Plant Table Awards April 2012


First Place: Cattleya Drumbeat x Time Finney

Grower: Peg Thompson

Another large Cattleya caught the attention of the judges.  The breeding of this plant was done in the 1970’s – and the pollen parent, Time Finney  (Time-Life x Irene Finney), was not named until 2004 when Li Jiuan Orchids registered it and offspring from two hybrids they had made with this plant.  The hybrid on the show table has not been named – but presents a large, well-formed, showy plant.


Second Place and Members Choice: Phalaenopsis Scott Eugene X Winter Haven

Grower: Jane Camarota

The mass of bloom and the yellow coloring of the flower caught the attention of members. The parent Scott Eugene represents spotted yellow breeding in phals while Winter Haven is from a white breeding line.  The flower is slightly peloric – many of the petals showed influence of the lip in their shape and markings.


It will withstand our ‘cool’ night and our summer heat to produce
blooms during the winter months.


Third Place: Dendrobium lindleyi (aggregatum)

Grower: Margaret Bustamante

A very nice display of this bright yellow species.  The species is correctly known as Den. lindleyi – it had once been defined as Den. aggregatum, but that name was not appropriate because the name had been used for another species years before.  Both the Den. aggregatum and Den. lindleyi names referring to the orchid displayed have been around for more than 170 years.  Name changes come slowly!


Species of the Month: Dendrobium spectabile

Grower: Bill Timm

An orchid that makes it clear to all that there is no such thing as a standard form to orchid flowers.  This twisted, curled, dull colored flower is so unique that it takes on a charm of its own.  It grows well in warm bright conditions.  It should be watered well and allowed to dry out.  It can grow into huge specimen size, far bigger than what could be transported to our plant table.


Speakers Choice: Cattlianthe Sunspot Baby

Grower: Carol Wood

A cross C. Pradit Spot by Ctt. Loog Tone registered in Fender’s Flora in 2009. Ctt. Loog Tone is a waxy dark red flower.  Used in this cross, the waxy flower parts remain, but the color is the background color of Pradit Spot.  Fine spots appear on Sunspot Baby, but not the large, dark spotting of the parent.  Probably not what Bill predicted when he made the cross – but a very attractive flower in its own right.  Part of the fun of hybridizing orchids is that the offspring are often unpredictable.

VAOS is 50 and we are celebrating

The Venice Area Orchid Society (VAOS) will be celebrating its 50th anniversary at its April 4, 2012 meeting at the Venice Community Center with Mayor John Holic in attendance.

The celebration will begin at 7:00 p.m. and will include a special tribute honoring VAOS’ first president, the late Dr. Jack Severson.  In his honor, the VAOS’ current president, Mrs. Cynthia Vance, will announce the establishment of a new award named the “Dr. Jack Severson Orchid Award” which will be awarded annually at the Venice Area Orchid Society Annual Show beginning February 2, 2013.

Mrs. Vance will also present a new orchid hybrid named “Mem. Jack Severson” to Dr. Severson’s widow Nancy in honor of his dedication and passion for the cultivation and exhibition of orchids.  An archive table will showcase many of the photos and documents of the VAOS’ early years. The Venice Area Orchid Society has grown into one of the largest orchid societies on the west coast of Florida.

For more information on VAOS meetings and membership, visit the VAOS website at www.vaos.org.