Posts

January 2012 - Barbara Rudvalis

Submitted by Helge W. on Sat, 12/31/2011 - 6:16pm

Hybridizing  and Selecting Cymbidiums for the Cut Flower Business

Our speaker for January is Barbara Rudvalis , owner and operator of Rudvalis Orchids, Inc., located in Carlsbad, California, less than 30 miles north of the San Diego airport. 

Barbara will speak about hybridizing for cut flowers, how she selects stock for this, the difference between this and what hobby and growers look for in their crosses. She will have actual flower examples instead of pictures and will supply plants for the POS opportunity table. This is a presentation not to be missed by anyone who has interest in Cymbidiums.

Rudvalis Orchids has been a major supplier of premium quality commercial cut Cymbidium flowers for over 40 years and potted flowering Cymbidium since the early nineties.  Barbara’s late husband, Joe, began the business in the early sixties when he began selecting and hybridizing his own varieties. Joe noticed a lack of early blooming varieties and focused mainly in this area, creating the most stable, high quality and productive standard cut flower Cymbidiums on the market today. In the late seventies, Barbara began helping Joe breed mini's and intermediate Cymbidiums. Since Joe's passing, Barbara has continued with all aspects of the business.   Read more »

Date: 
Wed, 01/04/2012 - 6:30pm - 9:30pm

November 2011 - Betty P. Kelepecz

Submitted by Helge W. on Mon, 10/24/2011 - 2:15pm

Betty P. KelepeczBetty P. KelepeczThe Orchids of the Machu Picchu Sanctuary in Peru

Betty has been an orchid hobbyist in Southern California for over almost 30 years.  She has grown orchids in Long Beach and Huntington Beach, and, since 2003, in the Point Loma area of San Diego.  Betty started raising orchids in the early 1980’s when her husband and co-orchid grower Steve brought home a discarded cutting/keiki of a red Epidendrum he found in a trash bin in the alley beside their home in Long Beach.  He planted the unimpressive and bloomless cutting on a moss-covered rock and confidently predicted that it would bloom beautifully in no time.  When the Epidendrum actually did bloom and, in fact, never since has stopped blooming, the disbelieving Betty became an orchid enthusiast and both of their collection of orchids has since grown with the unwavering passion so often accompanying that first orchid discovery.

Betty and Steve grow a large selection of predominantly species orchids. Their more than 800 plants grow outside in a small greenhouse and in a recently constructed shade structure. Betty enjoys the challenge of replicating the demanding  environments required by species orchids and particularly enjoys the challenge of growing pleurothallids.  Over the last few years she has become a successful Masdevallia and Dracula grower.     Read more »

Date: 
Wed, 11/02/2011 - 6:30pm

October 2011 - Mary Gerritsen, PhD

Submitted by Sandi S. on Wed, 09/28/2011 - 6:01pm

Borneo, Land Beneath the Wind

Discover orchids in their native habitats on the island of Borneo. Mary visited the states of Sabah and Sarawak (Borneo) for nearly a month in November of 2009, and this talk will feature a travelogue of her treks on Mt. Kinabalu, Mt. Alab, Long Pasia, Mulu National Park, Fairy Cave, and Bako National Park. Her trek to Long Pasia was featured in the October 2010 issue of Orchids magazine

Speaker Biography:   Read more »

Date: 
Wed, 10/05/2011 - 6:30pm - 10:00pm

September 2011 - Paul Gripp

Submitted by giho on Thu, 09/01/2011 - 9:44pm

Our speaker for the general meeting on Sept 7, 2011 at 6:30pm will be Paul Gripp from Santa Barbara Orchid Estate.

Here is a description of him from the Newport Harbor Society:   Read more »

Date: 
Wed, 09/07/2011 - 6:30pm - 9:00pm

July 2011 - Ben Machado

Submitted by Helge W. on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 12:43pm

This month’s speaker is Ben Machado, who is well known to many POS members. Ben has been growing orchids for the last 19 years, after having been introduced to orchids by one of San Diego County’s leading growers, Harry Tolen. It started off as a concern for Ben finding something to do as his retirement was approaching. Now, after 10 years of retirement, Ben’s initial dabbling in the world of orchids has turned into a hobby gone wild. Does that sound familiar to anyone?   Read more »

Date: 
Wed, 07/06/2011 - 7:00pm

June 2011 - Dr. Norito Hasegawa

Submitted by Helge W. on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 12:40pm

Dr. Norito HasegawaDr. Norito HasegawaNorito Hasegawa is a retired dentist, an overextended hobbyist (considered commercial for tax purposes), is a 3 million miler travelling to many foreign countries talking and/or judging in places such as Japan, South Africa, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Germany, New Zealand, Taiwan, England, France, Switzerland and many many cities in the USA.   Read more »

Date: 
Wed, 06/01/2011 - 7:00pm

May 2011 - Ron Kaufmann

Submitted by Sandi S. on Tue, 05/10/2011 - 7:32pm

Our speaker in May will be Ron Kaufmann, who is no stranger to POS. Many of you may recall is previous visit to out society last year and his memorable talk on his travels to Ecuador. This month Ron will share with us his orchid experiences in Columbia. His talk entitled "Searching for Orchids in Colombia" will highlight his trip to discover orchids in Colombia in preparation for an upcoming tour he is organizing to benefit the Orchid Conservation Alliance. Colombia is one of the most orchid-rich countries in the world, with over 3,000 described species. Ron's talk will cover orchids in the wild, in reserves and at several nurseries that are cultivating native Colombian orchids. This is definitely a presentation not to be missed!   Read more »

Date: 
Wed, 05/04/2011 - 7:00pm

March 2011 - Dr. Merle Robroy

Submitted by Sandi S. on Tue, 03/01/2011 - 1:00am

Merle RobroyMerle RobroyAn MD practicing OB/Gyn, Dr. Robboy is a prominent orchid lecturer for the AOS. He has grown orchids over 25 years and speak for the AOS on the West coast for over 15 years. His collection has over 1500 plants, more than 1/2 are species, and are grown under shade and in a greenhouse as well. He has served as president of the So. Calif. Orchid Species Society and the Newport Harbor Orchid Society. He has a wide interest in other tropical plant types and serves as a judge in the American Dahlia Society.

Date: 
Wed, 03/02/2011 - 7:00pm

February 2011 - Fred Clarke

Submitted by Sandi S. on Tue, 02/01/2011 - 3:09pm

Fred ClarkeFred ClarkeCatasetum, Cycnoches and Mormodes are three related genera from the Tribe Cymbidieae. Individually, each has been considered an orchid oddity, or “botanical”, of interest mainly to the seriously addicted enthusiast.   These plants have a brief deciduous period in winter, when the plants need a definite dry rest period bordering on neglect. These robust orchids are native to lowland tropical forests in Central and South America and are usually grown in warm or intermediate conditions.

 

Date: 
Wed, 02/02/2011 - 7:00pm
  Read more »

January 2011 - Chris Croom

Submitted by Sandi S. on Sat, 01/01/2011 - 1:00am

Christopher CroomChristopher CroomChristopher has been growing orchids for 11 years in San Diego, and grows mostly species orchids entirely outdoors, year-round.   Read more »

Date: 
Wed, 01/05/2011 - 7:00pm