11/15 Zoom Meeting
Our November 15 meeting will be all Zoom.
Mini Class:
Growing Cattleyas – Mike Lysy and Sheila Nathanson
Time: 1:30pm
Please join us for the mini-class prior to the November 2020 meeting.
Our illustrious and infamous co-Presidents Mike Lysy and Sheila Nathanson have offered to discuss the culture of Cattleya-type orchids. The Cattleya-type orchids offer a vast assortment of Colors, shapes, and sizes. They range in size from large 7” – 8” complex x Rhyncholaeliocattleya hybrids to small ½” flowered Cattleya [Sophronitis] cernua. Some hybrids flower once a year and others can flower 2-3 times per year on mature plants. Generally the plants prefer an open potting mix that dries between watering. Some flower best with a cooler fall – winter period. Mike will be discussing culture under lights while Sheila will be discussing greenhouse culture. Both are expert level Cattleya growers, as exhibited by their plants often found exhibited in O.S.W.P. show displays and the O.S.W.P. show and tell table.
Main Meeting
Topic: Growing Catasetums by FredClarke of Sunset Valley Orchids
Time: 2:00pm
We are super lucky to have one of the more interesting and respected growers in Orchids give us not one talk but two this year. At our November meeting Fred Clark of Sunset Valley Orchids will be talking to us about Cycnoches, Mormodes, Catasetums recent trends” A review of the amazing world of Catasetinae. A lively and entertaining presentation, amazing pictures and the making of Fredclarkeara After Dark ‘the blackest orchid seen.' Also includes a thorough review of plant culture.
Cycnoches, Mormodes, and Catasetums 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. Commercially, Catasetum, Cycnoches (or ‘Swan’ orchids) and Mormodes (or ‘Goblin’ orchids) have occupied a small market niche on the edge of a sea of Cymbidiums, Cattleyas, Phalaenopsis, Dendrobiums, Epidendrums, and so on. Until recently, they have not attracted much attention from hybridizers, but in the past several years some spectacular hybrids have been produced, receiving great acclaim and an increasingly large collection of awards from the American Orchid Society.
Fred has been growing orchids for 42 years and has been hybridizing for 38 of those years. With over 34 years as a professional grower and manager in the horticultural industry, Fred applies these skills at his orchid nursery; Sunset Valley Orchids, located in San Diego, California. He is a passionate orchid grower whose curiosity in orchids is broad and varied. Although developing Cattleya hybrids has been his sustaining interest, he is also actively creating new Paphiopedilum and Aussie Dendrobium hybrids plus some others to be named if they work out! His pioneering work in Catasetum intergeneric hybrids led to the development of several notable hybrids, most recently the grex, Fredclarkeara After Dark, which produced “the blackest flower ever witnessed”. This grex has received over 100 awards worldwide with nine FCC’s and thirty AM’s from the AOS judges! Fred is an Accredited Judge in the Pacific South Judging Region. His plants have received hundreds of quality awards from the American Orchid Society.
Fred will be back for our April meeting with his talk on Becoming an 80 Percentile Grower.
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The meeting proper will begin at 2pm - the Zoom link, which will come in an email from Brooke Decker, our Zoom host, will be active around 1 pm to help with technical difficulties.
If you are an OSWP member with an email address the Zoom invitation should already be in your inbox. If you can not find it, you may contact kikidecker@gmail.com, quail1@verizon.net, or msnsan@gmail.com for a repeat mailing.
Thank you to all who responded to our poll. The overwhelming majority were in favor of continuing to meet via Zoom. When we feel safe meeting in person, we'll assemble at Botany Hall. For now, this is definitely the safest option.
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Mini Class Tentative Schedule
2020 - December no mini-class - usually Holiday Party
2021 - January 17 will be Demetria Marsh: Growing Slipper Orchids.
2021 - February 21 will be Carolyn Bolton: Preparing Plants for the Show.
2021 - March - Show
Main Meeting Tentative Schedule
2020 - December 6th: Dr. Lawrence Zettler, Conservation of North American Orchids
2021 - January 17: Peter Lin of Sunset Orchids speaking on mini vandas and related species.
