Robert Fuchs Honored!

 Floridians
Mar 012012
 

Robert Fuchs, President of R.F. Orchids in Homestead, was inducted into the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame in Tampa on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012. The induction ceremonies were held during the State Fair.

The Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame honors those men and women who have made lasting contributions to agriculture in Florida. Robert Fuchs, a third-generation orchid grower with deep ties to the agriculture commu-nity in South Florida, is the first orchid grower to be recognized by the Hall of Fame in its 35-year history.

Remembering Joyce Kelly

 Floridians
Jan 012012
 

South Florida orchid lovers have lost yet another dear friend and fellow orchidist. On December 16th, 2011, Joyce Kelly finally succumbed to the cancer that she had been courageously fighting for a good number of years. She will be greatly missed by everyone in our orchid community.

Donations in memory of Joyce may be made to either the South Dade Amateur Orchid Club or to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition.

Phalaenopsis bellina (by Lou Lodyga)

 Species
Jun 012011
 

Get Growing with Lou Lodyga… Phalenopsis bellina

Anyone who has been growing orchids for years will know this species by its former name, Phalanopsis violacea v. Borneo. It was given full species status by Eric Christensen in 1995 and renamed bellina. Whatever name it goes by, this is a definite must for the Phalenopsis grower.

Since it comes from Borneo and Malaysia, it requires shady, humid conditions, like one would find in a tropical forest. The flowers are produced in the summer and fall on short inflorescences and can have 2 to 3 highly fragrant flowers open at a time. One nice item about this plant is that the inflorescence on older plants can rebloom year after tear so don’t cut off any green viable inflorescences.

There are many excellent line bred forms available at nurseries. This species does well mounted, but since Phalanopsis are subject to crown rot if water stands in the crown for any length of time, mount them upside down. If you decide to grow them in a pot, you’ll need to repot them yearly if they are in sphagnum moss.

Epidendrum prismatocarpum

 Species
Mar 012011
 

Get Growing with Lou Lodyga… … Epidendrum prismatocarpum

If you like flowers that make a statement then this striking species is for you.

Native to Mexico and Central America it’s found in forests growing on large tree branches. The bright, long-lasting flowers are produced in the summer on an 15” inflorescence.

An easily grown species, it needs strong bright light and can be grown mounted or potted, and since it has pseudobulbs, it needs to dry out between watering. Fertilize only in active growth.

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