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VOL. 61 No. 3 Our 61

st Year March, 2013

IOS Meetings and Show Dates

Generally, meetings at CBG follow the following schedule: • 11:00 a.m. Meet & Greet • 11:30 a.m. Mentors meeting • 12:30 p.m. Judging starts • 12:30 p.m. Monthly workshop • Short Business Meeting • 1:15 p.m. approx., Speaker begins • Schedule is subject to change as needed. • Please note: There is to be no recording or

videotaping of our meetings or guest speakers without the express written approval by the Illinois Orchid Society.

• March 10th, Chicago Botanic Gardens • Board Meeting: 9:30 am • Workshop: Anne Nies, ‘Developments in IOS

Technology’ • Speaker: Rob Halgren, from Littlefrog Farm will

talk about creating mini-ecosystems in terrariums including miniature orchids and Poison Dart Frogs

• April 1st

, Essays due for 2013 Essay contest • No Foolin!

• Send Essays to IOSOCeditor@gmail.com

• April 6th

– 7th, Chicago Botanic Gardens • Our 2013 Spring Show!

• See website for details: www.iosoc.com • May 5th, Chicago Botanic Gardens • Workshop: Beth Engle, Mounting Orchids • Speaker: Alex Challis of New World Orchids will

speak on Blue Orchids

• Elections for officers and directors for July 1st,

2013 – June 30th, 2014

• June 9th, Natt’s Orchids • Winners of annual growers contest are

announced • Winners of essay contest to be announced.

Orchid Events

• March 9

th – 17

th Chicago Flower and Garden

Show • Navy Pier, Chicago • http://www.chicagoflower.com

President’s Message

Victor Lentini, IOS President

La La Lala La Laa….Singing along with the orchids. As some of you may know, I love music and have spent my entire life immersing myself in it. Professionally I have spent the last 30 years in music entertainment. I’m grateful to have made a career supporting the art and artists. Music brings joy, sadness, love, anger, wonder and puts anything in question. Whether it’s pouring your love in lyrics or a single violin that captures heartbreak in polyphony. Emotions run the gamut in music much like our orchids give us joy, happiness and heartbreak. So I thought about music in orchids or music about orchids or bands named with orchids in mind. I thought I’d share some of my new found gems that are orchid related. There were few I’ve actually heard. Many great tracks I’ve discovered while doing this little research project. Most of my discoveries were simple search in Spotify. If you know little or never heard of Spotify, let me bring you into the digital age. Spotify was started by Swede Daniel Ek in 2008. I use a pay version which is $9.99 per month and allows higher quality, no commercials, access via mobile devices, such as smart phones (iPhone, Android) and unlimited listening. A free version is available but, you are limited on time and has commercials among others obstacles but it is great to try and use regardless. Either scenario requires internet access or streaming data via cellular. There are other online streaming services such as Slacker, iHeartRadio and Pandora to name a few. Within the Spotify platform you can search via artist, song and in my case keyword. I decided to see what I could find using the word Orchid. (a big evil smiley face, Grinch style). Here are the Top 10 Orchid tracks I settled on of about 60 that came up in my search. I’ve selected these based on the criteria of lyric, arrangement and diversity of style. The overall tracks found are instrumental, and the word Orchid was used in many remixes.

Orchid Opus

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Rank – Artist – Song: #10 Du Cong – Orchid. (instrumental) I selected this because it has the typical Japanese style. Relaxing, Zen. #9 US Air Force Airmen Of Note* – Dark Orchid. This is totally a throwback. Dark Orchid could have been done by Lalo Schifrin and been a TV Show theme song of the 70’s from a Quinn Martin production. *The US Air Force Airmen of Note is the premier jazz ensemble of the United States Air Force. Originally the group was created in 1950 to carry on the tradition of Major Glenn Miller’s Army Air Corps dance band. #8 Rudy Vallee – Orchid In The Moonlight. C’mon, it’s Rudy Vallee! With lyrics like: When orchids fade in the dawning, They speak of tears and “goodbye!” Tho’ my dreams are shattered Like petals scattered, Still my love can never die #7 Carl Smith – This Orchid Means Goodbye. This is one of two songs I’m aware of that Carl recorded about orchids. I don’t know if he had a passion for or just a coincidence. Both are love songs of sort. This one seems to more about a broken affair. #6 Headphonics – Orchid (instrumental). This has a 70’s feel with flange guitar, big horns and porno style funk. Yeah, I said porno style. Think John Homes and Marilyn Chambers. #5 King Orchid – Monarch (instrumental). This one is selected because the name of the band. King Orchid are self proclaimed experimental folk. It’s worthy. How can you deny the King? #4 Orchid Highway – Opiate. This alternative Canadian 5 piece band last performed in 2012 and has a 60’s style psychedelic garage rock approach. #3 Orchid-Star - Dans La. Released in 2005, Dans La is a direct page out of Cirque Du Soleil scores and arrangements. It could have fit in many Cirque shows. Orchid-Star is

electronic world music with 20th century classical

music. I think all will enjoy this track. #2 Gravity Kills – Guilty (Orchid Sky Remix) Guilty was an alternative hit back in 1996. GK from St. Louis leans largely on keyboards and synthesizers as industrial trance/dance rock outfit. This remix is big on energy to make any Vanda grow! #1 Mikey Gilley - I Overlooked an Orchid *This is a 1974 single written by Carl Smith, Carl Story, and Shirly Lyn and recorded by Mickey Gilley. I Overlooked an Orchid would be Mickey Gilley's second country hit and second number one on the country chart. The single would stay at number one for a single week and spend a total of fourteen weeks on the country chart. It was a #1 charting record and deserves to be here too. Again, we see Carl Smith talking orchids. Here the lyrics not only draw a comparison to a lovely woman with an orchid but also places the Orchid in higher stature than a rose! (again, a big evil smiley face, Grinch style). The orchid is a flower that blooms so tenderly To thrill the fairest lady of the land If placed beside a blushing rose the rose cannot compare But how was such as I to understand I overlooked an orchid while searching for a rose The orchid that I overlooked was you The rose that I was searching for has proved to be untrue The orchid now I find my dear was you The rose has lost it's color but the orchid is the same And I'm alone to face these lonely years I didn't see the orchid I was looking for a rose And now I pay the price with bitter tears Cause I overlooked an orchid... This playlist can be heard on Spotify from the link on our Facebook page. www.facebook.com/IllinoisOrchidSociety *info from Wikipedia

Cheers,

~ Victor

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View from the Speaker’s Chair

Anne Puvalowski, 1st Vice President and Program Chairperson

Before getting into all of the fun we’re going to have in March, let me just throw a shout out to the key players from February’s meeting that made it so amazing! ‘Barrysta’ Lubin and Loren Pollock rocked the hospitality with amazing handcrafted coffee service. For those of you who don’t know, Barry roasts the beans himself! That’s true dedication to coffee passion, and we are lucky enough to benefit from it. Loren then carried on the fun with seedling potting. What orchid lover can resist the fun of taking home an orchid baby? Hopefully yours is still alive! Mine is not well. See names and culture details later in the newsletter. Kudos to all of you who brought snacks for the hospitality table – our last few months have been fantastic and I’m so grateful for those of you who participate in this way! Often your Board members show up early on Sunday morning for our Board meeting and then rush right into the Member meeting with no opportunity to eat anything until late afternoon, so additions to the snack table are very welcome. Adding an unusual twist to our vendor sale table, Mike Singley from Big Grow Hydroponics brought some products that are very useful to orchid growers and generously contributed some desirable items to our raffle. If he ran out of anything you were looking for, please find him at www.biggrowhydro.com. And if you want to see him at our Spring Show, please let him know. Speaking of the raffle table, a big thank you goes out to Chalet Nursery for their generous support in donating plants, and to Victor for facilitating the transaction! We couldn’t do what we do without our generous supporters and your raffle ticket purchases as well. What about our newest junior member? I don’t know for sure, but he may have doubled the size of his collection in just one day with his raffle wins! And last but certainly not least, my gratitude goes to Anne Nies who not only agreed to share her scientific look at orchids, but pulled it together on short notice due to a scheduling conflict. I learned so many things, which amazes me since I have been growing orchids for nearly 2 decades. Did you know that the main reason we rot roots is because vellum (the white coating over the roots) lets water in but doesn’t let water out? So it just keeps on absorbing water until it self-destructs. Talk about a drinking problem! She also talked about orchid seeds and how they differ from “normal” plant seeds. Orchids are monocots, and they lack the endosperm, cotyledons and root initials that most other seeds contain. The embryo only takes up 5 to 10% of the space within the seed, with most of the remainder made up of lipids and proteins. In the wild, orchid seeds also need to be infected by an appropriate mycorrhizal fungus to germinate. But which one is appropriate? Not always sure. Anne is studying a native Illinois orchid population as part of her research. Stay tuned. Hopefully she will share again with us before she completes her Master’s program. Good luck Anne! Looking forward to this month it will be a little bit of Déjà vu all over again, as Anne Nies will once more be on stage, but this time she will be hosting our workshop in her Board capacity of Technology Director. Anne will give us an overview of some of the newer technologies she is using to help move your IOS into the 21

st century.

Anne will be followed by our featured speaker, Rob Halgren of Little Frog Farms. At my request, Rob is revisiting a presentation he gave when I was a member of the Ann Arbor Orchid Society a few years ago. His topic: Little Frogs and Little Plants. He will be speaking on how to build your own terrarium-enclosed “ecosystem,” complete with orchid minis, small plants, water features and frogs! One of the things I learned last time is that only a small percentage of “poison dart frogs” are actually poisonous, and they’re REALLY COOL! Rob may bring some frogs with him for purchase, and hopefully a selection of mini plants, including orchids, which are appropriate for building your own little world. His website, http://littlefrogfarm.com/, is under construction, so pre-ordering plants isn’t possible. If you are interested in pre-ordering frogs please go to http://www.joshsfrogs.com and pre-order by Wednesday, March 6

th. Rob doesn’t sell the frogs currently but he is happy to deliver them for you. I may have

finally found a way to get my boys interested in growing orchids… Here is a bit of background info from Rob: “I've been growing orchids for about 25 years. I started growing them seriously when I lived in Chicago, where I was an active member of the IOS. After moving back to Lansing, MI, I built a greenhouse and started the orchid business, mainly to feed the orchid addiction and to try and pay the (very substantial) heating bills. The name "Littlefrog Farm" comes not from raising frogs, at least originally, but from a little tree frog I found on the kitchen counter the night my first child was born. I haven't seen any frogs in the kitchen since, as far as I know. Some

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years later, after thousands of questions about the business name, I decided to look into raising poison dart frogs. Just like orchids, pretty soon you need to have all of them. For the last five years or so I have been focused on growing plants that are suitable for terrarium use, so everything is pesticide free and 'frog friendly'. We now raise a lot of small orchids, Bromeliads, Gesneriads, ferns, and other small tropical foliage plants, in addition to Paphiopedilum and Phragmipedium of all kinds. Another house later, and I've gone from growing in a large greenhouse to a large, heavily insulated pole barn, entirely under lights. To support our habit of buying the latest LED lighting technology, we now sell lighting products in addition to plants. I'm also a semi-professional orchid grower, and a certified judge in the Great Lakes Regional Judging Center (Ann Arbor, MI). I mainly specialize in Paphiopedilum and Phragmipedium, but I also grow species orchids from almost every major section and have developed quite a taste for Cycnoches.” IOS Nominating Committee News: And finally, as the de-facto head of the IOS Nominating Committee (that would be the committee convened by President Lentini to recommend nominees for open board positions) I offer you this short update: The Nominating Committee was selected by President Victor in accordance with our bylaws and consists of the following members:

• Vice President and Nominating Committee Chair Anne Puvalowski • Past President Barry Lubin • Past President Loren Pollock • 3

rd Vice President Diane Mulkerin

• Director Ron Payeur • Member Joel Edwards

We have identified a number of qualified candidates for the board. Now the Nominating Committee members are in the process of speaking with potentials about their interests and skills relative to the positions that are or will be open on June 30

th , the end of our fiscal year.

If you are interested in being considered for a board position please contact anyone on the committee and speak with them about your interests and abilities. In order to be considered, our bylaws specify that you must be a member for one year in advance of nomination, so that means you must have joined by May of 2012 to be considered this year. If the Committee nominates you, you must be willing to attend six board meetings per year (usually held at the CBG, beginning at 9:30 a.m. before our regular Membership meeting) and take on responsibility for certain duties assigned to your nominated position. You must also be willing to demonstrate an orchid-growing rain dance at our July meeting (kidding. Just wanted to make sure you are still awake.) The Committee plans to have our suggested slate ready for publication in the April newsletter in advance of our May meeting vote.

Ok, that wasn’t so short of an update. And this wasn’t that short of an article. Did your eyes glaze over or did you skip to the next article? Just in case, here’s a test: Anyone who doesn’t read my entire article will have their head shaved at the next meeting. (You get bonus points if you can tell me what movie that came from.)

Looking forward to seeing you all in March!

~ Anne

IOS potting mix can be IOS potting mix can be IOS potting mix can be IOS potting mix can be preordered for preordered for preordered for preordered for our general meetings…Please cour general meetings…Please cour general meetings…Please cour general meetings…Please contact Joe Dixler or ontact Joe Dixler or ontact Joe Dixler or ontact Joe Dixler or

Loren PolloLoren PolloLoren PolloLoren Pollock to ck to ck to ck to preorder for a preorder for a preorder for a preorder for a meeting. Cost per bag is $10.00meeting. Cost per bag is $10.00meeting. Cost per bag is $10.00meeting. Cost per bag is $10.00

�� If you left your umbrella behind at our last meeting please contact Anne Puvalowski for its return at the March meeting.

apuvalow@hotmail.com

��

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From February’s Seedling Sunday

Loren Pollock, IOS President Emeritus

A Little Culture During our Seedling Sunday, I promised some cultural information on the species that we potted. So, here you go. I shamelessly gathered this information from the internet – primarily from Jay Pfahl’s website (www.orchidspecies.com ) as well as various orchid forums, Wiki’s, etc. I encourage you to do the same (Google is your friend). Happy growing! Aerangis hyaloides Light: Bright shade Temp: Warm to hot Flowering Season: Winter Suggested potting method: It is epiphytic, and can be grown in a small pot or mounted. Other Information: Flowers are 1/3 to ¾ inches wide, and white. It likes to be kept moist. Spikes are slow to form. See http://www.orchidspecies.com/aerhyaloides.htm Chysis bractescens Light: Partial sun Temp: Intermediate to Hot (prefers warm/hot). Flowering Season: Spring Suggested potting method: Chysis bractescens is epiphytic, and is commonly grown in a pot or basket. Other Information: Flowers are waxy, 3 inches wide, and white with a yellow throat. It is fragrant. While in active growth, water the plant frequently, allowing it to dry slightly between waterings. During the winter months, when the plant is not actively growing, water less frequently. New growths will appear in the spring, and when the plant is of blooming size, inflorescences will appear around the same time as the new growths. Fertilize when in active growth. Withhold fertilize during the winter when it is not actively growing. See http://www.orchidspecies.com/chysisbractescens.htm Dendrobium polyanthum, aka Dendrobium cretaseum Light: Bright shade Temp: Intermediate (temperature tolerant) Flowering Season: Late Winter through spring Suggested potting method: This plant is an epiphyte, and can be grown in a pot or on a mount. Other Information: Dendrobium polyanthum is deciduous, and will lose its leaves on the old canes during its winter rest. The canes are pendant (though there are a number of photos on the internet showing the canes upright). Flowers appear opposite the leaf nodes of the leafless canes as well as those with leaves. Flowers are about 1.2 – 2 inches wide, white; with a slightly frilly lip that has slight red/purple markings in the throat. As the plant approaches winter, water and fertilizer should be held back – only watering occasionally. Begin watering and fertilizing when new growths appear, and continue to water and fertilize while the plant is in active growth. See http://www.orchidspecies.com/dencretaceum.htm

From the February meeting: Our own ‘coffee-makers’ Loren (C)

and Barry (R), and the coffee lovers Ken (L) and Victor (LC)

Photo by: Lois Cinert

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2012-2013 Show Season!

By Diane Mulkerin 3rd

V.P., Away Show Chair

Hello All, You did it! You came and you conquered! I want to send out a big thank you to everyone who came out to help set-up and tear-down at both the Madison and Batavia Shows. It was great to have so much help and to have so many wonderful plants in the displays. Our display in Batavia had 67 plants in it which is the most we’ve had in an away show for quite some time. Both displays came away with first place ribbons due in a large part to Anne Kotowski’s leadership in setting up the

displays and, it probably didn’t hurt to have Jerry Seidel’s amazing Paphiopedilum venustum ‘Bloomin’ Fool’ in both of them too☺ The last away show for this scoring season is March 2

nd-3

rd in Neenah Wisconsin. Hopefully

some of you will be able to make it to that show and if not, hopefully lots of your plants will make the trip. Look for highlights from that show in the next newsletter.

Cheers, ~ Diane

Setting up the IOS display at the Batavia Show

2013

Photo: Lois Cinert

Catasetum macrocarpum Grower: Suki Nax Photo: Lois Cinert

Masdevallia velifera

Grower: Joe and Rosalie Dixler Photo: Lois Cinert

Plant of the Month Dendrochilum wenzelii

Grower: Jane and Chuck High Photo: Lois Cinert

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We are Blue By Lois Cinert, Awards Committee Chairman

And that’s a good thing. We took Blue Ribbons for our displays at the Orchid Growers’ Guild show and at the Batavia Orchid Society Show. Those high awards are due to you, and your generosity in sharing your flowers with IOS and all the people who attended those shows. Thank you.

The centerpiece of both displays was Jerry Seidel’s Paphiopedilum venustum ‘Bloomin’ Fool’ HCC-CCM-AOS,

which can now add 4 more blue ribbons, two Best of Class, Best of Show, President’s Award, and a Special Paph Award to its resume. If you didn’t see it, you missed one of the most beautiful growing achievements we’ve seen in a long time. The orchids at our February meeting were spectacular, too – 90 of them, covered with beautiful flowers. Plants of the Month belong to Jane and Chuck High’s Dendrochilum wenzelii; and to Rosalie and Joe Dixler’s Coelogyne cristata. Well done to all for good growing. Thank you all for brining your plants for us to see. We still have our March meeting upcoming and our own show in April for those who show off in early spring. Please let us have the pleasure of seeing your beautiful flowers. We want you to be Blue, too. ~ Lois

Current Points for 2012-2013

Location Name Total Pts. Name

Total Pts. Name

Total Pts.

Greenhouse

Dixler, J & R 441 Lubin, Barry 125 White, D & P 95

Gamson, Ed 2 Matchen, Rose 45

Golan, Sue 825 Rogerson, William 161

Windowsills /Lights

Barten, Patty 10 Legant, Tim 279 Plantinga, Janet 46

Bloome, Cathy 99 Lentini, Victor 136 Powell, Ellen 124

Brand, Laura 16 Luce-Kopesdy, R 163 Puvalowski, Anne 183

Cinert, Lois 35 Maloney, Sherry 179 Seidel, Jerry 622

Manuel, Alex 329

Edwards, Joel 546 Stastny, Jane 11

Engle, Beth 182 Strong, Lin 163

Goodman, Joan 93 Mulkerin, Diane 153 Tan, Allan 8

Hall, Julie 127 Nax, Suki 45 Tirzmalis, Sue 20

Hampton, Renee 1 Nelson, Bil 340 Titterton, George 118

High, C & J 1058 Nelson, Synda 319 Tomaszewski, Larry 197

Hodgkins, David 122 Nies, Ann 25 Tribble, Allison 37

Johnson, Carolyn 16 O'Rourke, Kevin 16 Vrabel, Ken 233

Jost, Peter 17 Obayashi, Derek 35 Wallace, Dottie 30

Kotowski, Anne 101 Ortega, Norine 5 Wheatley, Wade 10

Larsson, Gregor 102 Perry, Kay 393 Younghale, B & H 60

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Membership Renewals

By George Titterton

MEMBERSHIP DUES RENEWAL NOTICE!!!! ANOTHER REMINDER!! If you are part of the procrastinator club, please do your share now. Mail in your renewals, please! Please welcome our newest member, Kathy McKinney. Kathy was at the Hausermann’s Open House Event and met fellow member Julie Hall. Julie had all sorts of helpful tips and Kathy decided to join the IOS gang. Thank you to all the members who have sent me their renewal dues. Your efforts are greatly appreciated. It’s been a huge help to me being able to do this work from home and not at the meetings. The January meeting was incredibly interesting and informative. Plenty of new members came to see what we do at a monthly meeting. The members’ plants were outstanding, and our featured lecturer was fantastic.

The February meeting was a great time to meet mix and mingle with new and old members. Once again it was a stellar meeting to see so many amazing specimens. Not to mention taste all the different types of coffee. Thanks to Barry Lubin and Loren Pollock for their talents at brewing the perfect cup of coffee. Please note that there are different levels of membership: $25 for regular membership, $50 for Bronze membership, $75 for Silver membership, and $100 for Gold membership. Consider giving a friend a membership as a gift. Bring someone to a meeting so they can experience an Illinois Orchid Society meeting. Just seeing the selection of plants every month is exciting. They just might be inspired to join us in our passion for growing these tricky little buggers... Well, mine are buggers!! Yours may be not so much!! My address is: George Titterton 1068 West Catalpa, K3 Chicago, IL 60640 Please mail me your renewals. Thanks in advance.

Thanks all,

~ George

Madison Show Display Photo: Lois Cinert

Paphiopedilum ‘Lunacy’ Grower: Sue Golan Photo: Lois Cinert

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Home Show Report

By Rose Matchen, Home Show Chair

What a crazy month February was! March is supposed to come in like a lion, out like a lamb; lets hope so because a week later is our annual spring show! Have you made it to the last two monthly meetings? In January Jason Fischer, our guest presenter from Orchids Unlimited told us about the success they’ve had with Phragmipedium using an ebb flow system. He recommended inexpensive ways to set one up. My Phragmipedium are in plastic nursery type trays, I started by filling them with as much water as they could hold, an hour later just siphoning it back into the rain barrels that sit under the benches. It didn’t take but a couple of weeks before the leaves started stiffening up on the plants! February brought us Mike from Big Grow Hydroponics, just in time to make it easier on me! I already had reservoirs (the rain barrels under the bench), a spare pump from when we had fish tanks and an extra timer, all I needed was a large heavy duty tray to hold my Phragmipedium, the fittings, an air pump and I had an ebb flow system ready to go! As addicting as the orchids are, I found my imagination running with what else would do better with an ebb flow system. I now look at plastic containers much differently than I use to! March ….. The countdown begins - St. Patrick’s Day, Easter and the first weekend in April - OUR SHOW! Are you getting the plants primed and ready? NEW MEMBERS there is a special award for BEST BLOOM by a NEW 2013 IOS MEMBER! Did you sign up for a display? Did you sign up to volunteer? Both these areas result in successful

shows, so please be a part of another wonderful show! Display applications & the volunteer sign up are available at our website, www.iosoc.com . Click shows and events, on the left hand side you will see choices for display applications and volunteer sign up. Click, fill out the form and hit submit, it’s that simple! Have you had problems in the past? We, the board members, will have 2-3 laptops available at the next meeting so we can show you how and do it right there on the spot! Set up on Thursday is pretty well covered; Friday is in need of members to help unload our guests. Friday’s hours are from 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.; the busiest times have been 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Saturday help will be needed clerking at judging starting at 7:30 a. m. Help at the plants sales tables, repotting, membership, raffle & hospitality (in the room and donations) starting at about 9:30 a.m. Our show opens at 10:00 am, and our guest will be eager to go! Sunday - plant sales, repotting, membership, raffle, and hospitality need help again. At 4:00 p.m. we begin show teardown & helping vendors load up, and get home. Any help you can offer is appreciated and fun for you as well! ~ Rose

Holcoglossum wangii Grower: Synda Nelson

Photo: Lois Cinert

Dendrobium ‘Holy Night’ Grower: Kay Perry Photo: Lois Cinert

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Plant Sales

By Ellen Powell, Plant Sales Coordinator

Remember the Bird Man of Aurora? This is the man who had over 350 birds (mainly parakeets) flying inside his house. The Bird Police confiscated the birds and arrested the man. As a result of the arrest the man has had to undergo Bird Addiction Therapy, probably pay a fine and may even serve jail time. The birds, having been quarantined 30 days, are now being sold for upwards of $100. The poor man was allowed to keep 10. I suppose you are all wondering (or maybe you aren't) how this applies to orchids. Anyone have an addiction to orchids? I qualify. (At least orchids don't fly or do they, Joe? We know orchids are amazing.) Bring your surplus orchids to meetings BEFORE the Orchid Police arrest you and you have to forfeit

all but 10 of your orchids to the Orchid Police, undergo Orchid Addiction Therapy, possibly pay a fine and serve time (serving time might be mandated volunteer work with the Society). Much better the Orchid Society reap the rewards of selling those beauties than the Orchid Police ‘WANTED’ poster. Since everyone is going to be bringing in their orchids to avoid the Orchid Police, I will need some help selling those orchids at meetings and shows. The position is not difficult. I will be more than willing to teach people. Look me up at the March meeting.

~ Ellen

IOS Essay Contest 2013….Tick Tock, Tick Tock

By Beth Engle, Assistant Secretary, Orchid Opus Editor The clock is ticking, and the sands are slowly running out of the glass. The countdown has begun. As I write this, there is a little less than 1 month to go before the deadline is reached for our Essay contest. But, you do still have time to put pixels to the internet, and send me your essay. When you think of your orchid collection what do you think of? The collection as a whole, or specific plants in particular? What do you aspire for your collection? What does your collection mean to you. The live plants vs. those that have succumbed to the big compost heap? Give it a little thought, and get to typing… the rest of us are anxious to hear about YOUR collection! Here are the ‘rules of engagement’ for the contest:

• Topic of the Essay: My Orchid collection is…

• The essay must be an original, unpublished essay (prose only).

• The contest is open to all persons.

• Due date for all submissions is by 4/1/2013 11:50 p.m.

• No submissions will be accepted later than 4/1/2013 11:51 p.m.

• Submissions must be a minimum of 500 words, and no more than 5,000 words, in length.

• Manuscripts must be submitted in English, in a Microsoft Word format, and must be e-mailed to iosoceditor@gmail.com

• Submissions will be judged without knowledge of the identity of the author. The decisions of the judges’ are final.

• Artwork is not necessary for entering this competition, but will be published with winning essay, if possible.

• Published entries will not be eligible for consideration in subsequent contests.

• Winners will be announced at the June 2013 meeting.

• Winning essays to be published in subsequent editions of the IOS ‘Orchid Opus’.

• Winners will be paid via check after the June meeting:

o 1st Place: $50.00

o 2nd

Place: $25.00 o 3

rd Place: $25.00

Good Luck! ~ Beth

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HELP WANTED

The IOS needs your skills! We are looking for interested parties to help in the following positions which will vary on time demands. Please contact the indicated board member for more info or to volunteer. Children's Table Supervisor/Assistant Person(s) needed to interact with the kids, hand out supplies, etc. during show hours. The IOS furnishes supplies. If you enjoy working with children and seeing how creative they can be, this is for you! Contact Kathy Garness: 708-366-7584 or kmgfinearts@comcast.net. Hospitality Co-Chair / Assistants A chairperson and assistants are needed to accept and organize donations, set up and man the hospitality room to feed judges and volunteers during our shows, 2 weekends a year. Contact Joni Kurtenbach: denjck@gmail.com. Librarian Compile list of books available for the general membership, keep it updated. Bring or pick up books at meetings, keep track of who checked out what material, etc. Contact Victor Lentini: 773-763-6363 or f1orchid@me.com

Membership Committee Assist with development and expansion of the IOS membership. Computer skills required Contact Victor Lentini: 773-763-6363 or f1orchid@me.com Public Relations Do you have knowledge, experience and contacts on how to promote our shows and obtain sponsors in this ever changing world of advertising? We need you! Contact Victor Lentini: 773-763-6363 or f1orchid@me.com Show co-chair / assistant Learn the ins and outs of running an orchid show by assisting the show chair through various tasks before and during the show. Contact Rose Matchen: 847-587-6525 or goldrosey@att.net Ways and Means Committee Help plan and support the Society’s fundraising activities. Contact Anne Nies: 630-595-1891 or anneknies@me.com

Plant of the month Coelogyne cristata

Grower: Joe and Rosalie Dixler

Photo: Lois Cinert

Dendrobium ‘Red Prince’ Grower: Becky Luce-Kopesdy

Photo: Lois Cinert

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From the American Orchid Society

Monthly Checklist for March and April Cattleya Although March is, in many parts of the country, still a cold and blustery month, the lengthening days and warmer temperatures allowed by increased light are long-awaited harbingers of the coming change of season. Some of the best standard Cattleya of the year will be in bloom, or will be blooming soon. The last of the winter-flowering hybrids will join the earliest of the spring hybrids in a wonderful display. Be on the alert for senescing sheaths that need removal. If these yellowing sheaths are not removed, the moisture they trap can lead to bud rot. Careful removal of the sheath will allow the buds to develop, although they will need additional support. Changing light conditions can also be a problem in March and April. An exceptionally bright day, especially immediately following a rain, can lead to sunburn of the foliage if shading is not attended to properly. There can still be periods of dull days where spikes can weakened owing to the lower light. Lengthening days will mean increased metabolic rates necessitating increased water and fertilizer. The plants will indicate needs by drying more rapidly, which means more frequent watering and fertilizing.

With the passing of the season for winter flowers, and the beginning of the season for spring bloom, it is also the time to be on the lookout for plants that will need potting after they bloom. Immediately after flowering has proven to be the best time to repot winter- and spring-flowering Cattleya. In most cases, they will be ready to grow roots, so if potted at this time, they will root right into fresh mix with little or no setback.

Cymbidium Magic Mountain photographed at Longwood Gardens in early April. © G. Allikas

Cymbidium Plants should be putting on a spectacular show this time of year. Adjust all staking and twist-ties and be on the lookout for aphids, slugs and snails. Give adequate water because flowering strains the plants. As new growths appear later, increase the nitrogen level in the fertilizer. Should a plant look healthy but not be blooming, try increasing the light during the next growing season. The number-one reason for no flowers is lack of light. Dendrobium (Australian) These hard-cane Dendrobium will be at their flowering peak now. It is not unusual to see a specimen of this type in an orchid show boasting 1,000 flowers. The secret with this group -- bred primarily from Dendrobium kingianum and Dendrobium speciosum -- is to provide ample water, fertilizer and light during the growing season. Lycaste This genus of superb orchids will be coming to the end of its flowering season. Soon you will see the beginning of new root growth, which is an excellent time to repot into fresh media. As new growth emerges, provide ample fertilizer and water. A sign of good culture is an increase in the size of psuedobulbs with each successive year. Miltoniopsis This marks the beginning of the flowering season. Amazing displays of color will dazzle the grower over the next few months. Prepare your plants for optimum display by staking spikes (if needed) and cleaning off the older yellow foliage. Do not miss the wonderful fragrance as the flowers unfold.

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Miltoniopsis Martin Orenstein shows off a beautiful waterfall pattern on its labellum. Photographed at Longwood Gardens in early April. © G. Allikas

Paphiopedilum March is the beginning of the season of heaviest potting for lady's-slipper orchids. However, it is a month where the volume of plants needing attention is still small. It is an excellent month to take the time to work with your Paphiopedilum before the pressure of other potting prevents your doing the thorough job you should. Look at each plant: Is it clean of dead and dying foliage? Is it weed free? Does it need potting? Is it in spike? Does it have an insect problem? Cleaning and restaging your Paphiopedilum is one of the most satisfying tasks of the orchid year. Cleaned and potted Paphiopedilum look happy.

The summer-blooming types will be showing the first of their buds in March and April. Be on the lookout for the buds, as well as any insect pests that may have found their way into the crowns of your plants. It is especially difficult to clean mealybugs, in particular, once they have become established in the plant. Better to get to them before they get a good toehold.

Increasing light levels should give emerging spikes the strength they need to grow straight and strong. Do not be too anxious to stake the spikes, because if they are staked too soon, the flowers may develop a "nodding" stance, where the dorsal will not stand upright. If the spikes seem to develop at an angle, let them, and stake after the flower has hardened for best carriage, especially on the hybrids with P. fairieanum background.

Phalaenopsis In most of the country, March is the peak blooming month for Phalaenopsis. Staking needs to be carefully attended to, so that the flowers will be displayed at their best for orchid shows and judging -- even those intended for your home will look best if properly staked. One of the most decorative aspects of Phalaenopsis spikes is the way they gracefully arch. If not staked properly, the spike will lack this grace and will not be as pleasing. Most growers like to have the final support just below the first flower, allowing maximum support, without sacrificing the beauty of the arching spike.

Rapid-growing spikes and open flowers place extra demands on the plant. Careful monitoring of watering and feeding will give the plants the energy they require to give their best floral display. Remember, too, that the lengthening days will also increase the frequency at which plants need water.

Beware of the invasion of sucking pests that accompany the flowering season. Flowers and spikes are favorite targets of mealybugs and scales. Be on the lookout for their presence, often indicated by the appearance of sooty mold resulting from the exudate of the bugs, and treat before flowers or buds are too advanced. If flowers and buds are too far along, the chemical treatment may damage or abort them.

Pleurothallids Members in this large and increasingly popular group will be looking their best now. If plants are not in flower, the next few months provide an excellent time to divide if needed or repot into fresh mix. Taking care of these tasks now will allow enough time for your plants to become established before the hot weather arrives.

Masdevallia Highland Monarch 'Free Spirit' AM/AOS photographed at Parkside Orchids. Ottsville, Pennsylvania © G. Allikas

Ned Nash and James Rose wrote this essay for the AOS Web site.

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Officers and Board Members

Officers (Terms of office are from July 1 until June 30):

President Victor Lentini 773-763-6363 f1orchid@me.com 1

st Vice President (Meetings/speakers) Anne Puvalowski 224-699-9021 apuvalow@hotmail.com

2nd

Vice President (Home Show Chair) Rose Matchen 847-587-6525 goldrosey@att.net 3

rd Vice President (Away show chair) Diane Mulkerin 312-742-2376 iosawaychair@gmail.com

Secretary (Recorder) Justine Bricheno 773-244-9488 justinebricheno@yahoo.com Asst. Secretary (Newsletter Editor) Beth Engle 815-886-4953 IOSOCeditor@gmail.com Treasurer (Collects/disburses monies) Timothy Legant 773-266-3432 thl@speakeasy.net Asst. Treasurer (Membership/ Dues) George Titterton 773-989-9044 getinteriors@juno.com Immediate Past President Loren Pollock 847-219-0718 b_rand@yahoo.com Board Members (Terms of office expire June 30 of the year shown):

Joe Dixler 2013 847-432-7708 jmd@dixler.net

Joan Goodman 2013 847-470-0469 joangoodman2002@yahoo.com

Ron Payeur 2014 574-247-1065 rpkpbp@earthlink.net

Open 2014

Katie Payeur 2015 574-247-1065 rpkpbp@earthlink.net

Ellen Powell 2015 847-249-2120 orchidlover5708@att.net

Kathleen Garness 2016 708-366-7584 kmgfinearts@comcast.net

Anne Nies (Technical Director) 2016 630-595-1891 anneknies@me.com

IOS Affiliations

http://www.orchidconservationcoalition.org

http://www.orchiddigest.com

http://www.aos.org

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