Our speaker for Wednesday, November 8th will be Joe Ambriz!
Joe Ambriz: Laelia anceps Color Forms and Culture
Most of us are very familiar with Laelia anceps, but not everyone can make them thrive. Native to Mexico and Honduras, these orchids usually bloom here in Santa Barbara in autumn to early winter. They love well-drained potting mix or growing mounted.
For this month’s meeting, Joe will teach us about the various color forms and his methods to get the best results growing Laelia anceps.
A little background on Joe, who has been growing orchids and tillandsia for over 15 years. He was given his first Cymbidium orchid in 2002 by our own Phil Watt, but it met an untimely demise (yes, in his words, he killed it!). This was unexpected given his experience with successfully growing vegetables, landscape and house plants that led him to ask questions like “How?! Why?!” He knew he must try again. Joe’s professional background is performing as a percussionist and teaching marching percussion in Santa Barbara. In 2007 he started working for 7-Day Nursery as a nursery specialist and then as assistant manager, specializing in plant design, landscape, and home consultations with particular focus on temperature tolerant orchids, tillandsia and caudiciforms. By 2016, having outgrown his own and his grandparents’ backyards, Joe moved his huge tillandsia collection to a greenhouse in Carpinteria founding “Ambriz Kingdom of Plants”. Today, he grows orchids, tillandsia, and other interesting plants. His orchids and displays have won awards and trophies at the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show. His displays are truly awesome and not to be missed.
There will be a plant table provided by our speaker.