|
|
 Click on a title to go there or
scroll to browse
Beginners
Guide to Growing Phalaenopis Orchids
Bishop's Interim List of Orchid Hybrids Registered During 1996
Cattleyas and Their Relatives: The Cattleyas (Cattleyas & Their Relatives)
Volume: 1
Cattleyas and Their Relatives: The Laelias (Cattleyas & Their Relatives)
Volume: 2
Cattleyas and Their Relatives: Schomburgkia, Sophronitis, and Other Southen
American GeneraVolume: 3
Cattleyas and Their Relatives: The Bahamian and Caribbean Species Volume: 4
Growing into the Millenium
Handbook on Orchid Nomenclature and Registration
History of the Orchid
Home Orchid Growing, 2nd Edition
Home Orchid Growing, 4th Edition
How To Grow Orchids
Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids
Manual of cultivated orchid species
Native Colombian orchids Volume-1
Native Colombian orchids Volume-2
Native Colombian orchids Volume-3
Native Colombian orchids Volume-4
Native Colombian orchids Volume-5
Native Colombian orchids Volume-6
VHS: Obsession with Orchids
Orchids
Orchids as House Plants
Orchids for your home: Exotic beauty indoors and out
Orchid Hunting in the Lost World (And Elsewhere in Venezuela)
Orchid Pest and Diseases
VHS: Orchid Pest and Diseases, Potting and
Mounting Orchids
VHS: Orchid Pest and Diseases
Orchid photography
Orchids: Revised Edition
Orchid Seedling Care (With Special Emphasis on Water Quality)
Orchid Thief: A True Story of Beauty and Obsession, The
Orchid Thief : A True Story of Beauty and Obsession (Ballantine Reader's Circle), The
Slipper Orchids
Slipper Orchids
Taylor's Guide to Orchids : More Than 300 Orchids, Photographed and
Described, for Beginning to Expert
Vandas: Their Botany, History, and Culture
Your First Orchid: A Guide for Beginners
Beginners Guide to Growing Phalaenopis Orchids
Media: Paperback (38 pages
Group: Book
Publisher: Laid Back Publications
Publication Date: 1986-06-01
Date Added: 9/5/2005
Authors: Gordon, Bob
ASIN: 096157142X
ISBN: 096157142X
EAN: 9780961571429
Price: $9.95
CCOS Book Number: 14
Book Description:
THIS BOOK IS INTENDED TO GIVE THE READER THE
INSTRUCTION AND ENCOURAGEMENT NECESSARY TO GROW
AND FLOWER PHALAENOPSIS ORCHID PLANTS SUCCESSFULLY.
It is a basic culture manual that will allay the fears, satisfy most needs and answer most questions that will arise during the first year of growing the world’s most beautiful flower.
The techniques described herein are not the only ones suitable for Phalaenopsis culture1 but they work well for me and can also work well for you.
Up front: The Phalaenopsis orchid is a houseplant; one that likes the same kind of conditions you like, including the light, temperature, humidity and moving air that makes you comfortable. Now, isn’t that a handy little coincidence.. .that the most beautiful flower in the world likes the same stuff you do...and you don’t need a greenhouse!
The Phalaenopsis is not only the most beautiful flower in the plant kingdom, but also one of the easiest to grow and enjoy. What the African violet (saint paulia) was to the late ‘40s and early ‘50s, the phalaenopsis is and will be to the ‘90s and the 20th century. It already shows signs of exceeding the popularity of the African violet, probably because all those violet growers are finding the Phalaenopsis is the next logical step up the ladder of beauty, sophistication and challenge. (Now that everybody knows that I know that plant genera names are supposed to be italicized, let’s knock that off and make this a little easier to read, OK?)
The parallel continues: If you can grow and flower African violets, phals are a piece of cake.
URL: http://tinyurl.com/benvn
Return to Top
Return to Top
Cattleyas and Their Relatives: The Cattleyas (Cattleyas & Their Relatives)
Volume: 1
Media: Hardcover (147 pages
Publisher: Timber Press (OR)
Publication Date: 1988-12-01
Authors: Withner, Carl L.
ASIN: 0881920991
ISBN: 0881920991
EAN: 9780881920994
Price: $44.95
CCOS Book Number:
36
URL: http://tinyurl.com/ckurd
Average Customer Rating:
5.0
Total Customer Reviews: 1
Reviews:
-
The greatest book about the Cattleyas! (5)
This is the most detailed book about the cattleya, with all the synonyms, many of the varieties, short history about how it was found or named. You just name it! Even the beginer to the world of orchids can use it as well as the more trained person. It can also be used as a book for the coffee table with all the beautiful photos of almost all the species. I am yet to buy the other volumes as they are of the same high standard. Well done Carl L. Withner.
Return to Top
Cattleyas and Their Relatives: The Laelias (Cattleyas & Their Relatives)
Volume: 2
Media: Hardcover (160 pages
Group: Book
Publisher: Timber Press (OR)
Publication Date: 1990-08-01
Authors: Withner, Carl L.
ASIN: 0881921610
ISBN: 0881921610
EAN: 9780881921618
Price: $39.95
CCOS Book Number: 37
URL: http://tinyurl.com/afqqp
Average Customer Rating:
4.0
Total Customer Reviews: 1
-
Not for everyone, but a comprehensive study... (4)
If you are looking for a coffee table book with lots of glossy pictures, this book is not for you. However, if you are looking for a comprehensive study on the history, breeding, and ecology of this tribe, this is the book for you. As for myself, I thoroughly enjoyed my first trip through it and I love having it on the shelf as a reference.
-
Not for everyone, but a comprehensive study... (4)
If you are looking for a coffee table book with lots of glossy pictures, this book is not for you. However, if you are looking for a comprehensive study on the history, breeding, and ecology of this tribe, this is the book for you. As for myself, I thoroughly enjoyed my first trip through it and I love having it on the shelf as a reference.
Return to Top
Cattleyas and Their Relatives: The Bahamian and Caribbean Species Volume: 4
Media: Hardcover (152 pages
Publisher: Timber Press (OR)
Publication Date: 1996-05-01
Authors: Withner, Carl L.
ASIN: 0881923443
ISBN: 0881923443
EAN: 9780881923445
Price: $42.95
CCOS Book Number: 39
URL: http://tinyurl.com/ajf5l
Average Customer Rating:
4.0
Total Customer Reviews: 1
Reviews:
-
Not for everyone, but a comprehensive study... (4)
If you are looking for a coffee table book with lots of glossy
pictures, this book is not for you. However, if you are looking
for a comprehensive study on the history, breeding, and ecology
of this tribe, this is the book for you. As for myself, I
thoroughly enjoyed my first trip through it and I love having it
on the shelf as a reference
Media: Paperback
Publisher: Amer Orchid Society
Publication Date: 1994-12-01
Authors: Commission, International Orchid
ASIN: 1874431027
ISBN: 1874431027
EAN: 9781874431022
Price: $15.00
CCOS Book Number:
6
URL: http://tinyurl.com/7adgo
Return to Top
Media: Hardcover (340 pages)
Publisher: Timber Press (OR)
Publication Date: 1995-11-01
Authors: Reinikka, Merle A.
ASIN: 0881923257
ISBN: 0881923257
EAN: 9780881923254
Price: $29.95
CCOS Book Number:
25
URL: http://tinyurl.com/adhjb
Average Customer Rating:
5.0
Total Customer Reviews:
1
-
Best of its kind !!! (5)
This is by far the best book on orchid history ever written. A wealth of information on each historical orchid people that deserve to be there and with their corresponding photo!! It's all here!
All the other chapters are simply a delight to read. A must have for any orchid
people with a sense for the past.
Media: Hardcover (376 pages
Publisher: Prentice Hall
Publication Date:
1990-06
Date Added: 9/7/2005
Authors: Northern, Rebecca
ASIN: 0133951383
ISBN: 0133951383
EAN: 9780133951387
Price: $45.00
CCOS Book Number: 56
Book Description:
Whether your garden is a windowsill, a basement, a greenhouse, or a plot of land,
Home Orchid Growing is the only reference book you will ever need to cultivate one of nature's most varied and fascinating plants. In the past forty years, it has become the best-known and most authoritative work in its field, and even gardeners who still have an original copy of this classic work will find much to inspire and delight them in the revised and updated fourth edition.
This completely revised and updated edition includes introductions to 650 of the more than 30,000 species of orchid, with advice on which plants to choose for a variety of growing conditions. For the neophyte, there are explanations of the fundamentals of plant structure and function, plus basic care instructions. For those who have already mastered the fundamentals,
Home Orchid Growing provides detailed instructions on:
* Growing with artificial light
* Genetics and hybridization
* Seed germination and seedlings
* Cloning (micropropagation)
* Control of flowering
* Dealing with pests and diseases
This beautiful book is complete with drawings and photos of every phase of cultivation (including the construction and management of greenhouses and sample lighting setups). There are also full-color plates of the orchids themselves.
Of particular importance to growers is the updated information on the destruction of the tropical forests where many species of orchid thrive and discussions of how to save these natural habitats and develop seed banks for the future.
-
All you need to know about orchids! (5)
If colleges offered "Orchids 101", this would be the text book! Clear, concise, easy to read and understand, this book spells out all we need to know about growing orchids. Interesting sections on sowing seeds, the culture of seedling orchids, and even the dynamics behind orchid names, make this book much more than a simple 'how-to' book. It's a complete source of all you need to know. The one book to buy first, it'll probably be the only book you need.
-
The best book on Orchid growing (5)
If I were interested in looking at pictures of orchids I'd buy a book of orchid photographs but in the 20 years I have been growing orchids, my opinion is unwavering in holding this book in the highest esteem. It was my first book on orchid growing and was always invaluable. When I lost it I didn't hesitate to buy it again as it has all the information one needs to grow any orchid and how to provide it with what it needs to bloom.
Return to Top
Media: Hardcover
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date:
1990-06-01
Authors: Northen, Rebecca Tyson
ASIN: 067176327X
ISBN: 067176327X
EAN: 9780671763275
Price: $50.00
CCOS Book Number:
15B
Book Description:
Whether your garden is a windowsill, a basement, a greenhouse, or a plot of land,
Home Orchid Growing is the only reference book you will ever need to cultivate one of nature's most varied and fascinating plants. In the past forty years, it has become the best-known and most authoritative work in its field, and even gardeners who still have an original copy of this classic work will find much to inspire and delight them in the revised and updated fourth edition.
This completely revised and updated edition includes introductions to 650 of the more than 30,000 species of orchid, with advice on which plants to choose for a variety of growing conditions. For the neophyte, there are explanations of the fundamentals of plant structure and function, plus basic care instructions. For those who have already mastered the fundamentals,
Home Orchid Growing provides detailed instructions on:
* Growing with artificial light
* Genetics and hybridization
* Seed germination and seedlings
* Cloning (micropropagation)
* Control of flowering
* Dealing with pests and diseases
This beautiful book is complete with drawings and photos of every phase of cultivation (including the construction and management of greenhouses and sample lighting setups). There are also full-color plates of the orchids themselves.
Of particular importance to growers is the updated information on the destruction of the tropical forests where many species of orchid thrive and discussions of how to save these natural habitats and develop seed banks for the future.
URL:
http://tinyurl.com/74uvu
Average Customer Rating:
4.5
Total Customer Reviews:
5
Reviews: Duplicate book. See
reviews for previous book
Return to Top
How To Grow Orchids
Media: Paperback
Publisher: Lane Books
Release Date:
1973
CCOS Book Number:
58
Book Description:
For too many years the public image of orchids has been that of supremely beautiful flowers produced from plants that require highly specialized and costly growing arrangements to survive, let alone to grow well. While casting a rather fascinating aura of mystery over these plants, this image did them a great dis-service—denying their beauty to the many people who would have liked to try
growing orchids but assumed they lacked the proper skills and equipment.
In this book we have tried to dispel this mystery and thereby open the door to
the beautiful world of orchids so that you can include the enjoyment of their
varied charms in your daily living. Whether indoors at windows, outdoors for
patio decoration, for greenhouse growing, or as corsages and cut flowers, there
are orchids that will give you great satisfaction for only a small outlay of care.
Return to Top
Media:
Hardcover (304 pages
Publisher:
Timber Press (OR)
Publication Date:
1992-11-01
Date Added:
9/7/2005
ASIN:
0881922676
ISBN:
0881922676
EAN: 9780881922677
Price:
$39.95
CCOS Book Number:
35
Book Description:
This large and beautiful volume is aimed at a broad audience, from the flower lover with a casual interest in orchids to the committed enthusiast and professional. It encompasses a wide spectrum of orchid genera, and over 1,100 species and hybrids commonly in cultivation. The text, written by acknowledged experts of international renown, is authoritative but accessible to the beginner. Lavish full-color photographs, drawn from international sources, enable non-specialists to identify orchids in collections or in the field with ease.
The introductory section features a number of pertinent topics which guide the reader to an understanding of these wonderful flowers: orchid habitats, distribution, classification, hybrids, pollination, cultivation, and conservation. The alphabetical "Orchids A-Z" section includes descriptions, taxonomy, currently accepted names and synonyms, geographic distribution, notes on culture, and hundreds of color photographs of the best-known species in cultivation.
-
My Orchid Bible (5)
This book is truly my orchid Bible. There is some information about almost everything you want to know orchids. I find this book useful when trying to find the general characteristics of a genus or even to identify a plant by its flower. Many, many pictures, and they are all beautiful. They lack in the growing tips category, but make up with the fairly detailed species descriptions for the species they cover in the book. Hope this is helpful!
-
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids (5)
This is an excellent reference book for orchid collectors. The photographs of the orchids are wonderful, as well as the complementary description. It makes ordering orchids on-line easier as well as purchasing orchids at a nursery.
Media:
Hardcover (444 pages
Publisher:
MIT Press
Publication Date:
1981
Authors:
Bechtel, Helmut
ASIN:
0262021625
ISBN:
0262021625
EAN:
9780262021623
CCOS Book Number:
20
Book Description:
The third edition of this definitive handbook on orchid cultivation incorporates major revisions in taxonomy, text, and illustrations. An authoritative resource for professional and amateur orchid growers and botanists for more than a decade, this edition of
The Manual of Cultivated Orchid Species
adds 24 pages of color photographs of species - 144 new photographs plus 96 replacement shots - and 62 line drawings. The sections on taxonomy have been substantially expanded to include updated treatments of orchid biology, diversity, and classification, and new species of spectacular cultural merit are described.
Phillip Cribb is Curator of the Orchid Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Edmund Launert, a former Principal Scientific Officer and orchid expert at Kew, is now retired and works as a freelance consultant. Helmut Bechtel is a professional photographer who specializes in natural history.
-
Good reference and very useful for identifying the plants (5)
My favorite book beside The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids by Alec Pridgeon, I recommend it highly for anyone who loves orchid species.
-
If you grow orchid species, you must own this book. (5)
As complete a reference as you can own in one cover, this book has it all. Cultural medium requirements, temperature, light - everything you need to know for the most species coverage. Most of the color plates are high quality, some not so good.
Return to Top
Native Colombian orchids Volume-1
Reference Only
Media: Hardcover
Publisher: Compañía Litográfica Nacional
Publication Date:
1990
ASIN: 9586380300
ISBN: 9586380300
EAN: 9789586380300
CCOS Book Number:
45
Descriptions:
Acacallis to Dryadella
URL: None
Return to Top
Native Colombian orchids Volume-2
Reference Only
Note:
Reference Only
Media:
Hardcover
Publisher:
Compañía Litográfica Nacional
Publication Date:
1995
ASIN:
9586380300
ISBN:
9586380416
UPC:
9789586380416
CCOS Book Number:
46
Descriptions:
Elleanthus to Masdevallia
URL:
None
Return to Top
Native Colombian orchids Volume-3
Reference Only
Note:
Reference
Only
Media:
Hardcover
Publisher:
Compañía Litográfica Nacional
Publication Date:
1994
ASIN:
9586380300
ISBN:
9586380394
CCOS Book Number:
47
Descriptions:
Maxillaria to Ponthieva
URL:
None
Return to Top
Native Colombian orchids Volume-4
Reference Only
Note:
Reference
Only
Media:
Hardcover
Publisher:
Compañía Litográfica Nacional
Publication Date:
1992
ASIN:
9586380300
ISBN:
9586380394
CCOS Book Number:
48
Descriptions:
Porroglossum to Zygosepalum
URL:
None
Return to Top
Native Colombian orchids Volume-5
Reference Only
Note:
Reference
Only
Media:
Hardcover
Publisher:
Compañía Litográfica Nacional
Publication Date:
1997
ASIN:
9586380300
ISBN:
9586380416
UPC:
9789586381116
CCOS Book Number:
49
Descriptions:
Supplement AA to Lepanthes
URL:
None
Return to Top
Native Colombian orchids Volume-6
Reference Only
Note:
Reference
Only
Media:
Hardcover
Publisher:
Compañía Litográfica Nacional
Publication Date:
1998
ASIN:
9586380300
ISBN:
9586380394
UPC:
9789586382779
CCOS Book Number:
50
Descriptions:
Supplement Leucohyle to Zootrophion
URL:
None
Media: VHS Tape
Publisher: Video Nature Library
Release Date: 2000
CCOS Book Number: 54
Description:
People who fall under the spell of orchids are often captivated for life, cultivating favorite varieties, creating new hybrids,enjoying each new bloom and looking forward to the next. In the wild, orchids use their tantalizing beauty as a lure, drawing in creatures who pollinate the flowers as they mate with what looks like one of their own kind. This fascinating program features growers and orchid lovers, talking about how these plants have changed their lives, as well as astonishing macro photography of orchids' strange and exptic lives.
Narrated by Stockard Channing
Approx. 60 minutes
Media: Paperback (64 pages
Publisher: Sunset Publishing Corporation
Publication Date: 1986-05-01
Authors: Books, Sunset / Kramer, Jack
ASIN: 0376035552
ISBN: 0376035552
EAN: 9780376035554
Price: $9.99
CCOS Book Number: 3
URL: http://tinyurl.com/blluj
Average Customer Rating: 5.0
Total Customer Reviews: 1
-
Excellent book for beginners (5)
For someone just getting involved with orchids, or for someone who would like a different perspective, this book is perfect. High quality photos on glossy paper make this book a pleasure to read! I felt that it could have expanded a bit more on the subject of home growing, yet it is highly informative at a great price!
Return to Top
Orchids as House Plants
Media: Hardcover (148 pages
Publisher: Dover Publications
Publication Date: 1976-06-01
Authors: Northen, Rebecca Tyson
ASIN: 0486232611
ISBN: 0486232611
EAN: 9780486232614
Price: $7.95
CCOS Book Number: 51
Book Description:
Grow cattleyas and many other kinds of orchids in a window or under artificial light. 63 illus.
Notes: We have the original hardcover book. This description is the Dover Books revised softcover reprint of the book.
URL: http://tinyurl.com/cp4hc
Average Customer Rating: 4.0
Total Customer Reviews: 2
Reviews:
-
How to grow orchids (4)
After doing research on the internet and libraries, my questions were not answered until I read this book. Wanting instant gratification I went directly to the index which gave me the areas to read that I needed. The book explains how to pot, water and fertilize quickly with less anxiety. It gives pictures of many orchids, their colors, sizes and needs. I recommend this book highly and my next purchase is a deep purple Denrrobium phalaenopsis.
-
A good source for home orchid growing. (4)
There's a large section here on growing orchids under artificial lights including home-made set ups and commercially available light stands and wardian cases. The book needs a resource listing as to where to purchase the light stands and recommendations on how to build your own. Half of the book lists generalizations of the different orchid families and how to care for them, but even that is only touched upon. The author goes into detail on the description of the flowers and leaves, but not much info on the care. An example of this is "bright light, warm temperatures, and plenty of water and humidity" to describe the care of Ascocentrum orchids. This doesn't tell us how much is needed which I think is important since "warm" can be anywhere from 50-90 degrees.
Return to Top
Orchids for your home: Exotic beauty indoors and out
Media: Paperback (144 pages
Publisher: Cornerstone Library
Publication Date: 1974
Authors: Kramer, Jack
ASIN: B0007E7Z8O
CCOS Book Number: 4
Description:
Today, orchids are for everyone. These exotic jewels of rain forest and mountains have proven to be superior house plants because most of them have their own water storage reservoirs (pseudobulbs) in case we forget to water them. Where other plants in a few weeks may perish without water, orchids survive beautifully. Years ago orchids were expensive, but now they are modestly priced (many times a better bargain for your money than most common house plants) so almost anyone can afford these glamorous plants to provide beauty and drama for the home.
Return to Top
Orchid Hunting in the Lost World (And Elsewhere in Venezuela)
Media: Hardcover (280 pages
Publisher: Amer Orchid Society
Publication Date: 1988-11
Authors: Dunsterville, G. C. K. / Dunsterville, E.
ASIN: 0923096000
ISBN: 0923096000
EAN: 9780923096007
Price: $25.00
CCOS Book Number: 34
URL: http://tinyurl.com/bng3h
Average Customer Rating: 5.0
Total Customer Reviews: 2
Reviews:
-
Orchid Hunting in the Lost World (And Elsewhere in Venezuela (5)
Outstanding book! A bit on the technical side, but facinating reading about the jungles of Venezuela, the new species found etc. Brings back many wonderful memories of living in Venezuela.
-
Orchid Hunting in the Lost World (And Elsewhere in Venezuela (5)
Outstanding book! A bit on the technical side, but facinating reading about the jungles of Venezuela, the new species found etc. Brings back many wonderful memories of living in Venezuela.
Return to Top
Orchid Pest and Diseases
Media: Paperback
Publisher: American Orchid Society
Release Date: 2002
CCOS Book Number: 56
Description:
Orchid Pests and Diseases brings together in one convenient place everything you need to know to identify and control whatever may be ailing your orchid, whether insects, bacteria or fungi. There is also a tremendous amount of information on physiological problems, which may arise from incorrect watering, light conditions, potting media, the presence of weeds, nutritional problems, even air pollution. Viruses are examined in depth, complete with information on how they are spread among orchids, and details for testing plants for their presence. Eight experts share hands-on advice, offering both chemical and organic controls for use in greenhouses, outdoors and on the windowsill. A glossary and list of places where contaminated orchids can be sent for analysis round out this popular reference, which is profusely illustrated with color and black-and-white photographs to aid recognition. OrcIld Pests and Diseases is part of the American Orchid Society Guide series, which also includes Growing Orchids, Growing Orchids Under Lights, Orchid Photography and Your First Orchid.
Media: Paperback (96 pages
Publisher: American Orchid Society
Publication Date: 1995
Authors: Fitch, Charles Marden
ASIN: B0006F59QO
CCOS Book Number: 26
Description:
CAPTURING ORCHID FLOWERS on film is a practical way to enjoy their beauty for years to come. Orchid growers make photographic prints of orchid flowers their obvious decorating choices, while the blooms’ exotic portraits are excellent embellishments for greeting cards, calendar illustrations, personal note cards, and even T-shirts.
Media: Hardcover (124 pages
Publisher: Timber Press (OR)
Publication Date: 2000-08-01
Authors: Stewart, Joyce
ASIN: 0881924814
ISBN: 0881924814
EAN: 9780881924817
Price: $19.95
CCOS Book Number: 57
URL: http://tinyurl.com/b97vc
Average Customer Rating: 3.0
Total Customer Reviews: 1
Reviews:
-
Gives a Good Overview (3)
Intended as an introduction to the wonderful world of orchids, thia book gives enough background to get someone interested in orchids without the use of intimidating technical jargon. As Orchids host at BellaOnline.com, I often recommend this book as a great starter for someone just starting out with orchids .
Return to Top
Orchid Seedling Care (With Special Emphasis on Water Quality)
Media: Paperback
Publisher: Amer Orchid Society
Publication Date: 1991-12-01
Authors: Gordon, Bob
ASIN: 9994114956
ISBN: 9994114956
EAN: 9789994114955
Price: $18.00
CCOS Book Number: 28
URL: http://tinyurl.com/9rr8v
Media: Hardcover (304 pages
Publisher: Random House
Publication Date: 1998-12-15
Authors: Orlean, Susan
ASIN: 0679447393
ISBN: 0679447393
EAN: 9780679447399
Price: $25.00
CCOS Book Number: 43A
Descriptions:
Amazon.com Orchidelirium is the name the Victorians gave to the flower madness that is for botanical collectors the equivalent of gold fever. Wealthy orchid fanatics of that era sent explorers (heavily armed, more to protect themselves against other orchid seekers than against hostile natives or wild animals) to unmapped territories in search of new varieties of Cattleya and Paphiopedilum. As knowledge of the family Orchidaceae grew to encompass the currently more than 60,000 species and over 100,000 hybrids, orchidelirium might have been expected to go the way of Dutch tulip mania. Yet, as journalist Susan Orlean found out, there still exists a vein of orchid madness strong enough to inspire larceny among collectors.
The Orchid Thief centers on south Florida and John Laroche, a quixotic, charismatic schemer once convicted of attempting to take endangered orchids from the Fakahatchee swamp, a state preserve. Laroche, a horticultural consultant who once ran an extensive nursery for the Seminole tribe, dreams of making a fortune for the Seminoles and himself by cloning the rare ghost orchid Polyrrhiza lindenii. Laroche sums up the obsession that drives him and so many others:
I really have to watch myself, especially around plants. Even now, just being here, I still get that collector feeling. You know what I mean. I'll see something and then suddenly I get that feeling. It's like I can't just have something--I have to have it and learn about it and grow it and sell it and master it and have a million of it.
Even Orlean--so leery of orchid fever that she immediately gives away any plant that's pressed upon her by the growers in Laroche's circle--develops a desire to see a ghost orchid blooming and makes several ultimately unsuccessful treks into the Fakahatchee. Filled with Palm Beach socialites, Native Americans, English peers, smugglers, and naturalists as improbably colorful as the tropical blossoms that inspire them, this is a lyrical, funny, addictively entertaining read. --Barrie Trinkle
-
the search for passion (5)
"...most people in some way or another do strive for something exceptional, something to pursue, even at their peril, rather than abide an ordinary life." (pg. 273)
Because I love the film Adaptation so much, I wanted to read the original source material- Susan Orlean's book "The Orchid Thief". I enjoyed it... mainly because of the movie, but its still an interesting read.
"...I think the real reason is that life has no meaning. I mean no obvious meaning. You wake up, you go to work, you do stuff. I think everybodys always looking for something a little unusual that can preoccupy them and help them pass the time." (pg. 38)
Adaptation is one of the most quotable movies intellectually speaking (to me), and the book carries gems of the same strain of thoughfulness. Also, since orchids happen to be my favorite flowers, I found the practical information about them interesting as well.
"I... looked ahead and behind at the empty road and up at the empty sky; the sheer bigness of the world made me feel lonely to the bone. The world is so huge that people are always getting lost in it. There are too many ideas and things and people, too many directions to go. I was starting to believe that the reason it matters to care passionately about something is that it whittles the world down to a more manageable size. It makes the world seem not huge and empty but full of possibility." (pg. 109)
Susan Orlean has a way of capturing the thoughts deep inside me and writing them the way I wish I could make them sound. I will leave you with one last excerpt and then we'll move on...
"It was a relief to have no hope because then I had no fear; looking for something you want is a comfort in the clutter of the universe, but knowing you don't have to look means you can't be dissapointed." (pg. 258)
The outline of a story meanders across pages populated with latin names for orchids and collector history. I thought it would be slow-moving and bogged down, but Orlean's perceptions and mental sides kept my interest piqued and tugged at my heart like the everglades did to her. There is definitely another story going on underneath what she reveals in print, and the hints you catch give a depth the book might otherwise be lacking. Its not a style for everyone, but for some, its tender and observing eye will be welcome and appreciated.
-
Orchids and Florida (4)
Through her own adventures, Orlean introduces us to the unusual world of orchid lovers. Most of this information is gained through her conversations with the unusual people that make up the orchid world in Florida, the most interesting of which are the orchid hunters which poach wild orchids. The setting of the book is probbaly its biggest. Florida is an unusual state with rich history and incredible wilderness.
The history of the orchids and the scientific details about them seemed a bit too superficial. Although experiencing it from Orlean's "exploring reporter" point of view does make many of the stories easier to relate to, I think I would have preferred the voice of a real orchid expert.
Return to Top
Orchid Thief : A True Story of Beauty and Obsession (Ballantine Reader's Circle)
Media: Paperback (320 pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: 2000-01-04
Authors: Orlean, Susan
ASIN: 044900371X
ISBN: 044900371X
EAN: 9780449003718
Price: $14.95
CCOS Book Number: 43
URL: http://tinyurl.com/cnlkq
Descriptions: Duplicate Book. See
description and reviews of the previous book.
Return to Top
Slipper Orchids, The
Media: Hardcover (304 pages
Publisher: Timber Press (OR)
Publication Date: 1991-08-01
Authors: Cash, Catherine
ASIN: 0881921831
ISBN: 0881921831
EAN: 9780881921830
Price: $49.95
CCOS Book Number: 32
URL: http://tinyurl.com/ab7td
Average Customer Rating: 5.0
Total Customer Reviews: 1
Reviews:
-
Ultimate slipper orchid reference (5)
The book contains about 220 pages composed of: 17 pages on orchid anatomy, biology, and basic taxonomy overview, 18 pages on growing conditions, 35 pages on the genus Cypripedium, 56 pages on the genus Paphiopedilum, 5 pages on the genus Selenipedium, 15 pages on the genus Phragmipedium, 61 pages on hybridization and a historic review of crosses, and a 13 page bibliography. The book contains 225 color photographs (most are 3" x 4" in size). Each photograph displays an orchid in flower and each plant is identified to species or variety. Pages are large, pages measure 8 1/2" x 11" in size.
Approximately 140 species are described with great detail. Each species is listed with geographic distribution, cultural notes, plant description, flowering season and other comments. The author continues in most sections with an detailed discussion concluded with an assortment of opinions, conclusions, and predictions. It is a facinating, thought provoking, and important body of work. I loved it! The author, Catherine Cash, makes bold assertions throughout the book. I found myself arguing with many of her opinions and conclusions. I was amazed. Not that I disagreed with some of her statements, but that her statements actually got me to put the book down, think about what she had said, and then eagerly go back to read more. Books about plant taxonomy is usually pretty dry stuff. But Ms. Cash has made reading about the slipper orchids a rare treat. It is a carefully written reference book. Her chapter on the hybridization of orchids is alone worth the price of the book. This chapter is an outstanding read. Cash challenges many of the current philosophies about orchid science and hybridization. She is clear, crisp, and wonderfully opinionated. It is a complete work. 2/3rds of the book contains facts, details, and photographs - a great referrence section. 1/3rd of the book contains commentary, discussion, and opinions - a provoking insight to the field of orchid science. This is a must have book for any slipper orchid grower.
Return to Top
Slipper Orchids
Media: Hardcover (304 pages
Publisher: Timber Press (OR)
Publication Date: 1991-08-01
Authors: Cash, Catherine
ASIN: 0881921831
ISBN: 0881921831
EAN: 9780881921830
Price: $49.95
CCOS Book Number: 44
URL: http://tinyurl.com/ab7td
Average Customer Rating: 5.0
Total Customer Reviews: 1
Reviews: Duplicate Book. See description and
reviews of the previous book.
Media: Paperback (400 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Publication Date: 1996-04-15
Authors: White, Judy
ASIN: 0395677262
ISBN: 0395677262
EAN: 0046442677264
Price: $25.00
CCOS Book Number: 13
URL: http://tinyurl.com/cs72l
Average Customer Rating: 5.0
Total Customer Reviews: 11
Reviews:
-
The best Orchid book around (5)
If you just got your first Orchid and want to learn how to care for it or you've been collecting for years, this is a "MUST HAVE" book. I have many Orchid books and none come close to this one for readability and useful information. The photos are also wonderful. The person I bought many of my Orchids from carries this book in her back pocket and despite being incredibly knowledgeable, refers to it several times ever day. You can't go wrong buying this book.
-
Perfect for Orchid Beginners! (5)
I recently acquired my first orchid from my mother who "couldn't get the darned thing to bloom again". So I adopted it. With the help of this book I discovered that it is a Phalaenopsis orchid that needed a little more water and better light. It is now very near blooming.
Since then I've added 2 other orchids to my collection. This book is fantastic, the photos are beautiful, and the care tips have been an invaluable resource to a beginner like myself.
Return to Top
Vandas: Their Botany, History, and Culture
Media: Hardcover (140 pages
Publisher: Timber Press (OR)
Publication Date: 1997-06-01
Date Added: 5/13/2005
Authors: Motes, Martin R.
ASIN: 0881923761
ISBN: 0881923761
EAN: 9780881923766
Price: $32.95
CCOS Book Number: 52
URL: http://tinyurl.com/aou7v
Average Customer Rating: 4.5
Total Customer Reviews: 5
Reviews:
-
A text book with pretty pictures... (3)
If you are a hard core orchid breeder then this book might be right up your alley... but, if your are interested in orchids for other casual reasons this title might be too technical to enjoy. I just read through the first chapter: "The Discovery of Vandas and Their Introduction to the West." Sounds like there could be great tales of early botanical exploration and adventure... it is nothing but a long list of botanists' names, dates and enough latin to choke a Roman... page after page littered with itlalics and brackets and parenthesis. Yuch! Sure, the pictures are pretty, but they're all on glossy paper in the middle of the book, so any hope of helping the reader with a well placed illustration is lost. The book is jam packed with information and facts about culture, breeding and botany. But, be forwarned that the text, written by a Phd., reads like a reaserch dissertation.
Return to Top
Your First Orchid: A Guide for Beginners
Media: Paperback
Publisher: Amer Orchid Society
Publication Date: 1996-12-01
Authors: Batchelor, Stephen R.
ASIN: 9996516571
ISBN: 9996516571
EAN: 9789996516573
Price: $7.95
CCOS Book Number: 18
Descriptions:
A FEW DAYS AGO YOU BOUGHT your first orchid at a show in the shopping mall. You were taken by the exquisite flowers and, even though you had never grown anything other than a philodendron indoors, you made the purchase. It looks great on the coffee table and no doubt will for several weeks. To prolong the show and coax it into bloom again, initiate a carefully planned maintenance program.
|
