Aug 302019
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Aug 192019
Jim and Melana Davison
Jim and Melana Davison are AOS Accredited Judges. They have an extensive and diverse orchid collection that seems to be continuously growing. Not only involved in caring for their orchids, they are actively involved in several South Florida orchid societies. Melana is the current President of the Orchid Society of Coral Gables and past President of the South Dade Amateur Orchid Club. Jim is the past President of the Orchid Society of Coral Gables and the East Everglades Orchid Society.
Jim’s appreciation for orchids stems from his scientific background. Until his recent retirement, he worked as a Nuclear Chemistry Manager at the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant. Melana is more interested in the aesthetic qualities of orchids, especially the ones that look strange and other worldly. She owns her own Orchid Maintenance business and is known as “The Orchidiva.” Now that Jim is retired, their plans for their own retail nursery are full steam ahead. Together, Jim and Melana have 7 grown children and five grandchildren. They live in Homestead with their 4 dogs, four of the five grandchildren and 3,000 plus orchids.
Their interest in the Phalaenopsis species, bellina type especially, come from taking care of over 2,000 phalaenopsis of one of their clients. They have grown to love and appreciate this genus and its species more than they ever thought they would!
Jim and Melana will kindly be providing plants for our raffle table as well is having plants to sell.
Don’t forget to make your plans now to attend the 73rd Miami International Orchid Show, “Orchid Treasures.”
Jul 132019
Melida Demorizi
Our speaker for the month of July is my friend Melida Demorizi.
She is going to talk to us about how she grows her vandas outdoors in Dade County.
Melida is very involved with the Orchid Society of Coral Gables, and the Pan American Orchid Society. You will find her helping customers when R F Orchids has one of their sales events.
You will also find her in Norman’s Orchids booth at both the Tamiami and Redland Orchid Festivals.
She conducts beginners, intermediate and advanced orchid culture clases at Fairchild Gardens’ Orchid Festival in March.
If you do facebook you have seen her postings of her awarded plants. And her many, many blooming vandas. She runs the fb group ‘I Love My Outdoor Orchids’.
This is your opportunity to learn from a successful orchid grower.
Come this July 17th to our society’s meeting.
Orchids for the raffle table will be provided by OFE Orchid Supplies.
Jun 172019
© Ron Hunt
This month is our annual Installation of Officers and Awards Meeting. This is where we take a few minutes to honor our best and most prolific growers from the past year. We’ll also be honoring those members who have given their time to help the South Florid Orchid Society grow. And, lastly, we’ll be installing our new officers and board members for the coming year.
So, come out and help us celebrate!
No glitter, please!
Also, please note. There will be no plant judging this month. We’ll resume judging with the July meeting. We will, however, have a plant raffle courtesy of Dan & Margie Orchids! So bring plenty of cash!
May 142019
Sheldon Takasaki: Easy Growing Orchids
(& Other Stuff You Want to Know!)
Sheldon Takasaki
We at the South Florida Orchid Society are very pleased to have Sheldon Takasaki from Carmela Orchids in Hawaii as our Speaker for May 15th. Here are a few things you might not know about Sheldon – He graduated from the University of Hawaii with a BS in Horticulture. Carmela Orchids was Incorporated in 1960. He started working at Carmela Orchids in 1970. It was not as big back then only a few employees – now they have around 14 workers. Sheldon was a trustee for the American Orchid Society, and is a life member of the Hilo Orchid Society, the Honolulu Orchid Society and the AOS. Sheldon is very much a family man – he and his wife Pearl have 3 wonderful children – 2 girls (who are both married) and 1 son; they also have two very beautiful grand-daughters Madison who is two and lives on Big Island with her parents and Avery who is one and lives on Oahu with her parents. If you know how much the orchids mean to Sheldon then I’m sure that you also know how much Las Vegas means to him. Just a little side note he likes all kinds of sports too – I don’t know much about the ones we all watch together at my house when he is in town – but I know he loves them. I know that he also loves Ice Cream.
Sheldon’s topic is Easy Growing Orchids and Other Stuff You Want to Know.
As most of you know I have known Sheldon and his family for some time – and I’m delighted that he agreed to take time from the set-up at Fruit and Spicy Park to speak to us.
Please join us for an evening of FUN!
Carmela Orchids is providing the Raffle Table too!
Sally Taylor
Apr 152019
Gail Miller has been growing orchids for many years. She has won numerous awards from .AOS “Millers Pink Magic Vanda” whose flower measures 9 inches across and is flat rather than ruffled. Gail is a two-time recipient of the acclaimed William Hackney Award, which is given to most awarded plants of a given year.
In her past life, she was an orthopedic nurse practitioner and nurse supervisor. She worked for the orthopedic surgeon who developed the original knee and hip joint replacement and has been an author in many medical journals.
Gail is a past president of three orchid societies in Florida. She is a teacher, lecturer and comedian.
Have your notebooks handy because there will be lots of information to write down and many new ideas for making our orchids grow more beautifully.
Gail’s lecture will be on “Tricks of the Trade”.
Gail will be bringing plants for our raffle table and will have plants available to sell.
Mar 172019
Mac Rivenbark — ‘Orchids in Paradise’
Mac Rivenbark
Mac Rivenbark is a long time South Florida orchid grower and seller. Mac specializes in Philippine and other Asian species and currently grows and blooms over 300 different types.
Mac is a past president of the Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society and enjoys giving lectures and educating others about orchids.
Mac’s presentation this month is ‘Orchids in Paradise’ and will cover a number of genera that grow right here in South Florida. At the end of the program, Mac will provide culture tips and will take questions from members.
Mac will also be providing plants for our raffle table and for sale.
Jan 192019
Jan 162019
Norman Fang
Norman Fang
Even before 1988, when he received his degree in Ornamental Horticulture from California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, Norman Fang was already immersed in orchids. While still a student, he managed the Raymond Burr Orchid Collection on campus. Two scholarships to study plant tissue culture also allowed him to study under Dr. Murashige at the University of California and Dr. Tanabe at the University of Hawaii.
In 1986, he started his renowned nursery, Norman’s Orchids, based in both California and Taiwan. His parents, brother and sister soon joined him in the company as it grew, and he wisely was the first to secure the domain name of www.orchids.com. Exhibiting at shows across the US, he has received more than 400 AOS flower quality awards and 20 AOS Show Trophies. In addition, he was honored in 2005 with the Distinguished Alumni Award from the School of Agriculture at Cal Poly in Pomona.
As the second youngest judge to become fully accredited, Norman has traveled around the world to judge orchid shows, from Asia to South Africa, from Canada to South America. In 1996, with Paul Bechtel, he initiated AOS Judging at the Taiwan International Orchid Show and since then has served as the AOS Judging Coordinator for the show. He has also long served as the AOS Representative for the Taiwan Orchid Growers Association. As a result of these relationships, he has been instrumental in bridging the license agreement with TOGA and the Taiwan Paphiopedilum Society to include their award records in Orchids Plus.
As a former Vice President of the American Orchid Society and having also chaired their Development Committee, he is currently serving on their Public Relations Committee. In addition to these AOS volunteer activities, he’s a Founding Member and Regional Director of the International Phalaenopsis Alliance, currently celebrating its 25th year!
As an active member of several affiliated societies, Norman is a sought-after guest speaker for society meetings, shows and conferences. He generously supports Judging Centers, societies and the AOS with generous financial, scholarship and plant donations.
Recently, he became the Orchid Advisor for the famed KBCC at Pintung,Taiwan 辜嚴倬雲植物保種中心
Nov 242018
Phone (305) 256-0483 for more information or to make your reservation!