Book Description
One of every seven flowering plants on earth is an orchid. Interest in growing orchids has risen dramatically in recent years, and many new varieties that can be grown in the home without a greenhouse have been developed. Research biologist and full-time garden writer Judy White now brings her expertise--and her stunning photographs--to this much needed book for the expanding world of home orchid growers.
Customer Reviews:
beginner orchidist.......2007-05-13
I originally bought this book for the descriptions of the orchids, but found a lot of basic orchid care information. I have several orchid books, and this is one of three I use the most.
Still can't identify my orchid.......2007-04-06
My girl friend left me with four orchids when she departed to take care of her sick parents. These were definitley the dregs of her 20+ collection. Surprisingly, I've been able to get two of them to bloom, but even all these pictures can't help me identify the blomming orchid.
Excellent for instructions on how to take care of the plants; however, I will have to report back later if their procedures worked for me!
A Gem of a Book.......2007-02-27
An excellent book with cultural information that goes well beyond what's in most beginner books, yet is accessible and easy to understand. The 300 gorgeous color plates, if overly saturated with color,at times, are restricted to a satisfying mix of genera, both species and hybrids. This book is compact and impossible to keep open and would benefit from a much deserved larger format. Highly recommended.
EXCELLENT CHOICE FOR YOUR LIBRARY.......2006-01-13
I grow and collect orchids strictly as a hobby. I first purchased this particular work at the time of it's publication and have been using it ever since. The photographs are wonderful and I have found that the 300 + orchids covered in this book are truely that...covered and covered quite well. The author's text, as to discriptions and "how to grow," are extremely useful. The grower/collector must realize though, that as the title of the book states, this covers more than 300 orchids. Needless to say, there are many, many more out there and If one wishes to own just one book that lists all of them, then be aware this one does not. That being said, I have yet to find a book that does list all of the hundreds and hundreds of varities and thousands of hybrids. I shoud think that this would be an impossible undertaking as each year these numbers increase many fold. I personally own several dozen books on the subject and am constantly adding to them. This is a good book, one that should be added to the many others you will no doubt purchase if you pursue this wonderful hobby. I recommend this one highly.
Not very practical.......2005-11-03
Depending on what you're looking for, this book is not for everyone, definitely not for the beginners. There're very little instructions on how to cultivate orchids. I find the binding of the book awkward. The pictures are of great quality though.
Book Description
Proven advice on many easy-to-grow orchids.
Long considered expensive and difficult to grow, modern orchid varieties are far from fragile and come in a vast array of colors and sizes to suit any gardener and home environment.
Easy Orchids explains how to grow orchids at home, from choosing a healthy plant to transporting and caring for it.
An extensive A-Z orchid directory includes cool, warm and intermediate varieties and hybrids, each with detailed care instructions. The directory also features:
- Strength of fragrance
- Ease of growth
- Ideal growing temperatures and locations
- Size of bloom
- Watering and humidity levels
- Feeding, potting and summer care.
Advances in home climate technology have spurred the dramatic rise in popularity of orchid houseplants. Wide availability and affordability have made them more accessible.
Beautifully illustrated and up-to-date,
Easy Orchids also includes a checklist for gardeners buying orchids online. Other buying tips include what to look for in healthy roots and leaves and the wrapping of the orchid for shipping or travel.
With the valuable tips and advice in
Easy Orchids, gardeners of all levels will discover how fail-safe it can be to grow orchids.
Book Description
Grow cattleyas and many other kinds of orchids in a window or under artificial light. 63 illustrations.
Customer Reviews:
Color on the cover but not inside.......2007-09-14
I bought this book for my mom who recently received a beautiful orchid plant. Anyone who has seen an orchid knows COLOR is one of the important factors in an orchid and to see the pictures in this book illustrated in B/W is a huge disappointment. The price was right but the product wasn't.
good book.......2006-08-30
Good book, optimum status, author is well knowed and always attendible.
Only more color photos could be better.
How to grow orchids.......2000-09-06
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........1999-02-17
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.
Book Description
With growing orchids as a pastime ever increasing in popularity, here, reissued with a lovely new cover, is one of the most popular books on the subject. This engaging volume provides all the inspiration and hands-on facts for transforming a windowsill, patio, glassed-in porch, or small garden plot into orchid territory, with the emphasis-given a plant that can be all too intimidating-on the easy. There’s Lady’s Slipper orchids and Jewel orchids for low-light homes; Laeliocattleyas to take advantage of a sunny kitchen window; and a host of other varieties. Complete with concise, easy-to-follow instructions, and beautifully illustrated with full-color photographs, Easy Orchids makes growing these prima donnas of the plant world rewarding and enjoyable for beginner and expert gardeners alike.
Customer Reviews:
Useful information, but lacking structure.......2004-09-12
This book was easy to read and had lots of beautiful orchid pictures. However, there the book is very lacking in stucture. It simply goes through different types of orchids and meanwhile gives you tips on watering, fertilizing, etc. as you go. I have read a few other orchid books and this just seems to be a conglomeration of the useful hints and tips I've found in those. For a much more useful book try Ortho's All About Orchids.
Love this orchid book.......2003-06-24
What a great orchid book. I'm a beginner, but I'll use it forever. Absolutely wonderful photos and references. I saved an orchid using instructions in this book. I recommend it, especially at this great price.
A must-have for your orchid library!.......2003-02-18
I am notorious among my friends and family for killing plants in no time. Yet, I got this book as a gift along with an orchid (they thought if I was given directions for use, that one plant stood a better chance...:)
Not only did the plant make it beautifully, and re-bloom, but I now own and enjoy a few more orchid plants.
This book is a great basic for your orchid library. Granted, it doesn't cover all the topics you want to know about(plant diseases for example). However, it is very invaluable and even though I now own more orchid books, I find myself getting back to this one quite often for information.
It is not intimidating, very easy to follow and an excellent introduction to a great family of plants, too often inaccurately labeled as fragile and needy.
I warmly recommend it to anyone getting started with orchids.
This book paired with an orchid plant is one of the greatest gifts I ever received...
Great starter guide for growing orchids.......2002-03-26
I got this book along with my very first orchid plant that I had bought in an annual orchid show recently. It could be both an exciting and yet intimidating experience to tend to your first orchid. However this is a perfect starter guide for beginners, with simple and easy to follow instructions in caring most of the common types of orchids. It provides readers with essential information from using the right potting mix, when to water and how to fetilize. The all color photography makes it even more fun to read. Highly recommended for first time orchid grower like myself.
A great introduction to growing orchids for the beginner.......2001-12-13
The book contains about 100 pages: 18 pages on orchid native conditions, horticultural history, and orchid anatomy and growth habits. 22 pages on growing conditions (light, temperature, humidity, fertilizers, etc), growing tips, and pests to avoid. 58 pages covering the details about growing two dozen specific popular orchids. Each orchid in this section is described by its species / cultivar name, specific growing conditions given (light, watering, fertilizing schedule), a full size photograph of each plant, and two or three paragraphs of details about this specific orchid. Book concludes with 4 pages on mail order sources, bibliography, index, and acknowledgement.
The book contains clear, crisp, and easy to read information about orchid care. It completely covers all of the essentials that the first time orchid grower needs to learn.
Is the book's information helpful? Well, I bought this book with my first orchid. One hundred days later, not only is the orchid still alive, but the flowers are still in bloom! Gee, I guess I can grow orchids, especially with guidance from this book.
Is growing orchids addictive? Well, I started with one orchid. One hundred days laters, I now own six plants ... and I'm looking to buy more. All because of this damn book :-)
The book is a great introduction to growing orchids for the beginner. It should be your first book, and you should buy it with your first orchid. Simple, but accurate, instructions throughout the text. "Easy Orchids" is a wonderfully helpful book.
Book Description
Without a doubt, the most widely grown orchids in the world are the species and hybrids of Phalaenopsis, the "moth orchids." Since their discovery by western botanists in the 18th century, phalaenopsis were considered aristocrats even among orchids and were eagerly sought out by the most discerning — and wealthy — of collectors. With advances in orchid propagation and breeding in the middle 20th century, however, these orchids became accessible and affordable to anyone with an eye for exceptional beauty. Few floriculture crops have swamped the marketplace as suddenly as phalaenopsis has in recent years, with millions of plants being produced for the mass market annually. Moth orchids have helped eliminate the misconception of orchids as temperamental conservatory plants only for the very rich. In the words of author Eric Christenson, we are witnessing "the makings of an orchid revolution."
Against this backdrop of change and ferment, Christenson set out to write a definitive monograph of the genus Phalaenopsis, the first thorough treatment since Herman Sweet's revision in 1969. Focusing mainly on the forebears of today's omnipresent hybrids — the species — he always keeps an eye on the characteristics that species might bring to today's hybridization programs. With extensive keys and detailed reviews of the taxonomy of the genus, Christenson provides a thorough picture of the current scientific understanding of these remarkable plants.
In addition to its scientific content, this book offers a wealth of practical information for the orchid hobbyist. A useful chapter on cultivation techniques is included, as is a chapter on hybrids in their many forms, shapes, and colors. More than 200 color photos and 60 drawings enliven the work and provide a fascinating visual overview.
With the full sponsorship and support of the International Phalaenopsis Alliance, Christenson has written an extraordinary book reflecting years of botanical research and horticultural experience with the genus. No orchid specialist will want to be without it.
Customer Reviews:
Must have for a Phal. lover........2006-08-31
This book is a tour de force. The knowledge poured into the pages of this book is amazing. The meat of the book is organized such that each subgenus of Phalaenopsis is covered by a chapter. Each chapter begins with a flow chart for distinguishing members of the subgenus by key features such as sepal size and spur prominance. Each species and it's other forms are then described in detail with regards to anatomy, phylogeny, distribution, general facts, and occasionally tips for cultivation. This book serves as a great reference. The index was well thought out and all of the species are ordered alphabetically under the index entry "Phalaenopsis". In the middle of the book are several pages of color images on gloss paper with the species organized alphabetically. The book recently helped me correctly identify a Phal. that was incorrectly labelled by a vendor. For many species, Christenson notes when other species have been confused for it. When used in combination with Fragrant Orchids by Frowine, it becomes easy to search for fragrant Phals.
Abundant information, but poorly written and badly organized.......2002-11-01
The book contains about 323 pages composed of: 11 pages on history and distribution, 13 pages on orchid anatomy and basic taxonomy, 219 pages on each species, 21 pages on cultivation and growing, 15 pages on hybrids, 7 pages on conservation and the future, 27 page bibliography, and a 10 page index. 54 pages of color photographs (most pictures are small measuring only 2" x 3" in size).
Eric Christenson is a plant genius, an outstanding writer, and perhaps the most important orchid authority in North America. Sadly, this is not a well written book.
The text is boring. The descriptions are flat and uninteresting. Photographs are blurry and display unattractive flowers. Content is poorly organized. For example, photographs do not accompany the text description. Photographs are rather all lumped together in the center of the book. There are no maps. I have no clue where Borneo is and a map would be extremely helpful. In addition, I would have liked to have seen distribution maps for each species. Also, I would like to see comparative displays of the plant anatomy, rather than a drawing here and a drawing there. Was I suppose to flip through the pages to compare how species "A" differs from species "B"? Couldn't a visual taxonomic key have been written?
The book has major flaws. Still, I gave it a 4-star rating. Why? Because the remaining material is so critically important. There is an outstanding wealth of information about Phalaenopsis in the book. It contains historical reflection and modern observations. Major taxonomic changes are introduced and discussed. Much of the data is new and has not been observed before, at least not in this amount of detail. It contains excellent plant sketches and voluminous descriptions about plant anatomy. Unfortunately, it is cluttered with enough scientific terminology to make it worthly of a fine dust collector on your book shelf.
I am hugely disappointed with the book. It has so much important information that I will not likely reference because it too damn difficult to find in this book. For example, which Phalaenopsis have a fragrance? These details are in the book somewhere, but I would have to look up every species, one at a time, in order to obtain this answer.
Great information. Poorly written and awkwardly organized. If you love Phalaenopsis, this is a must have book. Just accept the flaws and use it the best you can.
An outstanding taxonomy book, nothing else.......2001-06-18
Eric Christenson's book is outstanding, unrival on phalaenopsis taxonomy and most welcome. There you will learn that Phalaenopsis amabilis var. formosa should be known as Phal. aphrodite var. formosana. Surprisingly the text doesn't mention var. formosana is fragant.
The photos are a big disappointment to say the least, not only they are alphabetically arranged and doesn't allow comparation among sister species, but most are poorly done for modern standards. In a work such this, it's incredible there are so few close-ups of the lips. What's worse, just one photo features a plant growing in the wild. Even Comber's book "Orchids of Java" gives more clue-photos of phalaenopsis growing in the wild than Eric's book.
The Content page mentions chapters on cultivation, fertilisation hibridisation, etc. DO NOT BUY IT for that! Browse Internet, "Orchids" magazine or any other orchid paper and you will find better information on that subjects than in Eric's book. Taking in mind this book has been sponsored by the International Phalaenopsis Association, it's a disappointment to read such poor written chapters.
Eric Christenson's book is a must have for any phalaenopsis lover with interest on taxonomy. Buy it just for that, but don't expect anything else. Anyhow, this is not the outstanding book it should have been.
THE Phalaenopsis book.......2001-03-14
This book is invaluable for several reasons but most easily summed up with the statement that "it's all here". Dr. Christenson is first and foremost a taxonomist, but unlike so many other scientists, he is willing to share his reasons for placing a particular plant in a particular taxon. Every species is discussed thoroughly, and in another rare move, almost all the points of information are the same for each species so that they can be compared with an "apples to apples" approach. All measurements are metric. The keys actually work. Even the photos are in alphabetical order. What is also wonderful is that there is cultivation and conservation information sprinkled throughout the book, not just in those chapters. His horticultural expertise, his conservation ethic, and his sense of humor makes this very readable cover to cover. This book will also be used. If his Encyclopedia of Orchid Species, which should be completed next year, is anywhere near as good, it will be the most important orchid book ever.
Average customer rating:
- Superior illustrations
- Very good but not fantastic
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Manual of Orchids (New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary)
Manufacturer: Timber Press, Incorporated
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Flora's Orchids
ASIN: 0881923346 |
Book Description
This is the most complete guide to cultivated orchids currently available. A summary of each genus, with cultural information, is followed by descriptions of the species.
Customer Reviews:
Superior illustrations.......2007-02-24
I'm fairly new to orchid zealotry (about 3 years), mostly as a result of friends dumping their distressed plants on me because of my inexplicable success bringing neglected orchids back to health and happiness.
I've branched out from safe orchids like paphs and phals to neofinetias, laelias, blc's, zygos, oncidiums, dendrobiums, and burragearas. Because I receive so many plants in their non-flowering state, it is practically impossible for me to determine certain species, particularly if they are hybrids. And because of my ignorance, I am sometimes unable to determine even simple species.
The Manual of Orchids helps me with the aforementioned problems by doing something that no other orchid book I've seen does: provide illustrations of the ENTIRE plant. Most books focus on zoom photos of the blooms at their peak. You almost never see orchid books that take the care to photograph the blooms within the context of the entire plant. Seeing the entire plant helps us newbies understand total plant anatomy, rather than focusing solely on flowers (which is, to be honest, like expecting someone to understand homo sapiens anatomy based solely on photos of the human face!).
The bibliography of the 1995 edition I borrowed from the library cites 7 sources for illustrations. All of them are excellent. I'm eager to see how the edition listed above improves with the addition of nearly 50 pages.
Very good but not fantastic.......2000-04-17
(Note, I would have given it 3 1/2 stars if that were an option.)
When I read the Book News and Book List blurbs that claim this book includes entries for "all orchid species, grexes, and cultivars" I had to write to note that that statement is utter nonsense. (I also note that they both suspiciously use the exact same words -- a publisher's press release perhaps?)
The short answer is that if you are a beginner, don't count on this book to teach you how to grow orchids. If you are more advanced, it's useful, but don't expect it to be the end all and be all of references. Realistically though, it may well be as complete a single reference as one will find. (Although I haven't done a very close comparison with the Manual of Cultivated Orchids, I have found entries here for plants not included in the latter, although at least that one purports only to include those in cultivation.)
The manual's coverage is very extensive, and probably does contain references to "all better-known species and a number of lesser known ones as well," but given that there are on the order of 25,000 orchid species and the hybrids run into the hundreds of thousands, the quoted statement is just plain silly. From my own experience, it makes no mention of several species orchids I just bought, which were by no means recently discovered/collected in the wilds of South America and India. Although it mentions two of the best known species of Chinese cymbidium, it doesn't mention a single cultivar, of which there are at least several very long established (for decades if not centuries), well-known examples.
Finally, the cultural notes are not unhelpful, but are very oversimplified and sketchy. (One, more obvious, example is that not all Masdevallias and Cymbidiums are cool growing, and it makes no mention at all of exceptions to the so-called rule.)
Average customer rating:
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Orchid Growing Illustrated
Brian Rittershausen , and
Wilma Rittershausen
Manufacturer: Blandford Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0713713658 |
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Endangered Orchids
P. Cribbe
Manufacturer: Batsford
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0713486163 |
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