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RHS Orchid AwardsClare and Johan hermans describe the best plants submitted to the RHS Orchid Committee for judging

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Cypripedium Gabriela ‘Garden Orchid’, Award of Merit

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RHS AwardsJune 2013 During an RHS Orchid Committee study visit to Holland in the Netherlands, the Committee visited three orchid nurseries over two days. It assessed 23 selected plants for RHS Awards, as below. For a more detailed account of the visit to the nurseries see p215–219.

10 June 2013 The RHS Orchid Committee visited Anthura, Bleiswijk, the Netherlands. Three plants were exhibited; two Awards of Merit and one Award of Garden Merit were recommended.

Award of Meritn For Cypripedium Gabriela ‘Garden Orchid’ 1 and 2 exhibited by Anthura, Bleiswijk, the Netherlands. Votes were nine in favour, three against. The parents are Cypripedium fasciolatum and C. kentuckiense and the grex was registered in 2003 by Werner Frosch, Germany.

The Anthura nursery markets this grex under its Garden Orchids brand as Cypripedium Kentucky Maxi. The cultivar ‘Garden Orchid’ had a larger flower and was a superior colour form. Its flowers had a large, bright, lemon-yellow pouch, with fenestrations, and brown stripes

inside. The yellow sepals and petals had prominent red markings. The plant exhibited had two open flowers on 32cm- and 38cm-tall spikes. The overall flower size was 75 x 140mm. At its widest point he dorsal sepal measured 65 x 30mm.The synsepal was 60 x 30mm at its widest. The petals were twisted, tapering, and 80 x 15mm at their widest point. The pouch measured 50 x 45mm, and was 60mm deep. The staminode was bright yellow, with red spots at the edge, and was 20mm long.

Award of Garden Meritn For Cypripedium Gabriela 1 and 2 exhibited by Anthura, Bleiswijk, the Netherlands. Votes were ten in favour, two against. The Committee was able to observe healthy colonies of plants of this grex in the nursery exhibition garden, where they had been growing for the previous three years. The grex is widely available in the trade.

Award of Meritn For Cypripedium Philipp ‘Garden Orchid’ 3 and 4 exhibited by Anthura, Bleiswijk, the Netherlands. Votes were nine in favour, three against. The parents are Cypripedium macranthos and C. kentuckiense and the grex was registered in 1996 by Werner Frosch, Germany. Anthura markets this grex as Cypripedium Kentucky Pink. The cultivar ‘Garden Orchid’ was a darker-flowered form of the grex. Its petals and sepals were deep pink with red stripes, and the rose-pink pouch was white with red stripes inside. This grex has already been given an Award of Garden Merit by the Joint Rock Committee of the RHS.

The plant exhibited had four open flowers on spikes averaging 30cm tall. The overall flower size was 90 x 70mm. The dorsal sepal was 60 x 35mm, the synsepal 55 x 25mm. The petals were twisted, tapering, and 65 x 20mm at their widest point. The pouch measured 40 x 45mm, and 55mm deep. The staminode was yellow to pink, and 12mm long.

11 June 2013 The RHS Orchid Committee visited GreenBalanZ nursery, Kudelstaart, the Netherlands. Fourteen plants were exhibited; three Awards of Merit and two Awards of Garden Merit were recommended.

Award of Meritn For Phalaenopsis Maki Watanabe ‘GreenBalanZ’ 5 exhibited by GreenBalanZ, Kudelstaart, the Netherlands. Votes were unanimous. The parents are Phalaenopsis Romance Miki and P. Otohime. The grex was registered in 1991 by Takeo Watanabe, Japan. The cultivar ‘GreenBalanZ’ had excellent substance and shape. The petals and sepals were an attractive white suffused with mauve-pink. The white lip had yellow markings, with red stripes at the throat.

The plant exhibited had two 81cm flower spikes trained as an arch, with four open flowers and four buds on each. The overall flower size was 100 x 110mm. The dorsal sepal was 50 x 40mm. The lateral sepals were 50x 35mm. The petals were 70 x 50mm. The lip had a central callus which was yellow with red spots, and measured 35 x 30mm. The column was white, and 10mm long.

Award of Meritn For Phalaenopsis Sogo Manager ‘GreenBalanZ’ 6 exhibited by GreenBalanZ, Kudelstaart, the

Netherlands. Votes were nine in favour, three against. The parents are Phalaenopsis Brother Lawrence and P. Autumn Sun, and the grex was registered in 1997 by Sogo Orchids nursery, Taiwan. The cultivar ‘GreenBalanZ’ featured striking orange flowers with red stripes, and a contrasting pink lip and white anther cap.

The plant exhibited had two 62cm tall spikes with three open flowers and five buds on each. The overall flower size was 80 x 80mm. The dorsal sepal measured 40 x 30mm. Lateral sepals measured 42 x 30mm. 3 4

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Cypripedium Philipp ‘Garden Orchid’, Award of Merit

Cypripedium Gabriela, Award of Garden Merit

Cypripedium Philipp ‘Garden Orchid’,

Phalaenopsis Maki Watanabe ‘GreenBalanZ’, Award of Merit

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The petals were 40 x 40mm. The bright pink lip was yellow at the throat, with pink spots, and measured 20 x 20mm. The column was pink with a contrasting white anther cap, and measured 10mm long.

Award of Meritn For Phalaenopsis Taiwan Red Cat ‘GreenBalanZ’ 7 exhibited by Green-BalanZ, Kudelstaart, the Netherlands. Votes were eleven in favour, one against. The parents are Phalaenopsis Taiwan Smith and P. Kun-Cheng, and the grex was registered by Orchis Floriculturing, Taiwan, in 2006. The cultivar ‘GreenBalanZ’ had evenly- formed, central pink spots, and mauve lines and markings around the

edge of the flowers. The white and pink flowers had an excellent shape, and continued to grow larger as they opened fully.

The plant exhibited had two 65cm-tall spikes with five open flowers and eleven buds. The overall flower size was 90 x 100mm. The dorsal sepal measured 50 x 50mm. The lateral sepals were 50 x 35mm. The petals were 50 x 65mm. The lip was deep pink, with a mauve callus, and measured 35 x 25mm. The column was pink, and it measured 10mm long.

Award of Garden Meritn For Phalaenopsis Yellow Lightning 8 exhibited by GreenBalanZ,

Kudelstaart, the Netherlands. Votes were unanimous. The parents are P. Misty Green and P. Ambonosa, and the grex was registered in 1992 by Coqui Nurseries, Puerto Rico. The Award of Garden Merit was given because this grex is easy to grow, and very floriferous. Its attractive, bright-yellow flowers have red stripes and markings at their edges, and purple-red lips. Sometimes this grex is sold in the trade as Phalaenopsis Bee Sting.

The plant exhibited had two branching 50cm-tall spikes with four open flowers and eleven buds. The overall flower size measured 70 x 75mm. The dorsal sepal was 35 x 25mm. The lateral sepals measured 40 x 25mm. The petals were 35 x 30mm. The lip measured 25 x 15mm wide.

Award of Garden Meritn For Phalaenopsis Taida Sweet ‘Stripe Beauty’ 9 and 10 exhibited by GreenBalanZ, Kudelstaart, the Netherlands. Votes were unanimous. The parents are Phalaenopsis Sogo Genki and P. Little Gem Stripes, and the grex was registered by Taida Horticultural, Taiwan, in 2009. The flowers were medium in size, cream with bright pink stripes and markings, and the plant was a compact size. The grex, according to the owner, had a longer flowering season than usual. Sometimes this grex is sold in the trade as Phalaenopsis Pink BalanZ. It was exhibited to the Committee as Phalaenopsis Happy Minho but was subsequently re-identified.

The plant exhibited had two 53cm tall spikes with seven open flowers and twelve buds. The overall flower size was 70 x 80mm. The dorsal sepal measured 35 x 30mm. The lateral sepals were 40 x 30mm. The petals measured 50 x 40mm. The lip was dark pink with yellow markings, and measured 20 x 25mm. ➤

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Phalaenopsis Yellow Lightning, Award of Garden Merit

Phalaenopsis Taida Sweet ‘Stripe Beauty’, Award of Garden Merit

Phalaenopsis Taiwan Red Cat ‘GreenBalanZ’, Award of Merit

Phalaenopsis Taida Sweet ‘Stripe Beauty’

Phalaenopsis Sogo Manager ‘GreenBalanZ’, Award of Merit

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11 June 2013 Later that day the RHS Orchid Committee visited Koehler Orchideeën nursery, Aalsmeer, the Netherlands. Six plants were exhibited; three Awards of Garden Merit were recommended.

Award of Garden Meritn For Phalaenopsis Sogo Kawaii 11 and 12 exhibited by Koehler Orchideeën nursery, Aalsmeer, the Netherlands. Votes were seven in favour, three against. The parents are Phalaenopsis Rainbow Chip and P. Brother Sara Gold, and the grex registered in 2000 by Sogo Orchid nursery, Taiwan. The plants were very floriferous, the orange-yellow flowers dotted with small red spots, and had a contrasting bright-pink and orange lip.

The plant exhibited had three 38cm-tall branching spikes with twelve open flowers and ten buds, and an overall flower size was 65 x 65mm. The dorsal sepal was 35 x 25mm. The

lateral sepals were 30 x 25mm, the petals 30 x 30mm. The pink and orange lip was yellow at throat, and 15 x 10mm wide.

Award of Garden Meritn For Phalaenopsis Chingruey’s Goldstaff 13 and 14 exhibited by Koehler Orchideeën nursery, Aalsmeer, the Netherlands. Votes were seven in favour, three against. The parents are P. Ambonosa and P. Taisuco Jewel, and the grex was registered in 2000 by Ching Ruey Orchids, Taiwan. The plants were very floriferous, the pale yellow flowers had red stripes, and the lip was pink and orange.

The plant exhibited had four 38cm-tall branching spikes with three spikes and thirty open flowers. Overall flower size was 45 x 50mm. The dorsal sepal was 25 x 15mm the lateral sepals 25 x 18mm. The petals were 25 x 20mm, the lip 15 x 15mm.

Award of Garden Meritn For Phalaenopsis Tiny Tim 15 and 16 exhibited by Koehler Orchideeën nursery, Aalsmeer, the Netherlands. Votes were unanimous. Phalaenopsis. deliciosa and P. Jamambo are the parents, and the grex was registered in 1993 by Sky Island Orchids, Oregon, USA. This free-flowerering grex was awarded the AGM because it was a compact plant, produced many spikes, and had attractive, white, crystalline flowers with a contrasting yellow lip.

The plant exhibited had six 40cm-tall spikes with seventy open flowers. The overall flower size measured 35 x 40mm. The dorsal sepal was 20 x 10mm. The lateral sepals were 20 x 12mm. The petals measured 20 x 20mm. The white and yellow lip measured 10 x 10mm.

RHS Awards16 July 2013 The RHS Orchid Committee met at the RHS Council

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Phalaenopsis Sogo Kawaii, Award of Garden Merit

Phalaenopsis Sogo Kawaii

Phalaenopsis Chingruey’s Goldstaff, Award of Garden Merit

Phalaenopsis Chingruey’s Goldstaff

Phalaenopsis Tiny Tim, Award of Garden Merit

Phalaenopsis Tiny Tim

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Foundation, Jersey. Votes were thirteen in favour, five against. The parents are Oncidopsis Saint Aubin and Oncidium Faldouet, and the grex was first registered in 2010 by the Foundation. The Certificate of Preliminary Commendation was recommended because the plant was flowering for the first time and it was felt that the flowers had not reached their full potential. The cultivar ‘Fauvic Tower’ had an attractive white and mauve colouration, with dark red spots. The sepals were more heavily coloured mauve than the petals. A previous cultivar, ‘Gorey Village’, received an Award of Merit in 2011 (Orchid Rev. 119: p114). It was a more evenly-mauve colour and lacked the dark red spots. The plant exhibited had seven open flowers on one 68cm-tall spike. The overall flower size was 110 x 130mm. The dorsal sepal was 70 x 32mm at its widest point. The lateral sepals were 65 x 30mm at their widest point. The petals were 65 x 40mm at their widest. The lip was white, with central dark red spots, and a yellow callus, and measured 50 x 47mm. The column was white to mauve, and 12mm long

RHS Awards7 September 2013 The RHS Orchid Committee met at the Darlington Orchid Society & Orchid Society of Great Britain Show, held at Josephine Butler College, Durham University. A total of eighteen plants were exhibited; one Award of Merit, two Botanical Certificates and one Award of Garden Merit were recommended.

Award of Meritn For Dendrobium Nagomi ‘Levi’ 21 and 22 exhibited by Jean Barker, Stockton on Tees. Votes were nine in favour, one against. The parents are Dendrobium cutherbertsonii and D. bracteosum and the grex was raised by F Oomura, Japan, and registered

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Room, Vincent Square, Westminster. Three plants were exhibited; one First Class Certificate was recommended.

First Class Certificaten For Paphiopedilum Saint Saviour ‘Rocco Tower’ 17 and 18 raised and exhibited by the Eric Young Orchid Foundation, Jersey. Votes were ten in favour three against. The parents are Paphiopedilum Booth’s Sand Lady and

P. Saint Swithin, and the grex was first registered in 2012 by the Foundation. The petals, sepals and synsepal were mustard-yellow with heavy red stripes, and the pouch was a contrasting plain mustard-yellow. The flowers were well spaced on the spike. They also had very good substance, which may be because the cultivar had been colchicine-treated, and was therefore thought to be a tetraploid (4n) form

with double the usual number of chromosomes. The Committee felt that the cultivar ‘Rocco Tower’ was an excellent colour form of the grex, and the compact plant also had a shorter inflorescence. The plant exhibited had one 59cm-tall spike with five open flowers. The overall flower size was 270 x 150mm to tips of the petals. The dorsal sepal was 65 x 42mm. The synsepal was 60 x 35mm. The petals were tapering, with red hairs on the margin, and were 200 x 15mm wide at the widest point. The pouch was 40 x 28mm, and 55mm deep. The disc was yellow with red hairs, and measured 15mm long. The ovary was green with red stripes, and was 70mm long.

RHS Awards 13 August 2013 The RHS Orchid Committee met at the Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Eight plants were submitted, one Certificate of Preliminary Commendation was recommended.

Certificate of Preliminary Commendationn To Oncidopsis Mont de la Rocque ‘Fauvic Tower’ 19 and 20 raised and exhibited by the Eric Young Orchid

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Paphiopedilum Saint Saviour, First Class Certificate

Paphiopedilum Saint Saviour

Oncidopsis Mont de la Rocque ‘Fauvic Tower’, Certificate of Preliminary Commendation

Oncidopsis Mont de la Rocque ‘Fauvic Tower’

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is similar to the more widely known Dimorphorchis lowii, which has slightly larger flowers. What is unusual in the flower dimorphism of this particular genus is that both flower types have stigma and pollinia. In Catasetum plants, for example, which are also dimorphous, the different flower types are either male or female.

In Dimorphorchis rossii the upper flowers are bright orange, and the white lip has red spots and lines, and a yellow tip. These upper flowers are scented in the day and, apparently, ‘glow’ in the dark. The lower flowers are a paler yellow with deep red spots, and the white lip has red spots and stripes. The lower flowers have no

discernable scent. The latest theory on the pollination mechanism is that the ‘glowing’ upper flowers attract a mammal pollinator which then licks the nectar from the lower flowers. Another idea is that the two flower types act as pollinator insurance, so the bright yellow, fragrant flowers may attract a daytime pollinator, while the unscented, paler yellow flowers may attract a night pollinator, such as a bat (dangling inflorescences are a pollination syndrome indicative of bat pollination). A further theory suggests that beetles may be the pollinators, and that they crawl up the long, pendent inflorescences, which often reach the forest floor.

The plant exhibited had two pendent spikes 71cm and 35cm long, with three orange, upper flowers on each stem, and seven and three paler lower flowers respectively. The orange upper flowers’ overall flower size was 40 x 60mm. The dorsal sepal was 25 x 20mm. The lateral sepals measured 22 x 16mm. The petals were 25 x 25mm. The lip was white with red stripes, and measured 30 x 15mm. The column was white to green, and measured 8mm long. The paler, lower flowers had a slightly larger overall flower size of 45 x 60mm. The dorsal sepal was 30 x 10mm. The lateral sepals were 30 x 15mm. The petals measured

by him in 2009. Both parents come from Papua New Guinea and are extremely variable in flower colour. The grex had the compactness of D. cuthbertsonii but is easier to grow than either of its parents. The cutivar ‘Levi’ had very attractive pink petals and sepals, with a contrasting orange lip, which had a darker orange stripe across the front edge.

The plant exhibited had ten flowering growths with thirty-six open flowers and one bud. The overall flower size was 25 x 28mm.

The dorsal sepal was 15 x 8mm. The lateral sepals measured 15 x 7mm. The petals were 15 x 10mm. The lip measured 8 x 6mm. The column was white, and measured 5mm long.

Grower’s adviceDendrobium Nagomi ‘Levi’

“ I grow Dendrobium Nagomi in my cool glasshouse on the top shelf, directly in front of one fan and diagonally opposite another, giving good air movement. In the summer I use 60%

aluminium shading on the roof but there is also early morning light from the unshaded east side giving good light all year.

In the summer the heater is off, I use a net door, and there is an automatic roof vent plus a louvre vent under the bench. My aim is to keep the temperature down to 15ºc during the day. I did not always succeed this summer. The ideal night temperature is 10ºc. Humidity is about 70 percent but in the summer I have to wet the floor to maintain humidity and lower the temperature.

The plant grows in packed sphagnum moss, and I usually water from the top. It is in a small pot which dries out quickly when it is bright and warm so I check regularly to see if extra water is needed. I fertilise every watering with Green Jungle Orchid Food, which has an NPK 1:0:1 content and is designed to be used with every watering. I water less in the winter and so feeding is reduced. ” Jean Barker

Botanical Certificaten For Dimorphorchis rossii ‘Sue’ 23 24 and 25 exhibited by Sue Lane, Cullompton, Devon. Votes were unanimous. This most unusual species only comes from Mount Kinabalu, Sabah, Borneo, where it occurs at altitudes between 500 and 1,200m. The Botanical Certificate was awarded not only in recognition of its interesting morphological feature of two different flower types occurring at the same time on one spike, but also for the desirability to bring the species into more general cultivation.

It was first described in 1989 by JA Fowlie from a plant collected in Sabah in 1983, and named after Earl Ross who first flowered the species, in the Los Angeles Arboretum. It

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Dendrobium Nagomi ‘Levi’, Award of Merit

Dendrobium Nagomi ‘Levi’

Dimorphorchis rossii ‘Sue’, Botanical Certificate

Above Dimorphorchis rossii ‘Sue’ with scented bright orange upper flowers in daytime, which apparently glow in the darkBelow The lower flowers of Dimorphorchis rossii ‘Sue’ are paler with deep red spots and, unlike the upper flowers, no obvious scent

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recognition of its interesting grass-like growth habit. It has only recently become more widely available in the European trade despite being first described in 1903 by Robert Rolfe.

The plant exhibited had six flowering stems with twenty-six bright yellow flowers that were darker yellow at the throat. The overall flower size was 35 x 50mm. The dorsal sepal measured 20 x 10mm. The lateral sepals were 20 x 8mm. The petals were 25 x 7mm. The lip was 20 x 15mm. The column was yellow, and measured 5mm long.

Award of Garden Meritn For Phalaenopsis Ariadne ‘Stanwell’ 28 and 29 exhibited by John Gay, Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Votes were eight in favour, one against. The parents are Phalaenopsis Happy Valentine and P. Hinarose, and the grex was made and registered by Peter White in 2012. It is also available commercially as P. Pink Dancer. The petals and sepals were pink with dark red spots at the edges.

The lip was white with yellow and red markings at the throat. The Award of Garden Merit was given to this grex because its flowers are long-lasting, have a good colour form, and good substance.

The plant exhibited had two 62cm and 69cm cascade-trained spikes, with six open flowers and one bud on each. The overall flower size was 90 x 105mm. The dorsal sepal was 55 x 35mm, lateral sepals 50 x 35mm. The petals were 50 x 60mm. The lip was 25 x 25mm. The column was white to pink, measuring 10mm long.

Grower’s advicePhalaenopsis Ariadne ‘Stanwell’

“ This is one of the easiest Phalaenopsis to grow and reflower. The flowers are long-lasting and retain their colour from opening to dying, over about four months. I grow it in my warm glasshouse with a minimum night temperature of 16ºc. It requires shade in the summer but none from October

to the end of March. I grow it in Orchiata bark mixed with about 10 percent large-grade perlite and 10 percent horticultural foam. I feed every watering with Akerne’s Rain Mix (NPK 13:3:15 plus calcium, magnesium and trace elements) at about 350ppm concentration. Every fourth or fifth watering I use good quality, plain rainwater which I collect and store. Orchiata bark is extremely hard and should mean I only have to repot once every three to four years.” John Gay

25 x 10mm. The lip was pale yellow to white, with red stripes, and measured 15 x 8mm. The column was pale yellow to lime green, and 8mm long.

Grower’s adviceDimorphorchis rossii ‘Sue’

“ I am particularly fond of this orchid. When the flowers are open it fills the greenhouse with the most wonderful perfume. It is the smallest of the five species in this genus from Borneo. In the wild this species grows in swamp forest, overhanging rivers. I bought this orchid from Malcolm Perry just over seven years ago as Dimorphorchis lowii but after flowering with one spike for the first time last year it was identified by an American friend of Malcolm’s as D. rossii. This species is believed to be very rare in cultivation and is

particularly unusual with its two distinct flower forms. The basal flowers, near the base of the flower spike, are bright yellow and very highly perfumed, while the apical flowers, near the apex of the spike, being cream with small red spots – both flower forms have male and female parts and both are fertile. I grow Dimorphorchis rossii in a pot with a mix of coarse bark and perlite. I water it once a week, and reduce that in the winter months when I water as needed – I lift the pot and if it feels a little light then I water it fully, I do not let it dry out completely. I feed this orchid all year round but I do reduce the amount of fertilizer from December to the end of February. From January to the end of September, I use Orchid

Focus Grow, then from October to the end of December I switch to Orchid Focus Bloom. My greenhouse is a lean-to, facing due south, unfortunately, and aluminium lath shading is in place from March until the end of October. The plant sits high above the heater in the warmest part of the greenhouse. The daytime temperature is kept at 21ºc with a drop at night to l6ºc. Humidity is maintained at 80% by a misting system. ” Sue Lane Botanical Certificaten For Dendrobium hancockii ‘Margaret’ 26 and 27 exhibited by Len Gray, Billingham, County Durham. Votes were eight in favour, three against. This species comes from China to North Vietnam, where it occurs as a lithophyte and an epiphyte. The Botanical Certificate was awarded in

For details about future meetings of the RHS Orchid Committee and entering plants for awards, see Forthcoming Events on p256.

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Dendrobium hancockii ‘Margaret’, Botanical Certificate

Dendrobium hancockii ‘Margaret’

Phalaenopsis Ariadne ‘Stanwell’

Phalaenopsis Ariadne ‘Stanwell’, Award of Garden Merit

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Clare hermans is an orchid grower, author and a Vice Chairman of the RHS Orchid Committee Johan hermans is an orchid grower, photographer, author and Chairman of the RHS Orchid Committee