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Orchid Society of Santa Barbara Meeting – February 11, 2026, 7:30 pm. 

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“Santa Barbara International Orchid Show Grand Champion Cymbidiums”

This Month’s Meeting:  Santa Barbara International Orchid Show Grand Champion Cymbidiums, presented by Jim Sloniker

Setting the stage for next month’s 78th Santa Barbara International Orchid Show (SBIOS), American Orchid Society Judge Jim Sloniker will present an overview of Grand Champion Cymbidium Award winners. 

Since the 1950s and continuing today, orchid nurseries along the south coast of California have been instrumental in producing these highly awarded cymbidiums. Although the standards for judging the prize winners have adapted to evolving esthetics over the years, many of the most prized flowers continue to be bred and grown here.  The winners have been selected by judging experts at each show for nearly 80 years of cymbidium orchid hybridizing.  The Samuel B. Mosher Trophy is given to the Grand Champion Cymbidium which recognizes the most superior cymbidium in the show.

Cym (Beautiful Orphan x Big Strike) ‘Macho Macho Man’. 2025 SBIOS Grand Champion Cymbidium winner, exhibited by Cal-Orchid.

2026 Membership Dues
Annual membership fee is $40 for individuals, $50 per household.  Due in January, pay no later than March.  See Treasurer Angela Watt during the meeting.

Are you interested in being more involved with the OSSB? 
We are seeking candidates for President and Vice President (includes Program Chair).  Please contact PJ Sanderson for more details:  pj-sb@hotmail.com or see her at the meeting.

Meeting refreshments
Remember to sign up to bring in light refreshments and beverages to each monthly meeting.  Please see Hospitality Chair, Richard Hughes during the meetings.
February:  Nancy Augustine
Mar:  (no meeting)
Apr:  Leslie Jones
May:  We need volunteers!
Jun:  We need volunteers!

Location Reminder
Meeting at Maravilla on the 2nd Wednesday of the month, except March and August. 
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 with a 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.

OSSB on the web:  Orchid Society of Santa Barbara

Upcoming Orchid Events
March 20-23, 2026, Santa Barbara International Orchid Show ‘Orchid Escape’.
Held at Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara.  Display setup on 18 March (Wed) and Orchid Judging on 19 March (Thurs).  Be sure to check out this year’s show website that captures some highlights of last year’s show (and watch for some familiar faces!):  sborchidshow.com

Orchid Society of Santa Barbara – January 8, 2026 – Sad News

Posted on by moflo

We were just made aware of the passing of Paul Gripp earlier this month. 
The message below is on the SBOE website.  Please take the time to send your memories of Paul to his family via email sboe@sborchid.com or surface mail:  Santa Barbara Orchid Estate, 1250 Orchid Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93111.  A memorial is being planned for later this year.

Orchid Society of Santa Barbara Meeting – July 9, 2025, 7:30 pm, “The Fabulous Orchids of Southwestern Australia”

Posted on by moflo

Our July meeting will be a virtual trip with AOS Orchid Judge Tom Mirenda to see the orchids of Southwestern Australia.

American Orchid Society Webinar by Tom Mirenda – recorded 16 May 2023

This month we will take a virtual trip via the American Orchid Society (AOS) webinar “He Came from the Land Down Under” to see the orchids of southwestern Australia as documented by Tom Mirenda in September 2022.  September is spring in Australia when the area around Perth is an orchid wonderland.

You may recognize Tom’s name as the author of “Tom’s Orchid Checklist” in the AOS monthly “Orchids” magazine.  Tom has been working professionally with orchids for over three decades.  He is a former AOS trustee and is a past chair of the AOS Conservation Committee.  He is an AOS accredited judge in the Hawaii Center.  Our Orchid Society has been fortunate to have Tom speak to us in person and via Zoom in the past.

Information

Follow-up to June Meeting – Orchid Mounting on Cork-Oak Bark

In response to your questions during the June meeting on where to obtain cork-oak mounting bark, Daniel Geiger will bring various sizes of cork-oak pieces to the July meeting that you can purchase by weight (cash only).

Location Reminder

At Maravilla on the 2nd Wednesday of the month (except March and August). 
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 (7:00 pm) in the Galleria Room, Orchid Society in the Valencia Room.

Upcoming Orchid Events

July Orchid Sales at Nurseries:  Santa Barbara Orchid Estate https://www.sborchid.com/ open July 18, 19, and 20, Cal-Orchid https://www.calorchid.com/ open July 18 and 19 only (closed Sunday July 20).
August Potluck (no meeting):  Summer Potluck Picnic and Silent Auction on a Sunday.  Details TBD.
September Meeting:  At Maravilla on September 10.  Details TBD.

Orchid Society of Santa Barbara – July 12, 2023 Meeting, 7:30 pm

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Our speaker on Wednesday, July 12th will be Lourens Grobler who will present

My favourite African orchids and how to grow them

Lourens has been growing orchids since he was 10 years old. He now co-owns Afri Orchids, nursery specializing in species from around the world. The collection includes approximately 4000 species and a few hybrids. He is co-author of Field Guide to the Orchids of Northern South Africa and Swaziland, published in 2008. He has been an accredited South African Orchid Council Judge since 1998. He recently chaired the Judging Committee of the 21st World Orchid Conference held in Johannesburg.

We will be meeting on Wednesday, 12 July at 7:30 pm in the same location as our monthly meetings, Trinity Lutheran Church.

There will be a plant opportunity table provided by Lourens.

The local Summer Orchid Sales events will be held July 14-16 at SBOE and Cal-Orchid.  Lourens will be one of the guest vendors at Cal-Orchid with Laelia anceps and African orchid species for sale.