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Almost
Almost but an orchid in the grocery store....yeah, yeah, I know. BUT I was so taken by it. It was a cynbidium and I know nothing of them but the darn thing was at least 4 ft. tall and was $20 and had great flowers. Should I have gotten it?
Sharing Orchids
The extract below is copied and I decided to share this with all orchid lovers. This is quite important in the world of orchids...thier life depends on mankind...this would be the species orchids, not the ones that are cloned and bought in a store.
I copied this from a forum I visit quite a bit. I feel it's contents are beneficial and helpful in adding another reason to the cause of preserving our natural forests.
Why should we strive to conserve our natural forests you ask? This is but one reason of thousands..
Fungi-filled forests are critical for endangered orchids
Older forests with just the right fungi may be secret to saving
vulnerable plants. Smithsonian researchers recently revealed
that an orchid’s fate hinges on two factors: A forest's age and its
fungi.
When it comes to conserving the world's orchids, not all forests are
equal. In a paper to be published Jan. 25 in the journal Molecular
Ecology, Smithsonian ecologists revealed that an orchid's fate hinges on
two factors: a forest's age and its fungi.
Roughly 10 percent of all plant species are orchids, making them the
largest plant family on Earth. But habitat loss has rendered many
threatened or endangered. This is partly due to their intimate
relationship with the soil.
Orchids depend entirely on microscopic fungi in the early stages of
their lives. Without the nutrients orchids obtain by digesting these
host fungi, their seeds often will not germinate and baby orchids will
not grow. While researchers have known about the orchid–fungus
relationship for years, very little is known about what the fungi need
to survive.
Biologists based at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
launched the first study to find out what helps the fungi flourish and
what that means for orchids. Led by Melissa McCormick, the researchers
looked at three orchid species, all endangered in one or more U.S. states.
After planting orchid seeds in dozens of experimental plots, they also
added particular host fungi needed by each orchid to half the plots.
Then they followed the fate of the orchids and fungi in six study sites:
three in younger forests (50 to 70 years old) and three in older forests
(120 to 150 years old).
After four years they discovered orchid seeds germinated only where the
fungi they needed were abundant—not merely present.
In the case of one species, Liparis liliifolia (lily-leaved twayblade),
seeds germinated only in plots where the team had added fungi. This
suggests that this particular orchid could survive in many places, but
the fungi they need do not exist in most areas of the forest.
Meanwhile, the fungi displayed a strong preference for older forests.
Soil samples taken from older forest plots had host fungi that were five
to 12 times more abundant compared to younger forests, even where the
research team had not added them. They were more diverse as well. More
mature plots averaged 3.6 different Tulasnella fungi species per soil
sample (a group of fungi beneficial to these orchids), while the younger
ones averaged only 1.3.
Host fungi were also more abundant in plots where rotting wood was
added. These host fungi, which are primarily decomposers, may grow
better in places where decomposing wood or leaves are plentiful.
All this implies that to save endangered orchids, planting new forests
may not be enough. If the forests are not old enough or do not have
enough of the right fungi, lost orchids may take decades to return, if
they return at all.
"This study, for the first time, ties orchid performance firmly to the
abundance of their fungi," McCormick said. "It reveals the way to
determine what conditions host fungi need, so we can support recovery of
the fungi needed by threatened and endangered orchids."
The University of Alaska Fairbanks and Purdue University also
contributed to this study. The abstract will be available here:
view link
I copied this from a forum I visit quite a bit. I feel it's contents are beneficial and helpful in adding another reason to the cause of preserving our natural forests.
Why should we strive to conserve our natural forests you ask? This is but one reason of thousands..
Fungi-filled forests are critical for endangered orchids
Older forests with just the right fungi may be secret to saving
vulnerable plants. Smithsonian researchers recently revealed
that an orchid’s fate hinges on two factors: A forest's age and its
fungi.
When it comes to conserving the world's orchids, not all forests are
equal. In a paper to be published Jan. 25 in the journal Molecular
Ecology, Smithsonian ecologists revealed that an orchid's fate hinges on
two factors: a forest's age and its fungi.
Roughly 10 percent of all plant species are orchids, making them the
largest plant family on Earth. But habitat loss has rendered many
threatened or endangered. This is partly due to their intimate
relationship with the soil.
Orchids depend entirely on microscopic fungi in the early stages of
their lives. Without the nutrients orchids obtain by digesting these
host fungi, their seeds often will not germinate and baby orchids will
not grow. While researchers have known about the orchid–fungus
relationship for years, very little is known about what the fungi need
to survive.
Biologists based at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
launched the first study to find out what helps the fungi flourish and
what that means for orchids. Led by Melissa McCormick, the researchers
looked at three orchid species, all endangered in one or more U.S. states.
After planting orchid seeds in dozens of experimental plots, they also
added particular host fungi needed by each orchid to half the plots.
Then they followed the fate of the orchids and fungi in six study sites:
three in younger forests (50 to 70 years old) and three in older forests
(120 to 150 years old).
After four years they discovered orchid seeds germinated only where the
fungi they needed were abundant—not merely present.
In the case of one species, Liparis liliifolia (lily-leaved twayblade),
seeds germinated only in plots where the team had added fungi. This
suggests that this particular orchid could survive in many places, but
the fungi they need do not exist in most areas of the forest.
Meanwhile, the fungi displayed a strong preference for older forests.
Soil samples taken from older forest plots had host fungi that were five
to 12 times more abundant compared to younger forests, even where the
research team had not added them. They were more diverse as well. More
mature plots averaged 3.6 different Tulasnella fungi species per soil
sample (a group of fungi beneficial to these orchids), while the younger
ones averaged only 1.3.
Host fungi were also more abundant in plots where rotting wood was
added. These host fungi, which are primarily decomposers, may grow
better in places where decomposing wood or leaves are plentiful.
All this implies that to save endangered orchids, planting new forests
may not be enough. If the forests are not old enough or do not have
enough of the right fungi, lost orchids may take decades to return, if
they return at all.
"This study, for the first time, ties orchid performance firmly to the
abundance of their fungi," McCormick said. "It reveals the way to
determine what conditions host fungi need, so we can support recovery of
the fungi needed by threatened and endangered orchids."
The University of Alaska Fairbanks and Purdue University also
contributed to this study. The abstract will be available here:
view link
orchids
i live in the northern california are 20 miles above sacramento. can orchids be grown inside and outside?
What are your growing conditions?
Please feel free to tell us about your growing conditions for your orchids?
Are you in the north, south, east , west of the USA and where do you grow your orchids? Inside, outside, green house, windowsills, florida room, etc.
How are you with fertilizing, watering, lighting, temperatures,
I would like to get some activitiy in the group, please respond when you can...
Are you in the north, south, east , west of the USA and where do you grow your orchids? Inside, outside, green house, windowsills, florida room, etc.
How are you with fertilizing, watering, lighting, temperatures,
I would like to get some activitiy in the group, please respond when you can...
Hoping Santa will bring a new Orchid
I hope Santa remembers that I still want orchids even thought they have been on the back burner for months.. just a few in bloom and the rest are in their winter mode. So a new orchid to brighten up the room would be thoughtful;
Are you hoping for a new orchid from Santa ?
Are you hoping for a new orchid from Santa ?
Link to American Orchid Society
The American orchid society is one of the top orchid sites in the USA... they have many topics and places for general information and more.
I have provided a link for you all to take a look around, see if there is any information that might help you in growing your orchids. Do not forget to post your questions here too....
view link
Maryann
I have provided a link for you all to take a look around, see if there is any information that might help you in growing your orchids. Do not forget to post your questions here too....
view link
Maryann
Photos added
Just added some photos of my growing conditions for the winter..... if you would like to share, add some to this in our group photo area on eons....
thanks
thanks
Colder temperatures...
On the east coast here, the temps will be dipping into the the mid 40"s tonight, I just want to let you know that these temps are probably a bit too chilly for extended use, but if you can take a day or two, then these will set your buds on some phalenopsis and other orchids..... Be careful to check the temps before going to bed if you orchids are outside or in a greenhouse.... Keep the temps no lower than 55.....and the heater temperature ever ready.... I will be bringing mine in as I have cleaned them up and repotted most of them for the long winter season...
