Peninsula Orchid Society Meetings

October 2011

Date:	Friday, October 28, 2011
Time:	7:05 P.M. Skill Session 7:45 P.M. General Meeting
Place:	San Mateo Garden Center 605 Parkside Way, San Mateo, CA
POS Mailing Address:	P.O. Box 6894, San Mateo, CA 94403-6894

Take the Alameda de las Pulgas exit off of Highway 92, and head south. Parkside Way is located on the right between 26th and 28th Avenues.

Our speaker for October is Dan Newman, of Hanging Gardens. Dan's topic will be "The Mysterious Maxillarias".

Maxi!aria is one of the most widespread and diverse orchid genera of Tropical America. It contains charming miniatures, spectacular, large-flowered species, and many of intermediate size. Plant habit is varied, with some species having clustered, pseudobulbous growths similar to Oncidiums, some with monopodial stems reminiscent of Vandas, and still others with growths held on a rambling rhizome, like many of the Bulbophy!ums. There are hot-growing species from the tropical lowlands, cold growers from the high slopes of the Andes, and many adaptable, intermediate growers from moderate elevations in the mountains of Central and South America.

A few species, such as the coconut-scented Maxi!aria tenuifolia, have long been popular in orchid collections. Many other beautiful members of the genus have only become available within the last decade or two, largely through Central and South American vendors who bring plants for sale to orchid shows in the U.S. Fortunately, most of these recent introductions are now being grown from seed and division, both domestically and by nurseries in Tropical America, enabling hobbyists to acquire plants without fear of decimating wild populations.

Despite the increasing popularity of the Maxillarias, taxonomy of the genus remains poorly understood. The situation is complicated by the large number of species recently introduced to cultivation and the absence of a modern, comprehensive taxonomic treatment, leaving many of us wondering how to label our plants. Perhaps identity of the species will become clearer in time, but meanwhile, the mysterious Maxillarias can add a touch of the unknown to our lives!

The presentation will illustrate some of the diverse forms of this fascinating genus in the context of the regions where they occur, and provide cultural information based on one grower's experience. Dan Newman started growing orchids in 1982. His first successful subject was a Dendrobium hybrid bought as a tiny seedling at a lei stand in the Honolulu Airport. When that plant finally grew up and bloomed a few years later, he was hooked! By 1996 he had 350 orchids in a one-bedroom apartment. That year he moved his plants into a rented commercial greenhouse in San Francisco. He took over the large species collection of his friend and "orchid mentor", Walter Teague, and his hobby evolved into his nursery, Hanging Gardens. Dan started growing orchids full-time in 2000, and moved to a larger greenhouse in Pacifica a few years later. He currently has 12,000 to 15,000 plants, mostly cool to intermediate growers (it's hard to maintain warm conditions in Pacifica!). This number includes a few hybrids, but the great majority are species. He also grows a variety of "companion plants", that share the natural habitats of orchids.

Dan joined the San Francisco Orchid Society in 1987, and served as its president in 1996/97. He has been a member of the Peninsula Orchid Society since 2001. In recent years, he has spoken on a variety of topics to orchid societies in California and elsewhere.

Hanging Gardens will supply another fabulous Opportunity Table! Dan always brings great plants. Dan will also be bringing wonderful plants for sale.

Skill Session and ICU

Paul Simon will give a skill session on Photographing your Orchids. "I'll show you some hints and ideas to assist you in photographing your orchids with film or a digital camera. Here's a different approach to get the photos you want when you look at your orchids. Bring pencil and paper."

The ICU will be open during the break so remember to bring your questions (and your plants properly contained) to get advice from our "doctor" on duty.

Refreshments

Please feel free to bring something to share. Your fellow members love all kinds of goodies; cookies, cake, crackers, cheese, even heathy things like fruit. If you bring something to share, be sure and see Monica and Jon-Michael Irvin to receive your "thank-you" strip of opportunity table tickets.

Monthly Meeting Schedule

The Society meets the fourth Friday of the month from January to November and the third Friday of December. The monthly meetings provide a great opportunity to meet other growers, to learn more about orchids and their culture, and to increase your collection. The program consists of:

Member Plant Table (aka Show and Tell) Members bring blooming orchids to display and share with everyone at the meeting. This is a great opportunity to see a wide variety of some of the best orchids you will see anywhere! If you bring a plant to show, please remember to put fill out an information slip. A plant from the opportunity table is always awarded to one of the members who brings their plant for display.
Speaker or Program: A panel discussion or a presentation by an expert(s) in one of the fields of orchid culture.
Skill Session: Prior to the Speaker/Program (7:15 p.m.) a Skill Session covering several phases of growing orchids is presented. This gives members and guests an opportunity to gain valuable information and to directly question expert growers in a small group session. Many of the sessions include the ability for hands on activities with different types of orchids.
Plant Opportunity Table: Plants are usually brought by the guest speaker and tickets for each plant are drawn at the end of the meeting. Donations received for opportunity tickets are a benefit to the society and its members.
Plant Sales: Each month at our meetings we provide a table for members to bring plants in to sell. All plants must be marked with an identification number and price. A list of the plants showing each identification number and price must be given to the member manning the sales table. We have printed sales tags and printed sales lists which you are encouraged, but not required, to use. They are available for you to pick up at the sales table. You may also use this tool to print your own tags and sheet before the meeting.

The Society keeps 20% of the sales price of the plant and the POS is responsible for any and all sales tax liabilities from the sales of the plants. The plants are required to be pest and disease free. The Society reserves the right to refuse plants they feel are not acceptable for sale.
Library: The Society maintains an excellent lending library for members. Books may be selected from the portable cabinets at each meeting and must be returned the following meeting. A late fee of $2.00 per month per book is charged thereafter. A listing of all publications is available to each member. Please see the POS Library Policy here.
Refreshments: Coffee, tea and snacks are furnished by the members and served during each meeting.
I. C. U.: Members are encouraged to use the "Intensive Care Unit" , which is open during the break at each meeting. Members may bring in plants or plant parts (properly packaged to protect healthy plants) that you have questions about and one of our experts on staff will examine and diagnose them for you.
Other Activities and Services:
- A monthly newsletter "The Sheath"
- Annual Show and Sale
  The show is usually in early January
- Greenhouse Tours
- Potting Clinics
- Annual Plant Auction
Plans for the next year's monthly meetings are currently being made. We plan to feature a mix of speakers to address topics that would be of interest to both the novice and the expert. Some of the suggested topics include:
- Mericloning techniques
- Growing hydroponically
- All you wanted to know about AOS Judging? A Panel Discussion
- Photographing orchids
Should you have any suggestions for speakers or topics, please send a note to penorchidsoc@yahoo.com.