Our speaker on June 14th will be Jennifer Poulakos!

You will recognize Jen Poulakos as a familiar face that we see regularly at Santa Barbara orchid events and who travels the world seeking orchids in the wild.  This month, she will be sharing her firsthand account of an orchid hunting trip to Costa Rica that is home to some most spectacular orchids in the world.  There are more than 1,400 species including the national flower Guarianthe skinneri (formerly Cattleya skinneri).

Guarianthe skinneri

Jennifer Poulakos: “Orchid Adventures in Costa Rica”

Jen Poulakos’ addiction to orchids began in the mid-1980s when she purchased her first orchid (a phalaenopsis) during an Orchid Show held at the Gainesville, Florida Oaks Mall.  After moving to Ventura, California in the early 1990’s she joined the Ventura County Orchid Society (VCOS) where she met orchid experts that provided her with cultivation knowledge, orchid plants and long lasting (and treasured) friendships. She has served the Ventura orchid society in a variety of roles as past secretary, board member, current newsletter editor and president