Orchidaceae Newsletter

"Your best online source of orchids plus more" May 5, 2007

Hi Friends:

I hope that this newsletter finds that you are enjoying spring and seeing some wonderful blooms on your spring orchids.

We are getting ready for a great vacation. It has been planned for years. We will be touring Italy and can't wait. Friends have been giving us all kinds of interesting tid bits on what to do and where to go. We'll tell you more next month.

In the meantime you will notice we have had a change in the store. One of our growers has not been reliable and several customers have not received their orchids on time. I have stopped using this particular grower because of this. I need to have reliability.

More to come on this next month.

Don't forget our e-book, Mastering Orchids for those who want to learn more about orchids and have the best looking orchids around.

Keep Up To Date with our Blog - Orchid Plants Blog: http://orchidplantsblog.wordpress.com/

I will generally post a 2 - 3 times a weeks.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT>>>>>>>>>>

Remember, our Free FedEx shipment continues at no additional cost will be incurred by our customers.

Bob

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INDEX:
1: Orchid Specials this month
2: Black Orchids
3: Special Orchid Pics


Specials of the Month

Sidirea Japonica

Or copy and paste
http://orchid-store.orchids-plus-more.com/sidereajaponicaA.html

This is a great orchid, simple, fragrant and easy to grow and only $49.95 with free 2 day FedEx


Tip of the Month

The Elusive Black Orchid

blackorchid

Do they really exist? Where is the black orchid? These questions and others have on orchid hobbyists minds for centuries. Orchid growers and hobbyists have been trying to grow this orchid for a very long time. They have tried many different orchid plants and hybrid varieties to get to this orchid. There seems to have been a fascination for black anything. You have people striving for black gladiolus, black canna- lillies and yes even black corn. (I'm not sure if they ever got the black corn.) There are many other references to "black orchid" in detective mysteries, in names of clubs and restaurants as well as on the stage. In fact, go on to Amazon and look at the book "Black Orchid" by Dave McKean. As far as I can judge from the reviews growers were close but still didn't accomplish what their goal was. Some of the orchids that do come close include the Laelicattleya Lc Mem. Robert Strait "Blue Hawaii" which has a black lip. The Vanda David Gardner #1 has purplish areas under black speckles. There is a black tongued orchid, the Epigeneium amplum. Another example is the Liparis nervosa, a Japanese version of this orchid plant but when you look at it you can seen it is not really black. There are still a lot of misconceptions about orchids. Some of the myths that still persist include that orchids are difficult to grow. This can't be further from the truth. In fact today orchids like the phalaenopsis or cattleyas are very easy to grow. Another misconception is that all orchids need to grow in a greenhouse. Once again, some of the best places for orchid plants is in the home where there is bright light. Some of the orchids do well near a West facing window. It seems that all the hard work by hybridization specialists still have been alluded them and the orchid has not really been developed. It remains a hope for any grower or hobbyist to get the crown that says, "I did it".


Picture of the Month

Pictures of the Miami Orchid Show

Or copy and paste this into your browser
http://www.orchids-plus-more.com/picture_of_the_month.html What a great way to wake up to spring.

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