Palomar Orchid Society

Welcome to the Palomar Orchid Society!

The Palomar Orchid Society, incorporated in December of 1965 was formed when a few people banded together to talk about orchids. We then grew and bloomed into the roughly 200-member group of orchid enthusiasts that we have today. We represent everything orchid in North San Diego County! Come and join us!!

The Palomar Orchid Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the understanding and cultivation of both hybrid and species orchids. We welcome members of all levels to join us for orchid fun and learning! Our mission is to promote interest in the appreciation of orchids and to provide an opportunity for their display and the exchange and dissemination of information relating to their culture.

Next Monthly Meeting

Next general meeting: August 5, 2026

The Palomar Orchid Society generally meets at 4:00 pm the FIRST WEDNESDAY of every month in the Activity Room 108 of the Pine Avenue Community Center located at 3209 Harding Street, Carlsbad, CA 92008.

IMPORTANT NOTE: For June, July, and August of 2026 the meeting location and time have changed: due to a conflict in scheduling, we are temporarily meeting at the Senior Center (799 Pine Ave, Carlsbad, CA 92008) adjacent to our current Pine Avenue Community Center location with the meeting running from 5-8 pm. There is ample parking and the meeting room is slightly smaller but will work for the 3 months listed. Starting September, we are back at the Community Center and the regular time slot from 4-7pm.

September 2014 – Fall/Winter Culture Panel Discussion

Wed, 09/03/2014 6:30pm – 9:30pm

September’s program will feature four of our experienced orchid growers who will give brief (10-15 minute) presentations with an emphasis on culture for the upcoming Fall and Winter seasons. Our panelist will speak on the following topics:Alex Nadzan: Fertilizer Basics and Seasonal UseJerry Spencer: Maintenance of Greenhouses/ShadehousesMerle Robboy: Correct Time to Repot OrchidsNico Goosens: Preparing Orchids for Fall and Winter SeasonsThis will be followed by a panel discussion on questions regarding the above topics or any other cultural questions participants may have. Questions may be brought up at the meeting or sent in advance to Alex Nadzan at anadzan@mac.com or by… [Continue Reading]

August 2014 – Phyllis Prestia

Wed, 08/06/2014 6:30pm – 9:30pm

Our featured speaker this month is one of our own members, Dr. Phyllis Prestia. Phyllis will talk on the genus Cycnoches and will give the hobbyist orchid grower a thorough review of the distinctive traits of these spectacular orchids. She will highlight the key species most popular in modern Cycnoches breeding and their influence of color and form in both primary and complex hybrids. Phyllis’ comprehensive review of the culture for these relatively easy to grow orchids, including tips from her own successful experiences in growing them, will allow even those new to the genus to grow, bloom and enjoy… [Continue Reading]

July 2014 – James Rose

Wed, 07/02/2014 6:30pm – 9:30pm

We are very fortunate to have James Rose of Cal-Orchid, Santa Barbara return to POS to speak on ‘Laelias of Mexico’. Although the genus Laelia was at one time a very large group including plants from Mexico, Central America, and Brazil, today's taxonomists have, rightly or wrongly, reduced the genus to a small group of 11 species all of which are endemic to Mexico. These plants vary from the quite common (ex. Laelia anceps) to some of which are very rarely seen in collections. The flowers and plants are quite variable and all exhibit a classic beauty associated with other… [Continue Reading]

June 2014 – Bruce Kidd

Wed, 06/04/2014 6:30pm – 9:30pm

Bruce and Yasue Kidd have grown orchids for about 15 years on the edge of the Mojave Desert in Murrieta, CA. Bruce worked as a horticultural pest control adviser for Dow AgroSciences, a 30-year career which brought him into frequent contact with commercial orchid growers in Hawaii and California. Since retiring in 2010, Bruce and Yasue Kidd have made several trips to Asia to see orchids in the wild, in local collections, and in nurseries. They spent the majority of their time in Thailand and Vietnam, not all of it focused around orchids. Bruce's presentation will cover some of the orchids,… [Continue Reading]

May 2014 – Auction Volunteer Orientation Meeting

Wed, 05/07/2014 6:30pm – 9:30pm

Instead of of the general agenda, we will be using this month’s meeting as a training and orientation session for all volunteers for the upcoming auction.The annual auction is POS’ main fund raiser and we depend on contributions from our membership to the event, namely plant donations and volunteer time. As this is prime re-potting time, please consider setting aside some divisions for the auction. Every year, member and vendor donations have enabled us to raise the money we need to pay for our meeting facility, our speakers, and the opportunity table.We are fortunate to have a few very active individuals… [Continue Reading]

April 2014 – Culture Class with Jerry Spencer & Merle Robboy

Wed, 04/02/2014 6:30pm – 9:30pm

April’s program will be devoted to orchid culture and feature two of our experienced orchid growers who will discuss cultural aspects of interest to our members. Jerry Spencer will speak on "Growing Specimen Orchid Plants", while Dr. Merle Robboy will address "Purchasing Orchid Plants for Coastal and Inland Areas and Adapting Plants for Your Growing Conditions." Following their talks will be a Q & A session moderated by Alex Nadzan. Members are encouraged to submit questions in advance on any topic they would like to bring up (call 760-753-6280 or email to anandzan@mac.com) or just raise them at the meeting.… [Continue Reading]

March 2014 – Fred Clarke

Wed, 03/05/2014 6:30pm – 9:30pm

We are fortunate to have Fred Clarke as our speaker for March. Fred is a long time, generous supporter of the Palomar Orchid Society and one of our most favorite speakers. Fred will be talking on “Growing Catasetums”. His presentation will describe catasteum species and hybrids and share with us tips on how to grow this very interesting class of deciduous orchids. Fred’s talk is not to be missed, as he is an excellent speaker who has lectured on many orchid subjects in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Latin and South America. Fred is also providing… [Continue Reading]

February 2014 – Sandra Tillisch Svoboda

Wed, 02/05/2014 6:30pm – 9:30pm

We are pleased to welcome Sandra Tillisch Svoboda, current President of the American Orchid Society, who will be speaking on "Breeding with Recently Described Paphiopedilums from Vietnam". Sandra’s visit is jointly hosted by the Palomar and the San Diego County Orchid Societies. Accordingly, she will present a talk on Tuesday, February 4 to the San Diego Society on “The Orchids of Bhutan” for those of you who are interested in that topic. This month’s plant table for will be provided by Casa de las Orquideas.Growing up in Minnesota, Sandra's only exposure to orchids was that prom corsage. After graduating with… [Continue Reading]

January 2014 – Dan Newman

Wed, 01/08/2014 6:30pm – 9:30pm

We are pleased to welcome Dan Newman of Hanging Gardens, Pacifica, CA, who will be speaking to us on ‘Dendrobiums: Jewels of Gondwana’. The genus Dendrobium is one of the largest and most complex orchid genera of Asia, Australia, and the Pacific, encompassing a great number of horticultural gems among its 1000-plus species. People often ask how to grow Dendrobiums. There is no simple answer for such a diverse group of plants, occurring in habitats ranging from the monsoonal foothills of the high Himalayas to the perpetually cool alpine grasslands and steamy lowland swamps of equatorial New Guinea, and from… [Continue Reading]

November 2013 – Betty Kelepecz

Wed, 11/06/2013 6:30pm – 9:30pm

Growing MasdevalliasIt is a pleasure to welcome back Betty Kelepezc to our society. Betty has been an orchid hobbyist in Southern California for over 30 years. She has grown orchids in Long Beach and Huntington Beach, and, since 2003, in the Point Loma area of San Diego. She 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… [Continue Reading]