[OGD] Peter's comments
I think Terry misunderstood Peter's comments about the legality of Vietnamese orchids. My understanding is that Peter said that he believed that, according to CITES regulations, any plant that originated directly from Vietnam was illegal. The Antec vietnamense that was sold by them originated in the US, flasked from parents that illegally entered the US and were confiscated. The parent, which came from Vietnam, were illegal. The confiscated plants were offerred to be shipped back to Vietnam. When they declined (or simply did not respond), the paphs were sent to plant rescue centers. I don't know how many, but I believe the NY Botanic Garden was one of them. The Antec plants were produced from seed pods set on the first US grown growths on the parent plants. Therefore, in terms of both CITES and the USFW interpretation of CITES, these vietnamense were fully legal. However, these legal paphs did not originate in Vietnam. I cannot say whether Peter is entirely correct with regard to all Vietnamese orchids, as I have no area of expertise or experience that could confirm or deny Peter's contention. However, other than the Antec vietnamense and helenae which originated from propagated rescued plants, I believe that Peter's statements are probably quite true with regards to paphs. Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in still hot and mosquito (Asian tigers!) infested Queens NYPaphs charlesworthii and appletonianum in bud. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] OGD
Yes, by all means keep the OGD going! And, if possible, keep it email based.its good to know that there is at least one good email in the box...Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in humid Queens, NY...where the recent cool weather will hopefully get my paphs spiking ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] snake
Oliver-from your description, and your location, I am sure that your snake is the common UK grass snake. This is related to and ecologically similar to the common US garter snake. It probably feeds on those frogs, but since they only eat about once a week its not likely to put a huge dent in the population. Hopefully, it also eats slugs..the garter snake here in the US won't, but some of its relatives do. At any rate, its harmelss, and if it bothers you I would just suggest grabbing it the next time you see it, and releasing it some distance away from your greenhouse. Take care, Ericnot much in bloom other than Paph Berenice and Maelstrom and a Lycaste hybrid...in Queens, NY, overtaken by Asian tiger mosquitos. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Macodes
I can't speak for other jewel orchids, other than to agree that Ludisia is indestructable, but I have had some experience with Macodes. I only had luck after placing it in a mini-terrarium- an inverted bottom half of a seltzer bottle. It needs really high humidity...Only after doing that, did my Macodes take off and grow well. Even so, it eventually wilted after about 2 years, but it recovered after putting the stems in new mix (cocopeat and perlite) and discarding the old roots. Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in Queens NY...not much in bloom now, other than Bletilla in the garden and P. Flamingo Gold...also Cym Crackerjack ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] parvi's and brachy's
Horacio.you will simply have to get resigned to slower growth on your parvi's and brachy's. They range from moderately slow (micranthum, armeniacum, niveum) to very slow (emersonii). Don't be afraid to fertilize, but don't go overboard eitherI use MSU fertilizer (forget the exact ratio's, but high N, low P and K, no urea, lots of trace minerals) with a little bit of pro-tekt (to raise the pH a tiny bit) regularly during the growing season, usually once/week (1/2 tsp/gal, roughly 75-100 ppm N). No fertilizer and less water for the parvi's between Nov and feb, a little fertilizer for niveum. Of all the plants you mention, niveum is probably fastest growing and certainly easiest to bloommaybe not the hardiest though...Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in Queens NYpaphs Flamingo Gold, Berenice, and Maelstrom in bud.Cyp pubescens and Bifrenaria harrisonia? in bloom ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] AOS costs
Forget your flame suit Lisaits a great idea. Of the total AOS membership, what percentage really exhibits their plants for judging? The AOS will always have to entertain a strong newbie contingent, and this will dry up with membership rates as they curently existnot to mention most experienced growers too. Even without the newbies, the majority of AOS readers do not, at least regularly, enter their plants for judging.and I think this majority must be attended to if the AOS is to be a viable organization. I, for one, am cautiously optimistic, as, for the first time in years, I have been very favorably impressed by the direction that the AOS leadership appears to be going in. Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in Queens NYCyp. p. pubescens just opened up, and my 2nd son graduated college on the same dayColumbiaTake care, Eric ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Coqui frogs
Bill- I have heard a lot about the coqui frogs in Hawaii...but I'm not sure what is the worst about them...the noise they make, or their preying on native Drosphila.take care, Eric Muehlbauer in Queens NY...cyps all up, with pubescens soon to bloom ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] George Norris update
Hi allthe latest update on George Norris is that he is scheduled to be released, in full, on April 27, at 8:00 AMthe end seems to be in sightTake care, Eric Muehlbauer in Queens, NYcamellia in bloom, along with Pieris and some daffodils.Paphs argus, concolor, and hirsutissimum in bud...bellatulum blasted, of course... ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] beginners
Now hold on a minute...I have been a member of this group, OGD, its immediate predecessor, OGO, and its grandparent OLDI must say that I can understand why a beginner would find this forum intimidating...we have some strong personalities here...but it really should not be that scary to a newbie. FWIW, a beginner question posed here will get a range of responses, that will give a beginner a good idea of the range of potential answers. They also will, by and large, be stated politely. Its really the more knowledgable people here who provoke discussions that may, to the uninitiated, appear to be quite nasty...well, sometimes, truth be told, they are. But this is of no concern to a beginner. Maybe, some day you too shall be an experienced grower with strong opinions and possibly grudges to carry. But meanwhile don't be turned off to this list. It is a perverse quality of this list that the most contentious postings provoke the most responses and discussions...this is nothing compared to some of what we have seen in the past. But, I truly feel that all the lurkers here, beginners and shy people...should all post their questions. A civilly posed question will receive a civil, and informative answer. No one here gets an abrasive response just for being a beginner...This list is what you want it to be. By all means, beginners, newbies, closet growers, etc...please post! You will generate a lot of discussion that will benefit you...and if it provokes an argument between the so-called experts, grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy.Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in finally warming Queens NY. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Phrag blooming time
Now, while I understand the controversy associated with anything related to P. kovachii, I do not understand the controversy over a SINGLE clone that managed to bloom 14 months out of flask. We are not dealing with a load of blooming plants hitting the market. This is one SINGLE clone that happily enough managed to bloom in a very fast time. The reason that phrags are getting so popular now is that they, or rather the hybrids, are so easy to grow and bloom. Phrag hybrids grow fast, and bloom young. No, not allI have some phrag hybrids that just won't bloom. It happens. I have also had Phrag hybrids, such as Eric Young, that zoomed through their growth and bloomed within less than 18 months after my purchasing them in compots. Believe me, I may have had years of experience, but I would never, ever, label myself an expert grower. I'm just a hobbyest, dealing with windowsills, fluorescent lights, and an outdoor deck in the summer. Some plants grow well, some don't. Some bloom, some die. And if I can get an occasional seedling phrag to bloom within 2 years from flask, It is not hard at all for me to conceive that a professional grower, with all the advantages of professional growing conditions, and large numbers of plants, can bloom a phrag hybrid 14 months out of flask. However, this is Pk, not just an old besseae cross...so what? Yes its new...yes, the species itself appears to be a slower grower (at this point in people's observations), its still a hybrid, and phrag hybrids can grow damn quickly. And, lets not forget...we are talking about 1 SINGLE clone that happened to bloom early. What's the opinion of the other professional phrag growers on this list? Is it possible to get a single clone of a phrag cross to bloom early? Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in very unusually frigid Queens NYbesseae in bloom, concolor, bellatulum, argus, hirsutissimum in bud. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Eric Young
Sorry...I never made it to the EYOF...but I hope to someday...Take care, Eric ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] stolons in paphs
There are many paphs, that can be stoloniferous...at various times. For starters: The most notorious stoloniferous paphs are the parvi's armeniacum, micranthum, and malipoense. That said- in my experience, the stoloniferous habit has been bred out of many of the newer armeniacums et al, in the attempt to get easier to bloom plants. Just about every recent clone of armeniacum and micranthum I have grown recently has been described as eas(ier) to bloom...and micranthum indeed seems more likely to initiate budsbut blooms still elude mebut, without fail, while these plants freely initiate new growths, there are no stolons. On the other hand, a few years ago I was given a division of a malipoense that dated back to the days when legal collection existed (Pre-1990, in the US). This plant is stoloniferous as all get-out. When the big main pot was knocked over and smashed by a squirrel (what else is new?) I separated 3 stoloniferous clumps. (None are blooming size, but, again, what else is new?) I now have 3 pots of multigrowth malipoense...now, in the old days (pre- 1990 CITES regulations) every micranthum and armeniacum was stoliniferous...now, none are. As for other paphs..I have heard that druryi is stoloniferous...no personal experience on this yet..callosum (particularly the sublaeve variety) and sukhakulii are vertically stoloniferous, like phrag besseae crosses, as well as many maudiae type hybridstake care, Eric Muhlbauer in hopefully soon to be defrosted Queens NY.. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] AOS
Well, I just received the latest Orchids, and I must admit that it is encouraging. Aside from the fact that a greater than usual number of articles interest me in this issue (not all read yet), such as the article about Chinese Cyp's, Dracula hirtzii, Phalaenopsis media and fertilizer, perhaps the most important was Carlos Fighetti's letter frankly addressing the AOS's problems and shortcomings. Clearly the most realistic article by an AOS leader that I have seen, and humble.it definitely affected my attitude towards the AOS more than anything I have read before. Of course, my biggest objection is the dues increase.but fortunately, that was acknowledged as a problem as well. Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in genuinely frigid Queens NYpaphs bellatulum, argus, concolor, and hirsutissimum in bud...miscellaneous catt's in bloom. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] correction- George Norris
Made a mistake...George has to do 2 months and a day, not 1 month...Take care, Eric Muehlbauer ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] George Norris update
Well, it looks like George is going back to jail. His appeal was rejected, and so he goes back in January to serve his final month and a day. He's hoping to have the sentence shifted to house arrestbut he's not optimistic. His health has not improved during his time away from jail. Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in Queens NY, where my spring camellia is in full bloomand insigne Sanderianum and insigne, Phrag besseae are in bloompaphs argus, bellatulum, and more besseae are in bud ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] P. longifolium gracile
Iris- I had one of these for many years. It was sent to me in a trade as a No ID phragI assumed it was pearcei/equadorense/caricinum or a hybrid of that kind of backgroundand I was astounded when it finally bloomed...the flower was clearly longifolium, only smaller. I have never grown the regular longifolium, so I can't compare cultural conditions. I can say, that for a phrag, it was not that easy...in the 10-12 years I had it, I saw it bloom maybe 3 times, under the same treatment that most of my phrags get...south light, intermediate tempslots of water. (Most phrags, other than schlimii, bloom easily for me.) In fact, phrags don't normally die for me at all...as this one eventually did, so that was another aspect that wasn't so easy about it..However, I must say that it is a desirable plant, and certainly a space saver. Good luck with it! Take care, Eric (lots of paphs in bud nowinsigne, insigne v. sanderianum, charlesworthii, spicerianum, bellatulum, and several complex hybrids.) ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Phrag bessaea and CITES
Phrag bessaeae was discovered in the 1980's, when it was still legal to import collected paphs and phrags. While it was all the rage, availability was simply based on whether you could afford themby the late 80's seedlings were easily available, and price had dropped somewhat, but they were still difficult to grow for most people. Now, of course, not only has ease of growth been bred into the available plants, but selective breeding has made even the most random seedling likely to be beautifulmy bessaea was purchased for maybe $15 (?) from ebay it may not be an award winner, but it has to be the most beautiful phrag that I own. In 1990 the current CITES regulations went into effect. There is no (legal) way to distribute collected plants or even most of their seedlings.this of course increases the demand exponentially, and increases the profit for those able to smuggle illegal plants ...and increases whatever money is available to the locals who can collect and sell them, even if its not a huge amount. This is what makes kovachii such a heavily discussed and demanded plantlegal growers who can afford it have to wait...the unknown number of illegal growers have to be hush-hush about their plants until it becomes more common...(by which point, the cultivated plants may be superior in both form and ease of growth to the collected plants)Not to mention the circumstances of its introduction...besseae was fully legal to bring in for descriptionkovachii was illegally brought in to the countryI for one am willing to wait until kovachii has become more affordableTake care, Eric Muehlbauer in damp but lush Queens NY...fending off hordes of Asian Tiger mosquitoes! ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Epipactis helleborine
E. helleborine is definitely wide spread, and while it may be technically invasive, I cannot see how it would pose much of a problem here in the Northeast. I see it everywhere in Cutchogue , LI, and I have even seen it growing within 2 blocks of my house here in Queens. However, there is a big difference between the behavior I have seen with helleborine and the behavior of most invasive species: it does not crowd out other species. Wherever it is found, it is growing with other species of plants, and is evenly distributed among them. Of greater importance: It never seems to grow in the same exact location for more than 2 seasons. It appears in one place...the next year it will be 10 feet further, but not a trace of it remains in the previous location. In that sense, I can't see it as being truly invasive. But please understand: this is based only on my observations in Eastern Long Island and NYC. It may very well behave differently in other regions...and I can see how it may create serious problems in the Pacific northwest, where it could conceivably interbreed with gigantea or palustris.Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in wet and coold Queens NY...where despite 2 heat waves, the paphs have never done better..loads in bud ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] hot sauce for squirrels
Capsaicin may very well be effective against squirrels (although I haven't found that to be the case...I used to rub pure habanero pepper all over my old bird feeder, then add it to the seed, to no avail...) but Tabasco sauce contains too much sodium and vinegar...I learned that the hard way, killing some veggie seedlings years ago there are oil based capasicin sprays that are sold (capsaicin is oil soluble, not water soluble..which is why drinking water after too much hot pepper is not very effective at diminishing the pain...milk is muchg better...), and you could probably make your own easily enough in a blender. Take care, eric Muehlbauer in Queens NY...despite the major rains, paphs are doing very well outside...sukhakulii and concolor still in bud, Sophronites (Laelia) purpurata in full bloom... ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] caffeine and slugs
We discussed this issue last year, as I recall. I haven't tried straight caffeine...but I've seen coffee grounds criss-crossed by slug trails...Take care, Eric Muehlbauer ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] grades of DE
Thanks RayI had gotten my DE from Garden's Alive...no mention was made of any particular grades...and, as i mentioned, in their description of Sluggo (their version of iron phosphate bait) they admitted that DE was ineffective against slugsyou're explantation made sense...it was a very fine powder. Take care, Eric ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] DE
Oh yes...I applied it liberally too...at one point, in desperation, I completely covered the soil (and much of the plant) in a pepper pottotal failure. But I think Ray's comments, as well as others, about grades of DE makes sense.Take care, Eric ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] slugs
Sluggo and other iron phosphate preparations like Escar-Go are extremely effective on slugsuse it heavily...however, they are nearly useless against snails...and I have found that tiny bush snails thrive on Masdevallias...perhaps the problem is snails? Unfortunately, that makes it worse...I can't think of anything better than metaldehyde for them...Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in very rainy Queens NY...paphs sukhakulii, barbigerum, and concolor in bud. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Change and evolution
Yes, a change in environment does lead to evolution, as species adapt to those changes...incrementally, as those most suited to the changes evolve. Now ...as to the speed of these incremental changes...when evolution occurs, it occurs very rapidly..in geologic time. In other words, while a species may remain on earth for a few million years, its evolution into a new species may take several thousand years. This is a blink of the eye in terms of geologic time.but is nowhere near the amount of time to account for anything happening within the scope of human history. When environmental change occurs at a faster rate than species can evolve, extinction occursSince modern humans have evolved, our tendency to change the environment for our needs (a major human adaptation) has far outpaced the ability of other species to adapt and evolvefor example: despite evidence for prior arrivals, humans definitively entered the Americas about 13,000 years ago...with a talent for the use of fire as a hunting technique...the rich American megafauna of mammoths, mastodon, horses, ground sloths...extinct by 12,000 years ago. Now this is still disputedthere was also climate change...what is less disputed...Australia had a fantastically diverse biota...giant wombats...20 foot long monitor lizardsand not all that much desert. Humans arrived about 50,000 years ago. The megafauna of Australia was gone by about 40,000 years ago.and the desert increased. The upshot? Change causes evolution. Evolution occurs quickly...in geologic time.but still very slowly in human time. Yes, species do become extinct...its a part of the natural world. But to dismiss extinction that is a consequence of human activities is akin to dismissing a murder by saying that everyone dies eventually. Some of the species we care most about are probably not long for this earth, in geological timeface it, the giant panda is a beautiful and interesting animal.and it has a wonderful adaptation for eating bamboo...unfortunately, if your only adaptation is for eating a tough woody grass that is full of silica, and that grass has a tendency to die after blooming...and blooms at the same time...well, you've had your turn on stage and its time for the next act. But pandas are cute...and we do all that we can to save it from what will be its eventual demisewhile countless orchids, frogs, and who knows what else go to the eternal compost heap. Now...everybody loves pandas...and it is entirely appropriate to prevent their extinction as long as possible, not just because they are cute but because they have an intrinsic worth in their very existence..and only humans can appreciate an intrinsic worth. But what about all the other organisms whose intrinsic worth is not appreciated by the bulk of humanity? We focus on species because it is easier to relate to them, rather than the whole nameless biotabut we have to face the reality that we have to preserve entire ecosystems in order to preserve the species. Yes, global warming can be a natural processand yes, there were periods of global warming that occurred between glaciations ..and we had nothing to do with them. But when there is so much evidence that our return to the biosphere of carbon that had been sequestered for millions of years is ever more apparently contributing to an increase in global temperatures at a faster rate than had ever occured in geological time...and to dismiss it as just equivalent to the change that would naturally occur, is a denial of responsibility...Well, I've gone on too long...but it is Friday night...wine with dinner...you all understand. Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in Queens, NY...Cyps pubescens, kentuckiense, and Gisela all coming up while my Arisaemas and Trilliums bloom...along with an incredibly stinky Arum. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Macodes petula
I have a Macodes petula that is doing well for me. It is planted in a cocopeat/perlite mix, which I use for terrestrials, including Cymbidium. For a year, it did nothing...stayed small, minimal if any growth. After placing a mini-terrarium over it (the bottom half of a clear 2 liter seltser bottle) the plant completely revived...it has grown nicely, and while still a small plant, has beautifully iridescent leaves. I keep it on a west facing windowsill, which is shaded for almost the entire year by my neighbors house...only in summer does it get a little bit of weak sun. Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in warming Queens NY.. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] calcium nitrate
Ray Barkalow, who owns First Rays, sells calcium nitrate. http://www.firstrays.com/ Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in windy and cool Queens NYPaph barbatum and phrag lindleyanum in bud.several hybrids in bloom... ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] species reference books
Speaking of revisions, have the errors in Paph identification ever been fixed in Prigeons book? They marred what would have been an otherwise excellent referenceits not that I'm nitpicking about paphs...its just that I know paphs, and there were several errors...I would not use the book for paphs, but for orchids I'm less familiar with...and how would I know if they had errors? Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in melting slushy Queens NY... ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] silicon
I regularly use ProTekt as a fertilizer additive. However, I use it as a pH adjuster for my paphsI add it to my fertilizer to bring it up to a pH of about 6.7 or soSince I am now using the MSU formula (First Ray's version, lower in phosphate) I add 1/4 tsp to a gallon when I add a tspn of MSU. (I used more ProTekt when I used Dynagro, because it was more acidic.) Does it strengthen my orchids and prevent disease? inhibit sucking insects? A resounding NO! But it is a simple and economical (on my scale) method of keeping my paph's fertiliser from being too acidic (other orchids get straight MSU). Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in silent, snowbound Queens NY23 by 10:30lots more for my 2nd round of shovelling in the afternoon.2nd greatest snowfall in NYC history... ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] P. gratrixianum
OK.now, as I understand it, a few years ago some paphs appeared in the trade, originally from Laos. These plants had blooms that were typical of gratrixianum, but had very broad leaves, similar to a complex hybrid. Apparently, there had always been a discrepancy in the original description of gratrixianumthe original plant was described as having very broad leaves, while the plants familiar to all of us have narrow leaves. It was speculated that these plants with the broader leaves were of the original type that were described as gratrixianumMeanwhile, later plants that had been described as affine were considered invalid, due to the priority of the name gratrixianumhowever, the plants described as affinie had narrow leaves...so, it was proposed in an article a few years ago (sorryits late and I'm tired and my memory, normally very good on useless information has retired for the night shortly after my beer was finishedso I do not recall the author or publication..actually, I think the publication was the Orchid Digest...but I am too tired to claim reponsibility..) that the narrow leaved plants are a separate species, that had been, and can now, be properly called affine. I hope this made sense...I am sure that Guido must be familiar with this case...and will be forgiving with my interpretation.Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in chilly Queens NY, where winter has briefly reappeared. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] CITES and flasks
Peterwhile App. I orchids imported in flask are OK by CITES standards, different countries can apply their own interpretation. So what may be freely and legally available in Canada is still barred in the US by the USFW interpretation of CITES, banning any possible fruit of the poisoned tree..Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in very mild Queens NY...not much in bloom or spike except for Phrag pearcei and a few hybrids ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Peter's opinions on phrags...
Now Peter.I respect you far too much to take any offense at your anti-phrag statements ...but as a slipper grower- paphs, phrags, and cyps- I must say that the main reason that I, and most of the other slipper lovers that I know, grow them is because they are simply fascinating flowers! I love their structure, and in the case of paphs, their texture.They are, by all means, love 'em or hate 'em flowers...and if you hate them, intrinsically, I can certainly understand your cynicism. But those who love them will understand where I am coming from...Now, most of us, and believe me, the vast MAJORITY of slipper growers here in the US may well want the new (and impossible to legally get, much less afford) species, but we are not about to exterminate wild populations, be the first on the block to own a kovachii album, or mortgage our homes for a smuggled plant that may well die even with the best of care. Yes there are people out there who are like that, but these are people who will be that way regardless of the coveted item...I'm sure that they are into obtaining many other high status items...They are certainly not the typical slipper grower. That said...in defense of phrags, they actually do make good houseplants. They are certainly easier to grow and bloom than paphs, and most of us aren't lucky enough- or skillfull enough- to get the huge ungainly plants you speak of. The spikes do not flop over any more than a large phaland they are actually very care-free as long as they are watered well...they don't need much fertilizer, and are so resistant to insects that pesticides don't have to be used most of the time. As for me, well...I really prefer paphs..they have a better texture, longer flower life, better variety of form, and many are as gorgeous out of bloom as in bloom. And there are so many good ones that I can wait for hangianum to be legal some day..I have relatively few phrags, despite their easier culture, mainly because there is less variety. Afterall, how many besseae hybrids can one have without repetition? I find kovachii very impressive...because of its size. I don't care for its color, and I doubt that the flower will be so impressive a few days after opening...so I am certainly in no rush to get it. When it becomes an established plant in cultivation, and affordable (a big concern when you have 4 kids and live on a teacher's salary!), I may very well try it...but in the meantime, I have plenty of other plants I can enjoy. Take care, and Happy New Year to you and all of the OGD! Eric Muehlbauer in cloudy dull Queens NY...Phrags pearcei and a bunch of hybrids in budnot too many paphs..too warm this fall to set buds ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] paph cross
Iris- I am not overly familiar with wilhelminiae crosses, so I can't say if the liemianum cross would be easier than the moquettianum cross, other than that I'd expect them both to be relatively slow to reach blooming size. But I can say that a single representative of a cross, particularly when paphs are involved, is not a good indication of whether the cross is difficult or not. Even among Maudiae's and their related crosses I have found recalcitrant plants that refused to bloom...and here we are talking about the easiest of paph hybrids. Not only that, but even easy blooming paph crosses sometimes seem to just quit for no good reasonthey just get a pole up their you-know-what...that is, if they had a you-know-what. I once had a Maudiae that regularly bloomed with 3 flowers on a stem...and one year it just quit. I had it for maybe another 10 years, but it never bloomed again. Part of why I love paphs is their unpredictability.Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in damp and still mild Queens NY...still have many plants outdoors! ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] P. emersonii
Your paph is definitely P. emersonii, and well within the range of variation for that species. hounglanae is just a name that was applied to Vietnamese populations of emersonii. Many years ago, Jack Fowlie published an article in the Orchid Digest showing variations in emersonii flowers, each of which he labelled with varietal status. As far as I know, none of these variations are really considered true varieties. In recent years, the clones of emersonii that are available have become easier to bloom...even I can bloom it now! However, most clones are still disappointing in shape...and it is not a hardy or vigorous species. I have found that they tend to shut down and stop growing after bloom. Is yours fragrant? Not all clones are consistently fragrant, but when are, they are astounding...not at all what one would expect in a paph. Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in Queens NY, where that weather has been so mild that many plants are still outdoors...only hybrid paphs in bud now... ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] George Norris
George is hoping to have his appeal this weekapparently, after some really rough time both emotional and health-wise, things have taken a better turn, in all respects, for both physical and mental health...George, his family, and friends are finally starting to sound optimistic. Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in Queens NY...some paph hybrids in bloom. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Natural Hybrids
Bert- you have a good point. I think that is the reason that natural hybrids have a different name (at least in some cases) than the man-made hybrids...for examplePaph Greyi is the manmade cross of niveum x godfroyae...yet ang-thong is (according to many, but not all, sources) the natural form of the same hybrid. P. wenshanense is now used for plants that had been labelled conco-bellatulum..I don't know if its still considered to be a hybrid (I believe it is..) but all specimens that I have seen look either a lot like concolor, or a lot like bellatulum...certainly none looked like a 50:50 cross. Take care, Eric Muehlbauer is extraordinarily humid Queens NY ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Natural hybrids and speciation
I am not familiar at all with O. stacyi, but Guido made a very important point about stable natural hybrids and speciesI feel that hybridization is a very definite factor in speciation...not frequently, but probably more often than is acknowledged...on the non-scientist, textbook level, isolation is always stressed as a factor in speciation...but, if, for whatever reasons, species come into contact and interbreed, creating stable hybrids, why shouldn't this lead to formation of a new species? The southern US is full of natural hybrid swarms of deciduous azaleas (Rhododendron). If a population of hybrids is in a position to interbreed with themselves, to the point where the traits become stable, why shouldn't they be then considered a species? Not that the species concept is clear cut anymore...I think that probably most scientists would agree that the concept of species must be far more flexible than used to be believed.and is really more a term of convenience in many cases. By the way, even in animals, there are species that are clearly due to hybridization...in lizards, many species of Cnemidophorous are of hybrid origin (triploid and parthenogenic too!), as are several salamander speciesTake care, Eric Muehlbauer in dry Queens NY...P. lowii in bloom, bellatulum album in bud... ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] virus....the computer kind
I guess that one of those viruses is out there again (as usual?), the kind that copy address books and send out loads of garbage in the names of people in them...I have been hit by loads of mail returned ,etcnot to mention lots of it spam...most of it German. Included with the mail return messages are several from this list, OGD. My guess is the virus must have hit someone on this list, probably in Europe. (I have run quite a few virus checks myself...so far I'm clean). My apologies to anyone who is receiving any email's from my addressI didn't send them. No blame for the person who got the virus...these things happenI just delete all the spam and returned stufff from webmail without even downloading it. Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in cool but beautiful Queens NYCyp pubescens looking great in the backyard ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] C. acaule on eBay
I've been seeing this guys offers on eBay for quite some time nowbut is anyone actually buying this stuff? Its not the first time I've seen a seller post repeatedly with the same offerings because nobody wants to buyI would think, with the quantities this guy offers, that the state of Kentucky would have had all its acaule's decimated by now if he was really selling everything he is listing. Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in Queens,NYwhere the cyps are just getting started. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Growing C.acaule
Harvey...you are right in that Cyp. acaule likes it on the dry side. I have seen plants on Long Island (wild) go for three months without effective rain, and still bloom the next year. My own plants grow in the same soil, which is almost all sand with a little leaf mould. If you must grow acaule in a pot (and if your available soil isn't of the type that acaule normally grows in, a pot is a must), Bill Steele once told me that he had success growing them in a mix of 50% sand and 50% milled sphagnum. If that sounds deficient in nutrients, it is...and that's what acaule likes. Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in Queens NY, where my C. pubescens is starting to grow up between the blooming trout lilies and Sanguinaria multiplex.. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Manolo Arias
I was asked by a friend to post a note here about Manolo Arias...Manolo is the correct spelling...and he has taken over the business due to his father's ill health. My question...is his company the only one allowed by INRENA to sell P. kovachii? Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in Queens NY...a cool, but real spring...paphs lowii, niveum, and bellatulum alba in bud ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Phosphorus and root rot
I used to use Dynagro 10-5-5, and switched a few months ago to the MSU formula (First Ray's liquid formula), which is way lower in phosphorus. There is no question that I am seeing fewer problems with root rot, and generally better growth...with no reduction in flowering. In fact I was astounded to see a 3.5 wide phal seedling spikingtotal surprise as I thought it was way too young, and besides I have lousy luck with phals...Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in heavily rainy Queens NY...Paphs bellatulum, bellatulum album, and villosum , Phrag warczwicianum (a different spelling each time I try..) in bud... ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Slander, strife, and the good old OGD
To those that have wondered about what's going on here, whom I assume are new to this list...Yes, this list is moderated...by a gentleman named Kenneth (I won't embarrass either of us by an attempt at a correct spelling of his last name.), who has done astoundingly excellent work at what is really a thankless job. Kenneth has the strength of a rock, and the kind of tactfulness that rarely shows itself these days. I know that you guys just want orchid talk and info...and that is what you'll get here. Consider the invective, gossip, political diatribes, and more invective as bonus entertainmentand as many have said, way before me, just scroll past what you don't like. Yes, Peter O'Byrne has a political viewpoint that is anathema to many in the US.(and shared by many out of the US), and he expresses it sometimes tactlessly, especially when goaded on by people who know how he will respond (haven't I said this before about someone else on this list???)...but he is still, undeniably, a fountain of wisdom regarding SE Asian orchids...and unlike many of us, knows them from nature, not conservatory. Andy is...well, Andy. Possibly the rudest personality I have seen here...but yes, this man knows the orchid industry, the orchid growers, the orchid culture (human aspect) and most importantly, the orchid history...he may be insulting, but we learn. Viateur includes some of the most wide ranging contributions of orchid lore...where he stumbles across these tidbits of info I don't know...and I personally loved his Phal gigantea info...knowing it was ridiculous the entire time I read it. And while I disagree with the tone and content of Wolfgang Bandisch's complaint, Wolfgang is another major expert here...mainly for New Guinea orchids, I believe? Once in a while Uri Baruk inveighs...cranky, yesand don't get him near even the mention of our old friend Guido...but he has some great knowledge of paphs...I have learned so much from the people on this list...I am finally getting a Brassia to spike thank's to the advice of Martin Epstein. Need seed growing or pesticide advice? Why not listen to Aaron Hicks? I can go on and on...Yes, this list is moderated. and Kenneth does get involved (remember back to George Norris and Tsu Yang Chen?...and Hideka?)...but do you really want him to be our censor? Many of us go back to the OLD..when it faded, it was briefly replaced by another orchid list, run by a very strict moderater...as a result of the dissatisfaction with the handling of that list, our good old OGD was born...and I think we should all appreciate it for what it is, warts and all...I for one wouldn't want it any different...other than wanting the return of Guido Braem, Joe Arditti, George Norris (who unfortunately cannot rejoin under his circumstances). This is an extremely informative list...and the info is provided by the people on this list, who are human...they have attitudes, opinions, and personalities...like all personalities, some are likable...some are not. But you don't have to like the personality to appreciate the knowledge...and it take minimal seconds out of our lives to scroll past or delete the entries we don't likeTake care, Eric Muehlbauer, in tentatively spring-like Queens, NY...where I discovered that my P. warscewiczianum is spiking... ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] hallucinogenic ethnobotanicals
Actually, the solution to Peyote nausea is an enema, rather than a suppository. they have actually found Mayan (I believe...I may be wrong and they could be Aztec) engravings of people getting enema's. I also recall at least one college friend who enthused about peyote enema's.However, the nauseating compounds in peyote are separate from the hallucinogenic ones. Supposedly, Trichocereus pachanoi (San Pedro) and its hallucinogenic congenerics do not contain the nauseating alkaloids. While I grow San Pedro cactus, along with T. peruvianus, I have not sampled them, so I cannot vouch for this aspect of their use. (But Trichocereus does make an excellent grafting stock). However, someone who did try it simply described it as disgusting and slimy, not nauseating. I wish I had known about Oncidium cebolleta before I gave mine away...(after growing it for 10+ years)...but for curiosity value only...I can't conceive of ingesting alkaloids I have never heard ofTake care, Eric Muehlbauer in Queens NY...Paphs haynaldianum, delanatii, and emersonii in bloom. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] edible orchids
I think the issue here is not so much the edibility of Dendrobium flowers, but how they are produceddends are a flower crop, not a food crop, and who knows what pesticides were applied to them. Most probably come from Thailand...and I don't know what pesticides they use, nor what their regulations are..Take care, Eric Muehlbauer.just a NY hobbiest whose 25 years worth of experience at growing orchids has no basis in fact... ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] coco products
I have found that most orchids love coconut husk chips...catt's, Oncidium types and Dends love the medium chips, Paphs love the finer chips (with a very heavy dose of spongerock). Cymbidiums and many terrestrials love coco-peat, also with a heavy dose of perlite. The only plants which seem to dislike coco products are phals, Phrags, and Pleurothallids. While they won't die, they do not thrive, and seem to grow better in bark or sphagnum. Also Paph. delanatii seems to have a clear preference for bark over coconut husk. Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in thawing Queens NY, with blooming delanatii, wardii, and sukhakulii.. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Peter 0'Byrne and orchids
I will not dwell on politics here.but Peter O'Byrne is one of the most knowledgeable people on this list in regard to southeast Asian/Malaysian/Indonesian orchids. Unfortunately, a lot of people get distracted by his politics...But lets be fair here! Peter has greatly modified his political comments recently and deserves to be given a break...he is entitled to his opinions, as we all are, but he has realized that it is best to stick to orchids here...and his orchid comments benefit all on the list. Its time to get past Peter's unfortunate comments post-9/11...(which I believe were misinterpreted by many..but that's water under the bridge) We are a diverse lot...I love the international makeup of this list...some of us are more crotchety than others...but there is a tremendous amount of knowledge on this list, and a tremendous amount of perspective to be gained by those, like myself, located in one city in one country. Too often we let personalities get in the way of information...I still miss Guido on this list (who may still return) and Joe Arditti (who probably won't)their disagreements and animosity couldn't detract from the information they shared...and it doesn't help anyone to resurrect old offenses when things are going welland people are learning...I know I have learned a lot from Peter...and Guido, and Joe.and everybody else on this list, all of whom I thank for participating! Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in painfully frigid Queens NY...sukhakulii, James Bacon, and delanatii opening up.. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] deformed phrag
http://www.phragweb.info/phragmipedium/anomalies/0230258002901a.asp See the above link for a similar type of deformity in a besseae hybridthese things are not all that rare...Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in totally snowbound Queens NY...Paphs emersonii, delanatii, haynaldianum, and sukhakulii all in spike ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] taxonomy and my plant collection
I love taxonomywhile others get frustrated by all the changes, seemingly arbitrary, I get thrilledI am fascinated by the idea of truly identifying orchids (or any other organism I am interested in) as accurately as possible...so I am really fascinated by the revision placing Brazilian Laelias into Sophronitis.That saidit is of purely intellectual significance for me. As for my plants, well, my Laelia purpurata will still have a tag that says Laelia purpurata...I am not using it for scientific purposes, just my own purposes of enjoyment...were I to write a scientific paper about it, well I'd call it Sophronitis...but I'm not about to do that as I simply teach science these daysI know that the plant I have labelled Paph hainanense is really P. appletonianum, but since it looks different, I keep it labelled hainanense..not for scientific accuracy, but just for easy at-home classification. Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in Queens NY watching my wardii open..with fingers crossed for micranthum and emersonii ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Connections between the Old and New Testaments....
I realize that this is off topic, but since its being discussed anywayFrom what I gather, what is regarded as the New Testament was compiled maybe 100 or so years after the death of Jesus, from the writings of the apostles ...apparently, there were many more gospels written than made it to the book...and most important, to me at least, from my Jewish perspective, are the differences from Jewish tradition...I believe, and I am no expert, but I have read a bit.that Paul (Saul of Tarsus) altered many Jewish traditions in order to expand the scope of Christ's teachings to the Gentiles. Originally, Christ's teachings were clearly and consistently within Jewish traditions. To make this a little more orchid-related...I am sure that Saul had some salep on his way to that road in DamascusTake care, Eric Muehlbauer celebrating the last night of Hanukkah on the coldest night of the winter so far... ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] Copepods
Copepods are Crustaceans..yes, they are related to shrimp and lobsters, but I believe that, as Iris said, they are more closely related to brine shrimp...As for water purification, for those who are not in need of huge quantities of water, Aquarium Pharmaceuticals makes a Tap Water Purifer that is sold through nearly all on-line aquarium supply places, usually for under $50. Its a deionizer cartridge, and is great for those who only need a few gallons at a time I use it for my reef tank top-off water. NYC tap water is excellent, but the trace amounts of phosphate add up when you use it to top off aquariaTake care, Eric Muehlbauer... ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
[OGD] CITES again............
Ahhh...the CITES paradox! It is a trade agreement, designed to protect endangered species (including orchids) from exploitationyet it does nothing to protect endangered orchids. Here is where the intractable problem lies...an international agreement can do nothing to prevent collection within a country...it has no force on the internal laws of a country. Since no country or organization can force another one to regulate its internal traffic, the next best thing is to regulate international traffic...its all that really can be done. Sounds great...sounds appropriate...and it would be fine, it would be appropriate, if exceptions were easily made for clearly propagated material. So long as arguments persist over the interpretation and legitmacy of different country's CITES laws, preventing propagated plants from being freely traded, a black market will be encouraged. Just think...if seedlings and flasks of the new vietnamese paphs could have been made internationally available as soon as they were ready, demand for the illegal collected plants would have been lessened. Would that have eliminated the black market and illegal exports...no, it would not have...at first. But, once the flasks, then seedlings, became freely...and the word is freely, in the easily accessible senseavailable, demand would have shifted to the propagated plants. Who wouldn't want a plant that was already grown under cultivation, probably selected for better form and vigor? Unfortunately this didn't happenand now vietnamense has been reduced to a handful of seedlings in the wild...who knows what's left of hangianum and helenae? The issue is not with the concept of CITES itself...it can be made to work for orchids as well as elephants if it had some flexibility built into ita flask is a flask...there is no denying that the contents of a flask were not collected from the wildso why can't flasks be freely traded? If a plant got smuggled out of its home country...that is a crime...but why should its seedlings be criminal also? What would have happened if that first wave of smuggled Vietnamese paphs...whose offspring are freely available in some countries, was given the go-ahead to be traded in flask without restriction...and their offspring selfed, outcrossed, etcto generate a whole population of propagated plants...? We will never know.My apologies for deliberately avoiding the issue of Phrag kovachii...this was a plant whose publicity was so extensive that it was doomed from the start...no amount of regulation, CITES or otherwise, could have protected it under the circumstances...it would have needed an army to protect it...Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in sunny Queens NY...by tomorrow all orchids will be indoors as we face our first really cool weather of the season... ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids
[OGD] George's mistake
There have been a couple of posts here suggesting that people were justifying George Norris's actionswhich I think is showing a major misunderstanding...I don't think that anyone here is justifying the actions to which George has pleaded guilty...basically, intentionally mislabelling phrags so that they will pass inspections more quickly. The comments on George's behalf, including mine, were basically an intent to put it in perspective. George did NOT smuggle in P. kovachii, or any wild collected phrag...what he basically did was suggest that legally propagated phrags, mainly P. pearcei, be labelled as another plant to be OK'd more easily by inspectors...basically, a short cut...yes, an illegal shortcut. The fact that the plants in question were released to be sold shows that they were not contraband in and of themselves. The issue that concerns those of us who know George is the severity of the sentence...17 months in jail for George's crime is a crime in and of itself...there are plenty of people who commit crimes of violence who get off with far less. No one is claiming that George is innocent, least of all George himselfbut many of us feel that a crime of this nature, committed by a 65 year old man with no prior history of illegal activity would be better served by a fine, community service, even both. I would certainly not disagree that George's actions will result in increased pressure on orchid importers...I am sure that commercial growers/importers will be seeing effects from this convictionhowever, to claim that George's punishment is appropriate is going too far, to the point of being vindictive. Of course George had a mouth on him (if that phraseology is appropriate for computer use...) and offended many people...but then again, just look at how participation on this list increases when people get offended...(more people miss Guido than will ever admit it) But being obnoxious is not a crime, or even an aggravating factor in sentence consideration(Not to mention that anyone who corresponded with George, and got to know him, could get past the bluster, right wing politics, and BS to see that underneath was a genuinely warm and decent person...) At any rate, the issue at this point is not guilt or innocence, right or wrong for the crime...but for the justice. Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in Queens NYplenty of cool growers still outside... ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids
[OGD] George Norris
Unfortunately, the latest word is that George Norris has been sentenced to over a year of prison time, I think a year and 7 months.This is after pleading guilty to a charge of what is basically, to my understanding, nothing more than the mislabelling of Phrags to expedite their processing by officials at the US port of entrypropagated plants that would have been cleared eventually anyway with proper paperwork. Regardless of propriety, I fail to see the purpose in jailing a 65 year old man whose crime has hurt no one, not even the endangered plants he smuggled( From what I gather, all the confiscated plants were allowed to be sold...would that have happened if they had been truly collected and smuggled in? ). Assuming he is guilty, as he plead, I find it inconceivable that this is a crime that cannot be dealt with by a fine, or community service...I'm sure that George will appeal, but the very concept of such a sentence applied in this kind of situation depresses me to no end. Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in Queens, NY...paphs in bud, and getting cool at last ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids
[OGD] phrags and paphs
Mike stated things perfectly well about the differences in culture between paphs and phragsI must say that for a beginner, phrags are much easier than paphsthey thrive on overwateringthe beginner's biggest problem (and maybe my biggest problem...and I am far from a beginner so I have no excuse.). They even thrive on what would normally be considered a totally deteriorated mix...as long as they have aeration, in the form of spongerock, aliflor, styrofoam, what ever your favorite is, they will thrive with what would normally be fatal amounts of water and degrees of decay. I have repotted phals after 4 years in the same mix...virtually no mix left, just slimy perlite, yet loads of healthy live roots. The drawback to phrags as compared to paphs...well, the blooms rarely last more than 2 weeks, although with successive bloom, a plant can bloom for the better part of the year...repetetiveness...nothing can compare to the intense color and beauty of besseae, or the spectacle of a caudatum with nearly meter long petalsbut the hybrids all tend to resemble each other. Have one besseae hybrid, you have nearly all of them. Also, out of bloom, all phrags look nearly alike...plain green, maybe varying shades. I vastly prefer paphs...blooms can last up to 4 months, far greater variety, and out of bloom, among mottled leaf types, no two will look exactly alike, and all will look great. They are more temperamental...the balance between damp and wet is a fine one...they must have, more so than paphs, plenty of aeration...and if you prefer bark, intensive repotting. Coconut husk chips, when properly soaked, are far better, and can last more than a year...but again, spongerock or similar additives are an absolute must. Paphs are more sensitive to pH also...phrags love an acidic pH, but paphs will do poorly at pH's below 6.5...and most fertilizers are acidic, especially those with higher amounts of P...it is supplied by phosphoric acid.(Note- delanatii is an exception...it does better in acidic conditions, and I treat it as a phrag, with bark and some sphagnum in the mix,except for the heavy watering.) Regardless, all slipper types are great plants, and I highly recommend them to everyone! Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in pleasant Queens NY..waiting for micranthum bud to make it! ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids
[OGD] physan/RD20 and slugs
As long as the topic of Physan is being discussed. Now that my paphs are outdoors for the summer, I'm adding 1/4 tsp per gallon of RD20 (ammonium chloride, like Physan) to my usual fertilizer Dynagro 10-5-5, to prevent the root rot that sometimes accompanies the heat, humidity, and occasionally irregular watering that occurs in the summer. Normally, I add ProTekt as a pH adjuster, but I leave that out because I find that RD20 already raises the pH somewhat. At any rate, I am wondering if RD20 can also act as a slug repellantwhenever I dump the RD 20 solution I use to soak seedlings in while repotting, I find that the earthworms literally fly out of the soil..slowly followed by the slugs. My guess is that adding RD20 to the fertilizeer will ...hopefully..drive slugs and snails out of the mix. Has anyone had experience with this aspect of quat use? Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in Queens NYpaphs concolor and Goldollar in spike, lots of phrags too ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids
[OGD] Paph Olivia
Iris- I have a paph Olivia, I bought it many years ago from Santa Barbara orchid Estate. I believe it came from the original clone, since apparently that was the best one, and survived all these years. I have found it very, very difficult to bloom. In the 10 years or so that I have had it...them I should say, as I now have 3 divisions of it.only one division has ever bloomed- last year. That particular plant was grown under fluoresent lights in the winter, outdoors in the summer. No other division has even gone so far as to produce a bud, let alone blast. However...that one bloom was worth it! The flower was much larger than would be expected from the pictures, and it lasted a very long time...easily 3 months..no mean feat during the summer! I do find that summer is the worst time for paph blastingat least in NYC, which can be very warm. Most buds produced in the summer, and fall, unfortunately as it tends to be pretty warm through mid October here, blast. I used to move budded paphs indoors. However, I have found that, despite the risk of slugs, buds produced outdoors in the summer are more likely to survive if left in place rather than brought indoors...one hot day when I am away and the AC isn't on is a sure bet for blasting. Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in so far moderate Queens, NYmostly phrags blooming now. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids
[OGD] delanatii potting mix
I give delanatii a mix that is basically the same as my phrag mix- fine fir bark (phrags sometimes get medium), sponge rock, NZ sphagnum, and a little charcoal. All other paphs get coconut husk chips instead of bark, but I find delanatii alone among paphs in preferring bark. I keep them wetter than other paphs (thanks to the sphagnum) but not as wet as a phrag. Hope this helps...Take care, Eric Muehlbauer in Queens NY...paphs lawrencianum in bloom, niveum in bud, and lots of blooming phrags. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids
