Serving Bucks County Pennsylvania and surrounding areas
Andy Braun was awarded a CCE (Certificate of Cultural Excellence – 97 points!!!) on December 14, 2019, at the AOS Mid Atlantic judging center for his spectacular Fredclarkera After Dark ‘SVO Black Pearl’ with over 150 flowers on 8 inflorescences surrounding the plant. Our own judges awarded the same plant a first place and Best Grown at the December Show Table. Congratulations to Andy for another well deserved award!
Great Job by the team putting on the display at SEPOS! Our display took 2nd place! I guess 2nd time is a charm for the gorgeous Orchid Society door.
Individual plant contributions also did very well from our group! There were 19 plants awarded in total, contributed by Andy Braun, Jean Norton, and Mitch Paroly. These were comprised of:
• 7 first place ribbons
• 7 second place ribbons
• 5 third place ribbons
In addition, there were:
• 2 Best of Blues Rosettes
• 1 Best in show class (Cypripedium Alliance)
Sandy and Frank Kern chaired the committee to put on not just 1, but 2 displays at The Philadelphia Flower Show. The themes of our two displays were landscaping an outdoor 4′ x 4′ summer Container Garden and an 8′ x 12′ Front Entrance with orchids. Sandy used cured vanilla pods attached to her vanilla vine. She also forced some Cypripedium Parviflorum and Pubescens purchased in bulk from a licensed rescuer in MN, Tom Nelson, who was mentioned in the book Orchid Fever.
Many thanks to the following members who helped to set up TWO displays for the Bucks County Orchid Society at the Philadelphia Flower Show: Sandy & Frank Kern, Alan Block, Wayne & Daria Braddock. Special assistance was provided by Sue Helfand, Sandy’s sister. Their cousin Tom Hillman did the lettering on the door. Sam Stokes, a friend of the Kerns designed and built the gazebo and the mill house. The FRONT ENTRANCE was on channel 6 Saturday evening. Both displays took Honorable Mention in the first round of judging.
Andrew Braun 
was awarded a CCE of 92 points for Vanda brunnea ‘Genette’ at the Mid Atlantic Judging Center last night.
I was given a piece of this plant 5 years ago from an uncle to my daughter in law Nicole Braun. He had multiple divsions of this plant. He told me at the time that he had acquired it as part of a collection in 1974. It had never bloomed for him but would put on fantastic growth. He kept dividing it and giving pieces away. I found that it is a good grower also. Lee is a very good grower and I thought I might try something different to get it to bloom. In the second year I decided to try and initiate flowers by allowing the plant to cool off in the fall and remain dry during October and November. I resumed watering in December and come January, I had two spikes.
This is the first winter in 4 years that the plant was in a green house. Prior to that, I grew this plant under lights in the basement. It, along with all my other plants go outside for the summer. It likes full sun and is very resistant to burning. Last year, the plant had 13 spikes under lights.
The plant when I recieved it was a three growth divsion in a 8″ pot. The growths were about 12″ long. You can see how strong a grower this plant is, I’ve had it for 5 years. Of the three main growths, two threw out 5 spikes. The third, in the middle, threw 6 spikes. Overall, there are 21 spikes with 120 flowers and 23 buds.
The flowers are wonderfully fragrant, especially in the morning.
The description
One hundred twenty flowers ad 23 buds on 22 inflorescenses pleasingly arranged on an 8 fan plant 106cm high and 84 cm wide with prolific roots grow in a 19 cm square teak basket; foliage evenly grown along the entire length of each fan in good condition; sepals and pedals cream, heavily overlaid bronze with rust barring; lips white circular side lobes, central isthmus olive green; promenent white column with light yellow anther cap; substande hard texture waxy.
