Welcome to Chadwick & Son Orchids

Orchid Grower’s Manual

Art — Mon, 12 May 2025 15:20:12 +0000

Orchid Grower’s Manual

B.S. Williams

The "Orchid Growers Manual" by B.S. Williams is a comprehensive guide, first published in 1852, aimed at both novice and experienced orchid enthusiasts. The book provides detailed descriptions of a wide variety of orchid species and varieties that were considered the best in cultivation at the time.

Key aspects covered in the manual include:

Detailed description of each plant’s appearance - both flowers and foliage.
Flowering months for each species.
Best cultural practice for each species to help the hobbyist and commercial grower.

Over seven editions, the manual has expanded to include even more species and updated cultivation advice based on the knowledge of the time. It served as an invaluable resource for orchid growers, offering both identification assistance and practical guidance for successful orchid cultivation. Even today, it offers a historical perspective on orchid growing practices and the popular species of the era.

Adventures of an Orchid Hunter

Albert Millican

Albert Millican plunges the reader into the thrilling and often perilous world of Victorian-era plant exploration. Driven by a passion for the exotic beauty and significant commercial value of orchids, Millican recounts his daring expeditions into the remote and largely uncharted rainforests of South America, primarily focusing on the Andes regions of Colombia and Ecuador.

The book vividly details the arduous journeys through dense jungles, across treacherous mountain paths, and down winding rivers. Millican paints a picture of both the breathtaking splendor of the natural world and the numerous hardships faced by a lone European venturing into these wild territories. He encounters a diverse range of indigenous peoples, often relying on their knowledge and sometimes navigating complex cultural differences.

Beyond the physical challenges of the environment – including harsh weather, dangerous wildlife, and debilitating diseases – Millican's narrative highlights the intense competition among orchid collectors. He describes the constant race to discover new and rare species, the secrecy surrounding valuable finds, and the sometimes unscrupulous tactics employed by rivals in the lucrative orchid trade.

The Orchid World

1911 to 1916 Gurney Wilson

This brief but significant monthly illustrated journal was dedicated entirely to the subject of orchids and catered to the growing interest among both amateur and professional horticulturists.

It contained:

A wide range of topics including botany, cultivation, and hybridization.
Visuals including rare photographs and illustrations of orchid species and hybrids.
Cultivation advice including suggested growing techniques, propagation methods as well as pest and disease management.
Newly discovered species and the latest in breeding results.
Historical significance and valuable insight into the trends, interests and knowledge of the late Victorian and early 20th century.
Awards given at the monthly meetings and the big shows.

Every issue contained a feature article on an accomplished grower in England including the specifics of the operation as well as rare photographs of the plants and greenhouses. It ended with the beginning of World War I.

Date:

Monday, May 12, 2025 - 00:00

The Woodlands Orchids

Art — Mon, 12 May 2025 15:19:43 +0000

The Woodlands Orchids

Frederick Boyle

One of the most delightful writers of the late 1800s and early 1900s was a man named Frederick Boyle. He wrote from a very human perspective and the people in his stories were just as interesting as the orchids. Boyle traveled extensively to the remote jungles where orchids grew wild in Asia and the America’s and he glamorized the plants with tales of intrigue, deceit, love, mayhem and murder.

The Woodlands was the name given by an Englishman, Robert Measures, to his estate in Streatham, England. Measures had suffered a nervous breakdown from handling his extensive business interests and his doctor prescribed a house in the country and a relaxing hobby like gardening to cure the affliction. The plants he grew had to be challenging and something “you can make a study of”. Orchids met all the requirements, and, in typical Measure’s fashion, he developed one of the finest orchid collections in the world. He was so proud of his collection that he could not resist telling everyone about it and commissioned Frederick Boyle to write this book.

Date:

Monday, May 12, 2025 - 00:00

About Orchids – A Chat

Art — Mon, 12 May 2025 15:19:15 +0000

About Orchids – A Chat

Frederick Boyle

Boyle’s biggest legacy, was not The Woodlands Orchids, but a book he had written in 1893, “About Orchids – A Chat” in which he created a grand myth about the discovery of Cattleya labiata. Boyle’s myth has been told and retold by orchid experts, both botanical and horticultural, as though it were fact for over a century. It is still presented occasionally even today as the truth about the discovery of C. labiata even though it is factually untrue in all respects.

Boyle’s myth about Cattleya labiata tells us that the plants was discovered by accident when used as packing material for some ferns and lichens that a collector, William Swainson, sent from Brazil to William Cattley in Barnet, England. The packing material, (C labiata), was thrown under the benches and to the surprise of everyone, it bloomed with beautiful lavender orchid flowers.

Boyle makes a joke out of the common belief at the time that Swainson collected the Cattleya labiata plants in the Organ Mountains near Rio de Janeiro, and says that “The orchids fell in his way by accident – possibly collected in distant parts by some poor fellow who died at Rio. Swainson picked them up, and used them to stow his lichens.”

We know today that Cattleya labiata is native to the Brazilian state of Pernambuco and it never existed in the state of Rio de Janeiro. It was first discovered in Pernambuco by William Swainson in 1817 and Swainson shipped the plants not to William Cattley but to the Glasgow Botanic Garden in Scotland. At the request of Swainson, Glasgow sent a few of the plants to William Cattley and Cattley took such good care of them that they flowered a full year ahead of the plants in Glasgow.

Boyle can be forgiven for creating his charming myth because, in 1893, no one actually knew where Swainson had discovered the plants. It was not until 1900 that Swainson’s “Sketch of a Journey through Brazil in 1817-1818,” which appeared in the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal of 1819 (vol 1 Pgs 369-373), came to light and solved the puzzle. Dispelling Boyle’s myth takes a lot of the romance out of the discovery of Cattleya labiata. The plant was simply found in a routine collecting trip through Pernambuco by a wandering English naturalist and shipped back to his customer, the Glasgow Botanic Garden, from Recife, the nearest Brazilian seaport. If Swainson had never written a letter to Professor Jameson about his trip to Brazil which was published in the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal, Boyle’s myth would be gospel today.

The discovery of Cattleya labiata still makes a good story because no C. labiata plants were found for over 70 years after Swainson’s original shipment because everyone was looking for them in the wrong place – Rio de Janeiro instead of Pernambuco.

Date:

Monday, May 12, 2025 - 00:00

Adventures of an Orchid Hunter

Art — Mon, 12 May 2025 15:18:44 +0000

Adventures of an Orchid Hunter

Albert Millican

Date:

Monday, May 12, 2025 - 00:00

Reichenbachia: Orchids Illustrated and Described

Art — Mon, 12 May 2025 15:18:14 +0000

Reichenbachia: Orchids Illustrated and Described

Frederick Sander – Henry Moon

These books stand as a monumental and visually stunning work dedicated to the orchid family. Published in a series of lavish volumes between 1886 and 1892, under the editorship of Frederick Sander, a prominent orchid grower and nurseryman, this publication aimed to showcase the most magnificent and newly introduced orchid species and hybrids of the late 19th century.

The core of "Reichenbachia" lies in its exquisite, life-sized chromolithographic illustrations. These plates, meticulously crafted by some of the finest botanical artists of the time, capture the intricate details, vibrant colors, and unique forms of each orchid with breathtaking accuracy and artistry. The illustrations are not merely scientific depictions; they are works of art in their own right, reflecting the Victorian fascination with beauty and natural wonders.

Accompanying these stunning visuals are detailed botanical descriptions of each orchid. These descriptions, often penned by renowned orchidologists of the era, including Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach himself (for whom the publication is named), provide information on the plant's origin, discovery, cultivation, and distinguishing characteristics. The text offers valuable insights for both the scientific community and the burgeoning community of orchid enthusiasts and collectors.

"Reichenbachia" reflects the peak of the Victorian orchid craze, a period when the discovery and cultivation of exotic orchids became a symbol of wealth and scientific interest. The publication served not only as a record of botanical discoveries but also as a showcase of the horticultural achievements of the Sander nursery, a leading force in the international orchid trade.

They remain a highly prized and influential work for orchid lovers, botanists, and collectors of fine illustrated books.

Date:

Monday, May 12, 2025 - 00:00

The Orchid World

Art — Mon, 12 May 2025 15:15:24 +0000

The Orchid World

1911 to 1916 Gurney Wilson

This brief but significant monthly illustrated journal was dedicated entirely to the subject of orchids and catered to the growing interest among both amateur and professional horticulturists.

It contained:

A wide range of topics including botany, cultivation, and hybridization.
Visuals including rare photographs and illustrations of orchid species and hybrids.
Cultivation advice including suggested growing techniques, propagation methods as well as pest and disease management.
Newly discovered species and the latest in breeding results.
Historical significance and valuable insight into the trends, interests and knowledge of the late Victorian and early 20th century.
Awards given at the monthly meetings and the big shows.

Date:

Monday, May 12, 2025 - 00:00

First Ladies and Their Orchids: A Century of Namesake Cattleyas

Ed — Sun, 20 Jun 2021 02:41:52 +0000

$49.95

Shipping for this item is only available within the United States

We are now accepting pre-orders for "First Ladies and their Orchids: A Century of Namesake Cattleyas" which is the much anticipated sequel to The Classic Cattleyas, now in its second printing. Also written by the father/son team of A. A. Chadwick and Arthur E. Chadwick, the book explores the 100+ year history of United States First Ladies and the cattleya hybrids that bear their names. The lineage of these plants provides an overview of the diverse family of cattleya species that exist in nature as well as an inside look at the renowned growers around the world who played a role in creating these enduring legacies. Included are the fascinating stories of the actual flower presentations, many of which involved the Chadwick's. Go to "Shop" to purchase with delivery in April 2024. International orders will soon be available from University Press of Florida. www.upf.com.

SKU: first ladies cattleyas book

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Jill Biden: Hybrid Takes A Ride on Air Force Two

Art — Tue, 04 May 2021 00:02:10 +0000

Until recently, most Americans had never heard of Wilmington, Delaware. The state itself is tiny and bears the nickname, “Small Wonder”. My parents have lived there since 1960, growing orchids in their redwood greenhouses and raising a family.

Horticulturalists know the Wilmington area as a hotbed of plant activity, with the famed Longwood Gardens just over the Pennsylvania line and the annual Philadelphia Flower Show a short drive up I-95. Even closer is the sprawling 1000 acre former DuPont estate known as Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library. Now Wilmington has a new attraction- the 46th President of the United States.

Joe and Jill Biden have been fixtures in Wilmington for as long as anyone can remember. They are regulars at the local grocery store, Janssen’s Market, and most residents have had at least a sighting of the famous couple. My father once sat next to Mr. Biden at the barber shop.

Dr. Jill Biden, or Dr. B as her students call her, grew up about an hour north in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. She met her future husband on a blind date while he was a freshman Senator and they married a few years later. For most of her adult life, she has been an educator – teaching at nearby public schools and technical colleges.

On January 20th 2021, Jill Biden became the 16th consecutive First Lady to have a namesake cattleya hybrid. The time honored orchid tradition dates back nearly a century to Mrs. Herbert Hoover, and the wife of every president since has been recognized. The full collection of First Lady Cattleyas resides at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. where the blooming plants are rotated into public displays.

The Biden orchid, botanically known as Blc Jill Biden (Goldenzelle x Sea Swirl), was officially registered in 2013, while her husband was Vice President. The hybrid was bred by The Orchid Trail of Morrisville, North Carolina and named by Chadwick Orchids. The flowers are large and frilly – the corsage type – and range from yellow to green with a delightful fragrance.

The lineage of this first lady cattleya is well known in orchid circles.

The first parent, Blc Goldenzelle (Fortune x C Horace), is a product of the 1980’s California breeding scene and is one of the most widely used stud plants in history with over 250 registered offspring. The American Orchid Society has granted prestigious flower quality awards to 30 different varieties of Goldenzelle.

Goldenzelle delirium would not have been possible without the fine attributes of the parent, C Horace (trianaei x Woltersiana) – a 1938 tall growing and stately big purple credited to the Belgian firm, Flandria Ltd or “F” in the RHS registry. Flandria registered so many hybrids during its three decade (1929-1960) breeding spree that the Royal Horticultural Society got tired of writing the company name with every application and simply used the letter “F”. For modern day growers who aren’t familiar with the abbreviation,“F”, it takes a little research to figure out who or what is being referenced.

Flandria was a massive operation with over a million square feet under glass and dubbed “the largest horticulture company in the world.” They grew much more than orchids and their 1920’s catalog cover lists azaleas, palms, bay trees, anthuriums, ficus, philodendrons, bromeliads, and eurya. The company was founded in the east coast city of Bruges, which became the epicenter of European orchids with major competitors Sanders and Vincke close by.

Flandria’s secret to success, as far as orchid interests were concerned, was their 1929 purchase of Theodore Pauwels’ nursery. The site was located just 50 miles west in Merelbeke and had been nearly destroyed by German bombers in World War 1. Pauwels’ catalog of “Orchidees'' was written entirely in French and catered to the well to do. At the time, Belgium was divided into three social classes and each had its own language, with French being the elite.

Theodore Pauwels began his career collecting plants for Frederick Sander before going into business for himself in 1888. Pauwels experimented with a wide range of orchids and registered some of the earliest lady slipper hybrids, including the legendary Paph Alma Gevaert (lawrenceanum x Maudiae) @1911 that has been remade countless times and can be found in many collections today. His true love was cattleyas, however, and this is what Flandria was growing.

By the time Pauwels moved to Bruges, he had amassed an impressive stud collection and went into overdrive with hybridizing. He brought his very best breeder plants - C Edithiae (Suzanne Hye x trianaei), Lc Robertiana (Saint Gothard x C Amabilis), and C Woltersiana (Queen Mary x Rajah), among others. There was plenty of greenhouse space at Flandria and a sizable staff to pot the plants.

Beginning in 1929, Pauwels made hundreds of hybrids for Flandria. He crossed his three favorite studs with everything he could find and it was just a question of time before he hit the jackpot. C Horace (Woltersiana x trianaei) @1938 was the jackpot.

C Horace is known for its ‘perfect’ shape in that the flowers are big and round with overlapping petals and a ‘closed’ lip. The richly colored lavender blooms are not crowded and have plenty of space to fully open. The hybrid is typically a spring bloomer.

Recently, the American Orchid Society gave a flower quality award to C Horace ‘Maxima’ AM/AOS – 70 years after it was created.

Over the years, breeders everywhere have benefitted from Pauwels’ efforts, as we find C Horace as a parent in countless registrations. The resulting hybrids are the “Who’s Who” of the cattleya world and include such classics as Lc Drumbeat (x Bonanza), Lc Melody Fair (x Stephen Oliver Fouraker), Lc Prism Palette (x Colorama), Blc Tribute (x Mem Crispin Rosales), and, of course, Blc Goldenzelle (x Fortune).

The other parent of Blc Jill Biden is Blc Sea Swirl (Greenwich x Mount Vernon) which produces flowers with an exotic greenish hue. The variety originated in 1989 at the breeding program of Orchids by Hausermann in Villa Park, Illinois. Variety ‘Whirlpool’ AM/AOS was soon distributed worldwide and hobbyists still grow it today.

Shortly after the Jill Biden orchid was named, the Vice President, himself, was scheduled to appear in Richmond, Virginia on a campaign trip. Politicians regularly visit the city because of its close proximity to the U.S. Capitol and were nearly omnipresent during Virginia’s recent two decade run as a swing state.

We heard about the impending Biden visit from a client and political activist Molly Payne, who saw our “Jill” hybrid in bloom at the greenhouse. We wondered if this might be a good time to present the flowers. Timing is critical with perishable orchids, as there is only a narrow window when the petals are their freshest.

Spouses sometimes accompany politicians to campaign events and it was unclear if both Bidens would be in attendance. Our plan is always to give the flowers directly to the honoree - in this case, Jill Biden – but, given the short notice, the Vice President would have to do. We cut the flowers, placed them in a water tube, and let our client take them to the rally, where she presented the flowers on stage to a grinning Joe Biden amidst a throng of cheers.

He loved the orchids and took them back to Wilmington that night for his wife to enjoy. This is likely the only time in history in which namesake orchids have been transported on Air Force Two, the official plane of the Vice President. Once again, Delaware has lived up to its nickname, “Small Wonder”, and Jill Biden’s hybrid now rests securely in the legacy of the first lady cattleyas.

New Developments in Orchid Cloning

Art — Mon, 03 May 2021 23:56:19 +0000

My father, A.A. Chadwick, is a collector of historical cattleyas - many of which are more than a century old. Over the years, a small number of these heirlooms have acquired a virus which is a disease that can adversely affect the flowers or foliage and is highly contagious. He quarantines these infected plants on a separate bench in his greenhouse where they can’t come in contact with the rest of the collection.

He continues to keep the distressed orchids because they are a window into the past, when the earliest fine varieties of species were being discovered or the very first hybrids were being introduced. In most cases, the blooms can still be photographed and even pollinated for future generations of pedigree cattleyas. But what he has always hoped for is to return the heirlooms to their original condition – when they were vigorous and healthy – before the virus zapped their strength and tarnished their fine attributes.

There had always been rumors of a few sophisticated hobbyists who had managed to grow a clean plant from a virused plant but the stories could never be verified. And, every so often, an article would appear in an orchid magazine about a university or government researcher who had some success but the technique was far beyond what the reach of the everyday enthusiast. Perhaps all this chatter was in the back of my father’s mind as he diligently maintained his bench of infected orchids.

In 2014, I attended an orchid conference in Florida and heard a speaker give an entire lecture on removing viruses from cattleyas. She had a very high success rate with cloning on a small scale and was looking for important historic plants for the next, bigger phase of her project. My father’s special bench was volunteered.

Cloned orchids have been the bedrock of the industry for the past half century and millions of identical plants are now being produced. The process of creating exact duplicates began in 1960, with a clever laboratory technique developed by Dr. G. S. Morel. Soon after, the French firm, Vacherot & Lecoufle, pioneered the procedure on a grand scale and mass distributed clones worldwide.

However, some mother plants were found to be difficult to clone, especially if they had a virus. It was also critical that a virus didn’t get passed on to the offspring. As a result of these complications, many of the most famous cattleyas were not cloned.

Our speaker at the conference addressed these concerns. Beth Lamb operates a small business with her husband that propagates orchids from seed and tissue culture. She relies heavily on her degrees in plant pathology and virology as well as her experience as an advisor to a large citrus producer and explains how cloning is performed:

“Orchid tissue cultures are started by dissecting a tiny growing point less than 1mm from the mother plant. This apical meristem is often free of pathogens due to the uneven distribution of virus within the mother plant. This culture may be combined with other methods such as heat treatment, cryotherapy, and chemotherapy to improve the odds of recovering clean plants.”

That’s easy for her to say. The cloning process is highly technical and requires sophisticated laboratory equipment and know how. Lamb is, no doubt, on the cutting edge.

Just last week, the very first clones of my father’s diseased plants started to bloom at our nursery. Not only do the flowers and foliage look great, but the plants all test negative for virus. My father is ecstatic.

Lamb’s work has far reaching implications for both industry and hobbyists. The rare historic cattleyas that have been relegated to a few private collections for so long may now return to the market as virus free clones – a century or more after they were first introduced. These are the plants that people have only read about and may, one day, be coming to a store near you.

Date:

Thursday, April 1, 2021 - 00:00

Tags:

Orchid Cloning

orchids

ChadwickOrchids

viruses

Dendrobium Nobiles Go Mainstream

Art — Mon, 03 May 2021 23:54:37 +0000

Once shunned by growers for their persnickety culture, Dendrobium Nobiles are enjoying a rally rarely seen in orchid commerce. It all began with the quest for an alternative to Phalaenopsis that could be mass produced and distributed with little damage and have a good shelf life. Thus far, the public has responded by snapping up the plants like hot cakes.

At first glance, Dendrobium Nobiles or “Nobiles” for short, are an unlikely candidate to be embraced by anyone except the most hardened enthusiasts. Pronounced “NOB–il–EES”, this type of orchid is named for the wild species, D nobile, which produces long, dangly pseudobulbs that drop their leaves before blooming. Historically, the sight of yellowing foliage is generally an indication that something is wrong and makes growers run for the hills.

As if half dead looking plants aren’t enough of a deterrent, the culture of D nobile creates additional challenges. The species prefers increased light, little hydration and a sizable drop in temperature in the fall to assure a “good” blooming such that buds appear up and down the canes and not just at the top. Successful growers have learned to hang the plants high in the greenhouse, lower the thermostat, and forget them for a few months.

But all these growing rules are a turn off for most people who just want to water their collection once a week and keep their plants near a window. Few people want to pick up yellow leaves off the floor and modify their culture significantly in the hopes that a few buds might appear at some point in the future. The public wants orchids with similar care to phalaenopsis which need only minimal attention.

Low and behold, modern breeders have developed new strains of Dendrobium Nobiles that don’t come with all the baggage of the past. Gone are the culture rules of higher light, reduced water, and cool temperatures and yellow leaves are more the exception than the rule. Additionally, these new hybrids may bloom twice a year.

As an experiment, we tried a batch of 500 mature Nobiles of modern breeding, which, initially, looked and acted the same as the older varieties that we were familiar with. We grew the 500 plants outside during the summer in a shade house which received dappled sun and periodic rain supplemented by sprinklers. By the fall, it was time to bring the plants inside a heated greenhouse that is shared with other orchids.

The Nobiles got the same care as the other orchids in the greenhouse since the light levels are fixed throughout and the automatic watering system comes sprinklers on once a week. Around November, the first buds appeared as we might expect from this genus. But, much to our surprise, the plants were loaded with buds on multiple canes.

Several months later, when we thought our crop was finished blooming for the year, another, even heavier, round of buds appeared - on the old canes, the new canes, everywhere. We were astounded. Who ever heard of orchids that bloom twice in a three month period?

Needless to say, our new favorite orchid is the Dendrobium “Nobile” which we have proven, using a test of 500 sample plants, to be easy to grow and bloom. For the first time, there is a serious challenger to the ubiquitous Phalaenopsis which has become so widely grown and adored. As breeders continue to develop these breakthrough hybrids, we can expect hobbyists to enjoy the magnificent world of orchids on a grand scale.

Date:

Monday, March 1, 2021 - 00:00

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