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September 2006
SEPTEMBER MEETING September 11, 2006 Eric Christenson: Orchids of Peru Dr. Christenson is a research taxonomist with strong interests in the Aeridinae (Sarcanthinae), neotropical floristics, and the conservation of horticultural plants. He is assisting with a modern inventory of Peruvian orchids. To date they have published 800 illustrations as Icones Orchidacearum Peruviarum, including more than 150 new distribution records and more than 100 new species from Peru. His bilingual florula Machu Picchu: Orchids was published in 2003. His current work in Peru, which he will discuss at the meeting, can be read about at www.andesamazon.org. A prolific author of more than 300 publications, Dr. Christenson is known for his articles that attempt to bridge the gap between taxonomy and horticulture. He authored a monograph of Phalaenopsis for the International Phalaenopsis Alliance (IPA) in 2001. He is also a strong advocate for orchid conservation, particularly ex situ propagation, and actively works with commercial growers to that end. Beginner’s program: (starts at 6:30 p.m.) Display Table: Sales Table: Raffle: COMING UP NEXT MONTH October: George Hatfield on Cymbidiums November: Manuel Aybar on Dominican Orchid Species December: Holiday Party with a presentation from Kathy Murray on this year's Native Orchid Conference and the Schoenfeld and Rebecca Tyson Nothern trophies, plus a free plant! January: Hoosier Orchids (tentative) February: TBA March: Charles Baker on the Culture of Oncidium Species April: Christopher Croom on Orchid Fragrances May: Annual Orchid Auction (no speaker) June: Potluck and annual business meeting July: Helen Hersh on Culture for Paphs and Phrags August: Picnic MEETING NOTES JULY MEETING Brian Anderson AUGUST PICNIC Jamie Notman
PLEUROTHALLIDS TAKE FLIGHT Trisetella hoeijeri, one of the many beauties our July speaker, Lynn O’Shaughnessy, showed us (this photo courtesy of Eric in SF). One tip from Lynn: Use a “MSU-type” fertilizer for best results with any orchids. Initial research showed that a couple of online vendors (First Rays and Hilltop Orchids) sell these mixes, but a lot of people mix their own. More information on the MSU-type fertilizer. NWOS FALL SHOW COMING UP NWOS Fall Show & Sale Your help is needed to make the Northwest Orchid Society’s 2006 fall show a success. We need help during set up (beginning about 4 p.m., Friday, November 3), and all day Saturday and Sunday. Sign-up sheets will be on hand at both the September and October meetings or you can e-mail or phone Kathy Murray to request specific shifts: kandmmurray@verizon.net or 425-257-0583. We need people for lots of different tasks during the show—everything from cashiering and bagging plants to ribbon judging. Ribbon judging is an excellent way to learn about what constitutes good and great orchids. The judging teams meet early on Saturday morning. Ribbon judging is a lot of fun and after your morning of work, your reward will be lunch with the AOS judges. Kathy Murray IN MEMORIAM Long-time NWOS member Ilene Angle passed away July 12. Born in Michigan in 1926, she had been a resident of the Normandy Park neighborhood in Seattle for the last 50 years. Ilene was a strong supporter of local parks and an avid orchid grower. Ilene is survived by her husband, Robert; one daughter; and two sisters. Donations in memoriam may be made to the NWOS Scholarship Fund. Clare Seaman, a lifetime member of the NWOS who joined in 1961, passed away last September. He is survived by his wife, Lucille. Our condolences to the Angle and Seaman families. NEW DISPLAY TABLE FORMAT STARTS THIS MONTHAt its last meeting, the NWOS Board decided to change the part of our regular monthly meeting devoted to plant displays by members. Although the plant display table is not intended to be a formal competition, we still want to recognize members who are successful in growing quality and diverse orchids. Equally important, we want to encourage participation and sharing by all of our members. The Board believes that the plant table is an excellent time for educating everyone on orchid growing in the Northwest and helping members learn about what kinds of plants are available. It is also a time to introduce everyone to ribbon judging. Orchid judging is an instrumental part of the hobby of orchid growing, and non-AOS ribbon judging is an important part of the society’s major yearly Fall show. Description of New Member Display Program
Recognition Categories
As an incentive, members recognized with a blue ribbon will be given a free raffle ticket (maximum of one raffle ticket per member per meeting). With this newsletter, we are providing the new and simplified information/entry form (PDF) if you want to fill it out before coming to the meeting. Blank forms will also be available at the meeting. The Board also wishes to express its sincere appreciation to all those who have participated in the plant table display program in the past, both as contributors and hosts. In particular, it would like to recognize Andy Wright for the outstanding job he has done in the last two years. Mike Foster, one of our most experienced slipper growers, has agreed to serve as Chair of the judging team this year. So, be ready when Mike taps you on the shoulder and asks you to help out. We trust that you will continue to find this an interesting and rewarding activity. Michael Corn NEW NWOS WEB SITE DEBUTS The NWOS Web site is in the process of being updated. Webmaster Mike Pearson has updated the look and is working on new discussion forums and photo galleries to be added soon. Check it out at www.nwos.org! ROSTER AVAILABLE AT SEPTEMBER MEETING The 2006-07 membership roster will be available for members to pick up at the September meeting. It contains contact information for all members as well as information on the Society and its history and a catalog of library materials. GRAD STUDENT SEEKS ORCHID EXPERT A Ph.D. student at the Digital Arts and Experimental Media at the University of Washington is working on a project which involves growing plants, and she would specifically like them to be orchids. She is not an orchid grower herself, and would like to use orchids because of the cultural ideas and metaphors they embody. She is building mobile robotic "pots". They are designed to hold plants and move around searching for a place where the conditions are most beneficial for the plant, based on the environmental data they get from the sensors. They are equipped with light, moisture, proximity and CO2 sensors (and others if needed). In some cases this would mean for example following a slowly moving light spot across the room. She would love to be able to work with somebody with expert knowledge about orchid needs and desires (for example what constitutes the best conditions for an orchid: what temperature and light exposure it likes, what kind of pot and soil it needs, what fertilizing and watering is needed, what soil conditions are ideal, what kind of movement would not be disturbing to the plant, but on the contrary, beneficial, etc.) If you are interested in helping, please e-mail Brian Anderson and he will forward your contact information. NWOS DISPLAYS & FALL SHOW SEASON NWOS Display at our show…Volunteers Needed: This year our display at our own show (Seattle Center Nov. 4-5) will be in keeping with the theme of the show, “Denizens of the Rain Forest.” Our tentative plans are to have a naturalistic rain forest display with models of various species of frogs. As well as providing an attractive setting to display our plants, the display would have a strong educational component. Our display at our last year’s show could have used more plants, so please mark your calendars and plan to bring whatever you can to add to our display. We need a few volunteers to help with the display. The commitment would involve attending one or two meetings, possibly gathering some materials for the display and then helping to set it up on Friday, Nov. 3. Unlike last year, there will be no major construction project. We will have a planning meeting at my house on Sept. 28th. Please contact me by phone are email or in person at a meeting if interested. Other Fall Shows...Plants needed for Seaside Show: Other than our own show, the only orchid show in which we are planning to display is the Sunset Empire Orchid Society Show in Seaside Oregon on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. Please mark your calendar and contact me if you would like to send plants to the show. We will be gathering plants the week prior for the show. You may bring plants to my house on Thursday Sept. 28 or call me to make other arrangements. Last year we won “Best Display by a Visiting Society” and are hoping to mount an equivalent display this year. There will also be a show by the Fraser Valley Orchid Society on Oct. 28-29. The Canadian shows are always a great excuse for a trip north of the border. Bring along your passport for a quick and easy border crossing both ways. Details and a coupon for reduced price admission can be found at: www.orchidbc.ca George Grantham ORCHID SITE OF THE MONTH If you would like to share your favorite orchid web site, e-mail me. This month's site is: The most amazingly comprehensive glossary of orchid terms I've ever seen online. Now you can remark on the glaborous, falcate sepals on the next Phalenopsis you see. SPEAKER HOSTS NEEDED We have some great orchid speakers coming to visit us over the next few months but nowhere to house them! For more information, contact Jamie Notman at houseofdevo@comcast.net. DISPLAY TABLE THANKS The NWOS would like to thank the following members for bringing in plants for the display table in July: Michael Corn & Cathy Tuttle NEW MEMBERS Please welcome these new members to our Society: R. Timothy Lynch, Kent Make a resolution to get involved! The NWOS desperately needs a new newsletter editor—the old one is all worn out! No real experience is necessary. Basic writing/editing skills, desktop publishing or web experience will be helpful but are not required. This position requires a commitment of 8-10 hours per month. Volunteers will need to have their own computer and an e-mail account that they check regularly. The editor is also responsible for printing and distributing the newsletter. If you are interested or have questions, please contact Brian Anderson at nwos_news@nwos.org. For additional volunteer opportunities, click "Volunteer Opportunities" in the side menu on this page. |
