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STICKS AND STONES! .... 
Most people believe that Orchid plants are 
parasites because they cling to trees in their nat- 
ural state of growth. Nothing is further from 
the truth. An Orchid will cling equally as well 
to a pane of glass, a piece of tile, a stone, or a 
lead pipe! If proper proportions of water, sun- 
light and air are given the plant it will grow on 
anything. A parasite is something that destroys 
whatever it clings too. An Orchid simply holds 
on for support. It is the history of its very ex- 
istence. 
In its native state the seeds of a Cattleya 
Orchid are blown by the wind into trees and in 
the crevices of stones. As soon as the roots form 
they will cling to whatever object they are in 
contact with. On this precarious perch begins 
the life cycle of a Cattleya Orchid plant. If it is 
lucky enough to survive to an adult age it will 
begin to flower somewhere between the seventh 
and tenth year. Once it reaches blooming age 
it should continue to flower every year. Some 
of the cattleya hybrids will often flower twice a 
vear. A hybrid is produced by crossing two va- 
rieties of orchids, thus producing a new, and 
often better breed of Orchid. 
Grown under good conditions Orchids double 
their size every two years. They are then trans- 
ferred into larger pots or they may be split up 
and made into two plants. I have seen a thirty 
year old Orchid plant with as many as 150 flowers 
on it at a single time. They do not die with old 
age, but become bigger and bigger each year and 
more productive. Their life span is “forever”, 
so to speak. 
I recommend that all plants be changed into 
larger pots every two years. The Osmunda 
should also be changed every two years, as that 
is one of the most important steps to keep them 
blooming well. Osmunda is an organic material, 
and after two years in a pot it breaks down and 
packs to the extent that the root system of the 
plant cannot breath properly. When this happens 
the old Osmunda retains water for too long a 
time and the root system of the plant may rot 
or suffocate. If the Osmunda is changed every 
two years right after the plant blooms you can 
keep the plants growing for a hundred years! 
(4) 
