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January, 2021

 

Since 2011, Phipps and the OSWP, desiring to continue to work in collaboration to create a signature orchid collection with a public display space in the Frank Sarris Orchid Room and coinciding educational and display programs, have formally worked together on the initiative we call P-OSI.  (See above for mission statement.  Thanks to Nancy Kline for the acronym and Vicki Strod for the logo.)

 

Our main goal:

To work together to develop an orchid collection of national significance with special focus on Slipper Orchids or Cypripedioideae. Toward this goal, the parties agree to accessioning and de-accessioning orchids to develop the collection economically, updating to continually improve the orchid culture.

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In the past several years, through amazing teamwork by the OSWP and Phipps, besides the amazing monthly repotting work of Pfun at Phipps, we have taken an inventory and updated it (huge efforts), continuously improved orchid culture, helped with accessioning and de-accessioning orchids in the collection improving the quality and importance of the collection, and, established the Barbara Tisherman Slipper Orchid Collection of Phipps Conservatory, a “Living Museum of Slipper Orchids” at Phipps, which has attracted international note.

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Currently two articles on the Barbara Tisherman Slipper Orchid Collection are in the winter issues of Slipper Orchids and The Orchid Digest. The results of the cypripedium survey are published there as well. The survey results are also on the OSWP website.

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While we have been on hiatus since last March, we hope we will be back to work perhaps this summer. In the meantime, Katie Schuller, Phipps Orchid Manager, has been taking care of everything with the help of the Phipps staff . . . Quite a challenge!!

 

Be sure not to miss Phipps Orchid Show opening January 9th, 2021.

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Building and maintaining the BTSOC is an ongoing project, as it is for the entire Phipps orchid collection. It’s a great opportunity for us to help as well as learn, and, an opportunity for Phipps to develop an orchid collection of “note.”

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If you’d like to be a part of this phenomenal team effort, contact us!  We’d love to have you for Pfun and P-OSI!  It’s a wonderful learning experience for all of us, a great way to give back to the community and to help make Pittsburgh someplace even more special.

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P-OSI Team Leaders:

• Minis
  Tim Choltco, Lori McDermott, Lance Cheuvront, Kim McClellan

• Vandas/Oncidiums
  Vidki Strod, Jim Yamber

• Cymbidiums
  Jim Yamber

• Cattleyas/Epidendrums
  Mike Lysy

• Dendrobiums
  Raj Popat

• Slippers
  Michelle Panasiuk, Demetria Marsh

 

Let us know if you would like to help out when we are able to return to volunteering at Phipps!
We’d love to have you join us!

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For more information, contact:

Nancy Kline
nancyk412@gmail.com
412-367-1556

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Demetria Marsh
demetmarsh@verizon.net                                          
412-848-4349