Orchid Nutrition

Winter Orchid Care

ABC's of Repotting

Our Orchid Story

September is Dynamite!

Surfing the Web for Orchids

Fragrance in Cattleya Orchids

Spring and Summer Orchid Care

Tales of Orchids

Orchid Labeling

The Orchid Fertilizer Bible

We love orchids that have a story behind them. The story adds to the appeal of the orchid because it not only makes the orchid unique, but also gives it a personality. The story adds depth to any collection and can be retold even if the main character is not in bloom! Potinara Susan Fender has a story and a personality and blooms with an attitude!

Pot. Susan fender 'Cinnamon Stick', AM/AOS is, of course, our favorite and is the only awarded form of the hybrid so far. There are several other great forms of the hybrid, such as Pot. Susan Fender 'Cover Girl', 'Unsinkable', 'Newberry', and '#4'. We have seen photos from our customers who have bloomed some incredible, and possibly the best, of all the Pot. Susan Fenders. It is wonderful that these parents have produced so many great "children." Carter and Holmes Orchids has featured Pot. Susan Fender on the front and back covers of their catalog at least six times. But that's not the story.

Growing Boston fern was our primary business for over 20 years. For 15 years, beginning in 1986, we drove the 500 miles from Apopka (near Orlando, Florida) to Newberry, South Carolina to Carter and Holmes. We made this journey every two months to purchase tissue-cultured ferns.

At that time, Carter and Holmes had been growing orchids for over 40 years, but parts of their lab facilities were devoted to ferns, African violets, and various foliage plants. Our orchid hobby had been in hibernation since the mid 1970s as we devoted all of our energies to our fern enterprise and children. During these frequent visits, we slowly expanded and updated our collection. The orchid hobby had awakened from a long, deep sleep. You can't go to Carter and Holmes and not be inspired!

This is where Potinara Susan Fender was born. Gene Crocker, manager and orchid Guru at Carter and Holmes, asked if he could name a cross of Potinara Caesar's Head x Lc. Mary Ellen Carter for Susan. We were thrilled, not only for having an orchid named for Susan, but also for knowing that this orchid was developed by growers who literally have set the standards in cattleya breeding.

Gene selected four unbloomed seedlings for us to grow. These four Pot. Susan Fenders were all good growers with decent blooms - except one. This one grew like a weed and produced drop-dead gorgeous flowers. Her glowing color and sweet fragrance were the reasons for the varietal name 'Cinnamon Stick'. We easily divided the orchid and had grown two large 8 inch pots of 'Cinnamon Stick'.

On February 23, 1994, both divisions were in bloom and we decided to take her to the Tampa, Florida judging center for evaluation. One plant seemed to present her flowers a little bit better and was selected to take to the judging. She received an 83 point Award of Merit from the American Orchid Society judges. Her new name became Potinara Susan Fender 'Cinnamon Stick', AM/AOS. Bill Thoms, a student judge at the time, described her as "so red it seems to be on fire!"

It is and always will be our policy to share a division of our awarded orchids with the breeder. This is an insurance policy for us and for the preservation of an exceptional plant. We delivered one of the 8 inch pots to Carter and Holmes on our next visit. They mericloned 'Cinnamon Stick' so that she would be available to other orchid enthusiasts to enjoy.

Pot. Susan Fender 'Cinnamon Stick', AM/AOS is an incredibly robust plant. She blooms at least twice per year, in the spring and again in the fall. She is always beautiful and fragrant. Besides, she has a great story!