Tuckers Orchid Nursery. Orchids for Everyone FROM ROSS THE BOSS. Presents

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1 Tuckers Orchid Nursery Presents Orchids for Everyone Ross & Susan Tucker 1370 East Coast Road, Redvale, Auckland, NZ. Ph (09) Website: Editor Cathy Hine Issue 41: July 2014 FROM ROSS THE BOSS Welcome back The orchid season is getting busier and busier with the first of the bigger shows at Mt Albert for the NZOS upon us. The all knowing public have regained an interest in orchids with large attendances at a couple of the very early shows, so it will be interesting to see how the rest of the season goes. We are experiencing and increase in interest in our orchids, with some of our customers grabbing orchids by the car load, especially the new varieties of Cattleyas and Phalaenopsis. This last week another shipment of Phalaenopsis has just landed with a top up of the recently awarded P Yu Pin Polar Bear which gained an AM/OCNZ and HCC/NZOS for its owner, Barbara Jenner, who bought the plant at the New Plymouth show direct from Ching Hua Orchids, and was able to flower it recently. (Cathy also has a plant which got 2nd place but no cigar at the NZOS Autumn show.) There are some new varieties as well keep an eye out for our new plant listing. Spikes should be showing in as little as 3 weeks. Also available from the shop are some brand new large dark red (not purple) Phalaenopsis and a few Vandas which are in flower. Too few to list on the website, but if you call in you can view (if not already sold). Also coming through with lots of flowers are our Cymbidiums. We have quite a few newer crosses in spike and these show early promise of some newer varieties. This month s topic is the splash petal Cattleya which has created whole new colour range for the discerning orchid grower. The lip colour has moved up into the petals and it is called peloric markings, or more commonly called splash petal. We were first introduced to these in amazement with our regular visits to overseas shows. Today we can offer them here in NZ with these being mainly seedlings and a couple of mericlones. The range has been incredible and I almost ask Do I really need to sell these?, but space is at a premium, so you will benefit from having these beautiful splash type Cattleyas available. Some of the new Cattleya parents & offspring C Angel Flare Lc Penny Kuroda Spots C Love Angel Lc Sully s Color Bayswater C Dreamweaver SVO (Plants displayed in this section are for informational purposes only; we may not always have these plants in stock)

2 CATS COMMENT: Up North it has been relatively warm considering it is winter. June and July usually bring frosts and clearer weather but apart from the early frosts in May it has been wet, overcast and fairly muggy. The humidity combined with the cooler temps can cause Botrytis spotting on your flowers so watch for that increase air movement if possible by adding an extra fan or turn your existing one to a higher setting. Reduce fertilizing and watering at this time of year even though it has not been so cold your plants are semi resting at this time of year and do not require much water. They will start to grow new roots and stems when the daylight length increases from early to late August usually. Cattleyas are particularly dependant on day length to initiate their growth and flowering patterns. This is what makes some of them sometimes tricky to grow indoors. They need good light for approx 12 hours to do well indoors. Not all Cattleyas are fussy so with luck you can find ones that will do well indoors, and the tricky ones can be grown in a glasshouse. Some of my favourite Cattleyas are the splash petal or peloric type. These have the lip markings duplicated on the other petals creating a very pretty effect. We have a number of hybrids and mericlones available at the nursery. However some are in very low numbers and will not be listed on our website. You may choose to include some of them in your multi packs while they remain available. We are generally very short on Cattleya seedlings at the moment and are awaiting some more to come out of community trays in the spring. Please note not all varieties are available in B+ and C size so please check before ordering. Our pretty flared seedlings: Lc Penny Kuroda x Sully s Color Bright colours, plus spots B, B+ and C available C Mini Purple x Angel Flare Pinks limited numbers B, B+ only Lc Janet x Penny Kuroda Spotted Pinks B, B+ and C available Lc Mary Elizabeth Bohn Akiyama Deep Blue limited numbers B+ and C available C Sully s Color x sib pink, tall plants B, B+ and C available C Sully s Color Bayswater x Angel Flare Pinks B+ only Slc Hawaiian Splash Lea miniature pink with gold splash B+ and C available C Fire Fantasy x Beaufort (C Dreamweaver) Orange limited numbers B,B+ only C Love Angel x Angel Flare pinks limited numbers B+ and C available C Sully s Color Redvale x Spotty Yellow range of colours B, only Rth CRB s Supreme x Sully s Color pinks B+ and C available C Love Castle K x C Hsinying Dream purple (not flared) B, B+ only ********* SPECIALS THIS MONTH: ******** These specials are only available until the next newsletter issue. 6 pack of Cattleyas size B+ $55 incl GST 6 pack of Cattleyas size B+ $80 incl GST 6 pack of Cattleyas size C $100 incl GST 10 pack of Cattleyas size B+ $125 incl GST These specials are now available for ordering through our website. Look for them in the Online Orchid Club category. Please let us know if you do not see this category option. Included are free cultural notes and a special free gift (Delivery charges apply). To place an order you can us at orchids@clear.net.nz or visit our website to view our range. We are happy to send these orchids anywhere in NZ only.

3 FEATURE OF THE MONTH CATTLEYAS These orchids were named after William Cattley (1824) who was the first person to grow them successfully in Britain. They had leathery leaves and were wrapped around the other more delicate orchid plants in transit to protect them. Species of Cattleya are distributed widely throughout Central America and several South American countries. The larger flowered Cattleyas and Laelias mainly come from the hot damp Amazonian rain forests but many of the smaller flowered species come from the drier, cooler mountainous areas of Central America and the West Indies. Most are beautifully scented. The term Cattleya is used to represent a family of orchids that include Laelias, Sophronitis, Broughtonia, Brassavola, and Epidendrums and of course Cattleyas with which they will all hybridize freely. Hybridizers have had a field-day making various crosses in every colour imaginable, and the subsequent names given to the plants were designed to give the average orchid grower a real headache! The most frequently seen names are: Brassolaeliocattleya (Blc) Brassavola x Laelia x Cattleya syn Rhyncattleanthe (Rth) Laeliocattleya (Lc) Laelia x Cattleya Sophrolaeliocattleya (Slc) Sophronitis x Laelia x Cattleya Potinara (Pot) Brassavola x Sophronitis x Cattleya x Laelia syn Rhyncholaeliocattleya (Rlc) Epicattleya (Epc) Epidendrum x Cattleya To complicate matters some of the species have been renamed but we will collectively refer to them as Cattleyas. Mericlones More Seedling parents Slc Hawaiian Splash Lea Lc Mary Elizabeth Bohn Akiyama Lc Mini Purple C Hsinying Dream Slc Spotty Yellow SPOTLIGHT ON SPECIES: Cattleya intermedia var aquinii The splash petal type Cattleyas are very popular and attractive. These are the ones where the lip markings are duplicated on the petals giving a triangular effect to the patterning. The species primarily responsible for this is Cattleya intermedia var aquinii. It was discovered at the end of the 19 th Century (1891) in the area of Porto Alegrae by Mr Francisco de Aquino who it was named after. Clever hybridists have used it to great effect creating some beautiful hybrids. ORIGIN/HABITAT: Brazil. Plants are most often found in forests within a few miles of the coast and on nearby offshore islands. The habitat extends from the State of Rio de Janeiro southward through the States of São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul. Plants usually grow in coastal or streamside swamps near sea level, but they are sometimes found at 300 m. Cattleya intermedia usually grows low trees in shady area or in the upper branches in high light conditions. The orchid is also found on rocks and on the ground where sand dunes are covered with trees and brush. The dunes have a layer of organic matter which retains water like a sponge. Plants are reported from Uruguay and Paraguay, but habitat details were not given. PLANT SIZE AND TYPE: A variable, cm sympodial epiphyte. PSEUDOBULBS: cm long. Size varies depending on growing conditions. The base of the stem is somewhat rounder and smaller in cross section than the top which is laterally flattened,

4 broader, and more elliptic. Each pseudobulb has a series of bracts on the 4-6 internodes along the stem. LEAVES: cm long by about 5 cm wide. Each pseudobulb carries 2-3 narrowly elliptic leaves at the top. Leaves are very fleshy and the edges are serrated near the base. INFLORESCENCE: 7-15 cm long. Size varies depending on growing conditions. An erect peduncle emerges from a sheath which is about 7-8 cm long. It develops between the leaves at the top of the pseudobulb. The sheath normally forms on mature pseudobulbs at the end of the prior growing season, but the inflorescence does not emerge until after a short but distinct resting period. FLOWERS: 3-9. Blossoms are up to 12 cm across. Although sometimes described as fragrant, flowers usually have little discernible odour. Sepals and petals are long, relatively narrow, and pointed at the tips. Flowers are about 80% open at the base, but the top 60% of the segments recurve giving the blossoms a very attractive, flat-opening appearance. Petals are slightly wider than the sepals, but they curve down into the shape that is common in flowers of many bifoliate cattleyas. The sidelobes of the 3-lobed lip fold over the column, concealing it from above, but they are flared at the front exposing the tip of the column. The outer edge of the midlobe and the flared portions of the sidelobes have a very wavy appearance. The callus has up to 6 longitudinal ridges that start beneath the column at the base of the lip to the isthmus of the midlobe where they gradually diverge. Blossoms are extremely variable in color and range from pale lilac-lavender to white. Flower color is usually very clean, clear, and uniform, but petals occasionally have a faint hint of small purple spots, and sepals are sometimes slightly greenish at the extreme tips. The flower is uniformly lilac-lavender. The 6 ridges on the callus and the entire midlobe from the isthmus to the apex is deep lavender. This species is so variable that there are many named varieties, with even more horticultural varieties which are formally described. Among these varieties are alba, semialba, and vinicolor forms. One of the most famous is Cattleya intermedia var. aquinii, which has genetically altered petals that take on the color and form of the lip. This variety has been used extensively to breed the popular splash-petal cattleyas. Thank you to Orchidwiz for the information. C intermedia v aquinii C intermedia alba C intermedia v orlata Rio SVO HCC/AOS (Plants displayed in this section are for informational purposes only; we may not always have these plants in stock)

5 CULTURE OF CATTLEYAS: Cattleyas are relatively easy to grow. Light: They prefer bright light, either in a glasshouse with approx 30% shade cloth above them, or they can be grown in the house at a North or West facing window, but avoid direct sunlight as this can scorch them, and the leaves will blister if the sun is too strong. Aim for strong light green leaves. During the summer they would prefer to be outside if at all possible. Temperature: They will be happy with a min night temp of deg C. They can cope with temps up to 35 deg C without too much stress. Like all orchids they do best with plenty of air movement. A small fan can be used if growing indoors or in a glasshouse. This helps to prevent many fungal diseases. Humidity and Watering: Watering: Water freely during the summer months, but make sure that the pot has dried out between waterings. Lift it to check if you are not sure. If the pot is still heavy, wait a day or two and recheck. Most Cattleyas like a rest after flowering that means keep the watering to a minimum and no feeding for a few weeks. When the plant makes new root growth, start gradually increasing the frequency of feeding and watering. Feeding: Feed Flowering Orchid Tucker fertilizer weekly, or if you feed with every watering then one quarter strength is recommended. Make sure to flush with plain water between feedings. Repotting: Use an open free draining mix. Fairly coarse bark is desirable as they do not like to have wet feet! Some Cattleyas can be adapted to grow on rafts of punga or feijoa wood. If using plastic pots drilling extra holes around the side of the pot will help to increase air movement around the roots. A FEW GEMS FROM THE LATE JOHN THE PRODUCTION MANAGER (We will reprint these where applicable as the information is priceless) Tip 1: When you start to see the signs of a new stem of flowers coming through, the first sign is usually the sheath emerging from the top of the cane. Carefully cut the top 3-5mm off the sheath once you see the buds developing within the sheath. This will prevent the buds from sweating and rotting before they can break free of the sheath. Tip 2: I can t emphasise enough how important good light is for flowering Cattleyas. If you have the right light levels your flower stem will raise strongly clear from the foliage and the individual flowers will present themselves 360 o around the stem rather than being clumped on one side. Tip 3: Try not to be tempted to divide your Cattleya too quickly. Once you have them in a larger sized plant the latest breeding of compact Cattleyas will flower off each new growth. New growth can happen several times a year so a larger plant can be almost constantly flowering providing a lot of rewards and enjoyment. WHERE WE ARE OUT AND ABOUT THIS MONTH: Hibiscus Coast Orchid Society Winter Show, Warkworth Masonic Hall 26 th July Milford Mall, Milford 4 th -10 th August

6 HOW TO FIND US Directions: Exit Northern Motorway at Oteha Valley Road. Turn east onto Oteha Valley Road, travel straight through two roundabouts. You will encounter a significant intersection with traffic lights this is East Coast Road. Turn left or northwards onto East Coast Road. From this point we are approximately 4km on the left-hand side. Next Month we will be focusing on: Odontoglossums/Oncidiums Odm Petite Lace We would like to add a Question and Answer section to the newsletter. Soooo. If you lovely readers have any questions about your orchids maybe we could try to get them answered for you, and the answers may just help someone else with the same query. your questions to orchids@clear.net.nz (use Newsletter Question as a subject) and we will try to get a few answered each month. Please note, the photos of plants shown in our newsletter are a mixture of breeding plants, plants we have seen in our travels and plants we have for sale. Not all of the plants that are displayed in our newsletter are available as plants for sale. Please check our website for details of what plants we have for sale. We do, however, welcome requests for plants that are not listed on our website as we may be able to supply them or something very similar.