Santa Clara Valley Orchid SocietySanta Clara Valley Orchid SocietySanta Clara Valley Orchid SocietySanta Clara Valley Orchid Society Established 1951

Helping You to Become a Better Grower

July 2008 SCVOS Newsletter

(please note that links in electronic copies are functional

One of Ken Matheson’s Laelia purpuratas

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Speaker NotesSpeaker NotesSpeaker NotesSpeaker Notes

This month, Tanya Lam will speak on the

2nd of July on the use of coconut products in

orchid mixes. She sent us this bio: “I have been growing orchids for more than

10 years, during which time I have listened, experimented, and tried to be creative in adjusting my growing methods to provide my orchids with their healthiest root systems, and in turn enjoy their best performances in flowering. During the first few years of growing orchids, my job required extensive travel, which required good planning and orchid mixes that stay moist exactly 7 days. I invented my own orchid mixes to fit my weekly watering schedule and conditions. My orchid mixes turned out to be outstanding, and I will share with you my successes using two different types of coconut medium in my talk. Orchids has become my obsession and second profession.

I grow many species and hybrids in San Jose, California. My special interests are both species and hybrids of cymbidium, dendrobium, epidendrum, paphiopedilum, encyclia, cattleya, and some other orchid genera. I like “showy” orchids, which can be small or big flowers. I feel like I always ‘wow’ the orchid society members with my beautiful and well-grown plants.

I also likes to rescue unhealthy orchids to revive them. I volunteer regularly at a non-profit orchid organization where I help repot and bring orchids back to life. I belong to many orchid societies in northern California where I lives with my husband and three children.”

Thanks to Tanya for that synopsis; I’m really

looking forward to her presentation, as using coconut chips has always scared me a little and I haven’t ever really committed…oh well I guess we’ll learn on the 2nd!!

I certainly hope you all enjoyed our June speaker as much as your editor did!! If you missed out, it was one of the best opportunity tables in the history of the SCVOS, provided by Jim Rose of Cal-Orchid, with a number of very likely award-potential Laelia anceps seedlings!! Which I don’t have to waste greenhouse space on!! Yay!!

This month’s plant table will be provided in part by Cal-Orchid with a number of outdoor-growing hybrids, so if you missed last month, you can get some non-greenhouse plants in July… the large part of the plant table will be provided by Tanya out of her extensive collection.

This month’s Ask the Expert Corner will

feature Ann Stuart, our society’s Dendrobium expert. Ann is a big believer in mounting plants, and feels that for many orchids, culture is easier and more natural when the plants are mounted. She will give a demonstration on mounting orchids and then will give you all the chance to do the same. Ann will provide mounting supplies, including cork, moss, and fishing line to mount your own orchids. Ann asked that you bring plants to mount, but that they should not be too large, as supplies will be limited. Assessing your plant’s cultural conditions will help it reach its best flowering potential. Mounting plants sometimes allows those best conditions; learn how with the SCVOS: helping people become better growers!! Please stop by to learn some tricks at the July meeting, from 7:00-7:30. See you there!!

New MembersNew MembersNew MembersNew Members

WWWWelcome to the following new members for

2008: Gail Galata, Joseph Cardona, Laurie Heron, and Michael Warfield. Thanks for joining us!! Membership Chair Peter Brown

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would also like to thank Ann Stuart and Dave Smitt for helping out at the membership area during the meetings.

Other NewsOther NewsOther NewsOther News

IIIIf you are not getting your newsletter via email,

please be sure to give your currently correct address to Ed Nazzal, paphman@gmail.com.

AAAAll plants brought for sale by members must be

properly labeled, disease free, and priced in even dollar amounts. Ten percent of the sale price goes to the club treasurer, Marvin Bell, before you leave. We rely on the honor system. Thank you to those abiding by this rule; those who are not will have plant sales privileges revoked.

BBBBecause Angelic Nguyen helps us so much at

the SCVOS, after her injury many SCVOS members signed cards and some of the board members even put together a little money and got her a monster plant of Oncidium maculatum. I spoke with Angelic on the phone and she was, quite frankly, overwhelmed. She asked that I include the following in the newsletter:

“I want to send a thank you note to the SCVOS members for the nice gift and the cards. I just wanted to cry when I read them, but I think I should hold those tears in my heart because this has been the first time I have received so much love from my orchid friends. I don't know how to express my feelings but am happy to be alive and still be able to water my plants, and to be able to come to SCVOS meetings and see you all again. I love you all!”

WWWWonderful pix this month come to us from a

number of sources: Dave Smitt took some nice shots of the June meeting, including some images of the plant table, and Eric Hunt took some shots of Bruce’s Holiday Inn Express Exhibition. As usual, please send me as many images as possible – they make the newsletter much more interesting, as well as counting towards your Dance Card and being included in the Archives and the website. If you have anything you’d like to include, please contact me. Thanks for taking these and preserving our society history…enjoy the beautiful pix!!

Jim Rose of Cal-Orchid was our speaker in June; his presentation focused on Laelia anceps, and included picture of Mexican habitat where anceps is found, pictures of anceps growing on trees in Santa Barbara, pictures of anceps clones from years past and from Jim’s own fantastic group of line-bred anceps, and pictures of various anceps-type hybrids, all of which would be appropriate to grow outdoors in San Jose. Cal-Orchid is a lot of fun to see; head down to Santa Barbara for the July 11th Orchid Fair!! Thanks to Dave Smitt for the photo.

This month’s plant table was exceptional again!! Thanks to you all for making it so interesting to see your plants at meetings. Although perhaps not the showiest of flowers, Ed Nazzal’s Bulbophyllum saurosepalum was certainly weird and interesting. There are a number of Bulbos in the group, now properly known as the genus Mastigion, with flowers united into a fleshy stem. Thanks to Dave Smitt for the photo.

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What a shock to see so many Vandas and Ascocendas at the meetings!! Bud Segraves, seen presenting one of his Ascocendas above, grows them potted, which is quite rare…most people grow Vandas in baskets and water them frequently, but then again most people who grow Vandas live in Florida!! The floriferousness, vibrant colors, and impressive plants make Vandas a superb choice for the grower with a little extra space in the greenhouse; remember that even though they are potted, the pot can still be hung up to save space!! Thanks again to Bud for bringing in these two plants and to Dave Smitt for photographing them.

HHHHaaaappppppppyyyy 4444tttthhhh ooooffff JJJJuuuullllyyyy!!!!!!!!

from your editor and the SCVOS!!

Another big grower of Vandas (look at all of them in the background of this photo!!) Is Tanya Lam, in this case holding a Paph. philippinense, an extraordinarily variable species including small plants with short inflorescences like Tanya’s, and larger plants with long, tall inflorescences like mine, pictured below. It’s a great learning experience for multiples of the same grex or the same species to be seen at once, so take every opportunity to visit lots of growers and see what’s in flower!! Thanks to Dave for the picture of Tanya’s and Eric Hunt for the picture of mine.

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So big it’s difficult to get the entire thing in one picture, here’s Jerry Rodder with his Laelia purpurata v. werkhauseri ‘JG #3’ HCC & CCM/ AOS. I don’t really know what to say…wow!! Thanks to Dave Smitt for the picture. This next batch of images comes courtesy of Eric Hunt, and, although not from our meeting, are all (except this one) from Bruce’s fantastic Holiday Inn Express Sale, which for more information please read below. Kate and I had a blast, and I hope you made it… This is Cleisocentron merrillianum, grown by Cindy Hill and exhibited in San Francisco, and included in your newsletter because the color is absolutely amazing!!

Encyclia randii is a beautiful and fragrant species with adorable little red spherical pseudobulbs and dark pigmentation in the leaves and stems. A gem!! I’m so happy to have just picked one up at the Petite Plaisance closing sale last month!! This plant belongs to Kreg Martin, who put together a wonderful display at the HIE Show, including an awarded Dendrochilum below. Doug Pulley is responsible for this Paph. armeniacum, half of which is award quality. It’s too bad the one petal was so folded, because the petal width, dorsal sepal width, and flower size were all magnificent…wonderful flower, Doug!! Paph. armeniacum seems to be pretty easy to grow, but somewhat difficult to flower in the home or greenhouse. Some people say it requires quite a bit of calcium; the grower of the most highly awarded armeniacum, Dick Buchter, tosses a handful of crushed oyster shell in the mix. Maybe Doug will share his secret one of these days.

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I wanted to make sure there were lots of things to judge at the HIE Show, so I brought this and another Paph. hookerae up from Maplethorpe Orchids in Soquel, where I rent space. George has grown this particular clone for about 12 years, and it originated at the Orchid Zone. This is a pretty nicely colored example of Paph. hookerae, but the flower size is a bit small, and the petals are reflexed, but that’s because the flower’s about 3 months old!! Again, thanks to Eric Hunt for the picture.

Thanks for all for your images. Please keep them coming!! It seems like we have ups and downs with the total number of pictures submitted, and, while I’m pleased to use Eric’s photos, please please please don’t make me rely on him. Please send me images!! Your work as a photographer counts towards the 2008 Dance Card (available on the website) and becomes a valuable part of the tradition of the SCVOS: helping people become better growers.

Future SpeakersFuture SpeakersFuture SpeakersFuture Speakers August 6th: Doug Pulley

Doug Pulley, one of our life members at the SCVOS is a world-famous Stanhopea grower and hybirizer. He is personally responsible for over half of all Stanhopea registrations, and grows the vast majority of the species and many of the hybirds. Did you all know there was an exper in our midst? Well there certainly is, and he will share his expert counsel with you in August on what he calls probably his favorite genus. Doug is really a master of Stanhopeas; come by for some excellent info and a rare chance to acquire many of these rare beauties!!

Recent and UpcominRecent and UpcominRecent and UpcominRecent and Upcoming Eventsg Eventsg Eventsg Events

TTTThe 3rd Annual Holiday Inn Express

Orchid Exhibition, sponsored by the SCVOS and hosted by SCVOS VP (soon to be President?!) Bruce Davidson was a smashing success!! Not only were there some incredible vendors with fantastic deals, but there was a great showing from a number of SCVOS members at AOS judging the Friday night before. No less than 8 members exhibited plants, including me, Doug Pulley, Tanya Lam, Chen-Hao Tsu, and Kreg Martin. I got an award, as did Kreg – see below for pictures!! The sale itself was very well attended and got us about 10 new members; it pleased me greatly to see so many of you attended over the 3 days. I hope you were as blown away by the quality of plants as I was. Likewise, I was amazed by the commitment so many present made to orchid conservation. The group Orchid Conservation Alliance, who will speak next year for us, had over $1000 donated to help save orchid habitat!! Wow!! Bruce has really outdone himself this year, and he’ll have a hard act to follow with the 4th Annual Holiday Inn Express Exhibition next year. Let’s give him a big congrats on a job extremely well done!!

Also in recent news, the annual SCVOS Bus

Tour headed out on June 14th to four greenhouses, following Kristina’s “play it by ear” theory of greenhouse visitation. Unfortunately Matsui was unable to accommodate us at the last minute, so we had a little change of plans, but we did visit Maplethorpe Orchids, Nick Tannaci, Valley

Orchids, and South Pacific Orchids for some fantastic plants at unbelievably low prices. This was topped of by a wonderful lunch on Nick’s patio and a trip to Pedrizelli Vineyards. I think I was most surprised to see how many people wanted Phals – I’d say they made up the biggest proportion of plants people bought. I’ll try to work one or two Phal. presentations in next year as VP. Kristina, who was likewise very pleased with the bus tour despite some last minute switching around, has promised to avenge herself for next year and get us into Matsui for sure. Now let’s see some pictures of everyone spending!!

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A packed bus with Kristina presiding…

…ventures first to Maplethorpe…

…to visit with Eanghak’s plants and mine, pregnant wife in tow, of course…

…then off to Nick Tannaci’s brachy heaven…

…with a little lunch on the patio…

…and some wine from Pedrizelli’s for dessert…

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…and to finish off the day to Valley Orchids… …where everyone bought plants in a frenzy… …except for me, of course, because I already had the most beautiful thing I saw all day... ☺

Thanks for a great time Kristina!!

Remember, for much more information about orchids, links, our future schedule, care sheets, contact information, previous newsletters, and lots of pictures of plants and people, visit the website: santaclaravalleyorchidsociety.org/links.htm

The SCVOS:

Helping You to Become a Better Grower

CalendarCalendarCalendarCalendar

July 11-13: Santa Barbara Orchid Fair Earl Warren Showground, 3400 Calle

Real, Santa Barbara. . Contact: Santa Barbara Orchid Estate

(800) 553-3387 sboe@sborchid.com See Flier Below!!

Refreshments Announcement: All members with last names starting with R, S, T, U please bring in refreshments for July. Feel free to bring refreshments any month you’d like as well. Bring food – it makes the meeting so much more fun. Also, remember that if you bring food, you have the highest percentage chance to win a plant from the opportunity table; last month there were only 3 tickets in that drawing…one could be you!!

Board MeetingBoard MeetingBoard MeetingBoard Meeting

The July board meeting will be skipped in light

of the fact that many board members will not be able to attend. For more information or if you’d like to make an announcement, please contact Kristina by phone at (408) 229-2747 or by email at kbellwolf@aol.com.

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SCVOS BoardSCVOS BoardSCVOS BoardSCVOS Board

The Santa Clara Valley Orchid Society is a

non-profit organization that meets the first Wednesday of each month at the American Legion Hall, 1504 Minnesota Avenue, in the Willow Glen neighborhood of San Jose, California. The meeting starts at 7:30 PM. The skill session starts at about 7:00 PM.

Officers for 2008 Kristina Bell, President (408) 229-2747 kbellwolf@aol.com Bruce Davidson, Vice President (408) 623-0413 bwdavidson2@bbnow.net Sylvia Grossman, Secretary (408) 266-6922 sylviag@cadence.com Marvin Bell, Treasurer (408) 229-2747 marvskis@aol.com Tom Bailey, Past President (408) 997-1850 thydebailey@yahoo.com

Directors for 2008 Tim Culbertson (301) 641-2556 timc@harker.org Kate Mackey (301) 356-4041 kmackey@stanford.edu Ed Nazzal (408) 268-3573 paphman@gmail.com Eanghak Quach (408) 629-3794 epigarden@yahoo.com Dave Woodfill (408) 248-5983 ofiew@comcast.com Peter Brown (510) 755-3654 pjb@presol.com Ann Stuart (408) 267-3397 annystuart@yahoo.com Dawn McPhee (408) 375-1345 dmcphee@mofo.com

2008 Auction Chair Ed Nazzal (408) 268-3573 paphman@gmail.com

Membership

Peter Brown (510) 755-3654 pjb@presol.com

Website: santaclaravalleyorchidsociety.org Tim Culbertson (301) 641-2556 timc@harker.org

Member Database Ed Nazzal (408) 268-3573 paphman@gmail.com

Newsletter Tim Culbertson, Editor (301) 641-2556 timc@harker.org Dave and Ofelia Woodfill, Mailing (408) 248-5983 ofiew@comcast.net

Publicity Susan Wiedmann Hmgbird@pacbell.net

Library Marie Lofton (408) 629-0264 smlofton@pacbell.net

Plant Opportunity Tickets Dave and Ofelia Woodfill (408) 248-5983 ofiew@comcast.com

Kitchen Crew Conrad Kumata ckk1boater@aol.com Liz Gehrig (408) 363-6901 eagehrig@aol.com

2008 Show and Sale Tim Culbertson, Co-Chair (301) 641-2556 timc@harker.org Eanghak Quach, Co-Chair (408) 629-3794 epigarden@yahoo.com

2008 Bus Tour Kristina Bell, President (408) 229-2747 kbellwolf@aol.com

2008 Greenhouse Tour Doug Pulley (408) 354-1412 dpulley1@comcast.net

2008 Holiday Party Dawn McPhee (408) 375-1345 dmcphee@mofo.com

AOS / ODC Representative Tim Culbertson (301) 641-2556 timc@harker.org

AOS Cal-Nevada Region Judging occurs on the first Wednesday of the month at the Oddfellows Hall in Sacramento in association with the Sacramento Orchid Society meeting.

AOS Judging occurs on the first Tuesday of the month at the County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park in association with the SFOS meeting, and on the third Wednesday of the month at the Lake Merritt Garden Center in Oakland in association with the OSC meeting.

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Recent AOS AwardRecent AOS AwardRecent AOS AwardRecent AOS Awardssss From the AOS Pacific Central Judging Center Images are property of the AOS and should not be reproduced

Paphiopedilum emersonii 'Kate's Moon' species HCC 76 Exhibited by Mr. & Mrs.T. W. Culbertson Awarded May 31 2008 at Express Orchid Expo Odontoglossum Snow Fall 'Dalmatian' (Odm. Tribbles x Odm. Bogong) HCC 75 Exhibited by Golden Gate Orchids Awarded May 31 2008 at Express Orchid Expo

Dendrochilum aurantiacum 'Cozette' species CBR (prov) Exhibited by Kreg Martin Awarded May 31 2008 at Express Orchid Expo

Paphiopedilum Transdoll 'Majida' (Paph. liemianum x Paph. rothschildianum) HCC 76 Exhibited by Ray Gleason Awarded May 19 2008 at OSC Meeting

Yay that’s me and Kate!!

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Paphiopedilum liemianum 'Kate's Choice' species AM 80 Exhibited by Mr. & Mrs. T. W. Culbertson Awarded June 3 2008 at SFOS Meeting Cymbidium England's Rose 'Remy' (Cym. Fifi x Cym. Western Movie) HCC 75 Exhibited by Rose Jacchico Awarded May 19 2008 at OSC Meeting

Paphiopedilum Ho Chi Minh 'Monster' (Paph. delenatii x Paph vietnamense) HCC 75 Exhibited by Ramon de los Santos Awarded May 19 2008 at OSC Meeting Paphiopedilum Salvadore Dali 'Monster' (Paph. liemianum x Paph. victoria-regina) HCC 79 Exhibited by Ramon de los Santos Awarded June 4 2008 at Sacr. OS Meeting

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Welcome to the advertising section of the SCVOS Newsletter!

The following advertisers help support our orchid society, and you should help support them!!

If you have a business, or know someone who would like to contribute an advertisement which would reach upwards of 100 readers, all of whom you have the chance to interact with on a monthly basis, please email the newsletter editor, Tim Culbertson, at twculber@hotmail.com. Advertising donation rates are as follows:

¼ Page $5.00 Donation Monthly ½ Page $10.00 Donation Monthly Full Page $20.00 Donation Monthly

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