May 2012 June 2012 July 2012 August 2012 Sept 2012 Oct 2012 Nov 2012

  In FLASK.  Chysis bractescens photo right, Aspasia lunata, Aspasia sylvana, Aerides quinquevulnerum "Picturata" x Lawrenceae,  Dendrobium tetragonum  giganteum, Dendrobium tangerine, Renanthera matutina, Doritis pulcherrima "chompornense",  Cattleya araguayense, Phalaenopsis schilleriana, Phalaenopsis philippinense.

In PLANTS.   Due to continuing potting, we suggest that you send your want list by email to ianbpon(at)speciesorchids.com   Please  substitute @  for (at) to avoid Spam..An email reply will advise current stocks of plants of interest. 

Bargain Buys   Some species are listed ..

     A list of advanced C size seedlings, many ready for the next size pot including Epidendrum pseudoepidendrum, Cymbidium dayanum and Eulophiella roempleriana.

 
Ready to replate. 

Brassavola cucullata, Catasetum laminatum x pileatum "red", Catasetum thyalaciochilum, Sobennikofia humbertiana, Phalaenopsis violacea "Borneo", Cattleya iricolor, Clowesia (Catasetum) sps nova Aguirre, Mormodes petola, Dendrobium amabile, Habenaria rumphii. 


  Culture.    Oncidiums.The Dancing ladies of the orchid world.

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International payments.  Paypal, Western Union, Bank EFT.

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CITES. Flasks exempt.

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Seed   Email  now for a list of available species orchid seed.

Cloud Forest Institute.  Join Conservation of cloud forest.

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http://www.speciesorchids.com  Web Site. Full descriptions of species  flasks and plants plus photographs. Details on ordering, shipping and cultural notes.Links to other interesting sites. Articles on culture, habitat and notes about orchids.

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 Humour.  Have a laugh on us and Keep Smiling. 

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Highlighted species or subjects  are links to photos/articles. Just click on the subject. Items in this Newsletter may be reproduced provided source acknowledged. Do you know any orchid growers who may like to receive this newsletter? Why not forward this email to them now!  

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Recent germinations. 

Aspasia lunata, Brazil Small Miltonia like plant. Pretty fls 4cm, green,spotted redbrown,lip white.
Aspasia sylvana, Brazil Oncid like plant.
Aerides quinquevulnerum "Picturata" x Aerides Lawrenceae,  Multicoloured quinquevul x white magenta tipped Lawrenceae

Cattleya araguayense, Brazil Small grower. Sps, pts bronze, lip white with redbrown midlobe
Chysis bractescens . Mexico Large waxy fls to 7 cm, white, lip yellow.

Dendrobium tetragonum  giganteum, Australia Fls to 10 cm, yellow, white lip spottted red x red lip.Showy
Dendrobium tangerine New Guinea Twisted orange antlers, blue disc on lip, 7cm fls.
Doritis pulcherrima "chompornense" Thailand White to pale pink, splashed petals, yellow. Sib cross.
Phalaenopsis schilleriana, Philippines Panicles of 6.5cm pale pink to pink purple fls. Showy.
Phalaenopsis philippinense.Philippines Elegant white, blush pink 7.5cm fls. 
Renanthera matutina Philippines Small grower, panicle of orange flowers spotted red.
Spathoglottis kimballiana 4N (var angustifolia x BP). Philippines Sib cross 4N, 8cm vivid yellow fls, dwarf plant.
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.    .Top  Plants

 Click on  Bargain Buys  for 

Seedlings;  advanced 3" 80mm pot size

plant details, prices and photos

PLUS

Eulophiella roempleriana Madagascar Rose purple fls to 10 cm metre spike

  Awarded clone selfed. 4"pot  or 6 plants/community pot

Aeranthes grandiflora Madagascar Fls to 5cm, green, spurred, on long wiry spike. Fl/size plants

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Top Ready to Replate. 

Brassavola cucullata  Mexico Fls to 12 cm, large white lip fringed, fragrant.
Catasetum laminatum x pileatum "red"   Large red x cream spotted red. Frangrant
Catasetum thyalaciochilum   Mexico Green, green veins, brown in the lip. Clowesia like russellianum
Sobennikofia humbertiana  Madagascar Magnificent sculptured sps,pts, white, green in lip, spurred.
Phalaenopsis violacea "Borneo"  Sumatra Waxy white, lateral sepals violet purple. Fragrant
Cattleya iricolor Ecuador Fls to 7cm,yellow, pale cream yellow, lip veined, blotched purple.
Catasetum sps nova Aguirre, Clowesia section of Catasetum. A new species?.
Mormodes petola  Borneo Emerald green leaf, veined iridescent silver. Leaf to 7 cm..
Dendrobium amabile Burma Long lost Bronckartii. Fls 4cm, white, flushed pink, in huge bunches.
Habenaria rumphii. Thailand Terrestrial. Unusual shaped white flowers

Photos at   www.speciesorchids.com/photos.html  

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Top Culture.   

.Oncidiums. The Dancing Ladies.

The genus is of considerable size and in recent times has been split up into different genera, but the species listed below are the old tradional names that I collected long ago, to grow in the tropics of North Queensland.

My first group is the typical large bulbs with several long leaves with long arching to almost pendulous  panicles of many flowers. These are basically the warm tropical species from Central America, require a large well drained pot or basket, a media that will drain well but retain some moisture. Species such as spacelatum,  panamense, wydlerii,  flexuosum,  and the smaller grower maculosum Photo right 

       These will grow in maximum sunlight, short of leaf burn to maximise flowering. In the tropics  a tree fork with adequate watering will also do, and provides a place to hang a  6 to 10 foot flower spikes.

            My next group is the fasinating Butterfly Oncids, papillio Photo right , kramerianum, versteegiamum and the rare sanderae. Oncid limminghei is included in this group, but requires a different potting/growing method as it creeps, and does best grown somewhat on the dry side on a piece of treefern.

All this group are definitely  shade growers, and  I have found I need to grow them in the shade with almost as much shade as that for Phalaenopsis.  I also apply this and the growing conditions to the rest of the species below.

When not in active growth, plants should be somewhat on the drier side, and when active, maximum ventilation is needed. to prevent new growths damping off. Use a small well drained pot or basket with a media that does dry well, but retain some moisture. In the Nursery a mix of crushed treefern and smallbark seems to work well.

        My next group includes the unusual bulbed species like  splendidum, ampliatum, lanceanum, carthagenense  and the terete leafed sprucei, cebolleta, jonesianum Photo right, teres and stacyi.

Oncidium splendidum has a large thick and rigid erect leaf. It will grow on a large treefern slab or in a well drained pot or basket.   It is perhaps a  shade grower in the wild, as for many years it was lost due to collectors looking in the trees for it, whereas it was actually growing in grass tussocks , somewhat semiterrestrial.

Oncid ampliatum  is also a single leaf species with large marked tortiseshell like bulbs, again grown like the splendidum.

Oncidium lanceanum, carthagenense, luridum, pumilum and stramineum,  are the "mule ear leaf" Oncids. with large wide fleshy leaves that end up almost pendulous on some species. The exceptions are pumilum which is a minature plant with short thick erect leaves and stramineum which is a much smaller grower. 

The terete leafed species seem to do better in  very small well drained pots/baskets. Stacyi and Jonesianum leaves tend to go pendulous, and Jonesianum will grow happily on a treefern mount.

           The next group are the equetent, minature Oncids henekenii, pulchellum, calochilum Photo right, triquetrum and several other species I have successfully killed with neglect/poor culture. A small pot/basket or treefern mount is required, as many are swarm  growers on twigs. Media must drain well and the small plants can be  susceptible to mite/spider mite attack, hiding in the leaf axils. Oncid calochilum has needle like terete leaves and is an amazing minature.

In general, Oncidiums require a well drained media, sufficient sunlight to promote flowering and when not in active growth, a somewhat drier rest.

If plants do not flower, then increase light. If the Butterlly Oncids develop a lot of orange colour in the leaves, then they are getting too much light. If you plants are not well rooted into the media and suffer from black spots and damp off, then cut the water.

Like all ladies, they respond well to love and attention. Happy growing.

Oncid kramerianum	Oncidium splendidum	Oncid ampliatum	Oncid triquetrum

  Text & photo Ian Walters. May be reproduced provided source acknowledged.

More photos at   www.speciesorchids.com/photos.html  

  Top Seed.  of SPECIES orchids.

  Email to ianbpon(at)speciesorchids.com (Please  substitute @  for (at) to avoid Spam) for the latest

 list of seed available in packets enough to prepare 3 to 4 flasks. Cattleya, Dendrobium,  Oncidium, Laelia, Aerides with more added as harvested. All seed dated at collection, airmail post world wide and there is no restriction on orchid seed. 

CONSERVATION BY PROPAGATION.  

  Conservation of cloud forest flora and fauna.   

Join Cloud Forest Institute THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT INITIATIVE PLEASE SEE "http://www.cloudforest.org" FOR MORE INFORMATION Join Cloud Forest Institute, a federally recognized 501(c)3 to fund a wildlife corridor in the Ecuadorian Tropical Andes and protect it - forever! The two parcels comprising of 840-acres of Cloud Forest in the Ecuadorian Paso Alto Range of the Andes in the Cambugan Watershed is home to jaguars, spectacled bears, over 300 species of ORCHIDS, and the highest number of endemic amphibian and  bird species in the WORLD. Concerned people are encouraged to make tax-deductible donations and create honorary groves in their name.  

CITES.  

Flasks are EXEMPT under Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), Title 50, Part 23, Subpart C, Appendix II. S 23.23 (d) (6) Specifically exempted: For orchidacea species: (i) in Appendix I, seedling or tissue cultures obtained in vitro, in solid or liquid media, transported in sterile containers.  

  International payments.     Top

  Paypal, 

  Paypal; International transfer of payments by credit card. Log onto "https://www.paypal.com" register, and follow the easy instructions. When making payments by Paypal, remember to add 4% for their transfer fee. Our Paypal address advised when applicable. Important Note; Due to high Bank fees, we recommend the use of Paypal or Western Union (http://www.westernunion.com/index_consumer.asp?country=US) transfers when sending international payments. It is quick and secure. 

Electronic Funds Transfer by Bank is also quick and secure, but check Bank fees for the service. Bank details emailed on request.  

Address letters to Ian & Pat Walters, NOT to the Nursery,  NOTE.  International MoneyGram is not available for collection here in North Queensland and cannot be accepted.   

   Top     Humour.     

KIDS;

3.. An exasperated mother, whose son was always getting into mischief,
finally asked him 'How do you expect to get into Heaven?'
The boy thought it over and said, 'Well, I'll run in and out and in
and out and keep slamming the door until St. Peter says, 'For Heaven's
sake, Dylan, come in or stay out!''

4. One summer evening during a violent thunderstorm a mother was
tucking her son into bed. She was about to turn off the light when he
asked with a tremor in his voice, 'Mummy, will you sleep with me
tonight?'
The mother smiled and gave him a reassuring hug.
'I can't dear,' she said. 'I have to sleep in Daddy's room.'
A long silence was broken at last by his shaky little voice:
'The big sissy.'

5. It was that time, during the Sunday morning service, for the
children's sermon.
All the children were invited to come forward.
One little girl was wearing a particularly pretty dress and, as she sat
down, the minister leaned over and said, 'That is a very pretty dress.
Is it your Easter Dress?'
The little girl replied, directly into the minister's clip-on
microphone, 'Yes, and my Mum says it's a bitch to iron.'

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      Top   Ian and Pat Walters, Burleigh Park Orchid Nursery 54 Hammond Way, Townsville, Australia 4815  

Email us at  ianbpon(at)speciesorchids.com (Please  substitute @  for (at) to avoid Spam)

  http://www.speciesorchids.com/  Phone 0747 740 008 International 61 747 740 008