Product Description
Appealing to conservationists, travelers, orchid lovers, and naturalists alike, the author takes his readers on an incredible journey to pursue the 145 temperate American orchid species in their native habitats. This chatty account of his field trips in Canada and the U.S. is intended both to document many of our native species and to inspire others to respectfully explore the wealth of orchids. Includes 170 superb color photographs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Detailed information concerning orchid biology, ecology, history, and conservation for nature lovers and gardeners alike
Now in paperback for the first time, Wild Orchids Across North America: A Botanical Travelogue is offers detailed information concerning orchid biology, ecology, history, and conservation for nature lovers and gardeners alike. Full-color photographs throughout reveal the beauty of these wonderful flowers, making Wild Orchids Across North America a stunning visual treasury as well as a repository of information on all things orchid. The emotion that author and North American Native Orchid Alliance founding member Philip E. Keenan has for these captivating blossoms shows through in his exquisite attention to detail. Highly recommended especially for orchid lovers.

Outstanding
I have had the rare satisfaction of experiencing a manuscript about orchids that would be the envy of any writer on any subject, and a pictoral feast that certainly would put Keenan right up there as the Ansel Adams oforchids when it comes to photography.And somewhere up there Rachel Carsonmust be smiling down and thinking ,"Well done Mr. Keenan", for,like Carson, Keenan has great concern for our voyage through time on ourspaceship earth and, in a most disarming manner, alerts us to ourecological responsibilities without being overbearing about it.This is notjust about orchids - it's about life.

Keenan�s descriptive prose is a fitting complement for his b
Memoirs and travelogues have long been a popular vehicle for sharing personal experiences on a wide variety of subjects.Most natural history tomes of this type are verygeneral and have little specific information to generate vivid images forthe reader.Not so with Philip Keenan's assemblage of more than twodecades of traveling throughout most of North America in search of many ofthe wild orchids of that continent.

Keenan's descriptive prose is afitting complement for his brilliant full-color images of wild orchidstaken in situ from coast to coast.Having accompanied him on many of theseforays I can say that each vignette or anecdote brings me back to the dayof discovery!For those who have not been there, his photographs will giveyou a taste of what can be waiting for you.

Both the very rare andthe frequent and familiar are treated with the same reverence and respect. For those who have lived in the Northeast the wide-spread pinklady's-slipper is still be to admired as much as the rapidly decreasingfairy-slipper.Keenan takes us to such diverse places as Newfoundland,Alaska (and its breathtaking Kodiak Island), the pinelands of New Jersey,and the open savannas of southeastern North Carolina.A few days in the'sky islands' of southeastern Arizona yield several sought-after species. Although not a rabid 'life-lister' as are so many in various naturalhistory fields, Keenan appreciates each new species and joins many of us incompleting the study of all species within a genus.

This volume isboth an excellent addition to the native orchidist's library or a perfectgift for anyone who appreciates nature.I can think of no other book onnative orchids, or wildflowers in general, that would be as ideal as afirst volume to intrigue and infect someone with an appreciation for thenatural world around them. PMB ... Read more

Product Description
The orchid is the most evocative of flowers, inspiring in some of its admirers a fanaticism akin to madness, as demonstrated in Susan Orlean's The Orchid Thief. This elegant survey of the orchid treats its place in legend and suggests the impact that these exotic plants---whose "exuberance and heavy, sensual beauty ... seemed to bear witness to some original sin"---had on the temperate European mind. Berliocchi chronicles the adventurers and scientists who introduced these marvels, discusses their place in the arts from literature and magic to cuisine and concludes with accounts of the most important genera and their cultivation. Splendidly illustrated with period engravings and botanical paintings, it is literate and delightful. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

not for the scholar
I liked this book. Its wide-ranging accounts of orchids in history was very interesting. The book's one, and serious, flaw is that there are no footnotes. There is a vague bibliography, but standard footnoting would be really appreciated for people who would like to use this as a scholarly reference. As it stands, they can't. A lot of work went into collecting the stories for the book; and it's a shame that that bit of extra detail wasn't included because it would expand its usefulness immeasurably!

Great book for orchid lovers
If you're a fan of orchids or horticulture in general, this is a fascinating read. Reads like the stories of explorers and prospectors in the days of gold rush of the West. Highly recommended.

very interesting book
This book is filled with historical content, I could not stop reading because the book is so interesting. I was intrigued to find out that Charles Darwin was obssesed with orchids, they don`t tell you that in history class, or that he came up with his theory of evolution when he was travelingthe world on a ship called the H.M.S, looking for new species of orchids and other exotic plants.

If you are interested in orchids...
I read this book not because I was interested in orchids but because I'm fascinated by the lore and legends of plants. It was so beautifully written and so informative that I became interested in orchids.

I had always felt that orchids were somehow a bit "over the top". I had no idea just how "over the top" they were. By the tie I read the chapter on myths and legends I was hooked, and when I finished "Patrons and Hunters" I couldn't put the book down. Just as well because I would have missed the story about vanilla being part of the Aztecs chocolate drink, and, of course, thought to be an aphrodisiac. Montezuma was said to drink it fifty times a day, especially before visiting one of his many wives.

The book also covers the literature and art of the orchid and the magic, medicine and religion related to it. There are also chapters on the plant, the genera and on growing orchids and a list of information and illustration sources. There are some colour photographs and, throughout the text, delicate engravings from a wide range of historical sources.

This is a very literate book. Not a long book - the writer does not belabour any of his points, but an interesting and thought-provoking read. If you are interested in orchids or fascinated by the history and legends of plants, this is a must read.

The Orchid in Lore and Legend
Luigi Berliocchi Timber Press 1996 ISBN 0-88192-491-1 184 pages

I read this booknot because I was interested in orchids but because I'm fascinated by the lore and legends of plants. It was so beautifully written and so informative that I became interested in orchids.

I had always felt that orchids were somehow a bit "over the top". I had no idea just how "over the top" they were. By the tie I read the chapter on myths and legends I was hooked, and when I finished "Patrons and Hunters" I couldn't put the book down. Just as well because I would have missed the story about vanilla being part of the Aztecs chocolate drink, and, of course, thought to be an aphrodisiac. Montezuma was said to drink it fifty times a day, especially before visiting one of his many wives.

The book also covers the literature and art of the orchid and the magic, medicine and religion related to it. There are also chapters on the plant, the genera and on growing orchids and a list of information and illustration sources. There are some colour photographs and, throughout the text, delicate engravings from a wide range of historical sources.

This is a very literate book. Not a long book - the writer does not belabour any of his points, but an interesting and thought-provoking read. If you are interested in orchids or fascinated by the history and legends of plants, this is a must read. ... Read more

Product Description
Growing orchids is a hobby more than two millennia old, and from the beginning these beautiful flowers have enjoyed a constant and unparalleled cult status among enthusiasts. The Orchid Growers Companion explains in accessible detail the natural habitat of some 400 orchid species, hybrids, and variants, with the information leading directly into practical propagation and cultivation guidance, including requirements for water, lighting, compost, and potting. Illustrated throughout with breathtaking images, The Orchid Growers Companion is an irresistible volume for anyone with even a passing interest in growing orchids. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Solid culture information
Very well written by a master orchid gardener. His culture information is pretty solid, but their organization is based on a parent and then by its hybrids and that makes it a little hard to find the crosses. For example, you have to search all three before you find culture info for a Brassolaeliacattleya.
Very stunning photography.

Wonderful Orchid Book
[[Orchid Grower's Companion: Cultivation, Propagation, and Varieties Indoors]]I have been growing orchids since 2005 and enjoyed reading this book and looking at the wonderful pictures.I learned quite a bit about orchids from misting them daily, cutting the stems, etc.I would recommend this book to any orchid grower, new to the plants or to someone who has grown for many years. Find a window they like, mist daily, fertilize after bathing and you should have great blooms to come.

Beautiful and Informative Book!
I am a beginner as far as orchids go.I received a free orchid from Sarah Jessica Parker when I signed up for a free sample of her perfume "Lovely."Now I am hooked and in love with orchids!They are so beautiful!This book is one of the best and shows perfectly how lovely orchids are.It contains a wealth of information too.I highly recommend it.

Excellent.
This is an excellent book about orchids. It shall take you from the very first steps into a more advanced understanding of this hobby. There's a lot of pictures and they are beautiful. The matter is tidily organized. Growing media, phytopathology, light and temperature requirements are clearly explained. I do recommend this book. For those who are on a budget a good alternative would be "Growing orchids" by Rittershausen. ... Read more

Product Description
Some of the most intriguing orchids are those classified as miniatures - plants that range from just an inch or two in height to a maximum of 12 inches. Steven Frowine profiles more than 300 of these gems, including representatives of some of the most popular genera. Entries include information on the plant's geographic or hybrid origin; details about the flowers; bloom season; mature size and habit; ease of culture; light and temperature requirements; recommended potting medium; history; and tips for success. The author's high-quality photographs make identification a snap and provide welcome help when you're selecting plants for your collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Valuable information for orchid lovers
What a great resource for those who love miniature orchids. Answers many questions I have had.

Gift and she liked it a lot
This was a gift for friend who also grows orchids, but prefers miniatures.She is thrilled with this book.

Concise Yet Thorough
This is a beautiful book that opened up the world of miniature orchids for me. The information provided on each species is concise yet more than thorough enough for my needs as a hobbyist.I love the vivid, full color pictures that the author generously uses to show the hundreds of miniature varieties.I also found many useful tips on cultivation and insect and disease control that are covered in easy to understand terms in the first couple of chapters. If you want to learn more about miniature orchids without having to wade through excessive botanical and scientific jargon, I think you will find this book to be very helpful.

Miniature Orchids by Steven Frowine
Miniature Orchids by Steven Frowine is a beautifully illustrated guide to collecting and raising miniature orchids.The illustrations are gorgeous, descriptions and instructions are very precise and understandable.I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Wonderful book on Miniature Orchids!
This book covers a wide array of miniature orchids - over 300 - with beautiful, detailed illustrations and information - about the flowers, blooom season, planting requirements, etc.I especially like the planting tips - ease of culture, and light and temperature requirements.

I LOVE this wonderfully detailed book on orchid miniatures and have bought several copies to give as gifts to friends! ... Read more

Product Description
Commercial Propagation of Orchids in Tissue Culture: Seed-Flasking Methods is an illustrated laboratory manual that describes in easily understood language the stepwise process of propagating orchids from seed via ‘seed flasking,’ a technique based on tissue-culture technology. The methods described include Preparation of: Green Pod for Seed Sowing; Split Pod for Dry-Seed Sowing; Spread Flask; and Replate Flask.

This informative volume also presents: pros-and-cons of seed flasking versus cloning; detailed descriptions of media, their components, and preparation; guidelines to using sterile technique; and a photographic life cycle of orchids grown in seed flasks. An invaluable appendix presents an 8-page table of orchid-pod collection times, including 471 species/hybrids among 124 genera. A glossary and comprehensive index complete the book. This book won an Award of Excellence from The Intermountain Chapter of The Society for Technical Communication in its 2000–2001 Publications Competition.

A removable 8.5"x14" tri-fold companion Quick Reference Guide summarizes all the media and propagation methods presented in greater detail within the book. It guides the user bench-side after he’s read and studied the manual.

Comb-bound, softcover book easily lies flat or folds. 8.5"x11" format. 53 B&W photographs. 63 pages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Tissue Culture
The book had a lot of good info, I just hope I can one day understand it all.

Not for novice.
If I had laboratory experience/equipment, this book may have been useful. It's definitely for the pro. Gives all chemicals needed and the function of those chemicals. Timeline for harvesting seed pods for genus and species. All about starting from seed. No information on creating plantlets from an explant. ... Read more

Product Description
This book by the Royal Horticultural Society's Director of Horticulture is the first to cover the 265 orchids native to Kenya. It is the product not only of the author's peerless knowledge of orchids but of her 10 years' residence in Kenya. ... Read more

Product Description
More than 150 orchid genera are described, each accompanied by a superb Marion Sheehan illustration that shows a representative species; all display the same structures in similar views so that the reader can easily compare the variations among genera. In 1995, the authors received the American Orchid Society's Gold Medal of Achievement.
... Read more

Product Description
In this spectacular and comprehensive book, orchid expert David Jones describes more than 1,300 species and subspecies of Australian native orchids.Almost every species is illustrated with a beautiful color photograph, and the detailed species descriptions include information about every part of the plant, as well as its distribution, habitat, how to distinguish it from other similar species and its conservation status. A must for dedicated orchid enthusiasts, professional botanists or anyone interested in Australia flora. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Complete Guide to Native Orchids of Australia: Including the Island Territories
An excellent well written book - just the thing for the Australian Native Orchid lover.A Complete Guide to Native Orchids of Australia: Including the Island Territories

the Big Book on Australian Orchids
This is the best book to have if you're really serious about identifying the orchids you see in Australia. It's much better than any of the others - more complete, better pictures and descriptions. It provides a good view of the current understanding of the taxonomy of country's orchids. The pictures are generally great, the written descriptions useful.

Two quibbles - One, there are no keys to allow you to determine which of several closely related species you might have. Species or subspecies can be so similar that the pictures and the written descriptions don't allow you to distinguish among them. Two, range maps rather than place names (some of which are so small they don't make it into an Atlas) would be nice.

Quibbles aside, it's a very useful book. ... Read more

Product Description
More than 80% of Australia's lavishly abundant species of native orchids are found nowhere else in the world. With their delicate beauty, often brilliant colors, bizarre shapes, and wondrous biological relationships, they have attracted a dedicated following of passionate devotees. This magnificently illustrated, up-to-date, and authoritative book covers 150 of the most well known and widespread species as well as many that are extremely rare or were only recently described. These include both terrestrial and arboreal orchids from all parts of this fascinating continent.

John Riley's drawings are not only beautiful but masterpieces of meticulous accuracy: all are anatomically exact, representing the finest collection of illustrations of this flora published to date. The concise text, by David Banks with contributions from Riley, complements the drawings with precise, pertinent information.

Each species description consists of a full page of color illustrations of all key parts with a page of text opposite. The orchid genera are arranged alphabetically and, where appropriate, separated into informal groupings. Within each genus, the species appear in chronological order of their scientific description. Closely related taxonomic groups are therefore presented together, for easier comparison.

Orchids of Australia will become a benchmark among the burgeoning numbers of orchid lovers, growers, and specialists worldwide, combining the most up-to-date nomenclatural treatment of Australia's indigenous orchids with superb, highly detailed, full-color illustrations.

John J. Riley, who worked for many years as a sheep shearer in his native Australia, is one of the country's most accomplished botanical artists. He has been researching and drawing the country's orchids in the field for more than twenty years. In 1992 he was awarded a fellowship by the Australian Institute of History and the Arts in recognition of his botanical illustrations and his celebrated carvings on emu eggs. David P. Banks is the editor of the Australian Orchid Review and former editor of The Orchadian. Author of Tropical Orchids of Southeast Asiaand Growing Orchids, he is a popular lecturer both in Australia and abroad on orchids and their cultivation.

• The most beautifully illustrated, up-to-date book on some of the finest of Australia's abounding native orchids
• Strikingly detailed and accurate, full-color drawings of 150 species, from the most well known and widespread to the rare and recently described
• Each orchid described by a page of illustrations
• Text on facing page provides succinct information on range, etymology, flowering time, habitat, conservation status, and distinctive features
• Closely related taxonomic groups presented together for easier comparison
• Genera arranged alphabetically and species within each genus ordered chronologically by date of scientific description
• Range map for each species

Customer Reviews (3)

A Great Coffee Table Adornment
This is a beautirful book with glorious artwork. We thought of cutting out some coloured drawing and faming them to hang on the wall, but finally decided to keep the book intact as a coffee table adornment. But this book is not a guide to the orchids of Australia. It contains only a relatively small number of the thousands of species. There are other books that buyers should consider if they want a comprehensive guide, such as David Jones's 'A Complete Guide to the Native Orchids of Australia'.

Wonderful book!
Both a great reference and a lovely coffee-table book.I gave two to my advisors as graduation thank-you gifts and they were delighted.

Great work from down under
The book is a great reference data base of the fascinating Australian orchid flora. Although 'only' a choice of 150 out of some 1200 Australian species is shown this book gives a good impression of what an orchid friend may expect from the Orchidaceae of this continent. Both terrestial and epiphytic species are included. The plants are shown in alphabetical order of the genus, with the species in chronological order of scientific description.

John Riley's drawings of the species are most skillful and combine botanical accuracy with a highly esthetic standard. Every illustration is a masterpiece, showing the plant entirely and its parts in adequate magnification. Thus the reader gets an impression of the plant which is very close to the real view. The presentation of anatomical details allows to identify closely related species. This is useful feature especially in the case of a number of very similar species, for instance within the genus Pterostylis. I have seen several species myself in natura and I can confirm that such a drawing gives more visual information about the plants than a photo often can.

Additional information about the species is given in the accompanying text. It contains data about the distribution, the typical habitat and the state of endangerment. David Banks' text is concise and testifies a great competence in this field.

In summary this book can be recommended all orchid friends. And I hope that the authors will have the time and opportunity to publish some additional volumes of their magnificent work to deliver insight of their intriguing orchid flora to all interested people inside and outside of Australia. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Another entertaining book by Jack Kramer
This is a great book for anyone trying to grow and bloom orchids in a warmclimate.The focus is on the southern United States, but the informationwill be useful for other areas as well.

The photographs selected aregorgeous and contain a good mix of flower closeups and displays of plantsgrown in home settings.Basic orchid cultural information is presented inan entertaining way with plenty of illustrations.

Topics include: tips onbuying orchids, natural orchid habitats, growing and housing indoororchids, 200 orchids suitable for southern growers and chapters focusing onoutdoor orchids and cut flowers.

One of the most helpful sections of thebook is the "Quick-Reference Orchid Chart" which is aalphabetical listing of orchids and their cultural requirements, size andusual time of bloomng.

The Appendix includes lists of mail order sourcesfor orchids and supplies, orchid society contact information and aglossary. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (8)

Inviting presentation of Orchid care.
Visually very apealing book on about 20 different orchids, great photos, well organized practical and easy to understand information. Just a very nice book, easy, not to much reading.

Orchid Growing for Wimps
This book really helped me grow orchids more successfully.The author is very organized and covers all aspects of growing these beautiful plants.His tips made my money go further because I realized that some orchids require very specific conditions that I couldn't replicate, so if I bought them I was doomed to failure. By following his suggestions anyone can successfully grow orchids and coax them into flowering again and again.

Great Book On Orchids
This book is easy to understand with lots of detail. Good to have as reference.

Removed all the guess work in a book you can read in one evening
I've read a lot of confusing books on orchid growing as well as some very good ones like Understanding Orchids. this book is conveniently short and clear with excellent charts, great pictures easy descriptions. I found of everything I have read that this one gave me the confidence and actually repot, prune and relocate my outdoor Florida orchids. I finally feel confident that I know what I am doing. I gave it five stars because it was the star in the crown of what I read but I feel that you still need to read Understanding Orchids as well to have it all.

Really good, but not enough pages!
I was the ultimate orchid wimp, a complete novice, when a friend sent me an encyclia last summer, and I panicked.I bought the Ortho orchid book, and tried to find a decent place for my plant, then went so far as to buy two more orchids - NOT knowing they were ones that needed the exact opposite treatment from the first.And THEN the same friend moved, and had some careless friends crate up 14 of her orchids and ship them off to ME!They arrived in terrible condition, having fallen out of their pots, leaves crushed, roots torn, a MESS.I had no space, no good light for them, not enough humidity, NOTHING.
Well, enter Orchid Growing for Wimps.It gave me not only information but confidence.In particular, I commend it for having pictures of the complete plants, not just the flowers.It really shows you how to perform manynecessary tasks, gives good tips on care of many common types of orchids.It convinced me at last that I'd better splurge and buy a large, lighted case for my babies, and they are now quite happy and doing well.
My only complaint, and it is unrealistic, is that this book doesn't cover all the thousands of varieties and their sometimes highly speccialized culture.The remedy for that is - MORE BOOKS, never a bad thing!
But if you can only buy one book, this one may be the most helpful one you can find.

review by Janet Knori, author of Awakening In God ... Read more

Product Description
The author spent nearly three years photographing thousands of orchids in all their diversity. This volume of the pictures features more than 120 new hybrids, obscure specimens and classic blooms, with informative captions and essays on the history, mystique and hybridization of orchids worldwide.Amazon.com Review
"Photographing rare orchids drew me into a world of beauty Ihad never known before," states Béla Kalman, who spent three yearsphotographing more than 6,000 plants for his new book, RareOrchids. One of the largest families of flowering plants in theworld, with more than 20,000 species, orchids are also easily the mostdiverse, varying widely in size, shape, color, texture, and decorativemarkings. As this book demonstrates, it's this diversity that largelycontributes to their allure, beauty, and mystique. While the 140gorgeous photos are the stars of the show here, the book also includesaccompanying text and interesting essays by orchidenthusiasts. Describing the art of hybridizing, one writer's expertiseand passion for the flower is evident: "Similar to a painter with anempty canvas, and using pollinia from one of the largest plantfamilies in existence as a palette, hybridizers combine imaginationwith botanical skills to bring new colors, shapes, and patterns tolife." As beautiful as it is informative, Rare Orchids would bea welcome addition to any orchid enthusiast's library. --AndyBoynton ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

disappointing
This would be a good coffee table book.Most of the orchids highlighted are fairly common to orchid growers.This would be a good book for someonewho is not familier with orchids.It is over priced for the informationthat it contains.I would suggest waiting until it shows up on a discounttable.I would not invest any money for this book.

Excellent gift !
I purchased this book for fathers day and could not be happier. Chock full of gorgeous blooms in vivid color, professionally photographed. Fear not you will be pleased. ... Read more

Product Description

Revered by avid orchid collectors for its delightful, star-shaped flowers, Huntleya is a small group of orchids found mostly on the floor of the cloud forest. Besides their striking colors-from deep blue to waxy red, royal purple to almost black-flowers of this group are known for their distinctive shapes, patterns, and textures. As appealing as these lovely tropical orchids are, their identification has been confused since the first species was described in the mid-1800s. Recent DNA studies have led to a clearer understanding of relationships and, as a result of this clarity, it is now possible to sort out the taxonomic problems and identify the characteristics that set species apart. In this first book devoted to the Huntleya alliance, author Patricia Harding presents evidence from the scientific literature, other growers, and her own experience that will enable orchidists everywhere to identify their plants and grow them successfully.

Customer Reviews (3)

A specialist work on special orchids
Patricia Harding has served the orchid world particularly well in creating this lucid and prectical monograph on some of the most beautiful orchids of all.I will admit to being partisan, I have always thought that Huntleyas were the most exquisite orchids imaginable.

This volume offers comprehensive descriptions of all the species in the group, including such choice genera as Chaubardiella, Pescatorea and Warscewiczella, and has many beautiful photographs.It also offers a comprehensive explanation of recent taxonomic and cladistical research, which helps give a better understanding of the relationships within this group.

It is not a book for the novice orchid grower, although they might find it useful, rather, it is for the grower who is wanting to develop their collection, or learn more about this oft neglected group.I found this book both informative and intellectually satisfying, and was impressed with the lucidity of Patricia Harding's arguments.I would like to be able to write a book as useful as this.

If you're interested in the pseudobulbless Zygopetalinae, this is a good book to own.
Overall, this is a fairly good book to own if you're into the pseudobulbless Zygopetalinae such as Kefersteinia, Pescatorea, and Bollea.

There is a section with color photos of these orchids growing in cultivation.Most of the photos focuses on the flower itself rather than the plant and their growth habits.

There is a short 2 1/2 page section about how to cultivate them.The author unfortunately doesn't go much into detail about how to cultivate the plants.

Most of the book is dedicated to their taxonomic identification, with a brief overview of each genus at the beginning of each section.Following the species description, there is a brief mentioning of the locality in which the orchid can be found (country, sometimes province, and elevation are included).

While the above mentioned is very helpful and somewhat entertaining, I felt that it offers exactly what the item description says and not much more.

If you're looking for a book on how to cultivate these plants, it can help, but you'd still have to do a lot of research on your own.At least with this book, you have a good starting point and guide.

There are no photos of this group of orchids growing in the wild.To me this was disappointing, but I still value this book.It is definitely better than nothing and much better than wandering aimlessly on the web for info on this group of plants.

Owns a permanent place on my shelf
Books on such specialist subjects as orchid families are all to few and maintaining quality is often not easy, due to budget restrictions.This book, however, beautifully fills the gap and sets the groundwork for the family to which Huntleya belongs.

I would have liked to see more cultural and habitat information, as well as a chapter on hybridizing work currently being done. ... Read more

Product Description
Rumphius (1627-1702), founder of Indonesian botanical exploration and one of the greatest naturalists of the seventeenth century, was the first to describe tropical orchids in a Western language. Within the pages of his monumental seven-volume Ambonese Herbal, written in Dutch, he included descriptions of thirty-six species of orchids found on the island of Ambon in eastern Indonesia, plus twelve uncertified ones. His detailed descriptions reflect both the accuracy of a scientist and the sensibility of a poet. This lovely book is the first to gather and translate into English all the sections of Rumphius’ The Ambonese Herbal devoted to orchids.

For each entry, Rumphius describes the plant, names it according to a pre-Linnaean system of nomenclature, gives its locality, and details its medicinal and non-medicinal uses. More than twenty beautiful line drawings accompany the entries. The volume includes ample notes to illuminate the text and an informative introduction that tells the life of Rumphius—a remarkable collector/naturalist who overcame fire, shipwreck, and blindness to produce his masterwork. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (6)

Best Book for Beginning Collectors
I started collecting and cultivating orchids about a year and a half ago and was overwhelmed by all the orchid books on the market. I purchased several, but this has been my bible. I like to have something in bloom at all times and by describing what plants bloom when the book helped me achieve my goal. It is also the best potting guide I have seen with step by step instructions and photographs on how to transfer and pot several different types of orchids, even how to mount on cork. With notes on seasonal care and dealing with common pests, the book exceeded my initial expectations. On top of all of that, it has so many gorgeous (often full page) photographs it even serves as a choice coffee table book. If you're looking to collect, learn more about orchids, look at beautiful pictures of the many species, or if you're searching for a gift for the orchid fanatic in your life this is where it's at!

Great information
this is a well written, beautifully illustrated and photographed book with extensive, useful information about orchids

Four Seasons of Orchids
The "Four Seasons of Orchids" is a gorgeous book.Anyone who loves flowers would benefit from receiving this book for a gift, or just buying it for the extensive information on orchids.I went to several bookstores in town before ordering off of Amazon and all the stores were out of it and it was on back order so it is very popular.My husband is an orchid lover and does quite well with his collection.Enjoy the book if you get a chance to see or purchase it.
K. Nance - San Diego

4 Seasons of Orchids
This book is great for the beginner and those who have been growing orchids for a while.I bought it for my orchid club.Simply written and beautiful pictures to illustrate.And the price was reasonable too!

Beautiful & informative
This book is once again a masterpiece by Greg Alikas and Ned Nash.Tons of beautiful photographs and very helpful information on growing orchids. ... Read more

Product Description
The acclaimed author of Motoring with Mohammed brings us a compelling adventure into the remarkable world of the orchid and the impossibly bizarre array of international characters who dedicte their lives to it.

The orchid is used for everything from medicine for elephants to an aphrodisiac ice cream.A Malaysian species can grow to weigh half a ton while a South American species fires miniature pollen darts at nectar-sucking bees.But the orchid is also the center of an illicit international business: one grower in Santa Barbara tends his plants while toting an Uzi, and a former collector has been in hiding for seven years after serving a jail sentence for smuggling thirty dollars worth of orchids into Britain.Deftly written and captivatingly researched, Orchid Fever is an endlessly enchanting and entertaining tour of an exotic world.

"A wonderful book, I've been up all night reading it, laughing and crying out in horror and clucking at the vivid images of bureaucracy with the bit in its teeth." —Annie Proulx

"An extraordinary, well-told tale of botany, obsession and plant politics.Hansen's vivid descriptions of the complex techniques some orchids use to pollinate themselves will raise your eyebrows at nature's sexual ingenuity."—USA TodayAmazon.com Review
At first blush, the subtitle of intrepid traveler Eric Hansen's floralaccount might seem, well, hyperbolic. After taking this whirlwind tour ofthe hidden world of rare orchid collectors, the reader will find the wordswell chosen. Hansen invites us into a strange demimonde of intrigue anddesire, at the center of which is the orchid, that shadowy and somewhatsinister parasitic oddball of the plant kingdom. Orchid raising and tradingis big business. Worldwide, the retail economy in orchids adds up to some$9 billion; in the United States, wholesalers ship nearly 8.5 millionplants a year, while in Holland a single nursery produces 18 million."Several million people worldwide now grow orchids," the author notes, "andthis botanical craze has already eclipsed both the nineteenth-centuryfrenzy for orchids as well as the tulip madness that gripped theNetherlands in the seventeenth century."

With such willing customers, it's no wonder that a thriving black marketnow exists. To serve it, orchids are taken illegally from sensitiveecological areas in places like Thailand, Borneo, and darkest Minnesota. Inscenes reminiscent of Susan Orlean's The Orchid Thief, Hansenfollows the trail of orchid smugglers, pursuing money and plants in awhodunit tale that involves botanical gardens, scholars, scientists,ordinary enthusiasts, and "plant cops"--international eco-police whose jobit is to stop the traffic in rare and often endangered plants. Thosevigilantes have their work cut out for them, Hansen writes, especiallybecause some of the current laws may be misguided, causing more harm thangood and equating honest breeders with botanical desperadoes. The laws arebound to fail in any event, he suggests, if only because the plant trade,like that of the drug trade, is simply too big to curtail.

Orchid enthusiasts and admirers of good journalism alike will find plentyof interest in Hansen's vivid, richly anecdotal investigation. --GregoryMcNamee ... Read more

Customer Reviews (80)

Orchid Fever
I just loved this book, I have given it as gifts to many people. Even if they are not orchid collectors, it is so interesting to view the lifes of those who do collect orchids. They are a varied group. I think Eric Hansen is such a good writer, the way he sees things in a totally new light. He actually experience the adventures, as a result he is able to give an acurate discriptiong of events. Higly recommend this book.

READ THIS BOOK!!!
Well written and highly entertaining.Orchid Fever is not just a book for orchid lovers (like me) but anyone who is interested in conservation, horticulture, travel, international trade or just likes to find out how the real world operates. Overall a wonderful account of people passionate about plants and bureaucratic insanity.

orchids are addictive
This is a very interesting book for any plant lover especially those who try to grow orchids.Makes you think twice, maybe three times, about what government can do to the environment and people who really care.Don't trust any government to do the right thing.

Woulda been 5 but it was too short.
It has taken me 10 years, but I am now able to buy an orchid plant at Long's, care for it, repot it, and have it bloom more than once under my control and responsibility. I am that much an amateur orchid enthusiast, no foreign travel, no cloning, no $1000 species for me. Certainly no show winners. But orchids thrill me. I have 14 plants (I just bought another one: dayglo green with fuscia petals)all of which are in rather good health. Some have little nubs of flower stems on them.
This wonderful book has inspired me. It has entertained me, and made me laugh too ("What's dog food?"). I have learned so much, and I now feel the depth and tradition and botanical (cellular, even) heritage that motivates and directs the DNA, hypothalamus, and higher-functioning regions of the brain of the orchid-lover. This book and its stories have added a romance and knowledge to my love and care of my plants.

Salacious and trivial
There's probably a good book about orchids and the recondite subject of international orchid policy in "Orchid Fever." In fact, I'm sure of it. Unfortunately, Eric Hansen spoils his effort with a lubricious, snarky brew of exaggerations,sneers, dubious anecdotes and invented suggestions.

One example can stand for a multitude of sins. Hansen attends a three-day conference and trade show of orchid fanciers, trying to set up the idea that these people are wild, crazy, risk-taking guys and gals -- not far from sociopaths is the general view. His evidence: The conferees sang karaoke and after that, "What went on in the hotel rooms after dark between the orchid growers was anybody's guess."

You could write the same thing about an Amway convention. So?

The serious issue behind this unserious book is how (or if) to conserve orchids that may (or may not) be threatened by collectors, habitat destruction or whatever it is that threatens orchids.

The antagonists are, on one side, amateurs, businessmen and independent scholars; and, on the other, academics and international bureaucrats, who are accused of self-aggrandizement and appropriation. It is not an issue just with orchids or even just about plants. It comes up concerning ancient artifacts, fossils, sunken treasure, even -- in a non-material sense -- myths and legends. See my review of "A Dinosaur Named Sue" for an example with fossils.

A friend of mine who runs an orchid nursery confirms the difficulty. Under a treaty called CITES that purports to protect endangered species, he must prove that his commercial stock (450 species) does not derive from wild-collected plants. Of course, ultimately, any orchid derives from such stock, but CITES has rules. My friend got much of his stock from his teacher, now dead. How can he prove where the teacher obtained it?

My friend could have his business shut down. In the worst instance, he could be shut up in a prison. It has happened to others.

"Orchid Fever" has obtained wide publicity and wide sales. It was aimed at the thoughtless, the sensationalistic and the lascivious, and there are plenty of those people out there. It's sad that probably the most-read book about orchids turns out to be a piece of low-rent crap.
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Product Description
This greatly expanded and updated edition of a classic reference work comprises two volumes offering a compendium of methods for multiplying orchids through micropropagation.

• A detailed collection of procedures and methods for multiplying orchids, including organ, tissue, and cell culture techniques in vitro
  
• Presents classic techniques that have been in the forefront of orchid propagation since they were first developed in 1949
  
• Detailed procedures are appended with tables and complete recipes for a large number of culture media
  
• Includes many illustrations, chemical formulas, historical vignettes, and seldom seen illustrations of people, orchids, apparatus and tools

“… an excellent resource like its predecessor, …both informative and captivating, and served as a reminder of why we go to such extremes in our quest to propagate these plants.” American Orchid Society, 2009

“…in the sense of its universal value and importance, this Second Edition will undoubtedly be considered a classic, if only because it will serve as a sole and invaluable resource on the subject.” Plant Science Bulletin, 2009 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Micropropropagation of orchids
Excellent, This book is the best on this matter, It has the micropropagation protocols for every single kind of orchid and a good explanation step by step with charts, tables, pictures.... exceptional. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is an inspirational encyclopedia of orchids, with guidance on the best orchids to choose. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Duplication
There is no "box set" as advertised and this book is a duplication of "Growing Orchids" by the same authors, just a different cover.

Great book for orchids lovers!
I looked through a variety of popular orchid books before purchasing this one. I found it to be the most comprehensive. It covers different growing environments (indoor, outdoor, under glass), care, cultivation, and diseases. The directory includes a description, complete with beautiful photos.Chapters are presented in a logical manner. My husband has extensive experience in growing a variety of flowers including azaleas and clivias.He found this book had many helpful and specific tips on orchid growing.

Updated 2002 version
This publication is now called Orchids A Practical Handbook -A beautiful guide to growing orchids.

This is a excellent book and the best I have seen on the market which gives practical information plus a beautiful encyclopedia of photographs of various orchid families.

There are also numerous photos of the stages in cultivation and more inside tips than I have seen in other orchid books ( I have eight other books on orchid culture)

A good starting point
This book gives you the basis to start from with orchids. It gives you the direction for the specific orchids which you can then take to the next level using specific orchid books. You can not go wrong purchasing this book as it will be at your finger tips everytime you do something with your orchids. ... Read more

Book Description
Franz Bauer (1758-1840), Kew's first resident artist, is considered by many to be the greatest of all botanical artists, yet his work is relatively unknown. This presentation includes a biographical essay by William T. Stearn & extensive commentary by Joyce Stewart on the plants illustrated. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Simply Beauiful
This is a wonderful book packed with over 50 full-color paintings of many orchid varieties. By examining the orchids closely you get to see their true beauty. This is a great reference tool for any orchid lover or botanystudent. The book starts out with a history of the artist himself. Then thestructure & function of each class of orchid is examined. Detailedblack & white paintings accompany this discussion. The orchid paintingthemselves are spectacular. Each section is shown in vivid detail. TheLatin & common names as well as the orchid's distribution, history& a written description are located adjacent to the paintings. Some ofmy favorite paintings include the lady slipper, king orchid, golden donkey,& marsh helleborine. I intend to purchase another copy of the book, soI can cut out the artwork & frame it for decoration. ... Read more