culture.

Phrag Fabulous

Phrag. Eumelia Arias

I'm thrilled with the first bloom from my Phrag. Eumelia Arias (kovachii x schlimii), originally featured in Cats and Catts on February 21 2010. I bought it from Hilltop Orchids -- you can buy one for yourself here. It was like Christmas morning when it opened, and I have no problem looking right past its flaws to admire its sparkling ruby color. It might sound a little psychotic, but this plant has occupied my thoughts for nearly two years. Here are a few reasons why:

Sabine w/ Phrag & its original container

 1. It's a high-maintenance plant and, therefore, it's extra gratifying to see in bloom. It's fussy. I drench it with reverse-osmosis water three or four times a week, and the plant receives other perks (dissolved epsom salts once a month and crushed oyster shells four times a year). The need to water it frequently leads me to catch pests and culture problems early. In fact, my tendency to over-water has been stunningly success with this plant. A wet Phragmipedium is a happy Phragmipedium.



2. One of Eumelia Arias's parent species, Phrag. kovachii, has a fascinating history. The 2001 discovery of Phrag. kovachii was monumental for the orchid community: the flowers had a deep purple color no one had seen before (opening up a new world of hybridization possibilities) and its flowers were huge. But the drive to be the first to import and describe the new species led to dodgy behavior. Its Western discoverer, Michael Kovach, faced thousands of dollars in fines for illegally smuggling the plant from Peru into the US. The late Eric Christenson was inches away from writing the first description of it, but Kovach and the Selby Botanical Garden bum rushed the taxon, and so now we call it Phrag. kovachii (instead of peruviana). Big discovery. Big controversy.


3. Finally, the flower is super gorgeous and it has a diamond dusting look that's inadequately captured in the photos. It's stare-worthy.

All in all, it's a highly satisfying orchid. I definitely see more Phrags in my future.

Attack of the Phylogeneticists!

Ceci n'est pas une Ondontoglossum

If you own any Odontoglossums it's time to change the tag. Molecular phylogeneticists have, once more, unleashed their cladograms on the orchid community. New DNA studies show that Odontoglossums are not meaningfully distinct from Oncidiums in terms of genetics and evolution. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHC) has decreed that Odontoglossums are now Oncidiums. The RHC creates the official taxonomical reality for the American orchid world (institutionalized in the American Orchid Society). So, we now change our tags from Ond. to Onc. No big deal, right?

But what if you're, say, Robert Hamilton, a founding member of the International Ondontoglossum Alliance? What if you've been obsessed with Odonts since 1979? The change might irritate you a little bit. 

Hamilton's article in the new issue of Orchid Digest "Odonotoglossum: Requiescat in Pace" traces the genus's history from its first description in 1816 to its recent demise. Hamilton acknowledges phylogenetics as "valid science," but raises three concerns. The lumping and splitting required of any taxonomical distinction, whether its based on DNA or not, is, ultimately, arbitrary. The DNA relationships ("clades") proposed by the phylogeneticists can result in infinite regress, such that the distinction between humans and chimps (Homo and Pan) falls away. Finally, the decision to lump Odontoglossum into the genus Oncidium fails the "five-year-old test" wherein a child can point to obvious differences between two flowers.

The "DNA Boys" (as Patricia Harding has referred to them) have prompted the orchid community to endure a lot of nomenclature changes in the last 10 or so years, and these changes have generate a lot of unbridled hatred toward taxonomists. But is it warranted?

I received poor marks in school for science and math, but I've seen the movie "Real Genius" enough to feel qualified to comment boldly on scientific disputes. The plot of Martha Coolidge's hit 1985 comedy suggests that you should side with the kids, in this case, the DNA Kids and their Crazy Cladograms. The phylogeneticists aren't setting out to ruin our favorite hobby. They proceed from the simple fact that some orchid species evolved before other orchid species. Discovering and analyzing patterns among those evolutionary relationships might, in the long run, help us grow better and healthier orchids.