Ariesjill

carsey

flower?

Ariesjill

Hi!

Yes, as U may know, I grow orchids in my aparment and also write about growing orchids.

This lovely just opened today so I got my old camera from garbage out. No zoom, only 3.2 MPs, has resident 32 frames, 2 old to get a card 4....but I luv it.

I could not live in Manhattan without having my huge, indoor garden!

This is Potinara Little Toshie 'Gold Country' (Blc. Toshie Aoki x Sc. Beauford)
It is a mini Cattleya.

40sondacurb

Nice. How many varieties to you grow?

Ariesjill

Hi, Robert,

Did I not once send U feautre piece on all this? I thought I did but could B wrong.

In this, I "got good" in a nano, did not know that until 2 aOS judges came to visit and fell out.....learned all the rules, broke the huge number which were faux, invented things, used eyes by Marcel.

I have tired 2 cut my collection down, but I think I still have around 65. Orchids....not regular housplants which I luv as well and have many of.

Photographing orchids is hugely esosteric subculture within the international orchid growing subculture. Huge books written only on this.....I ain't no expert in this part, or interested in investing the money or time in all U need to do it right.

This flower, in person is way nicer than wut little digital camera could capture.
If I got my Minolta SLR out......I could come closer. but the convenience of digital has spoiled us.

Thanks 4 the compliment, and if U don't have the piece in question and want it, let me know and I will send the scanned pages....I have it zipped as well I think.

It is only technical and scientific on its face; it is reallly metaphysical at its heart. It is about relationships. But isn't everything?

40sondacurb

Sure, I'll send you an email so you won't have to go digging for my address.

Ariesjill

That was immediate, very considerate and attachment (zipped) should have arrived at yr end as immediately.

Cheers!
Jill

Ariesjill

Promise....I am not gettin into a zone here....but orchids r completely different from any other plant forms...forget, over decades of hybridizing.....we have infinite cultivars some of which people would give their limbs for.

Among those, within the Paphiopedlum Alliance (commonly called lady slipper orchids)....and within the complex variety...we also call them bulldogs....the most amazing, and I own this, traded something with the President of Carter & Holmes (very old, famous commercial breeders who r among the Best) for a division....trust me, I don have $250 to spend on an orchid....is Paph. Winston Churchill 'Indomitable' FCC/AOS.

That last indicates it has earned the highest award (First Class Certificate....and over 90 points)....from The American Orchid Society. This, I believe, was awarded in the 40s.....this is an infamous hybrid and best pod parent for breeding within the complex reds. Newer ain't necessarily bettah.

Below is from last year.....my Winston Churchill 'Indomitable' is on the left; a cheap but amazing hybrid with him as the parent is on the left. We can ow clone orchids.....but not Paphs. which is why the best ones R still so expensive.

Note: Neither my pic nor the one U will C by using the link,depict color fidelity accuratelyn the link is pinkish and this famous cultivar is noway that, my pic is actually closer to actual but still an insult to this amazing cultivar.

http://www.montclairorchids.com/html/paph_0092.htm

mimo2005

I love your flowers , though i can't see the second pic :(

Jill , Why orchids and not tulips ?

Ariesjill

Mimo!

By second pic, U mean the one via the link?

As for the question....I am alredy giggling in anticipation of the answer.
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Hold on....that was ingenuous question, that last. I just got that.

This is not the venu for explaining why orchids are entirely unique within the plant kingdom.....and we already have well over 30K species identified; they R idigenous to every country and r all distinguished by a fifth petal which is not a petal but a LIP.....SOME orchids HAVE EVOLVED OVER MILLENIA TO PERFECTLY EMULATE ACTUAL INSECTS....to attract pollinating insects. U have no idea....it is thrillng and humbling. And many orchids R not conventionally pretty....some of the most intriguing/mesmerizing and actually ugly!

PBS has produced at least two worldclass specials on all of this. I will find links. U may even B able to download them. But I doubt it. butr no question, U will B able to find rich data on the net.
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Edit:

Two decent links, the second one especially 7 predictably from PBS:

http://www.reuters.com/article/scien...me=scienceNews

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/orchid/smarts.html

carsey

I guess you use a UV light, if you dont, try one, they should shoot away.

Ariesjill

No babe, U have the first feature I did 4 ORCHIDS mag. I clearly remembah sending it 2 U. U asked, I sent it... assumed U read it, yes?

Had U....U wold know I grow everything in natural light. All of it is covered in that first feature. I knew if I focused wit Eyes by Marcel I could accomplish this. I have no money for fancy lite setups forget at wut we here in Manhattan pay per KW hr 4 electricity: around $.20.

If U like, I will send it again.....but if U r really interested, trust me, U will have every question answered...and beyond. I got email & snail from people in 7 countries when this first one was published.

ORCHIDS Mag IS ALMOST 100 YEARS OLD & goes to people in every country.

Again, if interested, cause I forgot it....send me yr address and U shall have it again in two nanos!

It's bugs. Be it fitness, computers (currently, increasingly), orchids, music, fashion, nutrition, handiwork, politics....a bug arrives and bites U. After which, unbitten is not an option.

I am the sort who gets bitten. Been like this from day one. Mind U, I ain't looking for any repellent! Luv gettin bitten....if only in this way.

mimo2005

Ok i managed to see your pics .

Watch these Orchid TIme Lapse

http://youtube.com/results?search_qu...&search=Search

Ariesjill

OMG! those R AMAZING!!!!!!!! i LUV THEM!

The first one is of a Phalaenopsis......alas, the people in my building buy them for serious money in bud, and treat them like cut flowers, do not learn to luv or care 4 or grow them... and throw them out when they r spent. Then either the building staff finds them and brings them to me....or I find them.
Our Manager also always has flowers/ blooming plants in the lobby at various lpaces....and naturally, I get all those eventually as well if they R orchids.

Some I can save, some not.

The next 3 time lapse vids R of dendrobiums. I grow those 2....but not those particular hybrids.

I also luv the Pink Cattleya opening. And I own a hybrid very much like it.

Now...how can I get this to work in my apartment like this?

but the most staggering, unique elements of orchids ...and U will C from above links these R among the most comlex and ancient plants on earth.....is their myriad forms, including those with psedubulbs to store water and nutirition.

This one (which does not play smoothly 4 me but who cares?):
http://www.reuters.com/article/scien...me=scienceNews

...this one is a paph. "lowii" is a SPECIES....& this one is a fine example.

Anyone who does't believe in evolution---talk a bout scary humans---does not connect with lifeforms....starting with orchids.

Thanks so much as usual 4 this, Mimo!!!

Ariesjill

PS. anyone interested, PM me an email address and I will sent this first, covers all bases, technical/scientific but far more metaphysical.....feature in zip form.

This is why I have new, warpspeed system and uber broadband, OK?

The milieu/arena is really incidental. Can be growing orchids, computers, fitness, politics, science, the arts, handiwork.....it is moot. It's all about emersing, learning, cultivating eyes by Marcel Proust, meaning YOUR OWN.. and DOING, problem solving, troubleshooting...and finding the joys in the journey.

It is also about relationships. Always. Within...and without. And about life.
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Edit:

I know.....everyone is totally sorry Mimo asked.....but he did, OK? Plus, it is majorly interesting. I just found a really, REALLY good link and will paste, though why any webmaster thinks red type is evah a good idea boggles.

http://www.phals.com/rb_history.html

And all the hyperlinks on this page =awesome.....esp the third ne, "Wut makes an orchid an orchid?" I know this vendor......excellent vendor.

mimo2005

I didn't know it is or believed to be an aphrodisiac .

Ariesjill

They will B that actually, Mimo...when pigs fly. On the otha hand.....they define erotic. The word orchid, I think, from the Laitn....derives from "testes".....truth is, they R that mesmerizing/ensorcelling in their uniqueness and essence/lifeforce.....and eros really means LIFEFORCE!

Now, in case nobody thinks I am not paying a price....as usual, unexpectedly, for posting this thread....I am. Suddenly.

Months ago, I signed something in blood that I would no way be blindly driven to buy more cattleyas. But it is open & shut addiction. Like computers now. It ain't wut U need, it's wut U WANT< INTENSELY.....SUDDENLY....CAN NOT LIVE WITHOUT.

I stopped gong to our famous spring orchid show here.....cause I could not B trusted to just go visit people I now know who R only here in NY for it. Once, I went with my friend and he held my wallet which I insisted he do and I told him, under no circumstances, give it 2 me. But then, I found sumthing on the vendors' bridge I could not live without and I leapt about (literally) & screamed, "I need THE WALLET! Give me the WALLET!!!!"

Guys don like it when U do this in public, OK? He gave me the wallet.

Just now...I found this new vendor on ebay....well, new 4 me, I have bought from 2 others. Addiction can not B cured, only controlled.

So, here they R.....the two I now, suddenly need & can not live without. I will try to hang tough, but nobody should count on it; cattleyas R my biggest weakness within this particular addiction. Kinda like crack I think.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Cattleya-Orchid-...ayphotohosting

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA:IT&ih=016



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Edit: Yes....here it is:

or·chid (ôr'kĭd)
n.

A member of the orchid family.
The flower of any of these plants, especially one cultivated for ornament.
A pale to light purple, from grayish to purplish pink to strong reddish purple.
[From New Latin Orchideae, family name, from Latin orchis, a kind of orchid, from Greek orkhis, testicle, orchid (from the shape of its tubers).]

orchid or'chid adj.

Tumbleweed36

Not much more than to say, "outstanding" Jilly. Thanks for sharing.

Ariesjill

High praise considering the source! Many thanks. but can U cure my addictions?
Nah....not even U!

Tumbleweed36

Jilly, you just don't get it, do you? None of us want to change you or your addiction. Have a great evening.