Next Meeting March 2nd, 2022 @ 7:00pm

Location: Venice Community Center (doors open at 6:30pm)

The Speaker will be Naoki Kawamura – Presenting:“Vandas”

I have been growing orchids for little over 20 years.  After my friend bought a house, I asked her what she wanted for a house warming gift.  She said a white Phalaenopsis and mentioned a boutique orchid store in Portland, Oregon.   I visited the store, and was overwhelmed with the variety of orchids, especially multi-growths Paphiopedilum micranthum, which price tag was $800.  I just walked away with a white Phalaenopsis.  A couple days later, I went back to the store and got myself a Dendrobium.   As I tried to learn how to take care of it, I read a couple books.  I also joined Oregon Orchid Society to learn more from other growers.

Although I could not buy the Paphiopedilum micranthum, I acquired my first green Paphiopedilum at the society meeting.   As I visited the monthly meeting, I brought more orchids home from local vendors/speakers.   All of the sudden, my dining table became an orchid table.   Due to cold weather in winter, all orchids were grown under lights.   They responded to the environment well, and I was able to rebloom them.

When we moved to a new house in 2003, our small garage was converted to an orchid growing area.  We had over 100 Paphiopedilums and Phragmipediums which were grown under 4 units of 400 watt metal halid lights.  All the orchids stayed inside all year along.  What I didn’t understand was the effect of light spectrum.   They seemed to have grown, but not many bloomed.   While I was struggling to rebloom Paphiopedilums and Phragmipediums, I read a blog on Orchid Board about a lady in Michigan growing Vanda under lights successfully in her basement.  I drew a design of the structure and built it out of PVC pipes.  That was the beginning of my Vanda growing in Oregon.  As my Vanda collection started growing, I started selling my Paphiopedilums and Phragmipediums.   I believe that was when Facebook became popular and I met several orchid friends from Florida through Facebook.   A trip to Tamiami International Orchid Festival and Redland International Orchid showbecame our annual vacation.

Relocating to Florida was our life long dream and it became true when I accepted a National Sales Support Manager position in April, 2016.  Why Venice?  We never visited Venice before, but thanks to John Masters and his friend/realtor, we managed to purchase the house without walking through it.   Orchid collection was shipped to a friend in Orlando and he had helped them get acclimated to Florida sun.

All my orchids are grown inside the pool cage.  This is a completely different environment than I was used to in Portland Oregon.  Little did I know that it gets cold here for Vandas.  I love new challenge and strive to learn more to grow better.Thanks to the Florida North Central Judging Center, I received 24 American Orchid Society awards in 2021; 7 HCCs, 14 AMs, 1 FCCs, 1 CCM and 1 CHM.

Next Meeting February 2nd, 2022 @ 7:00pm 

Venice Community Center (doors open at 6:30pm)                     

The Speaker will be: Bill Nunez

Presenting: “Encyclia’s and their hybrids”

I began growing orchids in the late 60’s after several years of tagging along with my father to visit his friend’s greenhouses. Some of these growers were prominent growers in the area and some of you may remember them. Jack Sweet, Cliff Curry, John Matthews, John & Gloria Naugle, Gladys Whitesell, Richard Bates and a few others

I began to receive a few back bulbs from some of these folks and a few of them lived. I was off to the races after that. I built my first flask box when I was in high school .I grew up on 1800 acres of family owned ranch land. I started working on Cattle ranches in the 70’s and became familiar with Florida cypress swamps. I greatly enjoyed my adventures into these wonderful swamps. They became my refuge and I always had the since of traveling back hundreds of years in time when I entered one of these untouched places. I was able to find many of the Florida orchid species along with native ferns and a variety of wildlife.

I have been growing orchids most of my life and I get a great pleasure now when I am making new hybrids mostly in the Cattleya alliance.

I have been fortunate enough to receive several AOS awards and register several of my hybrids.
The greatest satisfaction for me is to have one of my hybrids awarded.
Now I am older than dirt and I am still fascinated with orchids. Somewhere back in my memory I am still a young man on an afternoon adventure in a pristine Florida cypress head, oak hammock or creek bottom.

Bill Nunez ‘ AKA ‘ Rhizome Cowboy ‘

Bill will have a few limited hybrid plants for sale

Next Meeting January 5th, 2022 @ 7:00pm                                                           

Venice Community Center (doors open at 6:30pm)

The Speaker will be: Courtney Hackney

Presenting: “Unappreciated Cattleya Species in Modern hybrids”

Our  meeting will feature Courtney Hackney, Ph.D. from Jacksonville, Florida. Dr. Hackney will discuss the major lineages found in today’s Cattleya hybrids. In his talk, he will trace breeding trends and specific clones which have contributed to some of the best-known hybrids of today. His talk is based on the decade of research and interviews which went into his 2004 excellent book ‘American Cattleyas’, detailing in old photographs and new text how the modern cattleyas came to be. The book also contains useful insights about Cattleyas and Cattleya hybrids, how to grow them, and what to expect from modern hybrids.

Dr. Hackney is Emeritus Professor of Biology at North Florida University, and is a prolific author. Recently, he has been researching coerulea Cattleyas, culminating in an excellent article in the November 2018 issue of ORCHIDS. Other useful columns on breeding and culture can be found on his website.

Courtney grows a variety of hybrids and species in Jacksonville, Florida, but his favorites are the great Cattleya hybrids. He has about 500 mature Cattleyas in his shade house, including some classic clones which appeared in collections over 100 years ago.

He makes 10 to 15 hybrids as well as sibling species crosses per year and periodically offers them for sale. Courtney will bring plant to sell.