The New York Times article that Viateur posted in OGD V10 #277: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/18/a-200-pound-orchid-blooms-again/?hp
has a couple of errors. i) It isn't rare in nature. In many places it is really common. ii) "it grows in the crotches of trees more than 100 feet in the air". Those trees must be absolutely massive ! Large established plants of Grammatophyllum speciosum are usually found growing in the crotches of trees at the normal height for tree-crotches; anything from head-height up to 20 metres or so. Small plants start growing further out on branches and in higher forks, but they seldom become very large because they get too heavy for the tree to support. iii) "few people or institutions can afford to grow it" Oh dear. The reporter developed a bad case of parochialism with this line. Fact is, thousands and thousands and thousands of people grow Grammatophyllum speciosum. It is a common garden-plant. Just not in New York. Walk around villages in Malaysia and Indonesia and you'll soon see what I mean. The Singapore Parks Board (an institution) has been busy for several years growing G. speciosum from seed and planting them on trees all over Singapore in one of the world's more successful attempts to re-introduce a nearly-extinct native orchid species. When you visit Singapore in September 2011 for the next World Orchid Conference, keep an eye out for them. Peter O'Byrne in Singapore _______________________________________________ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
