Orchid Fun Facts

• It’s nearly impossible to be allergic to orchids because their pollen is not air born but instead presented in concentrated grains-similar to tiny grains of rice.
• Fairly recent discovery of orchid pollen trapped on a preserved insect fossil have dated orchids back to more than 70-80 million years ago at time when Dinosaurs walked the Earth and insects were active pollinators.
• A key characteristic of an orchid flower is its zygomorphic attribute-in other words orchid flowers are so unique that they are only bilaterally symmetrical-and noted for their highly developed, large(r) and fancy third petal-the lip or labellum.
• Many orchids are fragrant and may smell like many things including vanilla, roses, chocolate, coconut, cinnamon, lilac, rotting flesh and yes even feces-depending on the pollinator the orchid is trying to attract.
• Orchids have been revered by people and cultures the world over… In Japan the ancient Samurai considered Neofinetia falcata sacred, the ancient Aztecs cultivated Stanhopea hernandezii and our modern culture would not be the same without the common flavoring vanilla derived from the seed pod of Vanilla plainifolia.
• The Orchid’s flower structure is so evolved to be dependant on a specific pollinator-that when their pollinator species becomes extinct so will the orchid species. Some species pollinate themselves!
• In nature orchids grow in varied ways with roots as anchors, exposed to air; on the branches of trees (epiphytes), on rocks (lithophytes), in the ground in leaf litter on forest floors or on rocky embankments (terrestrials) and some even just below the soil surface (saphrophytes). Most orchids are ambidextrous in growth habit and can grow in several formats-such as on tree limbs, on rocks and on the ground.
• Orchids are plants that need to be grown so that they have perfect drainage, excellent fresh air circulation and protection from direct sun that will burn their leaves.
• Color-coded success…When a healthy orchid’s roots are thoroughly hydrated they will go from white to bright green. Makes sure your orchids roots turn back to white before you water again. Roots that don’t dry will rot-Rotting is the #1 cause of orchid death.
• Orchids do not need to grow in bark! Try any non-porous, inorganic, irregularly shaped substance-like crushed granite. Use a clear plastic pot when growing indoors so you can see your orchid’s roots and their progress.

Neofinetia falcata, the ‘Samurai Orchid’

Name: In Japanese-“フラン”-‘Furan’, translated “wind orchid”. When a selected plant of this species is relegated to high class status called ‘Fuukiran’, translated ”rich and noble orchid’.

Type: Compact, Vandaceous form, long pointed somewhat succulent leaves arranged in loose fans.

Origin(s): Japan, Korea, Ryukyu Islands

Light: Found in deciduous forests, these plants are capable of enduring very bright light to full sun in winter (mid day shade is required). Protect the leaves during all other times of the year, especially from midday sun. Filtered lighting is best with morning sun and after noon shade/dappled sun.

Water: Summer monsoons drench the plants in their native locals. Plants should dry between waterings. Wait for the roots to turn white before watering again. Watering should involve drenching the entire plant and its leaves, roots, mount/pot and be followed by a rapid drying with excellent air circulation. When your plant has been properly watered the roots will turn green until they dry and return to white.

Temperature: In nature these plants experience snow in winter so they are capable of enduring very cool conditions. Best to protect from freezing weather when temperatures dip below 35 degrees.

Dimensions: Plant size 5” tall, 3” leaves, 1 ½ “ sickle shape white to blush pink flowers resemble Samurai swords.

Mount: Can be grown successfully on a hard wood mount (Branch), on tree fern slabs, in a very free draining medium or traditionally on carefully sculpted hollow globes of extra long strand, high-grade new Zealand sphagnum moss.

Fragrance: Yes, heavy coconut-vanilla

Variations: Many variations of leave shapes, plant size, flower shape and leaf markings exist. Certain rare forms have been revered by the ancient Samurai. Select forms may sell for tens of thousands of dollars. Quite possibly most expensive orchid ever sold was a Samurai orchid for more than $350,000.00 dollars.

Cost: Basic forms are often available at $10.00 per growth with more select forms reaching into the thousands of dollars. Pricing is established based on the number of growths on the plant and supply and demand for the type. Ownership of very select forms are viewed as a status symbol in Japan. Many nice quality forms are readily available for purchase at $25.00 to $75.00 USD. Seed propagated plants are often more affordable. However more unique types can only be propagated by division and thus are more costly depending on supply and demand.

Features: These plants are excellent for indoor growing on the windowsill or grown outside. Their small size and attractive leaves make them versatile subjects for display in even the most limited growing areas when in and out of bloom. A perfect beginner orchid! When potted traditionally their ornate pots enhance their charm.

Angreacum didieri

Angreacum didieri from Madagascar. A fantastic mini with bold white and warty roots supporting a 5” upright plant with stiff dark green leathery 2” leaves, proportionately large 3” pure white starry blooms with a 5” spur emerge from the leaf nodes, pure white flat oblong lip, with reasonable care it can flower several times per year, fragrant. Shade to bright light. Intermediate to Warm temperatures. Stick mounted plants. Moist; 3-5 waterings per week (let dry slightly between waterings).

Creating a "Glow-in-the-dark" Orchid

The world's first and only genetically modified bioluminescent orchid has been successfully developed by Prof. Chia Tet Fatt from the National Institute of Education (NIE). To create the bioluminescent orchid, Prof. Chia transformed tissues from orchids (the Dendrobium genus) using the firefly luciferase gene. Using a method called "particle bombardment", biologically active DNA from the firefly gene was delivered into orchid tissues. Transformed cells were identified by their bioluminescence trait. These transformed tissues were propagated and used to generate transgenic plants (plants with a foreign gene incorporated). This process was repeated several times, and the bioluminescent trait was present in all transgenic plants. This confirms that the firefly luciferase gene has been integrated into the orchid. Unlike the fluorescent traits which store and re-emit light energy, the bioluminescent trait of the orchid uses its own energy to create light. These bioluminescent orchids will produce constant light, visible to the human eye, for up to 5 hours in a stretch. This greenish-white light is emitted from the whole orchid, including roots, stem, leaves and petals. The intensity of light produced varies across the different parts, ranging from 5,000 to 30,000 photons per second. Genetic transformation can help supplement traditional breeding of orchids to create orchids with desirable traits, such as novel colours, longer shelf life and increased resistance to pests and diseases. It is also possible that this procedure can be used for the transformation of other species.

Laeliocattleya Ophir: The Golden Cattleya

King Solomon was famous in history for, among other things, his great treasury of gold. His palace was adorned with gold. His throne was gold. His cups and dinner ware were gold - even his armor and shield were gold. One of Solomon’s chief sources for this gold was a place southeast of Palestine known as Ophir. Shrouded in the mists of early times, not much is known about Ophir except that it was the great conduit for Solomon’s gold. It was not surprising then, that James Veitch & Sons named their first Cattleya hybrid that had a stunning, bright yellow color, Laeliocattleya Ophir – the cattleya from the ancient land of gold.

Veitch’s chief hybridizer, John Seden, had taken the pollen from a fine Cattleya dowiana aurea and put it on a small yellow Laelia xanthina to make Lc. Ophir. The cross was essentially yellow-gold on yellow-gold. Veitch presented Lc. Ophir to the orchid world at a Royal Horticultural Meeting in London on October 29, 1901 where the plant received an Award of Merit and considerable praise from the judges for its color.

John Seden was already a famous hybridizer of orchids when his Lc. Ophir came along. He had bred the first rich dark purple Cattleya hybrid, Laeliocattleya Callistoglossa (L. purpurata x C. warscewiczii) which flowered in 1882, and Lc. Canhamiana (L. purpurata x C. mossiae) which flowered in 1885. He had introduced orchid growers to brassocattleyas with his Bc. Digbyano-mossiae in 1889 and two of his crowning achievements were the dark, heavily-scented, purple, Cattleya Fabia (C. labiata x C. dowiana -1894) and C. Enid (C. mossiae x C. warscewiczii 1898). Having conquered the world of large lavender Cattleya hybrids, Seden now plunged into yellow hybrids with Lc. Ophir.

Lc. Ophir had such a bright yellow color that it soon became the starting point for a host of important yellow hybrids beginning with Laeliocattleya Thyone (C. dowiana x Lc Ophir) in 1912 and Brassolaeliocattleya The Baroness (Bc. Mrs. J. Leemann x Lc. Ophir) in 1913. Lc. Thyone x C. dowiana produced the famous yellow, Lc. President Wilson, in 1918. Lc Ophir was such a success in breeding yellow hybrids because L. xanthina was genetically dominant for yellow color and passed this dominance on to its hybrids. Although C. dowiana’s yellow was highly recessive, the two parents together seemed to re-enforced each other’s color and bring out more brightness in the progeny. A breeder could certainly count on a solid yellow input into a new hybrid when he used Lc. Ophir in breeding.

Lc. Ophir was such a popular parent for early yellow hybrids that I found it surprising that I could not find pictures of it in the literature when I first studied the hybrid some years ago. I had never seen a plant of Lc. Ophir in the 60 years I had been growing cattleyas, which was also surprising, and it did not appear in the inventory of the Dixon collection in 1930 or commercial orchid catalogs of the 1930s. Since you cannot really get to know a flower with just written words, I had to remake the cross if I wanted to see what it was like.

In July 1996, I remade Lc. Ophir using Laelia xanthina as the pod parent as Seden had done. The seedlings grew unusually fast – a characteristic I find typical of L. xanthina crosses with large-flowered Cattleya species - and the robust plants began flowering in less than six years. The plants all produced very similar flowers with a few varieties having more intense yellow petals and brighter purple lips. The plants were vigorous growers and very free flowering –some even blooming in 3 inch pots. They had 3 to 5 flowers on a flower spike which were intermediate in size between the parents and they were charming. They often flowered twice a year, once in April and again in November and they had a delightful fragrance.

Although the petals of Lc. Ophir come forward -against the advice of most orchid judges- the flowers are so delightful that the position of the petals does not seem to matter. The hybrid is a wonderful re-discovery that made me realize that some of the earliest hybrids are often more exciting than many of our newer introductions. Lc. Ophir is certainly a smiling welcome to the land of orchid gold and I suspect that even Solomon would have enjoyed having a bouquet of it in one of his golden vases.

http://www.chadwickorchids.com/ophir