➤

Orchid ReviewThe

171September 2013

AWARDS

September 2013170

RHS Awards12 April 2013 The RHS Orchid Committee met at the RHS Lawrence Hall, Westminster, during the RHS London Orchid Show. Twenty-six plants were exhibited; four Awards of Merit, one Botanical certificate and four Certificates of Cultural Commendation were recommended.

This was a momentous meeting with observers from around the world, including Norway, South Africa, Italy, Australia, Taiwan, France and the United Kingdom. In addition, a group of French trainee judges from the new Ècole des Juges d’Orchidées attended the plant and display judging.

Award of Meritn For Rhyncholaeliocattleya Village Chief Triumph ‘Chantelle’ 1 exhibited by Chantelle Orchids, Burton Green, Warwickshire. Votes were sixteen in favour, one against. The parents are Rhyncholaeliocattleya

Chan Hsiu Gold and R. Chunyeah, and the cross was first registered by Chih-Cheng Chen in 2005. The flowers had good substance and a striking lip. The petals and sepals were bright yellow, the lip a richer yellow with a red band around the edge, and red stripes in the throat.

The plant exhibited had two flowers on a 113mm spike. The overall flower size was 144 x 152mm. The dorsal sepal was 86 x 36mm at the widest point. The lateral sepals were 80 x 37mm at their widest. The petals were 85 x 81mm. The lip measured 75 x 80mm. The column was yellow, and measured 25mm long.

Grower’s adviceRhyncholaeliocattleya Village Chief Triumph ‘Chantelle’

“ This plant likes plenty of light, but no direct, midday sun in summer. An east-facing, shaded south-facing, or west-

facing window in the home is suitable. In a greenhouse the light level needs to be about 50% to 70% percent full sun. It needs to dry out thoroughly before being watered again. The humidity should be in the range of 50–80%. Good air circulation is important as this prevents fungal or bacterial disease, especially when the humidity is high and the temperature is low. When the plant is in active growth it needs to be fed with fertilizer (20-20-20 at quarter strength) every two weeks. When not actively growing, feeding it once a month is enough. Usually, the plant can be fed with every watering. To prevent salts from building up, thorough flushing with water only is recommended once a month. Repotting is required

RHS Orchid AwardsClare and Johan hermans describe the best plants submitted to the RHS Orchid Committee for judging

1

2

Cattleya x dolosa ‘Chantelle’, Award of Merit

Henr

y Oa

kele

yHenry Oakeley

Ryncholaeliocattleya Village Chief Triumph ‘Chantelle’, Award of Merit

AWARDS Orchid ReviewThe

173September 2013September 2013172

when the rhizome or roots are overhanging the pot, or when the potting medium is getting soggy and poorly drained, which is usually after two to three years. ” Chantelle Shih

Award of Meritn For Cattleya x dolosa ‘Chantelle’ 2 exhibited by Chantelle Orchids, Burton Green, Warwickshire. Votes were fourteen in favour, five against. This was a remake of a natural hybrid and the parents are Cattleya loddigesii and C. walkeriana. It is rare in the wild and comes from the limestone areas of Minas Gerais in central Brazil. The plants that were originally imported were mauve-flowered, and were sold at Stevens’ Auction rooms, London, in 1872. In 1874 Reichenbach described it as a new species, and only later was it recognized as a natural hybrid. The cultivar ‘Chantelle’ had good-sized, flat flowers which were clear-white with a yellow-edged lip.

The plant exhibited had one

90mm spike with four open flowers. Overall flower size was 100 x 95mm. The dorsal sepal was 55 x 22mm. The lateral sepals were 45 x 45mm. The petals were 40 x 20mm. The lip was frilled, and measured 45 x 40mm. The column was white, and 30mm long.

Grower’s adviceCattleya x dolosa ‘Chantelle’

“ I grow this plant in the same way as Rhyncholaeliocattleya Village Chief Triumph ‘Chantelle’ (see p171). ” Chantelle Shih

Award of Meritn For Cattleya Cariad’s Mini-Quinee ‘Angel Kiss’ 3 exhibited by Chantelle Orchids, Burton Green, Warwick-shire. Votes were twelve in favour, six against. The parents are Cattleya Mini Purple and C. intermedia, and the cross was first registered by Marianne Matthews in 1992. Plants can commonly be seen under the earlier name of Laeliocattleya Cariad’s Mini-Quinee. The cultivar ‘Angel Kiss’

was a darker colour than usual with pale mauve flowers, and a deeper mauve lip, with the margins of the semi-peloric petals splashed a dark mauve.

The plant exhibited had six open flowers on three 50mm spikes. The overall flower size was 90 x 90mm. The dorsal sepal measured 60 x 20mm. The lateral sepals were 55 x 22mm. The petals measured 50 x 35mm. The lip was 40 x 35mm, and the mauve column measured 30mm.

Grower’s adviceCattleya Cariad's Mini-Quinee ‘Angel Kiss’

“ I grow this plant in the same way as Rhyncholaeliocattleya Village Chief Triumph ‘Chantelle’ (see p171). ” Chantelle Shih

Award of Meritn For Oncidium De Devant ‘Fort Rozel’ 4 and 5 raised and exhibited by the Eric Young Orchid Foundation, Jersey. Votes were thirteen in favour, four against. The ➤

parents are Oncidium Hyphen and Oncidium Boulivot, and the cross was first registered by the Foundation in March 2010. The flowers were well-spaced, an attractive star shape, crystalline white with a central mauve stripe on the dorsal sepal and one of the other sepals. It was interesting to note that those flowers on the right- hand side of the spike had the more dominant stripe on the right hand sepal and vice versa.

The plant exhibited had one 74cm arching, branched, flower stem with thirty four open flowers. The overall flower size was 68 x 62mm. The dorsal sepal measured 30 x 17mm

wide at its widest point. The lateral sepals measured 30 x 20mm at their widest. The petals were 30 x 20mm at their widest. The lip was white with a central yellow callus, and red stripes at the throat. It measured 22 x 20mm. The column was white, and measured 14mm long.

Botanical Certificate n For Dendrobium brassii ‘Jackie’ 6 and 7 exhibited by Henry Marsh, Edinburgh, Scotland. Votes were eighteen in favour one against. The Botanical Certificate was awarded to encourage the cultivation of this attractive species. The species comes

from the mountains of Papua New Guinea. It was first described in 1989 by TM Reeve and P Woods from a plant first found in 1935. It is part of the Oxyglossum section of Dendrobium; the species in this section are generally cooler-growing and can be quite variable in colour. The cultivar ‘Jackie’ was a dark colour form with deep pink flowers and a contrasting orange lip.

The plant exhibited had approx-imately seventy open flowers. The overall flower size was 25 x 10mm at the widest point. The dorsal sepal was 10 x 5mm. The lateral sepals were 10 x 5mm at their widest. The petals were 8 x 3mm, and the lip was 7 x 3mm.

5

David Ridgeway

3

Deborah Lambkin

Cattleya Cariad’s Mini-Quinee ‘Angel Kiss’, Award of Merit

4

David Ridgeway

Oncidium De Devant ‘Fort Rozel’, Award of Merit

Oncidium De Devant ‘Fort Rozel’, Award of Merit

Certificate of Cultural Commendationn To Writhlington School, Radstock, Bath, for Coelogyne stricta ‘Jacob Coles’ 10 and 11 . Votes were unanimous. The plant measured approximately 150cm across, and was growing in a 35cm diameter basket. It had seventeen spikes, with one hundred and eighty open flowers, and twenty-seven buds. The grower was Jacob Coles. The species comes from the Himalayas to China and Indo China where it grows epiphytically at 1,100 to 2,000m.

Grower’s adviceCoelygne stricta ‘Jacob Coles’ & Coelygne holochila ‘Luke Lucas’

“ These two plants grow next to each other in the Cool Asia

section of the school glasshouse. Coelogyne holochila 'Luke Lucas' is one of our largest plants and arrived at Writhlington School as a bulb and growth about 20 years ago. Coelogyne stricta 'Jacob Coles' has has been at Writhlington for 15 years. We base the culture of both species on our observations of C. stricta in the wild.

School expeditions have found C. stricta growing as huge specimens in Sikkim on the lower trunks and main branches of large trees. The large plant photographed (right) is growing in open mossy forest in south Sikkim at an altitude of 1,800m, where it shares the forest with many orchid species including

Grower’s adviceDendrobium brassii ‘Jackie’

“ I grow this plant mounted on cork bark. I spray it every morning, sometimes twice a day in hot weather. It hangs on plastic mesh and I move the plant higher up the mesh for the winter months, then down the mesh into shade for the summer. I feed this plant by dunking it in a mix of one-third strength Phostrogen, about once a month in spring and summer, but only when the atmosphere is buoyant enough to ensure that the moss does not remain soggy. Conditions are, nominally, intermediate but are affected by the usual vagaries of the Scottish weather. ” Henry Marsh

Certificate of Cultural Commendationn To Writhlington School, Radstock, Bath, for Coelogyne holochila ‘Luke Lucas’ 8 and 9 . Votes were unanimous. The plant measured approximately two meters across, and was growing in a 40cm diameter specially built basket. It had approx-imately forty eight spikes and four hundred and thirty-two open flowers and numerous buds. The grower was Ike Shackleton. The species comes from Assam to Myanmar where it grows epiphytically or lithophytically at altitudes between 1,000m and 2,500m. The same plant received a Certificate of Cultural Commend-ation in 2012 (Orchid Rev. 120: p123, 124), at that point it measured 183cm across, and was growing in a 40cm diameter basket. This year the plant was much larger so it gained a further cultural award.

Grower’s adviceCoelygne holochila ‘Luke Lucas’ (see p175).

175

➤

Orchid ReviewThe

September 2013174 September 2013

AWARDS

6

7

8 9

10 11

Henr

y Oa

kele

y

Henry Oakeley

Henry Oakeley

Henry OakeleyHe

nry

Oake

ley

Henr

y Oa

kele

y

Dendrobium brassii ‘Jackie’, Botanical Certificate

Dendrobium brassii ‘Jackie’

Coelogyne holochila ‘Luke Lucas’

Coelogyne holochila ‘Luke Lucas’, Certificate of Cultural Commendation

Coelogyne stricta ‘Jacob Coles’

Coelogyne stricta ‘Jacob Coles’, Certificate of Cultural Commendation

Above Seeing huge plants of Coelogyne stricta in the wild, in south Sikkim, has informed the culture of Coelogyne species at Writhlington School

Writhlington School Orchid Project

177

Orchid ReviewTheAWARDS

176 September 2013September 2013

Coelogyne cristata and Cymbidium devonianum. The forest is on a north-facing slope giving a climate characteriZed by a very wet summer and a cool damp winter with less rain but frequent mists. The photograph was taken in early April when the plant was in full flower.

To replicate natural habitat conditions we grow these species in baskets with a lot of moss, and water plants daily from April through to October. During the winter we reduce watering to once every three days and try to keep the leaves dry while the minimum temperature is 10°c. We aim to give both plants good light, with automatic shading deployed when light exceeds 400W/m2.

The biggest challenge with these plants is moving them as both are very large and heavy. We have built a steel frame for C. holochila 'Luke Lucas' which allows us to carry it on poles like a sedan chair, while C. stricta 'Jacob Coles' lives in a large shallow plastic crate and can be carried by two large people or four small ones.

In another 10 years time these plants will be truly huge so you may need to come to Writhlington to see them. ” Jacob Coles & Ike Shackleton

Certificate of Cultural Commendationn To Henry Marsh from Edinburgh, for Dendrobium chionanthum ‘Jackie’ 12 and 13 . Votes were twenty in favour. The plant measured 26.5cm across, and was growing in a 10cm diameter pot. It had sixty-eight open flowers. The species comes from the mountains of Papua New Guinea where it grows with Dendrobium cuthbertsonii. It is cool-growing and

flowers continuously. It has the common name snow flower, and is also known under the earlier name of Cadetia chionantha.

Grower’s adviceDendrobium chionanthum ‘Jackie’

“ I grow this plant with other New Guinea, high-altitude, cloud-forest species such as Dendrobium cuthbertsonii. They are potted in sphagnum moss, with bark chips for drainage at the bottom of the pots and round the sides. If the moss likes the conditions and grows then the plants will thrive. The moss should be kept moist but not wet, which can be tricky in winter. The plants are sprayed lightly every morning, except when it is very cold and grey – there is little light in Scotland in mid-winter. They are re-potted once a year but are checked every couple of months to ensure that the moss has not deteriorated. I feed by dunking

the pots in a mix of one-third strength Phostrogen about once a month in spring and summer, but only when the atmosphere is buoyant enough to ensure that the moss does not remain soggy. The greenhouse conditions are, nominally, intermediate but as I mentioned before (p174), they fluctuate with the usual vagaries of the Scottish weather. ” Henry Marsh

Certificate of Cultural Commendationn To Chantelle Orchids, Burton Green, Warwickshire, for Dendrobium loddigesii ‘Chantelle’ 14 and 15 . Votes were fourteen in favour, four against. The plant measured 35cm across, and was growing on a 20cm tree-fern cylinder. It had ninety-one open flowers and one hundred and fifteen buds. The species comes from southern China and Laos. It occurs in areas with a distinct dry season and has a scrambling habit. It has been used extensively in herbal medicine as a treatment for coughs and this has threatened the native populations but

now plants are being cultivated semi- naturally. The cultivar ‘Chantelle’ was a good colour form and a well- grown specimen of the species. A previous cultivar, ‘Bromesberrow Place’, was awarded a Cultural Certificate in 1980 and in 1983 (Orchid Rev. 91: p.283, s.38, Orchid Rev. 95: p322.). A more recent cultivar, ‘Daureen’, was awarded one in 1991 (Orchid Rev. 99: p234).

Grower’s adviceDendrobium loddigesii ‘Chantelle’

“ This species needs plenty of light, but do not put it in a spot that gets direct sun in the middle of the day in summer. In the home, an east-facing, shaded south-facing, or a west-facing window is suitable. The ideal daytime temperature is between 18°c and 24°c, while at night the target temperature range is 10°c to 13°c. Let the plant almost dry out before re-watering. It needs a 4-week rest from January to February. The ideal humidity range is 50 to 70%.

Dendrobium chionanthum ‘Jackie’, Certificate of

Cultural Commendation

12

13

Henr

y Oa

kele

yHe

nry

Oake

ley

14 15

Sara

h Fo

rsyt

h

Henry Oakeley

Dendrobium chionanthum ‘Jackie’

Dendrobium loddigesii ‘Chantelle’, Certificate of Cultural Commendation

Dendrobium loddigesii ‘Chantelle’

AWARDS

179178

➤

Orchid ReviewThe

September 2013 September 2013

Award of Meritn For Miltoniopsis Laurie Monument ‘Barbara’ 18 raised and exhibited by the Eric Young Orchid Foundation, Jersey. Votes were ten in favour, four against. The parents are Miltoniopsis La Catillon and M. Point des Pas, and the cross was first registered by the Foundation in 2013. The cultivar ‘Barbara’ had maroon-red flowers with contrasting waterfall markings on the paler red lip, and had a good, even colour.

The plant exhibited had a 25cm arching spike with eight open flowers. The overall flower size was 110 x 100mm. The dorsal sepal was 45 x 30mm. The lateral sepals were 50 x 25mm. The petals were 45 x 30mm. The lip with central yellow callus measured 60 x 85mm. The column was white and measured 7mm long.

Certificate of Preliminary Commendationn To Oncidium Du Panigot ‘Seymour Tower’ 19 raised and exhibited by the Eric Young Orchid Foundation, Jersey. Votes were ten in favour, two against. The parents are Oncidium Perolia and O. Mont Cambrai and , and the cross was first registered by the Foundation in 2010. ‘Seymour Tower’ had excellent substance with deep red flowers and a paler undulated edge.

The plant exhibited had a 60cm spike with six open flowers. The overall flower size was 110 x 115mm. The dorsal sepal was 50 x 36mm. The lateral sepals were 60 x 40mm. The petals were 65 x 40mm. The lip had a dark red central portion, and a pale pink margin, with a yellow callus at the throat, and measured 40 x 30mm. The column was red, and 20mm long.

Award of Garden Meritn For Cymbidium Tiger Tail 20 and 21 exhibited by Peter White, Banbury, and shown on the Orchid Society of

I feed this species when it is in active growth. Usually, I feed it with every watering. I use a balanced fertilizer, 20-20-20, at quarter strength, every two weeks. I reduce the frequency of feeding to once a month when the plant is not actively growing. To prevent salts from building up, I flush the potting medium thoroughly with water once a month. Repotting is usually needed after two to three years, when the rhizome or roots are starting to overhang the pot, or when the potting medium is getting soggy and poorly drained. ” Chantelle Shih

RHS Awards20 May 2013 The RHS Orchid Committee met at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, London. Ten plants were exhibited; two Awards of Merit, one Certificate of Preliminary Commendation and one Award of Garden Merit were recommended.

Award of Meritn For Angulocaste Cotil Point ‘Rocco Tower’ 16 and 17 exhibited by the Eric Young Orchid Foundation, Jersey. Votes were ten in favour, five against. The parents are Angulocaste Augres and Anguloa ruckeri, and the cross was first registered by the Foundation in 2008. The cupped flowers of ‘Rocco Tower’ were more open than its Anguloa parent, they were orange-yellow on the exterior, heavily spotted with red inside and strongly scented.

The plant exhibited had eight 25cm flower stems with eight open flowers. The overall flower size was 65 x 54mm. The dorsal sepal was 100 x 60mm. The lateral sepals were 80 x 60mm. The petals measured 60x 50mm. The lip was deep red, with orange-yellow at the edge, hinged, and measured 30 x 15mm.

16

17

18

Henry OakeleyHenry Oakeley

Davi

d Ri

dgew

ayDa

vid

Ridg

eway

Angulocaste Cotil Point ‘Rocco Tower’, Award of Merit

Angulocaste Cotil Point ‘Rocco Tower’

Miltoniopsis Laurie Monument ‘Barbara’, Award of Merit

19

Oncidium Du Panigot ‘Seymour Tower’, Certificate

of Preliminary Commendation

AWARDS

181180

➤

Orchid ReviewThe

September 2013September 2013

and the cross was first registered by the Foundation in 2009. The large, cupped flowers were more open than usual for an Anguloa. They were an attractive orange colour, with red spots inside which were more pronounced on the petals, and the red lip made a pleasing contrast. In addition, they had an excellent substance because the cultivar had been colchicine- treated and was therefore a tetraploid (4n) form with double the usual number of chromosomes.

The plant exhibited had five 29cm spikes with five open flowers. The overall flower size was 75 x 55mm. The dorsal sepal measured 90 x 50mm. The lateral sepals measured 70 x 58mm. The petals were 75 x 40mm. The lip was hinged, and measured 40 x 25mm, and the yellow column was 30mm long.

Award of Meritn For Paphiopedilum Angel Hair ‘Le Don Anquetil’ 24 remade and exhibited by the Eric Young Orchid Foundation, Jersey. Votes were seven in favour, three against. The parents are Paphiopedilum Saint Swithin and P. sanderianum, and the cross was first registered by Hilmar Doll in 1991. The cultivar ‘Le Don Anquetil’ had an

Great Britain exhibit. Votes were thirteen in favour. It had attractive flowers in an olive-green shade, with a contrasting white lip edged with pink. It was very floriferous and held its flowers above the medium-sized leaves. It was felt to be an excellent, available example of a Cymbidium hybrid. The cultivar ‘Orchidiva’ was shown to the Committee. The parents of the grex are Cymbidium tigrinum and C. Alexanderi, and it was first registered by Stewart Inc in 1960. A previous cultivar, ‘Citron’, was awarded a Certificate of Preliminary Commendation in 1962 (Orchid Rev. 70: p164).

RHS Awards 15 June 2013 The RHS Orchid Committee met at the Three Counties Show, in Malvern, Worcestershire. This new venue for the UK’s International Orchid Show was popular with exhibitors and the public. Chris Barker and his team are to be congratulated on organising such an impressive event (see p146–151). Thirty two plants were shown to the Committee for judging; four Awards of Merit, one Botanical certificate and six Cert-ificates of Cultural Commendation were recommended.

This was the first time that the UK International Orchid Show was held at Malvern and the large number of plants submitted not only reflects the enthusiastic support by amateur growers bringing interesting plants, but also the great contribution from overseas exhibitors, such as KJ Orchids from Denmark.

Award of Meritn For Anguloa Vicart ‘Le Don Baudins’ 22 and 23 raised and exhibited by the Eric Young Orchid Foundation, Jersey. Votes were nine in favour, one against. The parents are Anguloa ruckeri and A. Victoire,

22 23

24

Chris Purver

Chris PurverChris Purver

Sara

h Fo

rsyt

h

Anguloa Vicart ‘Le Don Baudins’, Award of Merit

Anguloa Vicart ‘Le Don Baudins’Cymbidium Tiger Tail, Award of Garden Merit

20

Sara

h Fo

rsyt

h

Cymbidium Tiger Tail

Paphiopedilum Angel Hair ‘Le Don Anquetil’, Award of Merit 21

AWARDS

183182

➤

Orchid ReviewThe

September 2013 September 2013

are Cypripedium Ulla Silkens and C. flavum, and the cross was first registered by Peter Corkhill, UK, in 2006. The striking plant had beautiful rounded flowers that were crystalline white with deep purple spots in the pouch, and a deep purple staminode. The cold spring weather this year meant that a good number of Cypripedium plants were still in flower and it was a privilege to see so many good plants, and Vicky’s Delight was one of the very best.

The plant exhibited had four open flowers on 16cm spikes. The overall flower size was 75 x 80mm. The dorsal sepal was 40 x 32mm. The synsepal was 30 x 30mm. The petals were 40 x 15mm. The pouch was 45 x 40mm and 45mm deep. The purple staminode was 8mm wide.

Grower’s adviceCypripedium Vicky's Delight ‘Laneside Susan’

“ I purchased this Cypripedium from Peter Corkhill about five years ago. It was the last one he had for sale from the original cross. I divided the plant in 2013 and the division that received the Award of Merit was the smaller of the two plants. I grow them in a potting mix suggested by Peter, which consists of pumice, coarse perlite, Cornish

grit and 15% fine bark in a 5-litre pot. It will remain in this mix until it is divided again in about four years. My plants, along with my other show Cypripedium plants, are kept in a shaded cold frame in the winter, with the frame lid down from late November. This ensures the pots get frozen, which helps flowering. So far, these plants have experienced temperatures as low as -17°c in north Lancashire. I raise the cold frame lid in late March so that the plants get plenty of rain. If the weather is dry they get watered every day. Once the buds emerge, I feed the plants with Tomorite (high potassium) fertilizer every 10 days. This continues until the plants are fully dormant in the autumn. When the flower buds are half-formed I move the plants into the alpine house, and put them in a shaded spot. I water them very carefully because the flowers tend to become blotchy if the pouch gets wet. After flowering the plants are returned to the cold frame where feeding and watering continues. I keep the plants as cool as possible in the summer months. ” Jeff Hutchings

Botanical Certificate n For Bulbophyllum thaiorum ‘Royal Eagle’ 28 and 29 exhibited by Jettie Thestrup, Engesviang, Denmark. Votes were nine in favour, one against. The species comes from Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam and China (Yunnan). It grows in warm to inter-mediate conditions. In the Chiang Mai area of Thailand it grows on dec-iduous trees at 600m above sea level. The plant exhibited had attractive, dark green leaves with purple under-sides, and the flowers were displayed above the foliage. The intricate blooms were held in small umbels and were orange to red in colour with yellow tips to the sepals. The plant had approximately four hundred and sixty open flowers on sixty-six spikes, each measuring 5cm long. The overall flower size was 25 x 3mm. The dorsal sepal was red, 2 x 1mm. The lateral sepals were fused, 20 x 2mm. The petals were 2 x 1mm. The hinged lip was 1mm long. The species was awarded a Botanical Certificate to encourage its further cultivation.

Certificate of Cultural Commendationn To Jettie Thestrup, Engesviang, Denmark for Bulbophyllum thaiorum ‘Royal Eagle’ 28 and 29 The plant was 30cm across, and was growing on a tree fern ball. See above for further

attractive contrast between the dorsal sepal, which was pale cream with dark red stripes, and the petals, which were green with red spots becoming deep red at the tails. Two previous cultivars owned by the Foundation have been awarded, ‘Roche d’Or’ was awarded a First Class Certificate in 2005 (Orchid. Rev. 113: p118, 119, 126). ‘Gorey’ received an Award of Merit in 2009 (Orchid. Rev. 117:p.112), which had a larger flower. Both had paler tails than ‘Le Don Anquetil’.

The plant exhibited had a 56.5cm spike with five open flowers. Overall flower size was 390mm to the tip of tails x 80mm. The dorsal sepal was 50 x 40mm. The synsepal was pale cream, with dark red stripes, and measured 60 x 40mm. The petals

were twisted, tapering, with red hairs on the margin, and measured 320mm to tip of tails x 15mm at the widest point. The pouch was red to green, red inside, 60 x 25mm and 50mm deep. The yellow staminode had red hairs on the margin, and measured 12mm wide.

Award of Meritn For Oncidopsis La Marquanderie ‘Le Don Le Maistre’ 25 raised and exhibited by the Eric Young Orchid Foundation, Jersey. Votes were unanimous. The parents are Oncidopsis Saint Aubin and Oncidium Moulin de Louis, and the cross was first registered by the Foundation in 2008. The striking, deep claret- coloured flowers were slightly pinker

at the centre, with a yellow callus, and deep red on the centre of the lip. The flowers were well spaced, flat, and had excellent substance.

The plant exhibited had two 75cm spikes one with eleven and the other wih ten open flowers. The overall flower size was 90 x 95mm. The dorsal sepal was 50 x 27mm at the widest point. The lateral sepals were 50 x 25mm at their widest. The petals were 50 x 35mm at their widest. The lip was slightly paler, and 35 x 35mm. The mauve column was 12mm long.

Award of Meritn For Cypripedium Vicky’s Delight ‘Laneside Susan’ 26 and 27 exhibited by Jeff Hutchings, Garstang, Preston. Votes were unanimous. The parents

28

Chris Purver

Bulbophyllum thaiorum ‘Royal Eagle’

29

Chris Purver

Bulbophyllum thaiorum ‘Royal Eagle’, Botanical Certificate and Certificate of Cultural Commendation

25

26

27

Chris PurverChris Purver

Chris

Pur

ver

Cypripedium Vicky's Delight ‘Laneside Susan’

Cypripedium Vicky's Delight ‘Laneside Susan’, Award of Merit

Oncidopsis La Marquanderie ‘Le Don Le Maistre’, Award of Merit

AWARDS

185184

➤

Orchid ReviewThe

September 2013 September 2013

and was growing in a 20cm diameter pot. It had sixty eight flower spikes with approximately nine hundred and forty-five open flowers. Votes were unanimous. The parents are Sarcochilus hartmannii and S. fitzgeraldii, and the cross was first registered by IA Butler, Western Australia, in 1963. There have been numerous Certificates of Cultural Commendation for this grex over the years. The most recent was in 1994 to the cultivar ‘Harcombe’, and in 1993 the cultivar ‘Reviresco’ gained an Award of Merit (Orchid Rev. 99: p234, 235). The cultivar ‘Rubery’ was a very well grown plant. It was originally submitted as Sarcochilus hartmannii and it was subsequently correctly identified by André Schuiteman at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Grower’s adviceSarcochilus hartmanii ‘Rubery’ & Sarcochilus Fitzhart ‘Rubery’

“ I bought both these Australian plants about 20 years ago, with others of the same genus, as small seedlings. I knew very little about Sarcochilus, but the seedlings looked healthy and they were cheap! I grow these plants in plastic pots. They mainly grow lithophytically on mossy rocks in the wild but adapt well to pot culture. My compost is a mix of small grade

bark, perlite, sphagnum moss, small grade foam and, once it became available, rockwool too. I water my Sarcochilus species and hybrids all year round with rainwater. They do not have pseudobulbs so need regular watering, and resent drying out. Keep the potting medium just moist, not wet. They benefit from a fan blowing on them day and night, all year round. The plants need to be kept cool, if possible 12°c at night, and 18°c in the day, and in good light levels year round. A relative humidity of 60% allows the plants to grow faster and make many more new growths and flowers. I feed every third watering with a weak solution of fertilizer. I either use high nitrogen or high potash feeds depending on the season. I also include a fair amount of Epsom salts once the plants start budding-up. A few years ago, due to an electrical fault, these orchids were in freezing conditions for five days, but they did not suffer at all. This year, as a result of the dark, dank spring, all my Sarco-chilus plants have had about 20 to 30 fewer flower stems then usual, including these two awarded plants. ” Brian Cope

Certificate of Cultural Commendationn To Keith Kent, Hucknall, Notting-ham, for Masdevallia rigens ‘Stinky’ 34 and 35 Votes were eight in favour, three against. The plant measured 44cm across, and was growing in a 12cm diameter pot. It had forty-eight flower spikes and forty-two open flowers. The species comes from Peru and was first described in 1979 by Carlyle Luer, from a plant without locality that originated in the greenhouse of the University of California, Berkeley. The botanical name refers to the rigid floral and vegetative parts. As the cultivar name suggests, the species is not attractively scented, except to pollinating insects.

Grower’s adviceMasdevallia rigens ‘Stinky’

“ This is an easy species to grow and flower. When it puts on a full show of flowers all round the pot it is a wonderful sight. It is tough, rugged, reliable and floriferous. It is also stinky, as my name suggests, but it is not a problem as you have to be close to smell it. This plant is currently potted in 100% coconut husk. I have another, almost identical, plant and both flower well and go on my displays at shows. The root zone dries out quickly which suggests the roots have filled the

description. Votes were ten in favour, one against. The cultivar ‘Royal Eagle’ was a very well-grown specimen and had flowers all round the plant.

Certificate of Cultural Commendationn To Brian Cope, Rubery, Birmingham for Sarcochilus hartmannii ‘Rubery’ 30 and 31 . The plant measured 56cm across, and was growing in a 15cm diameter pot. The plant had thirty three flower spikes and three hundred and eighty-four open flowers. Votes were nine in favour, one against. There has only been one previous Certificate of Cultural Commendation awarded to this species, which has also received a Botanical Certificate in 1896.

The species comes from New South Wales, Australia, where it grows as a lithophyte. It is becoming increasingly rare in the wild. It occurs in exposed conditions, and has even been known to withstand frosts. The cultivar ‘Rubery’ was a fine specimen plant of the species. It was originally submitted as a white form of Sarcochilus Fitzhart and was subsequently correctly identified by André Schuiteman.

Certificate of Cultural Commendationn To Brian Cope, Rubery, Birmingham for Sarcochilus Fitzhart ‘Rubery’ 32 and 33. The plant measured 65cm across,

30 31

32

33

Chris Purver

Chris Purver

Chris

Pur

ver

Chris

Pur

ver

Sarcochilus hartmannii ‘Rubery’

Sarcochilus hartmannii ‘Rubery’, Certificate of Cultural Commendation

Sarcochilus Fitzhart ‘Rubery’

Sarcochilus Fitzhart ‘Rubery’, Certificate of Cultural Commendation

34 35

Chris Purver

Chris Purver

Masdevallia rigens ‘Stinky’, Certificate of

Cultural Commendation

Masdevallia rigens ‘Stinky’

AWARDS

187186

Orchid ReviewThe

Certificate of Cultural Commendationn To Stewart Knox, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, for Vanda falcata ‘Malvern’ 38 and 39 Votes were unanimous. The plant measured 32cm across, and was growing in a 13cm diameter pot. It had twenty five flower spikes and approximately one hundred and twenty-five open flowers. The species comes from Japan, Korea and the Ryukyu Islands. It was first described in 1784 by Carl Thunberg. Until very recently this species has been known as Neofinetia falcata. However it has been found to be a Vanda as part of the research for Genera Orchidacearum.

Two previous cultivars have gained a Certificate of Cultural Commend-ation, ‘Napoleon’ in 1979 (Orchid Rev. 87: p315; 88: p5), and ‘Hillside’ in 1990 (Orchid Rev. 98: p267). The cultivar ‘Malvern’ was on a par with those seen at shows in Japan where growing and showing the various forms of Vanda falcata has become a specialist art.

Grower’s adviceVanda falcata ‘Malvern’

“ I bought this plant 25 years ago, as a small plant, from J&L Orchids, who are based in Connecticut, USA. I keep the plant on a high shelf, in bright conditions, in the warm section of my greenhouse. The minimum night temperature is 15°c, and the daytime maximum, where possible, is no more than 28°c. The plant is positioned close to a fan that runs continuously. The greenhouse is heated by electric tubular heaters and has also a misting unit under the staging. The compost I use for this Vanda is a mix of medium-grade pine bark, perlite and charcoal. The plant is only repotted

occasionally, the last time being five years ago. I water this plant from the top, every four to five days in summer, but keep it relatively dry in winter. I use tap water with an electrical conductivity of about 170 microSiemens. This plant is fed after every other watering using Dyna-Gro fertilizer at a rate of about 500 micro-Siemens. ” Stewart Knox

pot and it is time to pot them on. I use reverse osmosis water as it is pure, clean and available when I need it, and add Akerne’s Rain Mix feed at the recommended rate. I have also had success with Orchid Focus feed. The leaves of this species are very firm and elongated, and it can withstand more light than other Masdevallia plants which thrive with shade. Most of mine get good light as my greenhouse is exposed to all aspects. A lot are on the bench with large shelves of other orchids above. This year I used 60% shade-netting outside, which reduces the heat too. It has been a hot summer and the high in my greenhouse was 32°c. This is hotter than I would like but fine for a short time if the humidity is good. I aim for 50% humidity, provided by a hydrofogger and humidistat. The winter minimum for this plant is 10°c. ” Keith Kent

Certificate of Cultural Commendationn To Arne Olsson, Hinnerup, Denmark, for Dendrobium amabile ‘Lystrup’ 36 and 37 Votes were unanimous. This splendid plant measured 150cm across, and was growing in a 30cm diameter pot. It had twenty-seven flower spikes and approximately six hundred open flowers. This species comes from Vietnam and was first described, as Callista amabile, in 1790, by Portuguese botanist João de Loureiro in his Flora Cochinchinensis. His specimen remained overlooked in the Natural History Museum, London’s herbarium until it was re-discovered by Kraenzlin in 1909. He had been sent photos of a living specimen that originated from Annam, now part of central Vietnam, and resurrected the species as Callista amabile. Later that year O’Brien transferred it to the genus Dendrobium.

September 2013 September 2013

For details about future meetings of the RHS Orchid Committee and entering plants for awards, see Forthcoming Events on p190.

RHS AWARDS

Clare hermans is an orchid grower, author and a Vice Chairman of the RHS Orchid Committee Johan hermans is an orchid grower, photographer, author and Chairman of the RHS Orchid Committee

36

37

Sara

h Fo

rsyt

hSa

rah

Fors

yth

Dendrobium amabile ‘Lystrup’

Dendrobium amabile ‘Lystrup’, Certificate of Cultural Commendation

Chris Purver

39

Chris Purver

Vanda falcata ‘Malvern’

38

Vanda falcata ‘Malvern’, Certificate of Cultural

Commendation