Photographer at the newspaper "O Globo", Carlos Ivan cultivates essentially Catasetum alliance

(e-mail: cis@oglobo.com.br)

A small professional profile:

C.I.- I am a professional photographer since 20 years ago and nowadays I work in one of the biggest newspapers of Brazil.

- Why do you start to cultivate orchids? Which was the magic moment of attraction?

C. I. - This is a difficult question. To tell the true, I do not know in which moment I started to be interested in orchids. When it happened I looked for a society, in Rio, which joined orchid lovers and could give an orientation in how to start the cultivation.

- How did you start?

C. I. - When I knew OrquidaRio ( 9 years ago ) and started to go to the meeting, I was immediately interested in Epidendrum species. So I contacted commercial nurseries and formed my first collection just with Epidendrum.
Five years ago, I felt in love with Catasetum and changed my entirely collection to this.

- How many plants do you have?

C.I. - At about 300 plants

- Which orchids do you cultivate?

C.I. -Just Catasetum

- Why did you choice this kind of orchid?

C. I. - To tell the truth, I have never had interest in the most popular genera (Cattleya, Oncidium, Dendrobium, and so on...) and looked for an exotic, different plant and I knew Catasetum
(it is the only genus that has male, female and hermaphrodite flowers). Besides, it is a plant that have many forms, colors and size.

- Where do you cultivate your plants?

C.I. -I have a little nursery ( 3X4 m) in a terrace, in my home, in Jacarepaguá

- How many time do you spend taking care of orchids, every day?

C.I. -Nowadays, I do not have many time to my plants. When I can, I go upstairs and look how they are, if there are diseases or attacks and every day, I water them (when it is sunny)

- Was there an inspiration or someone inspired you to start to cultivate orchids?

C.I. -No.

- Which is your favorite plant, between yours?

C.I. -Catasetum piliatum and tenebrosum

- If you want to add something, please.

C.I. - If someone wants to know Catasetum, there is a society, In Brazil, formed by orchidists that love and cultivate them, ABRACC - Associação Brasileira de Cultivadores de Catasetíneas and you can get more information in the address: http://www.orkideas.com.br/inicio/_frame.html

- Thank you, Ivan.

All those photos are by © Carlos Ivan and can not be reproduced without written authorization by the author