Peninsula Orchid Society

Peninsula Orchid Society Speakers Schedule: November 24, 2006

Amy Chung-Jacobsen

Rupicolous Laelias

Although she had always grown a few orchids, when Amy got married to Ken Jacobsen she was faced with a quandary. She basically had a choice between getting more involved with orchids, or becoming an orchid widow. Since there was a mostly empty greenhouse available, Amy decided to start growing Cattleyas and Laelias.

Now, eight years later, that greenhouse is full as are two others. In addition to Laelias and Cattleyas, Amy is also growing Lycastes and Anguloas, Masdevallias, Pleurothallids, Disas, and a wide mix of other genera. She has moved from having just a few plants eight years ago, to having a couple thousand today. She is also raising Laelia and Cattleya species and hybrids from seed - she even does her own lab work.

Amy's talk will be on rupicolous Laelias. In September this year, Amy, Ken and Fred Shull were able to go and see rupiculous in the wild in the Minas Gerais province of Brazil. The slides for the talk are mostly from this trip, and should help members understand how to grow these diminutive but beautiful Laelias more successfully.