Earning a Green Thumb
New C.W. Post Biology Course Studies the Ins and Outs of Orchids

February 2, 2005 - Students enrolled at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University are working on their green thumbs this Spring Semester 2005, thanks to a new undergraduate Biology course, "Ecology and Evolution of Orchids," that focuses on many aspects of the popular plant. The course is offered through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Students are being taught by Assistant Biology Professor Todd Zimmerman, whose plants last year won two ribbons--one for first place, the other for second--in the 24th New York International Orchid Show at Rockefeller Center in New York City. Discussions include the history of the orchid trade, the structure and function of orchids and how that relates to survival in the wild, orchid types and the role of orchids in society today in regards to horticulture and conservation.

Lectures include hands-on activities such as the use of microscopes and dissection of flower parts. Visits to the C.W. Post Miracle-Gro Greenhouse are incorporated into lectures. "This helps students experience the environment the plants are living in and adapted to rather than just imagine it from words written on a blackboard," Professor Zimmerman said.

Although there is not enough time for students to grow their own orchids, they are observing live plants in the greenhouse. "Orchids grow very slowly," Professor Zimmerman explains. "It generally takes a full year for a plant to put out a new growth and then flower, so by the end of the semester a student would see very little change in the plants." If students would like to try to grow their own plants, Professor Zimmerman will offer advice. "I hope the students will be able to grow orchids on their own by understanding how the plant works."

The pace of the course is designed for biology majors, but non-majors who have some background in biology and chemistry and who are genuinely interested in the subject are enrolled.

For more information on attending a class, or if interested in speaking with Professor Zimmerman, contact the C.W. Post Public Relations Office at 516-299-2334 or pr@cwpost.liu.edu.