|
|
Malibu Orchid Society Meeting
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
7:00 PM
Location:
Pacific Palisades Woman’s Club
901 Haverford Avenue
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
“Growing Paphiopedilums: Everything You Wanted to know about this Genus and Its Culture”
with Brandon Tam
This month we are thrilled to host for the first time as our guest speaker, Brandon Tam. Brandon has served for over ten years as Orchid Collection Specialist at the Huntington Botanical Gardens and as Show Director of the annual Huntington International Orchid Show that he inaugurated in 2015. The Huntington Botanical Gardens in San Marino houses one of the largest orchid collections in the U.S. that has grown from 2,000 to over 10,000 plants in the past eight years.
Since a large part of the Huntington orchid collection consists of Paphiopedilums, Brandon’s work focuses on this genus. Paphiopedilums, also known as the lady’s slipper orchids, originate in the jungles of the Far East. These semi-terrestrial orchids are often found growing on the forest floor, on rocky cliffs, or on trees. Brandon’s talk will cover all cultural aspects of this species including watering, fertilizing, potting, the best soil mixes, ideal growing conditions, and much more.
Brandon credits his grandmother for inspiring him to further his career in the botanical sciences. She introduced him to orchids when he as seven by giving him his first orchid, a white cymbidium. She would also take him on her visits to nurseries and let him pick out a plant each time. During high school he volunteered at the Huntington and up graduation Dr. James Folsom, Director of the Botanical Gardens, offered Brandon a full-time position as Orchid Specialist to reinvigorate the orchid collection. At the same time, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Plant Science at California State Univ. Polytechnic in Pomona in 2015.
Under Brandon’s direction, the Huntington has won over 100 awards from the American Orchid Society. A high priority for the Huntington is to further the advancement of plants within the orchid world by hybridizing new plants and to propagate rare and endangered species. The AOS honored the Huntington with its highest annual award for the Most Outstanding Orchid of the year 2015 for Paphiopedilum micranthum ‘Huntington’s Perfection’ FCC/AOS.
In his spare time, Brandon loves to travel. Last year he trekked with a group in Ecuador, led by Pepe Portilla of Ecuagenera, where they saw many orchids in their natural habitat. This year Brandon was elected as Trustee of the American Orchid Society, for a three-year term, which started March 2018. At age 25, Brandon currently serves as the youngest Trustee in AOS history. Come join for this informative and lively presentation.
About us
We are an award winning, volunteer run, 501c(3) non-profit organization formed in the spring of 1963 to develop interest in orchids; to aid and assist members with orchid growing and culture; and to provide educational information, which shall benefit its members and the community.
We meet at 7pm on the third Tuesday of every month (except for December and August when no meetings are held), at the Pacific Palisades Woman's Club, 901 Haverford Ave. In March and October, when the Society participates in annual orchid exhibitions, the meetings are typically on the second Tuesday or as announced.
At each meeting members benefit from expert speakers who present illustrated talks on various orchid genera and their culture. Members display orchids for ribbon judging each month and share tips on how their plants are grown. The Society also holds a silent plant auction as well as a raffle table for orchids. Upcoming events are announced and fellow orchid enthusiasts consult with each other on the culture of various orchid species.
Light refreshments are provided and all are welcome to attend.
We meet at 7pm on the third Tuesday of every month (except for December and August when no meetings are held), at the Pacific Palisades Woman's Club, 901 Haverford Ave. In March and October, when the Society participates in annual orchid exhibitions, the meetings are typically on the second Tuesday or as announced.
At each meeting members benefit from expert speakers who present illustrated talks on various orchid genera and their culture. Members display orchids for ribbon judging each month and share tips on how their plants are grown. The Society also holds a silent plant auction as well as a raffle table for orchids. Upcoming events are announced and fellow orchid enthusiasts consult with each other on the culture of various orchid species.
Light refreshments are provided and all are welcome to attend.