Mocassin Flower AKA Lady Slipper Orchid

Beautiful article, see: http://www.grandmarais-mn.com/placed/index.php?sect_rank=5&story_id=233669

Sincerely,
Steve Peralta
1888Orchids.com

OrchidWiz Orchid Database

The world's most complete and accurate orchid research software, the OrchidWiz Orchid Database. Fully up-to-date through June 2007 with the Royal Horticultural Society's (RHS) Sander's hybrid registrations and American Orchid Society's (AOS) awards.
See: http://www.orchidwiz.com/

Orchids For Everyone

Although an orchid fossil was found in rocks of the Eocene Epoch in Italy, about 45 million years old, orchids originated from the same ancestral stock as the amaryllis (Amaryllidaceae) and the lilies (Lilliaceae). Orchids are classified as part of the family Orchidaceae and are the most common type of flowering plant, in terms of number of species. Orchids constitute 7% of all flowering plants. Some taxonomists recognize as many as 35,000 species in 1,000 genera. They are found all over the world, in all climates, from the Arctic to the tropics, but not in the desert. The vast majority are tropical or subtropical and can be found growing in the wild.

Visit: http://www.growingedge.com/magazine/featured_articles/view_article.php3?AID=090555

Cooking Recipes with Vanilla from the Vanilla Orchid

Here's the article:
http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070620/FEATURES02/706200301

Hawaiian Jewel Orchid Threatened by Volcano

"latest phase of Kilauea's eruption could possibly endanger some plant andanimal species native to Hawaii.
... the area where the lava flow surfaced contains the park's 2,500 acreEast Rift Rainforest. The area is protected [how ?] from invasive,non-native plants...
The lava flow... threatens a number of rare plant species including... thisrare jewel orchid [Anoectochilus sandvicensis]."
URL : http://www.khnl.com/Global/story.asp?S=6683023&nav=menu55_2
Regards,

Steve Peralta
1888Orchids.com

Stanhopea: Chocolate Vision 'Solid Pleasure'

How one bloom led an orchid hobbyist to grow a thousand plants.
By Susan Wiedmann Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor
Page 1 of 3
San Jose, Calif. - Imagine fragrant six-inch orchid blooms resembling colorful birds in flight or space aliens with open jaws.
In the 1980s, orchid hobbyist Douglas Pulley became so captivated by the dramatic appearance of these exotic Stanhopea orchids that he began hybridizing them, a painstaking procedure. Because of his skill in choosing compatible parents for his hybrids, Dr. Pulley, an ophthalmologist, remains the world's most successful Stanhopea breeder and is also a hybridizer of scores of more than 200 other orchids.

Protecting Orchids Against Aunts with Borax

We find a good way to control ants in the greenhouse, rock garden, around the house generally is to add borax ,available in large supermarkets--at least here in Canada-- to Carnation millk until a stiff paste is produced. We add a little red coloring.Mix thoroughly and drop little 'cookies" onto wax paper. In a few days the cookies will become solid and they can be placed along the ant paths or in pots, etc. Be sure to keep them away from kids and pets. Borax carried to the queen usually cleans up the sand piles. Good luck... OGD
Jim Brasch Plant Hormones
CanadaBurlington, Canada.

Rainwater on Orchids

Rain is a type of precipitation which forms when separate drops of water fall to the Earth's surface from clouds. Not all rain reaches the surface; some evaporates while falling through dry air. Rain that falls to the earth is great for orchids.
My friend Juan uses rainwater by collecting it in 50 gallon drums. He doesn't use rainwater all the time on his orchids since it never rains in Southern California (that's a title to a son by the way). The drums are attached to his gutter system at home. Every time it rains, the drums overflow with water that he uses on his orchids. Using rainwater has a positive effect on orchids because it is low conductivity water. Mix it with your favorite fertilizer and you will see a big difference in the size and color of your orchids.
Steve
1888Orchids.com

Chocolate Scented Orchid
Our Chocolate scented orchid will satisfy their craving for a beautiful and long lasting orchid that has a beautiful scent that smells like vanilla and chocolate. Here is the popular chocolate scented orchid presented in a beautiful Asian style basket adorned with living sheet moss. The flower stem of our chocolate scented orchid can extend up to three feet long. The stem is adorned with beautiful fragrant, mahogany colored flowers.

Controlling Ants Around Orchids

Here's an interesting trick used for getting rid of aunts around your orchids. Ants can raise havoc in a greenhouse and proper control of these pests is important. Some orchids like Cattleya orchids are a magnet for aunts because the little creatures love the nectar Cattleya plants produce. Maybe this will help... I got this from a post on the OGD.

Mix two cups of sugar with one cup of water. Add in twotablespoons of boric acid ("Roach Pruf," etc.). Check the labels onpowdered cockroach killers; they may be 99%+ boric acid. Dissolveboth components, and then saturate cotton balls with the solution. Put cotton balls in jars with lids. Punch a hole in the lidfor ants to get in. Baby food jars are ideal. Put the "bombs" wherethe ants are found. The jars sequester the cotton balls so they don't get wet,and pets can't get to them. Even if they could, boric acid has verylow mammalian toxicity, and is much safer than most commercialpesticides. Borax (the commercial laundry cleaner) may also work, but won't eat it. Too little, and it won't work. I've wiped out entire ant colonies with the bombs that commercial pesticides wouldn't touch. You may have to play with the quantities. Too much, and the ants won't eat it. Too little, and it won't work. Another solution is fipronil (Maxforce, Over 'n Out, Regent,Termidor). It's safe enough with mammals that the applied ticktreatment "Frontline" uses the stuff to systemically poison parasites on pets. My "advice" (whatever that's worth) is no substitute forreading the label.

Cheers,
-AJHicks
Chandler, AZ

Added New Picture to My Profile

There is a new picture of me on my profile in case you are wondering what I look like. This picture was taken at the Hoehn Porsche dealership in Carlsbad, California. One dream of mine is to own a Porsche 911 Carrera so we visited this local Porsche dealership where I was able to touch and feel a Porsche 911 Carrera. Now I have to imagine myself owning one and hopefully it will manifest itself. It is interesting when you start imaging yourself owning something you really want, your thoughts become that what you are focused on.
Steve
1888Orchids.com

Fragrant Orchid
The fragrant orchid Oncidium Sharry Baby "Sweet Fragrance" is the popular oncidium orchid that smells like chocolate! This orchid has won an Award of Merit from the American Orchid Society. It produces beautiful one inch blooms that grow off branches on a spike that can grow up to four feet long. A great orchid for the beginner with a beautiful fragrance. Cross: (Onc. Jamie Sutton Onc. Honolulu) Bloom Season: Fall to Spring, Pot Size: Five Inch, Mature Plant. Limited quantity in February otherwise we have this orchid avaiable in bloom year-around. We offer a 100% Freshness Guarantee so you can buy with confidence.
NOTE:One of the most difficult things to do when describing an orchid is describing its fragrance. A fragrant orchid emits a scent that may be difficult to describe in words. Some orchids smell tart, like citrus while others more musty like a rose. Our fragrant orchid Oncidium Sharry Baby "Sweet Fragrance" really smells like chocolate. Actually the smell is more like chocolate and vanilla. The scent is very pleasant and the fragrance can fill a small room. As the day progresses, the scent becomes stronger. Send our fragrant orchid to someone at work and the orchid will be the talk of the office. Imagine the look on their face when they see and smell this very special fragrant orchid. As a house warming gift, add your special card message with a note of congratulations and your gift is complete.

Happy Father's Day

Father's Day is Sunday, June 17, 2007. Don't forget to give your dad a big hug and tell him you love him very much. While you are at it, send him an orchid!
Steve
1888Orchids