orchidz.com

History Of Cultivation:
Orchids as blooming plants are fast becoming one of this country's favorite houseplants. Such collectors and enthusiasts as Sandy Murphy, who has been dubbed by many in the Twin Cities area as the Orchid Lady, teach classes, offer culture sheets, show and sell them. Even decorating magazines are encouraging readers to give Orchids a try, as many varieties are among the easiest of all plants to grow. Orchids stand out, if for no other reason than they're among life's few luxuries that cost less than they did 40, 50, even up to 150 years ago. In Europe, whole fortunes were once spent on the exotic, showy plants. Orchids were most expensive during the Victorian era, when every English estate had a collection and owners sent collectors to the wilds of places like South America to find them. In the 1860's growers began to hybridize orchids, making the jungle hunts unnecessary. But it wasn't until 1920 that one researcher figured out a way to create a sterile seedbed in a glass bottle from seaweed, sugar and starches from which to grow the Orchid seeds that can be as small as a grain of face powder. This was the hallmark that made orchids available to everyone.

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Orchid plant Lists:
Phalaenopsis Goldberry and its crosses Phalaenopsis Goldberry (P. Misty Green x P. Golden Amboin) was bred by the late Herb Hager and registered in 1990. We have bloomed most of a flat of 100 seedlings of P. Via Buena Firebrand and P. Goldberry, and were astonished at the rate of sturdy growth and fine quality of the average bloom. Some bloomed a deep cinnamon, others peach (colors of a ripe peach) golden yellow with a central coloring of an Arizona sunset. All the flowers had stiff waxy blooms and were round and flat. At the Spring show in Chicago I purchased the finest golden yellow I had ever seen; plenty of blooms, well spaced and presented, they were 3+ inches across. The plant was in bloom from February to early August. It was a Phalaenopsis Goldberry cross. We have a fine assortment of Phalaenopsis Goldberry crosses listed here for your enjoyment!   Phalaenopsis Goldberry is too new to be well known, yet it certainly is part of the new cutting edge of hybrid breeding for all of the art shades.

Phalaenopsis Goldberry crosses ($25.00-$75.00)

4446 P. Goldberry 'Carmela' AM/AOS x. (P. Happy Stripes x P. Lucky Stripes)
Large yellows with red stripes. Expect some art shades too.

4619 Dpts. Autumn Leaves 'Hawaii' x P. Goldberry 'Carmela' AM/AOS
Rich yellow with red spots. Heavy substance.
4628 P. Goldberry 'Freckles' x P. Neon Spots 'Celestrial Spots'
3 inch yellowish flowers with red spots. Excellent substance.

4629 P. (Spanish Rose x P. Yasuji Takasaki) x P. Goldberry 'Carmela' AM/AOS
High expectation for this intensely colored art-shade cross, many to approach red tones.

4647 P. Goldberry 'Carmela' AM/AOS x P. Brother Carol 'Mutant'
Yellows to oranges with red spots and barring. Heavy substance.

4700 P. Brother Lawrence 'Carmela' x P. Goldberry 'Carmela' AM/AOS
Both parents are excellent yellows. Expect very good yellows.

4775 P. Goldberry 'Carmela' AM/AOS x P. Goldberry 'Freckles'
Deep yellows with heavy dark spots. Very good substance.

4800 P Mitusko Takasaki 'Ruby' x P Goldberry 'Freckles'
Breeding for oranges to art shades. Large 3 1/2 inch flowers. Good shape and substance.

Other Phalaenopsis crosses with great expectations. ($25.00 to $75.00)

4373 P. Dawn Trader 'Hawaii' x P Cassandra 'Sugar'
Intriguing cross of two delightful multiflora whites, perhaps some with yellow lips.

4651 (P. Paifang's Queen x P. Brother Ann) x P. Brother Carol 'King'
Oranges to reds with heavy red spots. Novelty type breeding.

4668 P. Embers 'Carmela' x Brother Carol 'King'
A chance for reds. Heavy substance.

Many other Phalaenopsis crosses are available - multifloral and standard types (we will issue an expanded list of Phalaenopsis soon), art shades, white, white and pink, white with red lip, yellow and stripes.

Other genera:
Oncidiums

We are especially fond of the dramatic and frequently richly colored 'mule-ear' types, the blooms are fairly large. When a 'mule-ear' Oncidium is quite mature having bloomed for 2 or 3 years the blooms are usually produced on many stems and can number in the 100's. Last Spring we bloomed an Oncidium Florida Gold (our own remake) which had yard long branched stems and 247 blooms. It certainly was a Gorgeous sight! The plant had grown from a tiny seedling to a large plant in 8 years.

Oncidium Maui Gold 'Waldor' (a meristem). Large enough to bloom in the spring of 1998. The blooms are gorgeous and large on a stout branching spray. The colors are lustrous deep chocolate brown sepals and petals, with a large (silver dollar size) brilliant lip. ($50.00)

Oncidium Ann McCue x Onc. Hampshire Shield. Another 'mule ear' type. Moderate leaves (not huge) with spectacular red and yellow flowers on long sprays. ($30.00)

Paphiopedilum
Paph. Holdenii x Paph. Almenii. Viniis and coloratum ($25.00 to 50.00)

Cymbidiums
Species, hybrids and fine meristems; miniatures and standards. The Cymbidiums we have are all productive with show quality blooms and are strong growers. We are very picky about choosing what Cymbidiums we will grow, they must be good reliable producers of quality flowers.

Cattleya group
We have a very fine and unusual group of Cattlya types; Blue, yellow, purple, white, orange, lilac, cinnabar red, red white with purple lip and green. Many of the plants are awarded, many others are of award quality. Most are in limited supply so we must take reservations for divisions. We will be issuing a list of Cattleya types soon.

General conditions
All of our offerings are in limited quantity. Plants are available, subject to prior sale, true to name and in healthy condition when sold. We accept all major credit cards. If you are unable to visit us, we welcome your telephone order. (612) 522-3316, Fax (612)522-3317 If you are out of the Twin City area 1-800- FLORAL-8 (1-800 356-7258).

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