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My Orchid Page

I had the opportunity of going to Masterton Orchid Club in September, 2000 to hear David Banks talk on Australian Terrestrial orchids. While there I photographed the orchids that were on show.....to see these

CLICK HERE to see



I started keeping Cymbidium orchids years ago but never knew much about them and didn't have much success.






 So when I left Levin to live in the south island. I gave them all away. When I returned I decided to just keep the smaller type of plants.


The biggest plant in my collection now is Zygo mackayii

** UPDATE ** well it was until I found a brilliant bright yellow cymbidium in Taumarunui while on holiday Easter 2002



















This plant is from a small piece I got from Von Cross in Auckland when I was there to visit the Hoya Convention and Ellerslie Flower Show. This picture was taken in September 2001












I have one Paphiopedilum hybrid; Greenvale 'Santa Anna' x Gigi Hughes 'Yellow Moon' that has a yellowish/white/green flower.

This is a cooler type of orchid with nice green leaves and can be grown with or without a greenhouse. They do not like to be dried out too much and like a bit of shade - but not too much. Do not put them on a sunny windowsill.




Other plants I have are

Cattleya intermedia alba





Dendrobiums - 0 - 45 deg.C. Possibly can be grown in a carport with novaroof, for light, as long as there are not frosts and they are kept not too wet over winter. They should be grown in reasonably coarse bark. If necessary, repot in spring when the jewel tips start to form on the end of roots.

Some plants can be grown successfully hanging on a piece of cork, pine, punga etc, sometimes in sphagnum moss. during summer, loots of spraying with water is required. Mist early in the morning and let the plant dry out during the day as it would in its natural habitat.

Dendrobiums I have are -



Epidendrums:



Epidendrum ibaguense, commonly called the Crucifix Orchid (the reason for the common name is obvious when you look into the flower). These plants grow to over one metre in height and produce dense clusters of flowers on top of the slender canes. They come in a range of flowers from two-tone yellow, orange, white pink red and mauve and all shades in between. Originating in Mexico where it resides in forks of trees or often on roadsides. They will grow happily in pots or in the garden as long as they are protected from heavy frosts.















Other genera include. -

Sarcochilus - which has beautiful fronds of tiny flowers - this grows in bark and will grow happily sitting on a windowsill with not too much sun. It can be grown in quite shady conditions and would require constant shade in a greenhouse - in summer, shade cloth should be used.

They are grown mainly in baskets and will flower for six months of the year from July to December. Once the plant is established, use a general fertiliser like Peters Blossom Booster which has not much nitrogen.





Disas are water loving orchids native to South africa where they grow along streamsides, waterfalls and marshes of the western Cape region.

In cultivation it is recommended that theybe grown in pure shredded nz spaghnum moss that is kept moist to wet in order to mimic their natural habitat. (where they grow among mosses and ferns in sandy soil next to free flowing water.)





 Thunia gattonensis (won in the raffle at the local orchid club in December 2001)















and........







and..........some of my favourite small orchids the Pleionies. -

Formosum







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