Tee530 and rfraser529 gave an excellent rundown of the merits of both. It's been a while since I've read either but I found Orchid Fever to be an interesting and enjoyable summation of the history of orchid collecting/hunting/pillaging with an attempt to understand the motivations behind those doing it. The Orchid Thief was readable but a bit disappointing. I think the problem is that Orlean either didn't have or didn't portray a grasp of what she was writing about. The book is jam packed with misinfromation both about orchids (I found this most grating) and the situations she was writing about with a bias that seemed to imply bad or lazy research. I found The Orchid Thief somewhat void of conservation ethic, or maybe just flippant about it's importance, which left a bit of a sour after taste. I found this a difficult position to take for a story essentially about a person who abused government regulations pertaining to Native American land rights to illegally collect plants for commercial gain. Whether or not you agree with Hansen's opinion of the effectiveness of CITES etc and the motivations behind those who flaunt it, he at least addresses the issue seriously.

that is phragmepedium. it is probably an intermediate temperature grower and should be water and fertilized often.i should tell you a good rule of thumb is to keep water and feed high and every thing else is an in between. but if your not sure alway err on the simple side. only repot once it is too big because its roots are sensitive and when it is repoted always get one that is atleast 2 sizes up. but of courase get others oppinions as well...

Ginger, You need to go to the American Orchid Society Web Site and find their culture sheets for Nobile type Dendrobiums. There are other web sites that also offer detailed culture instructions for these plants. Nobile Den's. grow a bit differently from other orchids, and you will have to conform to their wants and needs to get them to bloom. First, be absolutely sure you are rid of the scale. Scale suck the juices out of the plant, and are difficult to get rid of because most contact insecticides can't get through the scale to the bug. The scale is probably not what caused the leaves to drop.....That happens to the leaves every year. Next, any of the old canes on your plant that are shriveled, and DEAD, can be removed. Sharp sterile blade, and cut them off at the base. Be sure they are completely dead, because the old canes are storing nutrients for the plant as long as they remain alive. Now, growing the thing.....In the spring when new growth starts at the base of the plant...(Nobiles are prone to producing Keikis on old canes, and that's ok. Leave them on and let them bloom then remove them and pot up as new plants.....you need to really grow the plant. Lots of sunlight, water, and 30-10-10 fertilizer. You want those new growths to really grow big and healthy. In the early fall, the leaves will begin to yellow, and fall off the plant...normal..... At this time you should stop feeding the high Nitrogen fertilizer...use 10-10-10, or just stop fertilizing until spring growth starts again. If you are not growing the plant outside, it would be best take it outside in the fall. Let the plant stay outside until it experiences several nights of very cool temperatures....even a light frost won't hurt. When the weather gets too cold, bring the plant in and enjoy the blooms. When the blooms fade, reduce the amount of water you give the plant until new growth starts in the spring, then go back to the heavy feeding/growing of the plant. Once a cane blooms, its not going to ever bloom again. All leaves fall off in the winter. Bill

Thank you Meg. Thats certainly it. It's a Oeceoclades maculata: Monk Orchid. Interesting. I'm glad to read that it's not considered an invasive but instead just a naturalized plant. I really like the look of the mottled waxy leaf. reminds me of a minature sansevieria. It will stay where it's at then. Embothrium, I would'nt call it a weed. As a weed is a plant growing where it's not wanted. I welcome it :)