Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne 22 JUN 2010 LIBRARY VOLUME 75 — No. 3 JUNE - JULY 2010 $9.95 RRP. (Includes GST) Onell (1 Print Post Approval No. PP255003/00950 70045 "078036 . HILLS DISTRICT ORCHIDS Winter Open Day Sunday 29 July 2010 | @183 Windsor Road Northmead 2152 NSW 9am til 4pm (please park in Mary Street or Windermere Avenue) Heaps of flowering orchids, rare species and unusual plants for sale, as well as a full range of orchid related supplies and new and exclusive Clivia aati seedlings in a full range of colours. : also attending: ; - Tinonee Orchid Nursery, Macquarie Native Orchids and Easy Orchids ‘Phone: David Banks on (02) 9674 4720 or 0412 123 036 E-mail: david@hillsdistrictorchids.com | HDO Open Days are held 4 times a year: Winter: Last Sunday in July [with Easy Orchids] (25 July 2010) Spring: Last Sunday in September (26 September 2010) Summer: First Sunday in December [with Dark Star Orchids] (5 December 2010) Autumn: Last Sunday in February (27 February 2011) www.hillsdistrictorchids.com Pom the Editors Des Ws continue celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Australian Orchid Review. Graham Morris from Valley Orchids in South Australia has written a thought provoking article on the role commercial nurseries play in orchid clubs and societies. He highlights the vast difference in the target market for potplant and showbench style plants, in relation to cymbidiums. Sadly, due to the economic downturn of the past decade, the size and number of specialist plant retailers — and orchid nurseries are no exception — have declined throughout the country. One only has to pick up an orchid magazine from the 1990s to see how many advertisers have closed or are no longer trading. It is vital for hobbyists to support the orchid nurseries that are sourcing most of the new orchid varieties (both species and hybrids) to ensure a brighter future for all stakeholders. Bill Dobson, who is a master grower of Dendrobium speciosum and other native dendrobiums, discusses some of the various members of the Section Latouria, with emphasis on some of the New Guinea species he is growing, with tips on their culture. He is also a fine photographer, and his image of the stylish Dendrobium Cosmic Gold appeared on page 7 of the previous issue of the AOR. Tinonee Orchid Nursery will be holding their annual Open Day & Show on Sunday 11' July 2010. In conjunction with this event, the Parramatta & District Orchid Society will be coordinating a bushwalk to Ellenborough Falls on the day before (Saturday 10‘) July). For more details contact the nursery who will give you more information including meeting points and times. The bushwalk will be led by John Riley, Dennis Sinclair, Michael Harrison and I. Two of the biggest national Cymbidium shows are to be held in early August. The 2010 National Cymbidium Show will be held in Perth, Western Australia on the weekend of 7'h-8th August. On the other side of the continent, the 2010 National Orchid Extravaganza (predominantly a Cymbidium Show, with various miscellaneous orchids also benched) will be held at Dural NSW from 6'h-8th August. See the advertisements for details of both events in this issue. OSCOY, in conjunction with the Melbourne Orchid Spectacular will be holding an International Speakers Day on Saturday 21st August 2010. The seminar will feature four well-known speakers, including Pepe Portilla (Ecuador) from Equagenera, Fred Clark (USA) from Sunset Valley Orchids, Hendrik Vorster (South Africa) from H.Q. Orchids and Bill Thoms (USA) Hilltop House Orchids. The entry fee is $50 per person which includes entrance to the show and sales. Numbers are strictly limited to 100 and many tickets have already been sold to this rare event. You can book tickets by contacting Frankie Fraser on (03) 9802 9929 or visit the website WwwW.OSCOV.asn.au We sadly report the passing of David Wallace, who was the sixth Editor of the AOR, from 1988 to the end of 1998. He was previously an orchid judge and long time committeeman for the OSNSW, and a Past President of Blue Mountains & District Orchid Society. David Banks Australian Orchid Review david@hillsdistrictorchids.com The Australian Orchid Review, June — July 2010 JUNE — JULY 2010 Volume 75 — No.3 Contents y| Features: Commercial Orchid Growing and the SHOWDENCH ...nnnnsn Graham Morris 2 Cymbidium Orchid Club of South Australia Spring ShOW 2010 wnmmmnnmmnnne 1] Laeliocattleya Bowri-Albida ‘KEnnedy$\...nnnunnsnninnninnenmee David P Banks 12 Macodes, the "Diamonds" of the Jewel Orchids....... vswaun Michael Dorris 18 Growing New Guinea Dendrobium species and hybrids from Section Latouria Growing Dendrobium canaliculatum in Cooler Climates 19th AOC Conference & Show - “Wild About Orchids” Perth, Western Australia... Orchids protected by Crocodiles! Pescatorea klabochorum and the brothers KlabOch urns RudolfJenny 41 Bill Dobson 24 swnene Caty Polis 32 Writing Orchid Names..... Frances and Julian Coker 50 Orchid Growing in the Southern Highlands Of NEW SOUtH WaleS ..entsnsnnsnsnnen woe Robert Giles 51 .. Jim Cootes 54 .. David R Banks 62 Bulbophyllum MAQUIIINGENSE ..rrsrrssrrinsinsesnasnsnss Cryptostylis hunteriana in the Blue Mountains, NSW ...... Royal Botanic Gardens eS yoteonms Regular Fe From the Editor's DeSk.$.snen Mail Order Bookshop... Advertiser's INd@X uf Buyer's GUIDE... ernenersnndflssnenasisensinn 2010 Orchid Events - Wh Editorial copy: Rad) hoa Articles for publication and consideration should be sent to: AOR Editor, David P. Banks, 39 Carole Street, Seven Hills, NSW 2147 Email: david@hillsdistrictorchids.com All other correspondence to: AOR Publisher, Dalton House Pty Ltd, PO Box 5481 Sydney, NSW 2001 @ 0433 422 792 Fax: (02) 9221 4242 Advertisers: Deadline for advertising copy for the August - September 2010 issue is Monday, 5 July, 2010 All advertising bookings and enquiries should be directed to: Caitlin Hoolahan @ 0433 422 792 Fax: (02) 9221 4242 or Email: aor@daltonhouse.com.au or David Banks @ (02) 9674 4720 Email: david@hillsdistrictorchids.com ff Subscriptions: See page 59 for Subscription information Cover Shot Laeliocattleya Bowri-Albida ‘Kennedys’ AM/AOS is an intergeneric combination that was thought for decades to be a pure Laelia hybrid. See the full story in this issue. Plant: Hills District Orchids, Photo: David Banks. eit me ietoform,unlike many other pelori at revert to “normal” wers, without the splashing on the petals) have some reservations about writing this article. Some readers will disagree with much of it. Some readers will agree wholeheartedly. Some readers will be offended. Some will think I don’t know what I am talking about! If you are likely to be offended, as they say on TV, before showing scenes which might cause offense, look away now... To a casual observer, one would think that a commercial grower, often with thousands of plants and often superior growing conditions, should dominate on the showbench over amateur growers. One could also be puzzled as to why commercial growers are not more active at shows and displays, where they could promote their product. This article attempts to outline why it can be difficult for a serious commercial grower, to participate strongly in the Orchid Club/ Society scene, and to be competitive on the showbench. I also offer some thoughts for changes which could address this issue and make orchid growing even better for all. The article is presented, after being very active, initially as a private grower for 40 years or so, often being critical of the commercial growers, fornotparticipating and showing. Over the past 10 years or so, I have operated a big Cymbidium nursery, selling mainly to the wholesale market, and have changed my understanding greatly. Plants grown by a commercial grower (for purchase by the general public) and those grown by a showbench grower (orchid club members) are very different. Sales to orchid club members account for only a few percent of overall sales, and in Australia they are mainly cymbidiums. If a commercial grower was to rely on sales to orchid club members for most of his turnover, he would have a very small target market. The number of sales of any particular variety would be small, and he would need to continually develop new varieties, capable of winning prizes at a show, just to continue selling plants. A well performing showbench orchid would need to have very superior shape and colour. How well it grows and flowers, seems to be not very important. Many showbench growers will tolerate a slow grower, or shy flowerer, so long as it gives them a chance of winning, when it eventually flowers. Conversely, the market to the general public is relatively huge. Flower shape to the general public is relatively unimportant, so long as it has lots of flowers, and has good colour. Lots of flowers is most important. The public will pay a premium price for a multi- spiking plant. The grower requires that it grows quickly and flowers easily and profusely, with little manipulation of the flowers and foliage. A plant which is slow growing, then does not have lots of flowers, will cause the commercial grower much financial grief. Now the dilemma... 1. Can a commercial grower afford to seriously participate in showing his plants at an orchid club? 2. Can orchid clubs survive without the involvement of the commercial grower? Think about the following... 1. Operating a successful commercial plant nursery is hard work. It requires long hours of operation to succeed. The operator is generally on call 24 hours a day, 365 days each year. Cymbidium Pure Sarah ‘Cascade’ won Grand Champion at the South Australian Winter Show in 2008. It is very difficult for a smaller plant to compete with this, and.needed years of preparation and very special transport requirements. It took specially made packaging and occupied more than half of a large van for transport! Customers are demanding and operating costs increase continually. Selling prices rarely increase as quickly as costs. Plants grown for commercial purposes (lots of flowers, not necessarily of good shape), are not judged favourably by orchid club judges. To succeed at shows, the commercial grower must grow some showbench orchids, in addition to the commercial varieties. This takes space and time, with little or no financial return. He must also spend time preparing plants to be shown, usually at a time when he should be preparing plants for sale. Many commercial growers want to support the show effort of the orchid clubs, and end up showing their commercial varieties, just to be involved. Should they not win prizes, they risk criticism for their lack of success. Many commercial growers therefore choose just not to get involved. It is too hard and the returns not worth the effort. Any awards for showbench varieties are not of much commercial value. 2. Most orchid clubs get good support from many commercial growers. Cymbidium (Khan Flame x Valley Vapour) is a lovely strong pink which was chosen by an overseas grower as a mass oe production variety. The owner will receive royalties from this plant Support can come in many forms. a. Donation of raffle plants at monthly meetings and shows b. Sponsorship c. Donations for major prize winners or champion classes at shows d. Guest speaking appearances e. Time spent on committees, often in senior positions f. Time spent promoting the club e.g. radio interviews & commercial endorsements g. Liaison with authorities and service providers h.Plants for growing competitions at special prices i. Teaching beginners and cultural problems solving Time spent on club matters is often significant and can interfere with time available to run the nursery. The biggest problem is that the shows are usually scheduled when the nursery is at its busiest, when plants are being prepared for sale. Most orchid club members have no idea how difficult it can be, and the pressures encountered, just to assist the clubs and exhibit plants at a show. Many expect the commercial grower to have a significant presence at all shows. What can a commercial grower get from exhibiting at a club meeting or show? At the moment, not much. His bread and butter plants are not in demand for the showbench. If one was to propagate more than a couple of hundred plants of a showbench champion, many would not be sold. By comparison, a quality commercial variety, which quickly produces lots of flowers, can be sold in very large numbers. It is common in Australia for more than a thousand of some good varieties to be sold, each year, year after year. Overseas, some varieties sold to the general public, are grown in huge numbers, often 50,000 to 100,000 per year. Where is orchid growing going — can it improve Sadly, many orchid clubs are struggling to survive. Members are getting older and it is difficult to attract new members. Generally most of our new members are not young. How can we attract new and younger members? Will the clubs survive? Long established commercial nurseries are closing. They are not being replaced and it is getting more difficult for newcomers to source good quality plants. Our environment is changing quickly. House blocks are generally smaller than in the past, making it difficult to provide a good growing area for our plants. Many people are time poor, with family and/or work commitments, making time for growing our plants more difficult to find. I believe we need to change, to make growing orchids easier, and change further to attract new members. Orchids are still perceived by many to be difficult to grow and particularly to get them to flower. If we consider the growing of cymbidiums, as the most common entry point for new growers, are we making it easy enough for any newcomer to take the step and join a club? I am always disappointed, when we conduct a show and have large numbers of people view the show, that we get very few new members from our considerable efforts. Often we just do not do enough to attract even a few of those show visitors to a club meeting. The very survival of a club relies on getting new members and most clubs fail dismally in this area. Perhaps a special meeting for beginners should be scheduled after each show — maybe a free plant for attending their first meeting. At the very least, handouts telling prospective new members about the club and where it meets should be given out. A beginners group is a great way to soften the impact of having to make the step and attend a meeting, with a lot of strangers. When a new member gets involved, it is hard, and can take a long time to become competitive. Surely it is also time to reconsider our judging methods, and make it easier for new members to be able to compete quickly. For a start, they cannot even show a plant, until they own it for 6 months (perhaps we could soften this rule for the first 12 months or so of new membership). Very often the champion cymbidium is a very large plant, which has taken many years to grow big enough to win. Many growers cannot grow or transport a large plant, so cannot compete. Small cymbidium plants (particularly miniatures) rarely win major prizes. Surely it is time to make it easier for all to win, not just those with big growing areas and a vehicle large enough to transport a large plant, without damaging it. Think about the grower, who might just have a small growing area and a small car, which effectively excludes them from growing large specimen plants. They might even just want to grow small plants, which they can handle, but unlikely to win major prizes. Can anyone tell me — Why do we compete and have our plants judged? I thought Gordon Giles’s article in the last issue of the AOR was great and posed some good and timely questions. Is the champion plant of a show, a win for the actual plant, or does it indicate that the grower is a champion grower? Perhaps we should consider making it easier, confining plants to be judged, to one in a particular sized pot, perhaps a 200mm (8 inch) pot for standard cymbidiums. A special class could be introduced, to judge the champion grower, with one particular variety selected, in a standard size pot (example Cym. Valley Splash ‘Awesome’, in a Ladd " / y \ “ig we oe m4 6 ge Cymbidium Blazing Dream ‘TeePee’ ‘ig has fabulous colour and high : ; 4 . production making a cultivar —