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ORCHID
REFERENCE BOOKS
Recommended Books:
Best
for Beginners
 The
Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids: edited by Alec Pridgeon,
with many contributing authors. An excellent pictorial reference
for about 400 genera. If you only own one book about orchids,
it should be this one. |
 Miniature
Orchids and How to Grow Them by Rebecca Northen. You can
build an impressive collection in a small space. |
 The
Practical Encyclopedia of Orchids: A Complete Guide to Orchids and
Their Cultivation by Brian and Wilma Rittershausen. This
is the best "how to" book on the market. It shows you,
with copious photographs, how to trim a dried spike, how to support
a sagging inflorescence, and how to repot your plants. There is
a small section on plant identification, but that is not this book's
strength -- you should own this text for the many useful explanations
it provides for practical, everyday plant care and pest management
in the greenhouse or home. |
 The
Manual of Cultivated Orchid Species by Helmut Bechtel. A
bit more advanced and more technical than the Pridgeon book above.
Recommended for more advanced growers. If you already own the Pridgeon
book, step up to this one when you want more coverage and in-depth
information. |
 Growing
Classic Orchids: An Illustrated Identifier and Guide to
Cultivation (Growing Classics Series).
|
 Orchid
Growing Basics. A compact paperback, with 128 pages in color,
gives advice on growing, repotting, propagation, protection against
parasites and diseases, and general care. There's information on
the structure of orchid plants, what to look for when buying, a
list of orchids that are easy to cultivate, a list of those for
gardeners with more experience, and a list of plants that go well
with orchids (mainly epiphytes such as bromelia). |
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Books on Growing Specific
Genera
 Dendrobium
and Its Relatives by Lavarck, Harris, & Stocker: An
excellent guide to the Dendrobiinae; well illustrated. |
 Phalaenopsis:
A Monograph by Eric Christiansen. Everything you need
to know about this genus.
|
 The
Genus Cypripedium (Cribb). A botanical monograph. |
 Bulbophyllums
and Their Allies by Emly Siegerist. |
 The
Slipper Orchids by Catherine Cash. If you love Paphiopedilum
and Phragmipedium, you'll love this book. |
 The
World of Catasetums by Arthur Holst. |
 Vandas:
Botany, History & Culture by Martin Motes. |
 The
Cattleyas and Their Relatives: Brassavola, Encyclia, and Other Genera
of
Mexico and Central America (Vol 5) by Carl Withner. |
 Cattleyas
and Their Relatives: South American Encyclia Species by
Carl Withner. Epidendrum, Encyclia, Prosthechea... no matter what
you call them, they're beautiful, often fragrant, and worth growing! |
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Books
for Advanced Growers
| Phylogeny
and Classification of the Orchid Family by Robert L. Dressler.
Widely regarded as the premiere orchid taxonomist working today,
Dressler's 1983 classification system is the one used throughout
the industry, but he has revised and improved it with this 1993
edition of his authoritative text. Advanced hobbyists and commercial
growers should own this book. |
Micropropagation
of Orchids by Joseph Arditti, Robert Ernst. Updates the
tissue-culture propagation appendix in Arditti's Orchid Biology;
Reviews and Perspectives, Vol. 1 (Cornell U. Press, 1977) by
including all the information it contains as well as procedures
that have developed since it was written. The authors include most,
perhaps all, available methods for clonal propagation of orchids
through tissue culture, and provide complete recipes in every case.
Introductory chapters present history and a general outline of techniques
and procedures. |
 Fundamentals
of Orchid Biology by Joseph Arditti, Ph.D. A comprehensive
and detailed reference for professionals, growers, plant scientists,
and hobbyists. Introductory chapters cover the history of orchids
and their classification and the various names by which they are
or have been known. Subsequent chapters cover evolution, cytology,
physiology, phytochemistry, morphology, anatomy, mycorrhiza, pollination,
embryology, reproduction, heredity and breeding, ecology, and commercial
and ethnobotanical uses.
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Books on Regional Flora
 The
Orchids of the Philippines by Jim Cootes. Illustrated with
fantastic photographs. Contains a wealth of information on the plants
described. |
 Wild
Orchids of Florida: With References to the Gulf and Atlantic
Coastal
Plain. A field-guide type reference to orchids of the Southeastern
United States. |
 Orchids
of Papua New Guinea
by Andree Millar. The late, renowned director of the Lae Herbarium
and Botanical Gardens at the University of Port Moresby, Papua New
Guinea presents a pictorial and geographical account of some 200
species of orchids native to PNG. Includes 270 fine color photographs. |
 African
Orchids in the Wild and in Cultivation by Eric La Croix.
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 Orchids
of Kenya by Joyce Stewart. |
Field
Guide to the Orchids of Costa Rica and Panama by Robert
Dressler. An excellent book with a key that lets you actually identify
plants while in the field! Many illustrations, too. |
| Orchids
of Brazil (McQueen).
A paperback, currently out of print. Search your used book stores
or local orchid club for copies. |
Books
About Orchid History and Lore
|
Orchid
Fever : A Horticultural Tale of Love, Lust, and Lunacy
by Eric Hansen. At first blush, the subtitle might seem hyberbolic
but after taking this whirlwind tour of the hidden world of rare
orchid collectors, the reader will find the words well chosen.
Orchid enthusiasts and admirers of good journalism alike will
find plenty of interest in Hansen's vivid, richly anecdotal investigation.
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 The
Orchid Thief
by Susan Orlean. The bestselling account of searches and obsessions
relevant to the ghost orchid, Polyrrhiza lindenii. Learn
about some of the crazy orchid hunters and collectors in Florida. |
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