The Santa Barbara Orchid Show is nearly here!

Phragmipedium besseae

The 76th Santa Barbara International Orchid Show “Orchids – Floral Gems of Nature” will be held at Earl Warren Showgrounds Friday-Sunday, March 8, 9 and 10, 2024, 9:00 am-5:00 pm. Complete information on the show is on their website SBIOS.

Note:  The March 6, 2024 OSSB monthly meeting and AOS judging are Cancelled.

Want to see the orchids at their freshest before the doors open?  Here’s how.

OSSB Display Setup:  Wed, March 6, 9:00 am-1:00 pm.  Bring your orchids in for the Society Display. Assist Display Designer Phil Watt with installing the display. From lights to theme props, and of course orchids of all descriptions, you get to experience setting up an orchid display and insider’s access to the exhibit hall.

Phil has asked members to bring plants and lights.  We need plants!!  Do you have something in bloom?  Clean it up and bring it in.  He will be at the show starting at 9:00 am to receive plants.  The earlier the better so he has an idea of where to place them in the display.  The cutoff time is 1:00 pm, to allow time to write the labels and place them.

Ribbon Judging:  Thurs, March 7, arrive before 8:00 am. Be an Orchid Judge during the Ribbon Judging session. A team effort, ribbon judging lets you get to know the details of exhibits and the orchids on display as you hunt down the judging entries for your expert evaluation. Your team will be led by an experienced judge who will explain what to look for in the best orchids.

OSSB Sales Booth:  Fri, Sat and Sun, March 8, 9 and 10, 9:00 am-5:00 pm, JOIN US to staff the Society sales booth in the Sales hall.  We really need everyone in the Society to help cover all 3 days for a couple of hours minimum.  For some, shows are nice, but Shopping is the real thrill. We will have plants donated by members and by the Santa Barbara Orchid Estate. Bring your divisions and spare plants to the sales booth before 9:00 am on Friday for this once-a-year fund-raising opportunity!

Register Plants:  Got something fantastic to display? Orchids need to sign up too. Register your plants for judging via online until 7:00 pm on Tues, March 5 or in person at the show before 6:00 pm on Wed, March 6. See the Exhibitor Guide on the show website to fill in the plant registration forms.

Volunteer:  Be sure to check out the Volunteers page and sign up to donate a few hours to make this show one of the best in the world.

Visit our local nurseries on the California Orchid Trail!  On the main page of the Show website scroll down for a map and list of orchid nurseries that will be open during show weekend including Cal-Orchid, Santa Barbara Orchid Estate, Gallup & Stribling Orchids, Westerlay Orchids, Ambriz Kingdom of Plants and Orchids Royale (by appointment).

Orchid Society of Santa Barbara – February 14, 2024 Meeting, 7:30 pm

The Genus Maxillaria

American Orchid Society Webinar by Eric Sauer – recorded on August 26, 2020

Join us on Valentines Day for a webinar from the American Orchid Society (AOS) to discover the fascinating genus MaxillariaMaxillaria is one of the larger genera in the orchid family found from Florida through the West Indies and Central America to southern Brazil and northern Argentina.  They are mostly epiphytes that grow at moderate altitudes.

In cultivation, Maxillaria prefer intermediate conditions with high humidity and bright light, but not full sunlight. Pots and baskets with well-drained mix that retain a little moisture are best.  Care should be taken to not disturb some species when repotting.

The AOS hosts seminars on a wide range of orchid topics that are available online to AOS members and to the public at https://www.aos.org/

Santa Barbara International Orchid Show – March 8-10, 2024

Get excited, it’s nearly time for the show!

The Santa Barbara International Orchid Show is looking for volunteers to help during the Show. Signups are online here:  https://sborchidshow.com/volunteer-application-form-2024/

Ribbon Judging is at 9 am on March 7, 2024.  No experience is necessary. Novices are placed on teams with experienced judges. It’s a great way to learn more about orchids and about orchid judging, while participating in the Show.  Signups are online here:  https://sborchidshow.com/register-to-judge/

Orchid Society of Santa Barbara – January 10, 2024 Meeting, 7:30 pm

Brassavolas:  A New Look at an Old Species

American Orchid Society Webinar by Beth Martin, AOS Judge

Recorded on November 15, 2023

Happy New Year 2024 and welcome to another exciting year of orchids!

This month we are tapping the rich educational resources of the American Orchid Society (AOS) for our January meeting topic with a Webinar on the genus Brassavola. 

Brassavola consists of around 15 showy, epiphytic species native to Mexico and the Caribbean south to Argentina.  The flowers are large with narrow petals in shades of white, cream, and green and are long-lasting and fragrant at night which attracts their pollinator, the hawk moth.

The AOS hosts seminars on a wide range of orchid topics that are available online to AOS members and to the public at https://www.aos.org/

Orchid Society of Santa Barbara – November 8, 2023 Meeting, 7:30 pm

Our speaker for Wednesday, November 8th will be Joe Ambriz!

Joe Ambriz:  Laelia anceps Color Forms and Culture

Most of us are very familiar with Laelia anceps, but not everyone can make them thrive.  Native to Mexico and Honduras, these orchids usually bloom here in Santa Barbara in autumn to early winter.  They love well-drained potting mix or growing mounted.

For this month’s meeting, Joe will teach us about the various color forms and his methods to get the best results growing Laelia anceps.   

A little background on Joe, who has been growing orchids and tillandsia for over 15 years. He was given his first Cymbidium orchid in 2002 by our own Phil Watt, but it met an untimely demise (yes, in his words, he killed it!).  This was unexpected given his experience with successfully growing vegetables, landscape and house plants that led him to ask questions like “How?! Why?!”  He knew he must try again.  Joe’s professional background is performing as a percussionist and teaching marching percussion in Santa Barbara.  In 2007 he started working for 7-Day Nursery as a nursery specialist and then as assistant manager, specializing in plant design, landscape, and home consultations with particular focus on temperature tolerant orchids, tillandsia and caudiciforms.  By 2016, having outgrown his own and his grandparents’ backyards, Joe moved his huge tillandsia collection to a greenhouse in Carpinteria founding “Ambriz Kingdom of Plants”.  Today, he grows orchids, tillandsia, and other interesting plants.  His orchids and displays have won awards and trophies at the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show.  His displays are truly awesome and not to be missed.

There will be a plant table provided by our speaker.

Orchid Society of Santa Barbara – October 11, 2023 Meeting, 7:30 pm

Our speaker for October 11th will be Donna Ballard!

Donna Ballard:  The Difference Between Seedlings and Meristem Orchid Cultivation,
Plus a De-Flasking Demo

Donna will explain the methods used to produce orchids by sowing seeds vs. tissue culture and then demonstrate how to de-flask seedlings for growing on in community pots.

Donna is a native Californian, is studying to become an American Orchid Society judge, and hopes to earn her accreditation soon. After over 30 years of loving, caring for and studying plants, she went on to work as a professional interior house plant maintenance technician until 4 years ago. She has since retired and works as a part time volunteer at the Huntington Botanical Gardens Thornton Estate Orchid Conservatory in San Marino.

She currently has approximately 460 sq feet of greenhouse, shade house and interior growing areas where she has over 1300 Cattleyas, Paphiopedilums, Cymbidiums, Dendrobiums, Sarcochilus, miniature Vanda and novelty Phalaenopsis orchids as well as several other genera.

Orchid Society of Santa Barbara – September 13, 2023 Meeting, 7:30 pm

Frank Methmann:  Cattleya Culture and Repotting Demo

If your cattleya orchids have ever looked like this, then you MUST attend the meeting.  Frank will present his tips and techniques for how he grows healthy cattleya orchids. 

Cattleya species are native to the American tropics and along with their hybrids are very popular due to their spectacular flowers.  Considered to be easy to grow, cattleyas tolerate less-than-ideal conditions rewarding growers with beautiful flowers.

Frank has lived in Santa Barbara County most of his life. His interest in plants started at Carpinteria High School when he had a vegetable garden, then a bonsai collection and collected a few orchids. Around 1997 he decided that he wanted to get more involved in orchids, so he sought out the local orchid group in Santa Barbara and joined the Orchid Society of Santa Barbara. His collection quickly grew from winning plants at meetings and purchases. Some members gave him some orchids as a gesture to welcome a new member.  He continued to obtain more orchids and learned more about them. He learned how to breed them, which has now gotten out of control! In 2002 he became the Vice-President of the Orchid Society of Santa Barbara and served one year. A few years later he became the Vice-President of the Santa Barbara Cymbidium Society and went on to serve two terms as President. He has served in other volunteer roles in both societies, including about 10 years as the Orchid Society of Santa Barbara’s Fall Orchid Show manager.

Opportunity Plant Table from Cal-Orchid

This month there will be a plant table from Cal-Orchid.

Orchid Society of Santa Barbara – August 13, 2023 Meeting, 12:30 pm at SBOE

Celebrate summer with the Orchid Society of Santa Barbara at the Santa Barbara Orchid Estate located at 1250 Orchid Drive

The August meeting is on Sunday, August 13th at 12:30 pm.  This meeting will be a Summer Potluck Picnic and Silent Auction at Santa Barbara Orchid Estate!

A great time to relax with your orchid friends amongst the summer blooming orchids at beautiful SBOE!

Potluck
Bring your favorite picnic food:  main course, side dish or salad, and dessert. Remember to bring your own plate, utensils (if you forget there are usually enough to go around), and beverage.  SBOE will provide tables and chairs.

Silent Auction
In addition to great food, there will be a Visual Feast of donated orchids at a Silent Auction!  Please bring a few of your spare amazing plants and be prepared to bid!  Proceeds will go to the Society.

(There will be no August AOS judging this month.)

Orchid Society of Santa Barbara – July 12, 2023 Meeting, 7:30 pm

Our speaker on Wednesday, July 12th will be Lourens Grobler who will present

My favourite African orchids and how to grow them

Lourens has been growing orchids since he was 10 years old. He now co-owns Afri Orchids, nursery specializing in species from around the world. The collection includes approximately 4000 species and a few hybrids. He is co-author of Field Guide to the Orchids of Northern South Africa and Swaziland, published in 2008. He has been an accredited South African Orchid Council Judge since 1998. He recently chaired the Judging Committee of the 21st World Orchid Conference held in Johannesburg.

We will be meeting on Wednesday, 12 July at 7:30 pm in the same location as our monthly meetings, Trinity Lutheran Church.

There will be a plant opportunity table provided by Lourens.

The local Summer Orchid Sales events will be held July 14-16 at SBOE and Cal-Orchid.  Lourens will be one of the guest vendors at Cal-Orchid with Laelia anceps and African orchid species for sale.