Peninsula Orchid Society

Peninsula Orchid Society Speakers Schedule: May 23, 2008

Miniature Orchids

Dan Newman

Everyone who gets hooked on orchids eventually runs out of space! There are more fascinating species in the world than any of us can hope to accommodate, but by adding some smaller-growing plants to our collections, we can fit more variety into the space available. The aim of this talk will be to show the charm and the range of variation that miniature orchids can provide, and to discuss their needs in cultivation.

Dan Newman started growing orchids in 1982. His first successful plant was a Dendrobium hybrid bought as a tiny seedling at a lei stand in the Honolulu Airport. By 1996 he had 350 orchids in a one-bedroom apartment. That year he moved his collection into a commercial greenhouse space. He took over the large species collection of his friend and "orchid mentor", Walter Teague of San Francisco, 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 10,000 to 12,000 plants, mostly cool to intermediate growers.

The May Opportunity Table will be provided by Hanging Gardens.