The Orchid Master Of The Hawthorne Neighborhood

Photos Contributed By Kevin Kuschel

I serve with Kevin Kuschel on the Hawthorne Housing Committee, and I often exchange emails with him about neighborhood crime issues, but I didn't know about his secret life until just today...

Kevin raises species orchids. "Species" orchids are the type of orchid found in the wild, versus hybrids, which are man-made crosses commonly grown in gardens or sold in stores.

Kevin says many of the orchids he grows are disappearing as their native habitats are being destroyed. He asked me to include the names because, as he puts it, "Names are important to we orchid folk."

From top to bottom:

1.) Podangis dactyloceras. Found in various parts of Africa. Flowers are about 3/8 of an inch across.

2.) Cleisostoma sagittiforme. From India, Southern China, and Thailand. The flowers are 1/4 of an inch.

3.) Dendrobium harveyanum. A rare species from China, Burma, Vietnam and Thailand.

4.) Pleurothallis picta. Individual flowers are 1/4 of an inch long. These are from Cuba as well as South and Central America.

5.) Habenaria radiata. From Japan. Sometimes called the "Egret flower." Easy to see why.

6.) Porrovallia Phil Jesup. A hybrid of two species from the Cloud Forests of South & Central America.

(Question from Johnny Northside: so this is a natural hybrid one might find in the wild? Or not?)

7.) Maxillaria pachyphylla. Found in Bolivia and Brazil.

8.) Haraella retrocalla. Half inch flowers smell like Lemon Pledge. From Taiwan.

I might add, here...just because this is the kind of thing I would add...our neighborhood has many lovely old houses with big yards...perfect for greenhouses, perfect for gardens. There is a lot of gardening in our community, which I've written about before, including "the Polish lady's" rather notable efforts. (Click here)

If you dream of owning your own house, with gardening space and/or room to add a greenhouse, now is the time to buy, buy, buy in North Minneapolis.