Meets 2nd Wednesday of each month at 7 PM

Garden Grove Masonic Lodge

11270 Acacia Parkway, Garden Grove, CA 92840

Volume 3, Number 12

December 2016

Dedicated to Growing Orchids Outdoors

www.coolgrowingorchids.com

2016 Officers

President

Norm Nakanishi

Vice President

Theo Johnson

Society Secretary

Roberta Fox

Membership Secretary

Robin Lane

postalrobin@sbcglobal.net

Treasurer

Jade Davis

Directors

Tony Glinskas

Dana Seelig

Director Ex-Officio

Richard Hess

——-

Newsletter

Roberta Fox

roberta@orchidcentral.net

(714)435-8015

Newsletter deadline is the

25th of the month prior to

the month of issue.

Holiday Party

December 14, 2016

7 PM

Bring a side dish, appe-

tizer, or dessert to

share. The Society will

provide the meat (turkey

and ham). If you renew

your membership at the

December holiday party,

you will receive ten raf-

fle tickets that you can

use at any meeting.

Cymbidium Snow Ball

Page 2

Speaker’s Choice

November speaker Ron Kaufmann couldn't de-

cide on just one plant for Speaker’s choice, so

he chose two. First was the exceptionally well-

grown Dendrobium goldschmidtianum (syn.

miyakei) grown by Kayoko Nebrig. Kayoko grows

this outside, but in a sheltered area between her

greenhouses, and next to a block wall. In winter,

the block wall absorbs heat, and so helps to

keep the immediate area a bit warmer on cold

winter nights. Den. goldschmidtianum origi-

nates in the Philippines and nearby islands, at

an elevation of around 1000ft. (300 m), and so

could be expected to prefer some warmth. It

appears that it is getting enough of what it

needs, to grow and bloom well. It is potted in

medium bark. (Ed.: This species may grow over

a wider elevation range, with the higher eleva-

tion variety having been named Den. miyakei. I

have one with that name that is smaller with

pendant canes, growing in a basket with sphag-

num moss, in an open area where it is not pro-

tected from cold, and it grows and blooms quite

well. ) It blooms repeatedly on old, leafless

canes, so don’t cut them!

Ron’s other choice was Trichocentrum Comète, grown

by Espie Quinn. The “mule ear” Oncidiums have been

given their own genus, Trichocentrum. Espie grows sev-

eral plants of this genus outside, and they do very well

for her. This plant is a primary hybrid of Trt. cavendishi-

anum x Trt. splendidum. Many Trichocentrums need a

bit more warmth, but both parents of this hybrid are

fairly cold-tolerant and can also be grown outside, espe-

cially near the coast. Both parents come from Central

America.

Trichocentrum Comète

Dendrobium goldschmidtianum

(syn. Den. miyakei)

Page 3

Editor’s Notes

We have one more frenzy of orchid-acquisition oppor-

tunity before everyone settles into the more general

frenzy of the holiday season. Take a break from Black

Friday and its aftermath in San Diego the first weekend

of December (right after you receive this newsletter).

Check the Events Calendar for days and hours at the

nurseries of some of our favorite growers. Note that

George Hatfield will be at Yamada, following the calen-

dar on the events page—twice in December.

The weather has been confusing for some plants—for

instance, fruit trees starting to leaf and bloom. But for

my orchids, behavior is actually more “normal” than it

has been for a few years. In response to some chilly

nights in October, Cymbidiums are spiking and most

will be ready to bloom in another month or two or three.

There are a few early ones that are already doing their

thing, but that’s normal. Laelia anceps are just starting

to hit their stride, and quite a few are still extending

spikes, so I think that I’ll have some into January. None

lasts terribly long in bloom, so the secret to a long sea-

son is having lots of them, since individual plants have

different schedules, even different from year to year. I

do love California, with a yard full of color while the rest

of the country is shoveling snow.

Of the Cattleya tribe, nothing comes close to Laelia an-

ceps (and its close relatives L. gouldiana and L. autum- See: Editor’s Notes, Page 4

President’s Message

As we wind down the year and bring in the

new, there are many things that I am thankful

for. I am thankful for being able to have

served this group in two capacities, one as

president of the Orange County CSA and the

other as president of the Cool Growing Orchid

Society. I have enjoyed the many friends that I

have made along the way. If you didn't know

already, I am stepping down as your president.

I am serving in many different clubs in varying

capacities as an officer and find that my time

has been extremely busy. In thinking over my

schedule, I have decided to cut back on some

of my positions so my calendar isn't dialed in

at being at each meeting and I can find a few

days to sit at home and relax. I am not leaving

the club by any means but you might not see

me at every meeting. I want to thank the Board of the

Cool Growing Orchid club for their support in helping

myself and the club grow. I am again challenging our

members to step up and take a part in our club. The

position of President is now open and we need to

have someone step up and take on the job.

Getting back to the club and December, don’t forget

that we are having our annual holiday party this

month. The club will provide the meat and members

should bring in a side dish, salad or dessert. There

will be no program for the month or show and tell ta-

ble. We will just have an evening to sit down, relax

and enjoy each other's company.

Norm Nakanishi, President

nalis) for reliability and hardiness. Of mine, the first

one to bloom is one that I got only about two years

ago, but has shown excellent vigor. The parents are

L. anceps var. gigas (a large, vigorous form) and L an-

ceps var. roeblingiana (peloric). The peloric form

Laelia anceps

(var. gigas x var. roeblingiana)

Roberta Fox, Editor

tends to be a relatively weak grower, and so probably

the hybridizer’s hope was to get a peloric flower on a

strong plant. Perhaps some from the cross had the pe-

loric flowers, but this one shows no sign of that. Howev-

er, I got four spikes on a small plant, so I’m not com-

plaining. Note that a cross of two varieties of a species

is still the species.

L. anceps also tends to give vigor and cold-tolerance to

its hybrids. An example, blooming now, is C. Sir Jeremi-

ah Colman x L. anceps var veitchiana. The veitchiana

form of L. anceps is white to light lavender, with a coeru-

lea lip that clearly influenced this hybrid. Sharon Pyatt

gave me this division from her plant, quite a few years

ago. Thanks, Sharon! I don’t know who made the hy-

Editor’s Notes, from Page 3

brid. Sadly, it is not registered, but it’s a beauty., and

a reliable bloomer.

Dendrochilum cootesii is not dramatic, but is a

charming little species that grows nicely outside. The

spikes have a subtle twist (almost a helix) which is a

challenge to photograph, and the flowers, large rela-

tive to the inflorescence for a Dendrochilum, also

have whimsically reflexed petals. I am particularly

fond of this plant, named for James Cootes, an Aus-

tralian expert on the orchids of the Philippines and

nearby islands, whom I had the privilege of hosting

when he was in this area for talks at several clubs a

couple of years ago.

One of my early-blooming Cymbidiums is Cym. ensifo-

lium x Cym. erythraeum. This one was made by

Charles (Butch) Weckerle-Thrun at the Rowland Col-

lection. This is another very lovely hybrid that isn’t

registered (as was the case for a lot of the Rowland

Collection crosses) It is lightly fragrant, as is the case

with many Cym. ensifolium progeny. Some of you may

have this one. It is very vigorous. Butch included it in

some plant tables and auctions over the years.

C. Sir Jeremiah Colman x L.

anceps var. veitchiana

Dendrochilum cootesii

Cym. erythrostylum x

Cym.erythraeum

Page 5

Calendar of Events * See flier at www.coolgrowingorchids.com, select the Events link

Andy’s Orchids Winter Open House*

December 2-4: 10 AM—4 PM

734 Ocean View Ave., Encinitas

info: www.andysorchids.com

Spend those Orchid Bucks that you have accumulated!

Sunset Valley Orchids Open House*

December 3; 10 AM—4 PM

12555 Navel Place, Vista

info: (760) 310-0778 or www.sunsetvalleyorchids.com

Authentic handmade “street tacos” 10 AM—2 PM

Casa de las Orquideas Annual Open House*

December 3-4; Sat. 9 AM—4 PM, Sun. 9 AM—1 PM

170 S. Nardo Ave, Solana Beach

info: (858)755-7572 or www.orquideas.com

Orange County Orchid Society Annual Auction*

January 18, 2917: 6:30 PM Preview, 7 PM auction begins

Yorba Linda Public Library Community Room (Lower Level)

18181 Imperial Hwy, Yorba Linda

Info: Edie Gulrich egulrich@att.net or Susan Scheffler chefinyl@gmail.com

Newport Harbor Orchid Society Orchid Expo and Sale*

February 10-12, 2017; Friday 10 AM—9 PM, Saturday 10 AM—7 PM, Sunday 11 AM—6 PM

Westminster Mall, Westminster

Info: www.nhosinfo.org/orchidshow

President TBD Director Tony Glinskas

Vice President Theo Johnson Director Dana Seelig

Recording

Secretary

Roberta Fox Director TBD

Treasurer Kayoko Nebrig Director TBD

Membership

secretary

Barb Livingston Director TBD

Director TBD

2017 Officers and Directors

Page 6

These vendors have generously supported our Society at the last Auction, and throughout the year.

Please support them with your business. When you visit them, let them know that you are a member of

our society. They need to know that our Society supports them.

Andy's Orchids Contact: Andy & Harry Phillips 760-436-4235, info@andysorchids.com www.andysorchids.com

Calwest Tropical Supplies

Contact: jon@calwesttropical.com 800-301-9009 www.calwesttropical.com

Casa de las Orquideas Contact: Nancy Batchman 858-755-7572, casa@orquideas.com www.orquideas.com

Diamond Orchids Contact: Peter Lin 909-396-0334, minicatt99@yahoo.com www.diamondorchids.com

Ecuagenera Orchids from Ecuador Contact: info@ecuagenera.com www.ecuagenera.com

Fascination of Orchids Inc. Contact: Theodore Johnson (714) 979-5887

Gold Country Orchids Contact: Alan Koch

916-645-8600, questions@goldcountryorchids.com http://www.goldcountryorchids.com/

Hatfield Orchids Contact: George Hatfield 805-901-0340 www.facebook.com/Hatfield-Orchids

Hengduan Mountains Biotechnology, Ltd., China

Contact Wenquing Perner

info@hengduanbiotech.com

www. hengduanbiotech.com

Mr. Fertilizer Contact: Don Knipp 949 -548-2678

OrchidWiz, LLC

support@orchidwiz.com 303-499-0221 www.orchidwiz.com

rePotme.com 302—855-5859

www.repotme.com

Santa Barbara Orchid Estate Contact: Alice & Parry Gripp 800-553-3387, sboe@sborchid.com www.sborchid.com

Sunset Valley Orchids Contact: Fred Clarke 760-639-6255, fred.clarke@att.net www.sunsetvalleyorchids.com

The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens Contact: Brandon Tam

btam@huntington.org www.huntington.org