21st World Orchid Conference 2014

18/09/2014

Did you attend the 21st World Orchid Conference 2014?

Share your pictures with us and also let us know how the greatest flower and plant extravaganza was for you!

15/09/2014

Let’s chat!

Did you enjoy WOC 21?

14/09/2014

Today is the last day for you to come and enjoy the greatest flower and plant extravaganza!

Don't miss out on this opportunity!

Come and spend the day with us and enjoy exhibitions and displays from orchids to sugar art as well as cycads and ikebana!

13/09/2014

Come and enjoy your Saturday at the 21st World Orchid Conference 2014 in Johannesburg!

Follow this link to our website for more information:

http://www.woc21.org/

13/09/2014

The judges have spoken:
Grand Champion - Best Orchid on Show, Best Hybrid on Show, Best Specimen on Show:
Anguloacaste Olympus "Honey" owner: Francois Vorster of the Wolkberg Orchid Society. Receiving the trophies on his behalf, a delighter Mr. George Short

13/09/2014

From the Opening Ceremony on Tuesday night - Flower Couture by Franz Grabe http://www.franzgrabe.co.za/ amazing dresses made entirely from orchid flowers.

12/09/2014

Remember that the greatest flower and plant extravaganza only ends on 14 September 2014, buy your tickets online and take the whole family to the Sandton Convention Centre this weekend!

12/09/2014

What has been your highlight this far at WOC21?

12/09/2014

Will you be attending day 3 for the 21st World Orchid Conference 2014 in the Sandton Convention Centre? Remember doors open at 10:00. You can follow this link now to buy tickets:

http://www.woc21.org/index.php/the-orchid-show/buy-show-tickets

There will also be tickets available at the door. We however advise you to buy online to avoid standing in a line and missing out!

The Official site of WOC21 - the World Orchid show and conference 2014 to be hosted in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa

11/09/2014

Which one is your favourite?

11/09/2014

Text and photography by PL HEWITT

Web address: www.panscarnivores.com

Insectivorous or meat-eating plants have captured the imagination of Man since the times of Charles Darwin - the first person to suspect that the little Glistening Sundews he had been sent from afar were, in fact, little savage killers who supplemented their nutritional needs by trapping and consuming insects and small animals with fairly murderous intent and efficiency.

From the tiny underground traps of the enigmatic Bladderwort (Utricularia) to the majestic rat-eating monster traps of the Tropical Pitcher plant (Nepenthes), Carnivorous plants have adapted themselves to thrive in areas where few plants can grow. In much the same way as Orchids have evolved as low nutrient requiring plants, Carnivorous plants can often be found in their company.
The famous Venus Flytrap, while being the most recognised of the Carnivorous plants, is certainly not the most intricate. In order to be considered carnivorous, a plant must trap, digest and use this nutrition for its growth. The following are some of the more well known of these plants and the types of trap they use.
Dionaea (Venus Flytrap) has an active jaw trap; Sarracenia (Trumpet Pitcher plant) has a very efficient passive pitfall trap as does Cephalotus follicularis (Albany Pitcher plant), Darlingtonia (Cobra plant) and the Nepenthes species (Tropical Pitcher plants) – some capable of trapping mammals. Other trapping mechanisms include slime/glue traps as found in Drosera (the Sundews) and Pinguicula (the Butterworts) and suction traps as found in Utricularia (the Bladderworts).

At this year’s World Orchid Conference, Pans Carnivores will be releasing the very first batch of locally produced Cephalotus follicularis (Albany Pitcher plants). This charming little plant hails from Australia and is one of the most sought after of the collector’s Carnivorous plant. Cephalotus is an ant specialist whose traps, while very vicious-looking, are adapted for the trapping of ants and smaller crawling insects. Small, intricate traps are produced in the summer and non-carnivorous photosynthetic leaves in the winter.

11/09/2014

Will you be attending the second day of 21st World Orchid Conference 2014? Remember doors open at 10:00!

10/09/2014

Are you still enjoying your first day at WOC 21?

10/09/2014

Congratulations to the winners of the photo competition:

1st - Creative 1 by Theo van Wyk

2nd - Makro 2 by Gabriel Joubert

3rd - Mystacydium capense in tree by Martin Rautenbach

10/09/2014

It’s official!

The 21st World Orchid Conference 2014 will start TODAY at 10:00 in the Sandton Convention Centre!

09/09/2014

Have you spotted these on the Gauteng roads yet?

09/09/2014

1 DAY TO GO UNTIL WOC 21!

We hope that you are just as excited about the greatest flower and plant show! Yes, right here in Johannesburg!

Will you be joining us from 10 to 14 September 2014?

09/09/2014

Text by HELMA HOLLOWAY
Photography by Leon Heyes

From Victorian times the requirement of a Wedding Cake became the inspiration for today’s Sugar Art and Cake Decorating. More than ever before there is a need for making edible embellishments for celebrations to create a WOW factor amongst the audience or invited guests - and if it was produced by the host, even greater admiration is called for!

In South Africa the art-form is practiced by sugar artists and cake decorators alike who try and reproduce life-like flowers or figurines using edible mediums. This developed into a Guild being formed some 38 years ago, whose aim is to promote the art form and to encourage members to enter shows that are organised to expose the art form to the public.

By using a few tools found around the kitchen (and adding some tricks of the trade) the most amazing edible - and sweet - art is created. It gives endless hours of creative fun to young and old - the Guild has a few children’s branches too. The most popular request practiced in this art form is the creation of wedding cakes to give the celebration that unique and fitting dessert element. Often a request is made to duplicate the dress lace or wedding flowers, or even hobbies of the matrimonial couple and that becomes the topic of conversation for the endless memories these unique edible features generate. If you have an interest in baking and creating, this is the hobby (and often business) to pursue.

At the show there will be a competitive section (focussing on orchids) open to anyone who wishes to pit their skills at sugar art and cake decorating against other contestants. For more information contact the SACDG (South African Cake Decorators Guild) Tel: 011-394 6469; fax: 086 635 4357.
E-mail: [email protected] . Website: www.sacdg.webs.com.

08/09/2014

You can expect the following on 10 September 2014, when the 21st World Orchid Conference starts! Are you as excited as we are?

08/09/2014

Text by BILL MINCHER
E-mail: [email protected]

Wetlands provide crucial ecosystem services and yet they are the most threatened habitat type in South Africa. Wetlands are natural assets able to provide a range of products, functions and services, such as gathering, processing, purifying and delivering water for human use - free of charge. They have significant worth as warehouses of biodiversity and provide sites for recreation and tourism, subsistence farming, crafts, ceremonial and spiritual activities.

The Wild Orchids of Southern Africa (WOSA) exhibit has been designed to showcase the beauty of wetlands and to highlight their critical functions in nature and will introduce you to some of the main players involved in promoting, restoring and protecting wetlands.

WOSA is a non-governmental organisation which was formed in 2013 to coordinate and promote the conservation efforts of indigenous orchids. Few people are aware that we have about 480 orchid species of which 45 are endemic (only occur is SA). Our website (www.wildorchids.co.za) will reveal all you need to know about WOSA and hopefully create a spark of interest in indigenous orchids which will add value and make them worthy of protection. Many of our orchids have been lost due to changes in land use for agriculture as well as urban development which is progressing at an alarming rate. We need to act before all is lost.

The Verloren Valei Nature Reserve and Ramsar Site near Dullstroom consists of Bankenveld grasslands and numerous wetlands. It is one of our prized South African orchid localities. WOSA members have photographed over 55 species from 11 genera and we are sure there are more to be discovered.

The three wetlands on the WOSA exhibit will have Cape winter rainfall orchid species in flower and a few summer rainfall orchids which are mostly dormant during our cold winter and are at their best progressing into the New Year.

08/09/2014

2 DAYS TO GO!

Yes, the greatest Flower and Plant extravaganza is around the corner! Are you excited yet? Have you bought your tickets?

05/09/2014

Remember that the tickets to WOC are UNLIMITED! You follow this link now to buy yours now:

http://www.woc21.org/index.php/the-orchid-show/buy-show-tickets

Also, buy the Garden and Home September issue to find out more about the greatest flower and plant extravaganza!

05/09/2014

While you are here to attend the 21st World Orchid Conference 2014, why not go on a day tour and enjoy more about South Africa, follow this link now:

http://www.woc21.org/index.php/tours/day-tours

The Official site of WOC21 - the World Orchid show and conference 2014 to be hosted in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa

05/09/2014

Written by Anthony Grohovaz

The orchid community was largely formalized by the formation of the Royal Horticultural Society which in 1859 granted the first orchid award, 22 years after the beginning of the reign of Queen Victoria. The Manchester Orchid Society which was founded in 1878, claim to the second oldest orchid society in the world.

This was followed by the USA in 1932. Other areas followed - The Malayan Orchid Society in 1928, and Cape Orchid Society 1957.

Orchids have been in public view since the age of ancient Chinese and today the orchid is the most popular pot plant by far on the world stage.

In South Africa, the SA Orchid Council was formed in 1966 and today represent 22 affiliate orchid societies in the country.

04/09/2014

Where have you recently found beauty?

(Image: www.orchidsmadeeasy.com)

04/09/2014

Ansellia
Text by Anthony Grohovaz
Photography by Lourens Grobler


The genus is named after John Ansell, an English botanist, who found the first specimens in 1841 on the Fernando Po Island in West Africa. This orchid is native to tropical and southern Africa, found alongside coasts and rivers in the canopy of trees, usually at elevations lower than 700m (occasionally up to 2,200m).

Known locally as the Leopard Orchid and common in the Kruger National Park, this is a large epiphyte, generally attached to the branches of tall trees, occasionally terrestrial. This robust orchid can grow very large, sometimes with an estimated weight of over a tonne. Even eagle owls (Bubo bubo) have been seen to make their nest in such a clump.

The white, needle-like aerial roots are characteristic of this orchid and they point upwards, taking the form of a trash basket, catching leaves and detritus from which it obtains nutrients. These plants are shy to flower in cultivation unless they receive very bright light of around 2000 foot candles and are given a dry rest for about 6 weeks in the autumn. In habitat, the plants can go periods of several months without water and are very drought tolerant, but the plants tend to perform better if kept evenly moist throughout the year. Plants which are receiving enough light will take on a yellowish coloration in the leaves.

This species is widespread across Africa and wide variability of flower shape, colour and markings may be seen across its range. There has been some innovative breeding between the various ecotypes and remarkable colour forms are now appearing.

04/09/2014

6 days to go until the Greatest Flower and Plant Extravaganza!

03/09/2014

Have you bought your tickets for WOC 21 yet?

03/09/2014

A preview of what you can expect to see 7 days from now!

Which one would you like to know more about?