In This Month’s Newsletter:
 Notes from the President page 1
May 2015
 EIOS Easter Showcase page 2
 April EIOS meeting page 3
EIOS is now on
Facebook!
President: Lois Dusdieker
(319) 626-2236
E-mail: [email protected]
Vice President: Jim Quaintance
(319) 624-2758
E-mail: [email protected]
Secretary: Mike Hampton
(319) 377-0106
E-mail: [email protected]
Treasurer: Cathy Wilcox
(319) 354-5879
Email: [email protected]
AOS Representative: Laynez Ackermann
(319) 656-2063
Email: [email protected]
Mid-America Representative:
Nile Dusdieker
(319) 626-2236
E-mail: [email protected]
Newsletter Editor: Mike Hampton
(319) 377-0106
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Page Editor: Jim Quaintance
(319) 624-2758
E-mail: [email protected]
A small group of people with a big love of growing orchids.
The Spike
EASTERN IOWA ORCHID SOCIETY
 Meeting directions page 4
Yes it really does bloom
Onc. Sphacelatum: Many of you have a piece of this plant
and the common complaint is that it never blooms. It is a
native to Belize and Mexico and grows in trees, on rocks
in nearly full sun. It likes seasonal day-night changes . Bill
Snyder tells me it blooms at Noelridge too
Ann Morris’s Iwanagaara Appleblossom ‘tricolor’
President’s Message for May 2015
Congratulations for a job well done to our 4 teams
that successfully completed orchid classification and
judging at last month’s meeting. I hope everyone
had fun and learned a few ‘tidbits.’ Usually, I clean
and groom the orchids for shows and cut out labels.
Filling out the classification tags was a new experience for me too! Every time I find a plant I want to
purchase, Nile goes through all the judging points
for a quality flower to be sure the plant is ‘worth it!’
If I really like the plant, I buy it anyway!
Keep a close eye on the temperature swings this
spring. Our Cypripediums outside emerged during
the warm spell, but then the forecast was for a
hard freeze. We covered them again with leaves. It
is too early to put orchids outside with Iowa’s unpredictable weather.
At our May meeting we will be electing officers for
2015-2016. The following have volunteered to
serve and were announced at the last meeting.
Further nominees from the floor will be taken prior
to the vote. President: Bill Page, Vice-President:
Jim Quaintance; Secretary and Newsletter Editor:
Micheal Hampton; Treasurer: Cathy Wilcox; MidAmerica Orchid Congress representative; Nile
Dusdieker; American Orchid Society representative, Laynez Ackerman
Noelridge Gardens and Greenhouse has been a
(Continued on page 4)
Nile D
Calendar of Events
Orchid Society Meetings are the
first Tuesday of the month during
the school year. Meetings start with
social at 6:30 and the meeting at
7:00
Kansas City Orchid Show, 2015.
Our club has been invited! EIOS
taking a small display ( 50 ft.)
5/2-3/15
EIOS MEETING – First Presbyterian
Church – How to get your plants to
bloom when you want! David Bird
5/5/15
Noelridge Greenhouse Mothers
Day Showcase Display and sale
5/10/15
No June or July Meetings
Speakers Day at Camp Dodge
Johnston, IA . (see page 4 for details)
7/26/15
Page 2
THE SPIKE
EIOS ORCHID DISPLAY at
NOELRIDGE GREENHOUSE EASTER SHOWCASE
Volunteers from EIOS
setup a nice orchid display at the Easter Showcase on Saturday and
Sunday of Easter Weekend. Over two thousand
people attended the
event which included
other vendors and the
tropical fish display plus
the all time favorite for
the kids - the Easter Bunny. We had many compliments and answered
lots of orchid related
questions.
EIOS also had a sale
table of blooming orchids donated by members of the society with
special thanks to Doc
Bannister and Iowa Orchids, Terry Partin of
Orchid Trading Company, Don and Phyllis
White of Anything Orchids, and Nile and Lois
Dusdieker for supplying
the plants. We nearly
sold out and will have a
few carryover for the
Mother's Day Showcase at the same location. Hours are 11AM to
5PM on May 10th.
These two events raise
funds to support our fall
orchid show.
Special thanks to those who volunteered their time
and plants.
Jim Quaintance, Bill and Joan Page, Bill and Jean Snyder, Dick and
Shari VanHyfte, Peggy Green, Dorothy and Micheal Hampton,
Nile and Lois Dusdieker
Page 3
THE SPIKE
Orchid Classification and Quality Judging : April ‘Hands On’ Workshop
Members attending the meeting were divided into 4
groups and learned how to
classify orchids and related
material into the appropriate
Mid-America Class. These
classes are used for ribbon
judging at orchid shows and
are designed to compare like
kinds of flowers. The
process is not as easy as it seems. Cattleya classes vary by color and size of flower; Paphiopedilums can be species,
simple or complex hybrids and color is a bit subjective based on overall flower appearance; Phalaenopsis classes
vary by size of flower and branching of inflorescence as well as primary color and overlaid color. Always look at
the back side of the Phal flower for the base color. Orchid related craft and photo classes clearly delineate whether
the exhibitor created the item themselves or it was collected, made by someone else. Ribbons were given to the
teams with the most correct classifications but all did very well. Top score was 19 of 21 entries and bottom score
still a respectable 15 correct. Even Nile was tripped up by one classification - and he made out the test!
The second half of the program focused on flower
quality using AOS judging
standards. Flower form, color; and presentation were
scored equally. Hopefully by
the end of the exercise
members will use their now
more critical ‘eye’ when buying their next orchid!
Back Page
In Memory:
EIOS lost a member and good friend
in James Venneman. He truly had a
‘green thumb’ and supported not
only our club but the Good Earth
Garden Club and Noelridge Greenhouse. To Helen and the Venneman
family, we offer our deepest sympathy and we know he is growing flowers in heaven!
Speakers Day July 26 2015
Speakers
Robert Fuchs of RF Orchids in Florida talking on
Vandas and Sam Tsui of Orchid Inn talking on
Paphiopedilums
http://c-we.com/cios/ciosspk.htm
Membership dues for 2015 are now DUE. They are
$20 for one $30 for family. Bring to meeting or
mail to:
Cathy Wilcox
119 Taft Speedway
Iowa City, IA 52245
(Continued from page 1)
great advocate for our club. To show our appreciation, I propose we
make them an honorary member of the EIOS. Several of our members
are volunteers at Noelridge and work largely with their beautiful orchid collection. Several of those plants are certainly show-worthy and
this status would allow those to be a part of EIOS exhibits ‘on the
road!’
One last show: The Kansas City Club has attended our last 2 EIOS
shows and we plan to exhibit at their show May 1-3 at Loose Park
near Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Mo. Watch the e-mail for
information on participation and contributing plants.
Our May 5th meeting will feature David Bird from Kansas City – Bird’s
Botanicals – (Orchids in a Cave). He will be speaking on how to get
your orchids to bloom when you want them to! As in the past, he will be
bringing a variety of lovely orchids for sale. COME – LEARN – BUY!
If you have not paid your dues for 2015, this will be your last edition
of the SPIKE. Please renew at the meeting or by mail to Cathy Wilcox.
The EIOS apparel order was placed 4/21 and hopefully we can distribute the items at the May meeting.
This will be my last meeting as EIOS President. It has truly been a
pleasure and honor to serve. We do not plan a June meeting. Infor-
mation on Central Iowa Speakers Day is on the calendar. We
will discuss options for an August repotting or picnic at our May
meeting.
Respectfully, Lois Dusdieker
Hosts for Upcoming Meetings
May
Andy Coghill-Behrends
If you would like to volunteer to help with
refreshments, please e-mail Lois Dusdieker
([email protected]).
Directions to First Presbyterian Church in Iowa
City
From East on I-80 take exit 249 on Herbert Hoover Hwy
turn left and go about 5 minutes on Rochester and turn left
on Mount Vernon Dr. As soon as you turn left the church
parking lot is on your left.
From West on I-80, take exit 246 turn right to Dodge St,
turn left to Scott Blvd, turn right on First Ave, and stay on
until you meet Rochester Ave, turn left , go few minutes,
turn right on Mount Vernon Dr. As soon as you turn right
the church parking lot is on your left.
The meeting is in the Youth Room, as soon as you enter the
building turn left & turn right.