Posted by Just Add Ice Orchids... It's Just That Simple. on Mon, Aug 16, 2010
The American Orchid Society, or AOS, is offering a chance to ease your conscience, recycle unwanted electronics, go green and support orchids all at once! They’re having a gadget drive that accepts the following:
Cell Phones- Laptops
- MP3 Players
- Digital Cameras
- GPS Devices
- Gaming Consoles
- Camcorders
- Satellite Radio
- PDA's
- Video Games
- LCD Monitors
- Calculator
- and more!
This way, you can ease your conscience and know that instead of piling the stuff up in the garage until you decide what to do with it, or allowing them to leak toxic elements into the earth in a landfill, you can turn your unwanted electronics into cash for the American Orchid Society. They make it easy by partnering with an organization called Gazelle that sends you a postpaid shipping box so it doesn't cost you a cent.
The best part is, not only are you helping save the environment in general, but with your funds, The AOS supports basic and applied research in orchids, and monitors and supports conservation efforts, both here in North America as well as throughout the World. The aim of the American Orchid Society, generally stated, is to “extend the knowledge, production, use, perpetuation and appreciation of orchids of any kind and in any manner. These aims include research in all aspects of orchidology; collection and dissemination of information, and the establishment and maintenance of its awards system, the purpose of which is to recognize excellence orchids and the culture and hybridization thereof.”
So gather up your old electronics and then share this info with your friends. Gazelle makes that easy too, with links to spread the word by posting a link on Facebook, tweeting about this drive on Twitter or sending email to your friends.
It’s a win-win-win for Phalaenopsis orchids and the environment!
Posted by Just Add Ice Orchids... It's Just That Simple. on Wed, Jul 14, 2010
Until you get a hang of orchid lingo, glossaries of orchid terminology can be more confusing than helpful. So we thought we’d do our part to connect the dots and fill in the blanks! Here’s our little additions to the orchid terms from the American Orchid Society’s glossary, covering the letters “B” through “E”.
Backbulb - an old pseudobulb behind the part of a sympodial orchid that is actively growing. Although there may be no leaves the presence of undamaged "eyes" is a sign that growth is possible. For more info, go to Backbulb.com!
- Pseudobulb - a thickened portion of the stem of many orchids functioning as a water and food storage device.
- Sympodial - orchids which grow laterally and produce leafy growths along a rhizome. Sympodial means "with conjoined feet", and photo examples may help explain the difference between a monopodial orchid like the Phalaenopsis orchid and sympodial orchids.
- Rhizome - a root-bearing stem of sympodial orchids that progressively sends up leafy shoots.
Bifoliate - having two leaves.
Cane - an elongated psuedobulb, usually used when describing Dendrobiums. Dendrobium a genus of orchids
Crock - small pieces of broken earthenware or flower pots, placed in the bottom of a pot when repotting to aid in drainage.
Cultivar - an individual plant and its vegetative propagations in cultivation; a horticultural variety. Plant propagation is the production of more plants by seeds, cuttings, grafting or other methods
Diploid - a plant with two sets of chromosomes. The normal condition.
Epiphyte, epiphytic - a plant which naturally grows upon another plant but does not derive any nourishment from it. Many of the orchids in cultivation are epiphytic.
Eye - the bud of a sympodial orchid that will eventually develop into a new lead.
Posted by Just Add Ice Orchids... It's Just That Simple. on Mon, Jul 12, 2010
Looking at a few online glossaries of orchid terminology, we realized that the explanations given for the words that begin with the letter “A” alone require looking up a number of other words just to understand the definitions. So here’s our reinterpretation of orchid terms from the American Orchid Society that begin with “A”.
Adventitious Bud - meristem originating from a single cell or group of cells not part of preexisting meristem.
- Meristem - the actively growing area of the plant from which mature tissues such as leaf, stems, flowers and roots originate.
- Translation into simple English: a bud that develops in an unusual, unexpected place on the plant.
- For more, go to Wikipedia’s page on Adventitiousness
Adventitious Propagation - the use of tissue culture to produce whole plants from adventitious buds. Can lead to high levels of somaclonal variation, unlike micropropagation.
- Tissue Culture - the technique of culturing cells on a sterile synthetic media. There are two general methods use to propagate plants -- micropropagation and adventitious propagation.
- Somaclonal Variation - genetic variants arising from tissue culture.
- Micropropagation - the use of tissue culture to grow inactive axillary buds into whole plants with very little somaclonal variation, unlike adventitious propagation.
- Axillary Bud - preexisting meristem within the axil of a leaf that is normally inactive in growth.
- Axil - the angle between the upper side of a leaf or stem and the supporting stem or branch.
- Wikipedia explains, “Adventitious roots and buds are very important when people propagate plants. Propagation via root cuttings requires adventitious bud formation. Adventitious roots and buds must develop in tissue culture propagation of plants.”
Aerial Root - any root produced above the growing medium.
Aerial Stem - a stem with an erect or vertical growth above the ground.
Anther - the part of the stamen containing the pollen; the end of the column.
Axillary Bud - preexisting meristem within the axil of a leaf that is normally inactive in growth.
Posted by Just Add Ice Orchids... It's Just That Simple. on Tue, Jul 06, 2010
The Orchid Ladies are led by Peggy Herrman whose articles on growing orchids in your home have been published in Georgia Gardening Magazine.
Part 1 - They're fun to grow and easier than you think
Part 2 - Getting to the root of the matter
Part 3 - Orchids at home
Orchid Ladies work with select florists, event planners, caterers, and restaurants as well as the home enthusiast. They also conduct workshops on request. Peggy says, “I LOVE to dispel myths about growing orchids at home, in a house or in your garden. Many people in North Georgia don't realize how easy orchids are to grow. Plus we have native species in our woods that I can point out. My guess is that most folks with woods have them in their gardens without even trying.”
Their Hands-On Orchid Workshop is great for garden clubs, master gardener classes, or any group that wants tips on growing and maintaining orchids in the home. They show you how and help you get your hands dirty. With classes for 5 to 10 people, the workshop includes:
- hors d'oeuvres and beverages (wine, hot tea, water, etc.) and box lunches if requested.
- a mature orchid plant not in bloom.
- a "how to" book from either the American Orchid Society or the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
- a small packet of hand outs in addition to the book
- a garden tour (spring is such a stunning time of year, but there is seasonal interest year round) and
- a tour of the greenhouse to accompany the "how to" lecture.
In addition, The Orchid Ladies offer a full range of orchids, arrangements and supplies including “The Kit” which includes:
- a beautiful orchid in a fun container made from biodegradable rice hulls (it's so pretty, you never would have known!)
- a simple “how to” book
- the best orchid fertilizer available for orchids and other tropicals
- a super pair of snips
- a pair of Foxgloves, featured by Proven Winners
- potting medium for your orchid
- membership info for the American and Atlanta Orchid Societies
- bloom clips and 2 types of stakes
Visit their webpage at to find out more, or just join their group on Facebook!
Posted by Just Add Ice Orchids... It's Just That Simple. on Sat, May 22, 2010
One of the best places for orchid beginners to get a good education, aside from our Just Add Ice website, is at the American Orchid Society's website. Click on "Orchid Basics" and you'll see a list of their most often asked questions. They also offer a quick start guide to orchid culture, called ORCHIDS 101, and a link to their Beginner's Newsletter Archive, but you can sign up to receive it for free too! They also recommend a list of books and DVDs, which includes Orchids for Dummies.
Now is a good time to sign up for the Beginner's Newsletter, since their May magazine focuses on Phalaenopsis orchids and offers both practical and historical perspectives!
Of course, once you've been bitten by the orchid obsession bug, even if you're still a beginner, it may be worth it to get a paid membership.
You'll help further conservation and research efforts for orchids and enjoy benefits like:
- Monthly subscription to Orchids magazine
- Free and discounted admission to more than 200 botanical gardens and arboreta
- Receive the annual Orchid Source Directory detailing orchid suppliers worldwide
- Access to online orchid information and features available only to our members at www.aos.org
- 10% discount on purchases in the Orchid Emporium or on-line at www.aos.org
- Discount on back issues of Orchids magazine and on American Orchid Society published books
- Reduced processing fees for American Orchid Society judged plant and flower awards
- Discounts on orchid class fees at the American Orchid Society Botanical Gardens
- Free admission to the American Orchid Society Botanical Gardens and 50% off admission for any guests.
Posted by Just Add Ice Orchids... It's Just That Simple. on Fri, Mar 26, 2010
At Michigan State University in the suburb of East Lansing, you can find an impressive orchid collection, along with a lot of orchid knowledge.
Their Orchid Research Program under the Department of Horticulture began in 2000. Recognizing the global importance of orchids as potted flowering plants, they initiated the research program with the goal of elucidating the flowering requirements for several orchid species. They hoped to use the information to develop necessary production protocols for commercial growers. Their website provides a summary of the economic importance of orchids, justification of their research program, research objectives, and a description of their available facilities.
The Greenhouse Coordinator for the MSU Botanical Teaching Collection, Jannes Szyren, is well known for her work with orchids throughout the Michigan orchid community and beyond. She has accumulated over thirteen prestigious cultural awards from the American Orchid Society, including the 2002 Benjamin Kodama Award for most outstanding member of the Dendrobium Alliance. Moreover, Szyren is an active author with published articles in Orchids (The Magazine of the American Orchid Society), International Pleurothallid News & Views, and local society newsletters. She also serves as a guest lecturer for orchid society meetings across the United States and Canada.
Ms. Szyren holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Horticulture with a minor in Botany from Michigan State University. She is an active member of the Red Cedar Botanical Society, Greater Lansing Orchid Society, and American Orchid Society, for which she also is an student judge.
Though their orchid collection is not generally open for visitors, arrangements can be made. In the meantime, you can peruse their websites to see beautiful photos of orchids, learn from their research papers or discover how you can contribute to their work.
Posted by Just Add Ice Orchids... It's Just That Simple. on Thu, Nov 26, 2009
The American Orchid Society, in their review of a book called Fragrant Orchids tells us that "orchids were first cultivated for their fragrance. Two centuries ago or earlier, in both China and Japan, pots of oriental cymbidiums were treasured for their scent. Their flowers are not large or bright, but their fresh, light perfume fills the air in a room and delights the nose. Confucius especially praised the elegance and fragrance of the flowers of Cymbidium ensifolium, which he called Elan (Eran in Japanese)."
A wide range of orchid genera have fragrant species and hybrids, some limited in their fragrance production to a certain time of day. And since 1989 at orchid shows, some judging is based on scent.
The first popular book on fragrant orchids, it profiles a selection of 110 orchids that can be grown for their fragrance as well as various other attractions. At first glance, it is the exquisite images that make this an outstanding little book. (Hint: the image of Phalaenopsis Mini Mark (Micro Nova × philippinensis) on the front jacket has been cropped, but there is a complete picture of this pretty flower on page 114.) Each photograph in the main part of the book is accompanied by a concise description of the orchid, and there are notes on cultivation and on the kind of fragrance produced.
In the last part of the book, six extensive lists mention a further 350 orchids that are worth growing for their fragrance, grouping them by ease of culture, season of bloom, intensity of fragrance or other characteristics. There is a final list devoted to sources of fragrant orchids, but this is limited to nurseries in the United States.
Posted by Just Add Ice Orchids... It's Just That Simple. on Mon, Apr 06, 2009
Attention orchid lovers! April is celebrated as National Orchid month!
The American Orchid Society has designated April as National Orchid month to help spread awareness of orchid growing.
In favor of this celebration, Just-Add-Ice Orchids is encouraging you to share your favorite Orchid memories and experiences.
While you're at it, help participate in National Orchid month and share our web site with friends so they too will know how easy it is to maintain orchids by just adding ice! And remember, don't go the cheap route and give someone a tray of ice cubes! Buy them orchids today!
Do you have questions about more gift ideas? Not sure which product to choose? Visit our forums and send us your questions.