CHIT

GARDENEBS love see-
ing new plants and,
even more, « colourful
display.

This is exactly what is in
store for all the “green
thumbs” in Vancouver, at the
upcoming 16th World Orchid
Conference. Not everyone is
an orchid grower but the flo-
ral display ts something you
don’t want to miss. It will be
held trom April 28 to May |
at the Trade and Convention
Centre and they plan to have
60,000 sq. ft, of display space
for the thousands of flowering
plants that will be on show for
the public. The entrance fee is

- $10 with discounts for seniors
and students,

- This is only the third time
thar the show has been held in
North America and the first
time in Canada. Participants
will be coming from all over
the world, bringing with them
some of the rarest and most
colourful of all the orchids.

_ Martha Stuart is also coming
to do a show on Orchids.

Contrary to what many
people think, orchids dre not
thar difficult to grow and can
be very rewarding. Knowing

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grows

which kind of orchid you have
and the conditions it prefers
will nyake it easier to achieve
sticcess.
‘The orchid family has some
300 genera and more that
15,000 species spread all over
the globe and it is thought
that they have the most beau-
ful flowers of any family of
plants.

They can be divided into
tropical and temperate species
The tropical species generally
have pseudo bulbs at the base
of the plants and aerial
epiphitic roots whereas the
temperate ones da not have
pseudo bulbs and the roots are
in the soil. Surprisingly, the
temperate one can be found in
bogs, regular forest, grassland
loam or dry sandy soils.

Years ago when corsages
were more popular, the orchid

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north shore news

sy FIOME & GARDEN

NEWS phote Terry Peters

THE “Moth Orchid,” Phaleanopsis witl be just one
variety on display at the World Orchid Conference.

was considered to be ex
colourful and expensive. The
lavender coloured Cattleya
was the only type of orchid
that was cominon. Today
almost any flower stall or shop
will have a wide selection of
moderately priced orchids for
sale,

Cattlsyas, although com-

ion as corsage flowers, are
uot the best for the home
grower to start with. They
need a bright window, high
humidity and warm tempera-
tures to produce one spike of
flowers a year.

Phaleanopsis or “Moth
Orchid” is a goad plant for
the home and can have long

Sunday, April 25, 1999 — North Shore News — 37

arching sprays that can sup-
port up to nwenty flowers.
Colours range from whire,
pink, vellow and mahogany
with spois and stripes or a
combination of both. They
require far Jess light than
Catdeyas but do best with
high humidity and fresh air.

The paphiopeditums are
often called the “amateur’s
orchid” and can be grown on
the window sill, under artiticial
light or in the green house.
The lady slipper flower comes
in a wide variety of colours
accented by spots and/or
stipes.

Few orchids can surpass the
evmbidinms when it comes to
colour range, flower produc-
tion and longevity. These cool
temperature orchids need
bright tight but can be set out
doors during the summer and
kept in a coo! room or green-
house for the winter. One
stem can carry up to 20 four-
to six-inch flowers that will
remain fresh for several
months if cool temperatures
are maintained.

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Odontoglossuins are another
cool temperature orchid that
comes in a wide range of
colours from white, yellow,
red and maroon with many
combinations.

Hardy outdoor orchids are
not as popular but there are
several to choose from. Look
for any of the Plefone group
that do best in a well drained
sheltered area with sunny con-
ditions. The Orebis group can
also be grown in the garden
but may need winter mulching
to protect them from severe
frosts.

IF you have not tried grow-
ing an orchid in the past, this
might be the time to visit the
World Orchid Conference dis-
play and be inspired to start
with an easy to grow, cool
variety that needs less care.

To receive more informa-
tion on orchids, contact the
Vancouver Orchid Society, PO
Box 23932 APO, Richmond,
B.C., V7B 1Y1. The group
nicets at 8 p.m. on the fourth
Wednesday of the month at
the VanDusen Floral Hall.

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