Orchid Book Review-Orchids: Care and Cultivation

Orchids: Care and Cultivation, originally published in French, is a worthwhile addition to any orchid library, containing a wealth of information that both the beginner and hobbyist will find useful. There is an introductory chapter on the history of orchid collecting, followed by an extremely useful discussion on "What is an Orchid?". The authors discuss the physiological or functional characteristics of orchids, and relate these to the morphology, or structure, of the orchid plant. Readers will learn why aerial roots change colour when wet, how to infer the basic growing needs of orchids by looking at the leaves, and what distinguishes orchid flowers from those of other plants. The quotient of botanical information in these sections is high compared to other books, but it will contribute to a more informed understanding of how to care for these unusual plants.

Readers are then informed of the pros and cons of orchid growing indoors and in the greenhouse. Be warned that the section on under-light growing is somewhat outdated, but indoor growers may be interested in learning how to construct a window greenhouse in which cool, intermediate, and warm growers may be grown together.

The following chapters cover repotting, lighting, watering, and feeding. All provide sound advice with far more detail than many other orchid books, and even more advanced growers will learn a thing or two. (I though the post-repotting care of orchids was particularly instructive.) There is the prerequisite chapter on orchid pests and diseases, illustrated with colour drawings, though photographs might perhaps also have been effective here. Basic orchid propagation and seed sowing techniques are also described.

The bulk of the book is devoted to descriptions of twenty-five different types of orchids and their cultivation needs. The authors meticulous attention to organization is readily apparent here.

For each type of orchid, there is a general introduction followed by sections on light, temperature, humidity and watering, feeding, repotting and compost, and propagation, that provides specific details to augment the basic information covered in earlier chapters. Text boxes are used to convey the ‘bottom-line’ information about each orchid, and to note other related hybrids or genera.

Those befuddled by the many different species and groups of dendrobiums and oncidiums (and who isn’t?), will benefit immensely from tables that delineate the main characteristics and cultivation needs of each group. Additionally, representative species in each group are listed and usually pictured, so you should be able to figure out which group your dendrobium or oncidium belongs in, and what care it needs, without necessarily having to know all the species in its background.

Though most of the introductory chapters are illustrated in colour, this section is replete with artistic photographs of orchid hybrids and species, mostly against black backgrounds, that highlight their intrinsic beauty and form. Each photo will leave you longing to acquire the orchid pictured. But in case you get too carried away, the authors are quick to remind you, somewhat conservatively, what can and can’t be grown indoors (a touchy subject for us indoor growers). They declare that Masdevallias are "impossible to grow indoors" and that Restrepias are simply "not to be cultivated indoors". I know of at least one grower who has a Restrepia species flowering happily on a windowsill, and many others who do fine with warmth-tolerant Masdevallias under-lights. The best advice to the beginner is to stay away from these more difficult orchids initially, but not to be dissuaded from trying to grow them. There is nothing quite like an indoor orchid grower’s ingenuity in providing the necessary growing conditions, no matter how alien, for some obscure and "impossible" to grow orchid, and succeeding.

Of course in a 200 page book it is impossible to cover all the different orchids and there is always room for error. For example, Restrepias get their own heading, but phragmipediums are thrown in with paphs. Also, Miltonias and Miltoniopsis (pansy orchids), are both lumped together as Miltonias, and the authors state "that to all intents and purposes [they both] respond to identical methods of cultivation." Most growers would disagree. Not only do the two have different floral forms, but Miltonias are from the warmer growing regions of Brazil, while the Miltoniopsis are from cooler, higher elevations in Colombia, thus requiring different growing regimes to perform well.

Overall, Orchids: Care and Cultivation is highly recommended for its comprehensive discussion on basic orchid care and on how to grow many of the different types, and its excellent photographs. Those looking for new challenges will also enjoy learning how to fine-tune their growing practices, and about some of the more obscure orchids described. This book should find a place on every orchidist’s bookshelf.
Note: This review refers to the earlier 1993 Edition.

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