Norman's Orchids

Type Orchids.com in your browser, and you will go to Norman's Orchids in Montclair, California.

 

Norman Fang started his nursery in 1986, after graduating from Cal Poly Pomona with a degree in Ornamental Horticulture. The nursery is located in a residential area on what used to be Black Walnut orchards. They have a delightful retail location; one of the lone survivors of evolving market trends in the orchid world and in California. They have outlasted some huge orchid nurseries, in business just a few years ago,  that have either relocated away from California or gone out of business.

Norman had the foresight to obtain his website domain name early in the history of e-commerce. His company sells orchids all over the world. 

 

In addition to their e-commerce business, they still participate in many of the important orchid shows during the year. In fact, Norman shared with me that he had just returned from a show in Taiwan. He is also scheduled as a vendor in the upcoming Santa Barbara International Orchid Show this coming March, 2019.

 

I visited this nursery on November 23, 2018. To get there, I took a circuitous route to avoid Los Angeles traffic on the Thanksgiving weekend. 

 

 

I got to enjoy the "beauty" of the desert!

 

One iconic place I passed was Charlie Brown's in Little Rock, California. In my haste to get to the nursery, I didn't stop there. I am sorry I didn't. My family and I last visited there in the mid 80s. This is a "must do" for a future trip.

 



The Mormon Rocks near the transition between highways 138 and 15.

 

 

On a very overcast day, I arrived at Norman's around noon.

 

 

 

The entryway to Norman's Orchids

 

 

 

Specimens of Platycerium and other tropical plants grace the entryway.

 

Retail sales area

 

The second greenhouse literally took my breath away. Even on a sunny day, pictures cannot do these scenes justice. Norman uses temperature controls to induce Phalaenopsis to bloom year round for the market.

Norman's has many other genera represented in the retail area, many of them fragrant.

 

 

 

 

My Haul

 

I came home with several plants from Norman's. One orchid I was seeking was the Mexican species Chysis Limminghei, shown on Norman's website. I have grown Chysis Brachtescens, another Mexican species successfully for many years. C. Limminghei is harder to find. I have never seen it at any other nursery.

 



 

A surprise find was the fragrant Mexican species Encyclia Radiata.  I had been ambivalent about this orchid until I found a robust example of this plant at Norman's. When divided, it will make two respectable divisions and some back bulbs.

 

 

I love to grow Dendrobiums. They are upright growing, require little bench space,  tolerate the Bakersfield heat and reward a little culture with flowers that last all summer. I found this Dendrobium Hsinying Frosty Maree ,which will join my growing collection. 

 

 

Finally, a little orchid kept calling my name. I tried to ignore her, because she obviously had a lot of Sophrinitis Coccinea in her background. Coccinea is a notoriously touchy grower, being especially sensitive to water quality.  Finally she said, "Daddy take me home!!!"

 

 

This is Sopholaeliocattleya Little Hazel. Her parents are tried and true old parents from the 70s and 80s. One of her grandparents is Slc. Jewel Box, an iconic hybrid. This little miniature will take up little greenhouse space and reward me with multiple flowers almost 3" across.

 

 

I enjoyed my trip to Norman's Orchids very much. Many thanks to Norman and his helpful staff!

 



 



 

 

 

 

 

 



 



 

 

 



 

 

 



 

 



 

 

 

New Phalaenopsis Strategy

 

The Phalaenopsis have been responding positively to their environment, growing large pendulous leaves. Growing them on a bench is proving to be problematic. They need more space, both laterally and underneath.

 

 

I found the perfect materials to construct this Phalaenopsis "ladder" at Lowe's home center. This is pre-primed pine. The primer looks perfectly fine, and no repainting was necessary.

 

This arrangement most closely simulates the Epiphytic character of these plants in nature as they hang from the tree branches.

 

 

I found a use for some old coat hangers. I bent them around a pot, then drilled two holes in the ladder. This is recycling unused material, and it is free!

 

 

The new coat hanger holders in use.



The KeroSun Legacy

Bill Litwin, according to his LinkedIn page, has had several distinguished careers. He is a Navy veteran, flew for Pan Am airways, and has owned several companies.

 

In the seventies he traveled to Japan to negotiate becoming the U.S. distributor for a kerosene space heater, widely used in that country for many years. In the beginning, he sold this product out of his small hardware store in Connecticut until it grew into a $100 million dollar business. 

 

According to a New York Times article published in 1985, several unfortunate factors converged to bring about a swift demise to this prosperous company. Competitors began importing their brands, the winter was unusually warm that year, and Consumer Reports ran a review warning against the use of these heaters. They claimed that the heaters emitted dangerous fumes and were a fire hazard.

 

The parent company, Toyotomi of Japan, is still in business today and kerosene space heaters are still widely used in that country. According to a Japanese Heater safety website, electric space heaters have caused a higher number of injuries and deaths than kerosene ones.

 

How clean a heater burns depends directly upon good maintenance and clean fuel.

 

I bought one of these heaters in the early eighties and used it for several years in the early Temples. The orchid plants, highly sensitive to emissions and ethylene gas, thrived. I became a factory authorized serviceman for KeroSun, and sold and serviced these units at Greenacres True Value Hardware where I was employed at that time.

 

Recently, I found an Omni15 model on Ebay, and was pleased to acquire this heater very reasonably. This unit will provide some fine heat this winter in the Temple.

 

 

 

I found a wick badly in need of replacement, wiring that had become disconnected from the ignitor, and the need for a good cleaning.

The new wick is in place. Fortunately, parts for these heaters are readily available.

The heaters were able to obtain UL listings in spite of the claims of Consumer Reports.

Here is the finished product. I wrapped it and carefully put it away until the weather cools down.

 

 

The Dog Days of Summer

A successful greenhouse is one that combines basic laws of physics and uses them to optimize plant growth. The basic ingredients are temperature, light, air and water.

A younger, smaller Midge with struggling Phalaenopsis before the Temple was built. They did better here than the former place I moved from last year, because they got several hours of morning sun, but something was still missing. Midge walking all over them didn't help matters!

In addition to higher humidity and no more Feline "husbandry", the Phalaenopsis enjoy a new growing medium of Medium Orchid mix from Gubler's and sphagnum moss. I mix them half and half. The sphagnum helps give the plants more consistent moisture. I also switched to clear pots so the roots can photosynthesize, as they do in nature. Lastly, I water every other watering with a diluted mixture of orchid fertilizer, using a Siphonex attached to the hose.

 

I continually move plants around to optimize light and temperature. Any greenhouse is full of microclimates and a few inches into more or less light can make a huge difference.

 

 



Let There Be Light

This week, I recycled some old Malibu lights, using new LEDs instead of the old incandescent and halogen bulbs. Naturally, they operate at much cooler temperatures. The timer uses a photocell that switches the lights on at dusk.

I also discovered a significant heat buildup inside when this current heat wave started. I cut a hole in the north wall next to the apex of the roof, and installed a register to exhaust the hot air. Then, I changed the cooler speed to "high."

The Temple now runs 25 degrees cooler than outside!!!

 

On September 28th, 2018 I added 2 blue floodlights to the underside of the roof. This adds a very dramatic effect to the Temple.

 

 



Orchid Trip to Santa Barbara 7-14-18

 

 CAL ORCHID

 

My first destination was Cal Orchid. This weekend's open house was a collaboration between this nursery and Santa Barbara Orchid Estate. The couple who bought this place in the early eighties have developed it into the thriving business that it is today.

The entrance is at the end of a cul-de-sac in a residential area. I felt very welcomed by the owner's dog as it came to greet me. Parking was a bit of a challenge on such a busy weekend.

One type of plant this nursery is famous for is the Sobralia. This hybrid flower is very showy on plants that are about 4 feet high.

These are small orchid seedlings growing under some Staghorn ferns. Each Orchid capsule contains millions of seed, so the possibilities are endless. Cal Orchid offers many other interesting plants besides Orchids.

As the seedlings grow, they require more room. These panoramic shots do not do the experience justice. Besides only being two-dimensional, I cannot convey the humidity, temperature and fragrance wafting through the houses.

Some Orchids thrive outdoors in Santa Barbara. One can also see additional growing space behind the retail houses.

 

EPIs

 

Cal Orchid is famous all over the world for its hybrid reedstem Epidendrums.

Originally experiments were tried in Japan between two species:

Epidendrum Ibaguense and

 

Epidendrum Radicans 

 

These two species were beautiful in their own right, but the new hybrids are more compact with larger flowers and come in every color of the rainbow.

Cal Orchid now has an exclusive line of these exciting plants, some of which are now used as landscape plants in tropical areas of the world.

Here is a link to Cal Orchid's Epi page:

 

http://www.calorchid.com/new-page/

 

 

 

 

THE SANTA BARBARA ORCHID ESTATE

 

I have been going to the Santa Barbara Orchid Estate for over 30 years. In spite of that, my jaw drops to the ground with each new visit. In fact, one of their kind employees offered her assistance when seeing my gaping jaw and glassy eyes.

This nursery is one of the last Orchid retail establishments in the continental US. It lies adjacent to Cal Orchid near the ocean, creating an ideal microclimate similar to areas of the Hawaiian Islands.

 

The ample parking area is part of the shabby charm of the place. This laid-back atmosphere surely must have been designed on purpose to create a burning desire in visitors to take a part of this back home with them.

 

The handmade sign is reminiscent of signage in rural areas on Maui, posted by natives that reads ,"Haole, go home!!!!" The welcoming environment here at Santa Barbara Orchid Estate has the opposite effect.

Plants with Laelia Anceps in their background thrive in full sun here.

This was the weekend for Laelia Purpurata hybrids. Large specimens such as this one are located all over the nursery.

Another specimen in front of a large Yucca. It could look like a Hawaiian Pandanas plant without corrective lenses.

 

More Laelia Purpurata hybrid specimens.

This little pathway made me reflect on my drinking days. Back then, I would be transported by scenes like this. Having been sober several years now does not change the effect this has on me.

A Dollar Eucalyptus juxtaposed against palms.

A panoramic view of the central courtyard.

This place uses ordinary items in an extraordinary landscape. The clay pot pillars add a nice touch.

 

Large Orchid specimens growing directly on the trees.

The Vanda house. Vandas are epiphytes from southeast Asia. They love for their roots to dangle free of baskets or pots.

Several shots of the growing areas out back.

This specimen Dendrobium was marked "sold."

This scene could have been taken anywhere in the Orchid growing world. The young employee, who was obviously North American,  told me he had been working there 3-4 years. This large order was being purchased by a Filipina lady. She was serving as hostess, telling newcomers where to get in line. She didn't want to lose her spot!

 

ISLAND TROPICALS, Carpenteria, Ca.

 

My last stop before heading home was this place. It is living out its third incarnation as "Island Tropicals". They sell a wide array of outdoor nursery plants, pots and other garden items. Indoors they have an array of nice looking Orchids and Bromeliads, none of which are labeled.

 

Forty years ago, I started my first Orchid collection of three plants here when the place was Armacost and Royston Orchids. I took a group photo of family on that day in 1977 in front of this oak tree. Half the people in that photo have died.

 

Armacost and Royston was eventually bought out by Stewart's Orchids of San Gabriel, California and became Stewart's Carpenteria location. I patronized both places throughout the eighties into the late nineties. Stewart's finally sold this location and their prime land in San Gabriel to developers and moved their operation to Mississippi. The company went out of business after  hurricane Katrina destroyed everything.

 

This oak tree is the only thing left here from the old days.

 

NEW ADDITIONS TO THE TEMPLE

 

Epis from Cal Orchid:

Pacific Maitai 'Planter's Peach'

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Pacific Contrast 'Peach Dazzler'

Pacific Punch 'Purple Fizz'

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Pacific Dragon 'Neon Purple'

Pacific Challenge 'Big Mango'

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Pacific Beauty 'Victorious'

 

In addition, I bought a Cattleya Bicolor seedling, a piece of Vanilla vine and a Dendrobium keiki from Santa Barbara Orchid Estates.