Category: Meetings

Orchid Society of Santa Barbara Meeting – December 11, 2024, 7:30 pm

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“OSSB Holiday Treats and Q&A with Orchid Experts”

Phragmepedium besseae ‘Jupiter’

Celebrate orchids at the OSSB wrap up meeting for 2024.  Bring your favorite holiday treats (Yay treats!!) to share.  Also bring any questions you have about your orchid growing problems for a Q & A with our local orchid experts.  We will recap the year’s programs and give a look forward to our program plans for 2025, including both live and streamed talks and practical potting demonstrations.

If you haven’t been to a meeting lately, there have been some recent updates including:

  • A beautiful new meeting location at Maravilla with comfortable seating, a terrific digital display system and improved sound system.
  • Recorded talks by orchid experts from the American Orchid Society (AOS). 
  • Return of the Member Plant Show table at the start of each meeting for members to show & discuss their orchids. 

Directions:  From Calle Real, enter Maravilla and bear left.  On the right is a lawn with a flagpole.  The meeting rooms are to the left of the lawn/flagpole.  To park, continue to drive around a loop that will lead you to the parking lot.  Additional parking is available to the right as you drive in, any parking space without a number is available.  Meeting Rooms:  AOS Judging in the Galleria Room, Orchid Society in the Valencia Room.

Orchid Society of Santa Barbara Meeting – November 13, 2024, 7:30 pm

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Phalaenopsis:  From Soup to Nuts

American Orchid Society Webinar by David Edgley – recorded February 7, 2024

We will join Accredited Judge and Chair of the AOS Judging Committee, David Edgley, for a wonderful panorama of Phalaenopsis breeding and the culture needed to grow these delightful orchids.

Phalaenopsis hybrids, also known as moth orchids, are the most popular orchids available commercially today.  In nature the species range from Sri Lanka and southern India to New Guinea and northeast Australia, extending as far north as southern China, and are especially rich in the Philippines and Borneo.  Most are found in hot, steamy lowlands and a few have adapted to higher altitudes with cooler climates.  Habitats are usually moist and humid year-round under dense- to partial-shade near streams in rain forests.  Lacking storage organs, most do not survive in seasonal climates.  They grow as epiphytes or occasionally lithophytes.  Their large and colorful flowers have been extensively bred to produce the hybrids we see today.  Breeders select for superior size, color, form and lasting qualities.  The best performers are mass-produced via tissue culture in areas with optimal labor costs and growing facilities, then shipped around the world.  In cultivation, Phalaenopsis require warm conditions year-round and slightly higher light levels than species in nature to produce better flowering.  Potting medium should retain some moisture between waterings without becoming soggy. 

Orchid Society of Santa Barbara Meeting – October 9, 2024, 7:30 pm

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A Colombian Orchid Adventure

American Orchid Society Webinar by Ron Parsons – recorded on November 5, 2020

September Meeting

The Orchid Society of Santa Barbara moved our monthly meeting location to Maravilla Senior Living Community starting in September.  Many thanks to Sandra Tillisch-Svoboda for coordinating the space and to Jerry McRoberts for helping her, and to other society members for providing homemade refreshments.

Bryce sends particular thanks to Daniel and Chris Geiger for bringing a splendid group of species orchids for show and tell, making our first meeting at Maravilla a complete success.

October Meeting

Keeping on the theme of beautiful Masdevallia orchids as presented by Sandra in September, in October we will take a virtual trip to see the orchids of Colombia with renowned author and photographer Ron Parsons.  Join us for a webinar from the American Orchid Society (AOS) by Ron Parsons on his orchid travels in Colombia.

Ron Parsons has been growing orchids for nearly 49 years and has been interested in the species for most of that time. He loves to photograph orchids and other flowers whenever he can and does so as often as possible. Ron has more than 100,000 digital images, most of which are of orchids, and still retains a slide library that exceeds 100,000 botanical images. He has presented more than 500 talks on various botanical topics and has nearly 6500 published photos.

Ron has co-authored four books on botanical subjects, all with Mary E. Gerritsen. The first two, published by Timber Press, are Masdevallias, Gems of the Orchid World and Calochortus, Mariposa Lilies and their Relatives. Their third book, a two-volume set, A Compendium of Miniature Orchid Species was published by Redfern Natural History Productions in January 2014. In 2019 The American Orchid Society Guide to Orchids and their Culture was released and is in its third printing. They have recently completed a fifth book, a much-revised second edition of A Compendium of Miniature Orchids Species. It is now in four volumes with 3100 photos (1800 of those are new), including those of more than 500 species not in the first edition. The set was released in early October 2021.

If you want to learn more about Masdevallias as presented in September by Sandra Tillisch-Svoboda, here are the references.

The AOS hosts seminars on a wide range of orchid topics that are available online to AOS members and to the public at https://www.aos.org/

Orchid Society of Santa Barbara – September 11, 2024 Meeting, 7:30 pm (New meeting location)

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Our speaker on September 11th will be Sandra Tillisch Svoboda!

Sandra Tillisch Svoboda: “Those Amazing Masdevallias”

About the Speaker:
Growing up in Minnesota, Sandra’s only exposure to orchids was that prom corsage. She began her orchid life as a pot washer for her late husband Al and became fascinated with the history of her husband’s complex paph collection, which included many oldies like Paph. F. C. Puddle. Al’s knowledge, love, and enthusiasm for orchids were contagious. When they built a second greenhouse, Sandra decided it would be hers, and that was when orchids became an important part of her life. Sandra is editor-in-chief of the Orchid Digest. She has served as president of the American Orchid Society, World Orchid Conference Trust, Cymbidium Society of America, and the Orchid Digest. Locally, she was president of the Orchid Society of Santa Barbara and the local branch of the Cymbidium Society. Sandra served on the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show board and, for several years, was the show manager of this prestigious show, one of the largest in the nation. Sandra is a senior accredited judge in the American Orchid Society. Besides the plants themselves and the never-ending opportunity to learn about them, Sandra loves being involved in the orchid world because it offers an opportunity to travel, meet, and work with many amazing and fascinating people.

Program:  “Those Amazing Masdevallias”
Sandra will share the diversity of the flowers of the species of the amazing genus, Masdevallia. The talk will include general culture information for each species, AOS award information, and where species is found in its native habitat.

Important Announcement – NEW meeting location starting September 2024

Address
Maravilla Senior Living Community
5500 Calle Real
Santa Barbara, CA 93111

Parking
Main lot (to the left as you enter the property).  For additional parking, as you enter turn right, then the first left.  Any parking space without a number is available.

Meeting Rooms
AOS Judging:  Galleria Room
Orchid Society Meeting:  Valencia Room
The judging and meeting rooms are next to each other. The Club House is straight ahead as you enter the property, and there is a putting green to the left of the Club House. The closest entrance to the rooms is to the left as you face the putting green. I will see if there is a way to put up a sign. If you go through the main entrance, you must sign in and get a pass.

Orchid Society of Santa Barbara – August 18, 2024 Meeting, 12:30 pm at SBOE

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The August meeting is on Sunday, August 18th at 12:30 pm.  This meeting will be a Summer Potluck Picnic and Silent Auction at Santa Barbara Orchid Estate!

Celebrate summer with the Orchid Society of Santa Barbara at the Santa Barbara Orchid Estate located at 1250 Orchid Drive.

A great time to relax with your orchid friends amongst the summer blooming orchids at beautiful SBOE!

Potluck
Bring your favorite picnic food:  main course, side dish or salad, and dessert. Remember to bring your own plate, utensils (if you forget there are usually enough to go around), and beverage.  SBOE will provide tables and chairs.

Silent Auction
In addition to great food, there will be a Visual Feast of donated orchids at a Silent Auction!  Please bring a few of your spare amazing plants and be prepared to bid!  Proceeds will go to the Society. 

(There will be no August AOS judging this month.)

Orchid Society of Santa Barbara – July 10, 2024 Meeting, 7:30 pm

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Heirloom Cattleyas

American Orchid Society Webinar by David Toyoshima – recorded on April 12, 2023

David Toyoshima is a long-time cattleya enthusiast who will share his fascination with heirloom cattleyas and other historically significant orchids.

Join us for a webinar from the American Orchid Society (AOS) to explore orchids that have played a genetic role in today’s modern cattleya hybrids.

David had a career in advertising and as a writer, his work was spotlighted on NPR, National Public Radio, and he is a regular contributor to Discover Nikkei, an online magazine for the Japanese American National Museum.

Orchid Society of Santa Barbara – June 12, 2024 Meeting, 7:30 pm

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Our speaker on June 12th will be Jack Zhu!

Jack Zhu: “Form and Color of Asian Cymbidiums

Jack Zhu is an orchid hobbyist from the Los Angeles area of California. He grows many varieties of orchids, focusing on Asian cymbidiums. Jack is also very interested in the culture and history of Asian cymbidiums. Jack is currently an Associate Judge in AOS Pacific South Judging Region and has more than thirty AOS awards for Asian cymbidiums.

With more than one thousand years of cultivation history, the Asian cymbidium community has developed some unique appreciation criteria for Asian cymbidiums, including several major flower forms. These appreciation systems are very different from the AOS point score system. Understanding of these differences allows us to appreciate the beauty of Asian cymbidiums more.

During the talk, Jack will go over the flower forms and colors of various Asian cymbidiums. Within each category, he will present multiple examples, especially with plants from his own backyard. Jack will also do a short demo of how to select bare root Asian cymbidiums and how to pot them.

Conejo Orchid Society is having a sale

Orchid Society of Santa Barbara – May 8, 2024 Meeting, 7:30 pm

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Our speaker on May 8th will be Bill Gunning!

Bill Gunning, a retired physicist, began growing orchids over 30 years ago as a diversion from his day job.  Post retirement, his collection exploded to nearly 500 plants including a wide variety of orchid genera. Most of his collection grows outdoors in Newbury Park and is acclimated to the various microenvironments in his garden. His plants have won notable awards from the American Orchid Society and at orchid shows. He is currently a VP of the Conejo Orchid Society and an Orchid Collection Volunteer at The Huntington Botanical Gardens.

Bill’s presentation will be “Why are Dendrobiums so Darned Confusing?” Dendrobium is probably the most diverse genus in the orchid world, requiring a wide range of growing environments. Therefore, the general “rules of thumb” that we thought we understood, can lead to “less than satisfying results”. In this talk we will explore the wide range of culture requirements that Dendrobiums can require and offer resources that will guide you to greater success in growing them.

Orchid Society of Santa Barbara – April 10, 2024 Meeting, 7:30 pm

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Our speaker on April 10th will be Wayne Ferrell!

Wayne Ferrell

Wayne Ferrell: “Visiting a few of the native orchids (along with a few very non-native ones) of California, Costa Rica, and the UK”

A former President, Vice President, Speaker Chair and Board Member of the OSSB, Wayne worked for many years at the Santa Barbara Orchid Estate. Now retired, he continues to seek orchids wherever he goes. When traveling, he always keeps an eye out for native orchids. Additionally, while working at SBOE he had the opportunity to see and “naturalize” many non-native orchids in local landscapes and gardens. In this program, he will show photos of these and discuss their ecology.