A Disa Companion

Disas are a genus of African orchids that are not well-known even to orchid enthusiasts in Africa. However, not only are many of the species colourful and/or spectacular, but they have given great scope to breeders wishing to hybridise and market ever more colourful varieties. They have specific cultural requirements, but like most things, "they are easy when you know how." This book has a variety of aims: it provides an introduction to the fascination and diversity of Disa species; it provides information on how to grow them in the garden or greenhouse, helped by a description of weather and other aspects of how they grow in the wild; and it has a section on genetics, assisting in understanding the basics of colour variation in species and hybrids. Finally, a section on hybridisation demonstrates the remarkable diversity of form, colour, and patterns that can be achieved by within- and between-species crosses, with numerous illustrations to back up the claim that Disas are one of the most fascinating and visually appealing of orchids to study, admire, and with a minimum of skill, grow.