Cymbidium Society of America

Founded in 1979

Newsletter

Meetings are on the 2nd Wednesday of each month.

Next Meeting is MAY 13th , 2010 At Anaheim’s Downtown Community Center

250 E. Center Street Anaheim Starting at 7:30 pm

2007 / 2008 Officers: One-Year Directors; Two-Year Directors; Three-Year Directors

President, Theo Johnson Robin Lane Helen White Ted Tucker

Vice President, Helen White Ron Nash David Alexander Virginia Tucker

Secretary, Irma Hughes &n bsp;

Treasurer, Manie Nash

Membership, Edie Gulrich

Ex Officio, Jane Clayton Newsletter: David Alexander (You can E-Mail me at mlalexander@sbcglobal.net)

Orange County Branch
Cymbidium Society of America

613 South Peregrine Street Anaheim CA. 92806 Ocbcsa.com

Presidents Message

THERE IS NO MEETING IN APRIL DUE TO CONSTRUCTION AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER.

It’s that time of year again. Warm weather means it’s time to look for those plants needing repotting. Get your tools together and replace worn items. Get fresh gloves, new propane, bark or whatever media you use. Clean up the repotting area so everything is ready to go. Select plants in order of priority/need. Remember to mark your divisions with a 1, 2, 3, etc. and colored tags for those plants you may want to bring in for the silent auction table, next society auction, or just to trade or give to friends. Get together with a friend(s) and have a repotting party. I’m sure it will be a lot more fun than doing it by yourself.

Please bring in your extra divisions for the Silent Auction table. Also, don’t forget to bring in those back bulbs for someone who can wait for one bulb to grow to flower size (free give away).

I also want to give everyone an update on Charles “Butch” Weckerle-Thrun. Butch is awake and is rehabilitating slowly following a stroke/operation/coma. Pat Rowland is in need of people to help repot orchids at the Rowland Collection where Butch is the manager. Contact Pat at (714) 892-3502 to schedule your visit.

CSA Judging is also back to their regular schedule, so bring your award quality plants in for judging. CSA Judging is from 6 to 7 PM and the judges have requested anyone wanting their plants judged to call them in advance. Call Loren Batchman at (858-755-7572) NO LATER THAN THE MONDAY BEFORE THE OCBCSA MEETING to let them know you have a plant to be judged. This is only for October, January, February and March.

Don’t forget to pay your dues for this year. The Society will not survive without your support. We will be putting together a directory in May and we want to include everyone, so bring your dues to the May meeting or for more information please email or call Edie Gulrich at egulrich@att.net or 714-991-8661. LAST NOTICE.

See you in May. Theo

CULTURE SESSION

Since we will not be having a meeting in April perhaps it would be a good time to check your plants and determine what needs to be repotted and what plants you will bring to the May meeting for repotting. The last time we did a general repotting session it was received with a lot of interest and enthusiasm. The back bulbs will be raffled as well as any divisions from the repotting. Of course this will be optional.

LECTURE

For the May meeting we will be repotting. For June our ole friend Peter Lin will present his newest lecture and slides. The Community Center will be all new and shiny and it will be a good meeting. Peter is one of my favorites.

REFRESHMENTS

There is so much I could say regarding the refreshment table.. Hasn't it been not only very

plentiful but so very tasty and so varied. One could make a meal just at the table that is if you're not watching the scales. Keep up the good work gang - We can have an Easter spread even though we missed the date if that's your choice. Thanks to all of you. I look forward to seeing you in May.

Helen White Refreshment Coordinator

Upcoming Shows, and Events:

April 10-11-2010- Tropical Plant Society of Modesto Show, Agnes M. Baptist Elementary School, 1825 Cheyenne Way, Modesto, CA. Contact: Susan Wedegaertner, 1348 Kiernan Ave., Modesto, CA 95356; (209) 545-4732; suewede@clearwire.net.

April 10-11-2010- Desert Valley Orchid Society Show, Baker Nursery, 3414 N. 40 St., Phonix, AZ. Contact: Joseph Portnoy, 1201 W. Ducasse Dr., Phoenix, AZ 85013; (602) 696-2896;joe.portnoy@cox.net.

April 17-18-2010- Sacramento Orchid Society Show, Scottish Rite Temple, 6151 H St., Sacramento, CA. Contact: Jon Weiss, 106 Norwalk Ct., Vacaville, CA 95687; (707) 449-4711;

April 23-25, 2010 Orchids at the Flower Fields 5704 Paseo Del Norte Carlsbad , CA
Orchids At the Flower Fields

29 - May 2 - *Expo Internationale Orchidees,Patinoire, Allee Winterthur, 1400 Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland. Contact: Viviane Parrat, Rue des Bouleaux 8, 1400 Yverdon-les Bains, Switzerland; vivi_aloha@hotmail.com.

May 7-9-2010- *Orchid Society of California Show & Sale, Lakeside Garden Center, 666 Bellevue, Oakland, CA. Contact: Walter James, 27778 Dobbel Ave., Hayward, CA 94542; (510) 825-5102;.

June 4-6-2010- Santa Clara Valley Orchid Society Exposition, Miraido Club House, 550 N. Sixth St., San Jose, CA. Contact: Bruce Davidson, (408) 623-0413; bwdavidson2@bbnow.net.

The 30th Santa Barbara Orchid Estate International Orchid Fair

Friday July 9 & Saturday July 10, 2010, 9 AM to 5 PM Sunday July 11, 2010, 10 AM to 4 PM

Don't forget to put this date on your calendar - September 25 & 26, Fascination of Orchids Orchid Show South Coast Plaza Village

Casa de las Orquideas - May 15, 2010

SALE Annual 3” Cym. Seedling Sale and selected 6” seedlings 50% OFF or MORE!

9 AM to 4PM Limited quantities 3” LB 1516 to LB 1558 only No Early Birds! No Mail Orders!

170 S. Nardo Ave

Solana Beach, CA 92075

(858) 755-7572 www.orquideas.com casa@orquideas.com

Burma’s Vanishing Orchids

By VIOLET CHO

PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN, Thailand — The orchid market at Dan Singkhon in southern Thailand attracts thousands of enthusiasts, who don’t seem to be worried that their love for these exotic plants is threatening many species with extinction.

Many of the threatened orchids come from the forests of nearby Burma, imported at small cost with the cooperation of Burmese and Thai border officials.

The Dan Singkhon market has been attracting collectors of orchids and other wild plants for more than a decade. The football field-size market takes place every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Thai customs authorities at the nearby Burmese border charge an average of 10 baht (30 US Cents) per imported plant, which can range from a simple orchid to an example of the world’s oldest species. No official checks are made of the imported plants, many of which are on lists of protected and endangered species.

One international expert, Jeffrey Wood, curator of the orchid herbarium of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, in Britain, examined photographs of the plants on sale at the Dan Singkhon market and said: “It's quite upsetting to see such a large variety of species being stripped off the trees in Burma. A lot of these species wouldn't survive, since they come from the mountains. It is very damaging to the local orchid flora.

“It’s like the days back in the late 19th century when nurseries used to send out collectors and they used to strip an area bare. The same thing’s happening in the remoter parts of Burma.”

Another expert, J F Maxwell, curator of the Chiang Mai University Herbarium, said many of the imported plants failed to survive when removed from their natural habitat.

“Plants have been around longer than people, so the idea of people killing everything is revolting, especially if it is based on greed and stupidity,” said Maxwell, who joined Wood in identifying the flora on sale at the Dan Singkhon market, using photo documentation.

Burma and Thailand are signatories to the Convention on the Elimination of Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which bans or restricts trading in all wild orchid species. Burma signed CITES in 1997 and management of the treaty is under the country’s Ministry of Forestry. Thailand signed in 1983.

The majority of the wild orchids on sale in the Dan Singkhon market are listed in either appendix 1 or 2 of CITES. Appendix 1 species are endangered with extinction and trade is virtually prohibited. Species listed in appendix 2 species are judged to be also under threat and trade is highly regulated.

Among orchids listed in appendix 1 are those of the orchid genus paphiopedilum, which experts say could become extinct in Burma unless trade in the plants is stopped. Fifty Burmese species of the dendrobium genus are also listed by CITES as endangered—an indication of the great variety of orchids to be found in Burma’s forests.

Experts point out that these orchids come from very delicate ecosystems and are unlikely to survive when replanted.

“Most die during their first dry season,” said Maxwell. “Almost all ground orchids die probably because of microrhiza dysfunction. They simply can't cope away from their native niche, the epiphytic ones may linger around for longer, but most do not survive.

Those who purchase wild plants are not aware of this and the merchants don't care.”

Many merchants make fraudulent claims about the plants they are selling, often identifying them with false names and photos. Dormant, unflowering plants are also difficult to identify correctly.

Apart from orchids, many other threatened varieties are on sale at the Dan Singkhon market, including cycads, which are among the oldest plants on earth and were common during the time of the dinosaurs more than 200 million years ago. Cycads reproduce very slowly, so their removal from Burmese forests could lead to their extinction, Maxwell warned.

“Cycads are ancient plants,” Maxwell said. “They are relicts of former floras and some are still able to hang on in the wild. They usually survive cultivation, but often have trouble reproducing.”

The cycads being sold at the market range from 80 to 120 years old and sell for a minimum of 100 baht.

Examples of rafflesia, the world’s largest flower, can be found at the market, yet purchasers of rafflesia buds stand no chance of seeing their plants thrive, say the experts.Rafflesia are parasitic and able to survive only on a specific host vine. Replanted, they have no chance of surviving.

Todd Barkman, a professor of Biological Sciences at Western Michigan University in the US, said: “The populations of these plants are usually naturally quite small and over-collecting could easily lead to local extinction. These species often live in tropical habitat that is often converted to cultivation, making the overall amount of habitat for these species less. So, unless the populations are protected against over-harvesting, they likely have a dim future..”

Rafflesias are not officially documented, adding to the threat they face from being removed from their natural habitat and transported to Thailand.

Most of the merchants at Dan Singkhon are Burmese nationals from Mot Tow village, Tennaserim Division, whose livelihood depends on the trade in endangered plants.

Ma Khaing, who has been selling orchids at the market for more than a year said she earns at least 200 baht ($6) per day. She and other traders know they’re dealing in rare plants but argue that they need the money because of the harsh economic conditions in Burma.

A migrant Burmese laborer said the orchids that grew around his village were disappearing rapidly and traders had to penetrate ever deeper into the forest to find them.

Got Cymbidiums? Need to repot?

I’ve got your pots!!!!! In 4 sizes with

This is a sample size Ad.

Lots of drainage holes and hanging holes

for those pendulous beauties. See my

Your advertisement must be all text.

flyers at the meetings or call me at

714-991-8661 or e-mail me at

About the size of a business card

egulrich@att.net. Edie Gulrich