FLOWER FAN CULTIVATES INTEREST.Byline: Annette Bailey Daily News Staff Writer While some people bring home stray dogs or maybe a too-sweet-to-pass-up kitten kitten newborn or young cat or ferret. kitten mortality complex a general term applied to a syndrome involving death of young kittens, particularly in breeding establishments. , Joe Grodell found his weakness while at an orchid orchid, popular name for members of the Orchidaceae, a family of perennial herbs widely distributed in both hemispheres. The unusually large family (of some 450 genera and an estimated 10,000 to 17,500 species) includes terrestrial, epiphytic (see epiphyte), and show in Santa Barbara Santa Barbara (săn'tə bär`brə, –bərə), city (1990 pop. 85,571), seat of Santa Barbara co., S Calif., on the Pacific Ocean; inc. 1850. . ``I caught sight of a miltonia, thought it was cute cute adj. cut·er, cut·est 1. Delightfully pretty or dainty. 2. Obviously contrived to charm; precious: "[He] and brought it home,'' Grodell said of the bloom that sparked his interest in the exotic flowers. Now, 13 years later, Grodell is active in the Conejo Valley The Conejo Valley is a region spanning both Southeastern Ventura County and Northwest Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States. It was discovered in 1542 by Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, and eventually became part of the Rancho El Conejo land grant by Orchid Society, which meets monthly to discuss and share information concerning these eye-catching flowers. ``If you have any question concerning growing an orchid, come to the meeting and the show, and we'll answer all your questions,'' Grodell said. The group has helped him learn just about every orchid fact, including potting, climate control, and the tongue-twisting pronunciations of most orchid species. Common varieties such as cattleya cattleya (kăt`lēə): see orchid. cattleya of Brazil. [Flower Symbolism: WB, 7: 264] See : Flower Or Plant, National (KAT-lee-uh), also referred to as the corsage orchid, and cymbidium (sim-BID-ee-um), a terrestrial orchid usually grown in light shade, are sprinkled throughout Grodell's conversations. Although he's now the second vice president of the Conejo Valley Orchid Society, Grodell still sees his interest as simply a weekend hobby - although one that entails caring for 125 orchids in two greenhouses. ``I'm a backyard hobbyist who enjoys growing orchids, and I found the ones that grow best in my climate, and the way orchids will grow and flower,'' he said. The Conejo Valley Orchid Society, established in 1981, has 36 members. It meets the second Tuesday of each month, when a speaker - usually a local commercial grower - answers questions about orchids and their care. With a show scheduled for next weekend, Grodell hopes his prized spider orchid will be in full bloom full bloom the stage of a crop when two-thirds of the plants are in flower; the crop is mature. , although orchids generally bloom in January and February. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO (Color) Joe Grodell's greenhouse orchids are prize-winning blooms. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News |
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