South Florida Orchid Society

SFOS Annual Holiday Party

Nov 222013

After careful consideration the SFOS Board of Directors have decided to change our Holiday party venue to better accommodate all of our guests.

The price is the same as last year: $10.00 for members, $15.00 for guests.

The date will be December 19th, ~~which is our regular meeting night~~, at 7:30pm. The new venue is Romano’s Macaroni Grill, 12100 SW. 88th Street (Kendall Dr.). The restaurant is just a couple of minutes west of the turnpike.

We have included a copy of their menu for our event. You have a choice of 2 salads and 10 different entrees. The price also includes soft drinks or ice tea with free refills. Wine and alcoholic drinks will be cash bar only and every guest will receive a separate check for their consumption. For dessert, we will bring a nice holiday cake.

Please contact Ellen at our office, 305-255-3656, to make arrangements.

Seating is limited and we need to provide a total number of guests to the restaurant at least 48 hours before the event. If last year’s party is any indication space will quickly fill so do not wait too long to make your reservations. We hope to see you there!

SFOS November 20th Meeting: Bob Fuchs “Kiss Your Ascocendas Goodbye”

Monthly Meetings

Oct 232013

Bob’s program “Kiss Your Ascocendas Goodbye” will discuss some of the recent changes in orchid nomenclature in the Vanda alliance, along with what those changes mean for some of our most familiar orchid species and hybrids. Bob is a third-generation orchid grower, and president of R.F. Orchids, Inc, in Homestead, Florida, USA.

R.F. Orchids was founded in 1970. In 1984, Bob’s Vanda Deva ‘Robert’ AM/AOS-SM/11WOC received the Grand Champion award at the 11th World Orchid Conference, in Miami. A recognized expert on vandaceous orchids, Bob presents lectures to audiences around the world, and many prestigious publications have published his articles.

Bob is an accredited American Orchid Society Judge, past president of the South Florida Orchid Society, life member of the AOS, and was President of the 19th World Orchid Conference, in 2008.

RF Orchids will provide our raffle table this month

Remember, visitors are always welcome at our meetings!

SFOS October 16th Meeting: Linda Curle, “Orchid Trekking in Northern Thailand”

Monthly Meetings

Oct 152013

Linda Curle will present our October program. The title of the program is “Orchid Trekking in Northern Thailand”. Below is Linda’s story of how she got started in orchids and her trip to Northern Thailand.

My passion for orchids started in the early 90’s quite by chance while I was working for US Airways at the Miami airport. One day while on duty in the lost luggage department a cardboard box full of bare root orchids was dropped off by an agricultural agent. They were unclaimed after their inspection and probable fumigation. I contacted the owner and informed him that we had them and he could come pick them up but he just yelled, “Throw them out! I don’t want them anymore. They’re probably dead anyway!”

When I looked in the box they did indeed look dead but my curiosity would not let me just give up on them. Growing up in N.Y. my only contact with orchids at that point was wearing them occasionally to a dance, but I seemed to recall that orchids grew on trees so I took them home and tied them up on trees in my yard. Must have been the right time of year because they took off and established nicely and before very long a tall spike was developing. That really piqued my curiosity again as I tried to imagine how that long thin spike could turn into a corsage flower. Soon I was confronted with a totally different but mesmerizing yellow spotted flower, Onc. splendidum, evocative of the jungles of Central America. That was it, I knew I was smitten and had to learn more about these fascinating plants. I proceeded to join local orchid societies and have belonged to most of the ones in town at some point.

Probably because I enjoyed my very first orchid blooming in a natural looking setting and because it transported me to exciting unknown places in my imagination, the idea of seeing orchids in their natural habitat became a dream of mine. I’m fortunate that I have been able to bring that dream to fruition several times. My program for the October meeting is a travelogue of my trip to the north of Thailand and I will be showing you about 45 species blooming in a variety of habitats, as well as orchid markets, some of our hotels, and many other things of general interest. You can leave your notebook home for this one and just sit back and travel along with me.

Our raffle table will provided OFE Orchid Supply

Please bring your friends. Guests are always welcome at our meetings. We look forward to seeing you at our new meeting location, Christ The King Lutheran Church.

Javier Morejon, Program Chairman

REMEMBER! WE ARE MEETING IN A NEW LOCATION:

Christ The King Lutheran Church

11395 S.W. 57th AVE (Red Road)

Pinecrest, FL 33156

MEETINGS: New Location!!!

Miscellaneous

Oct 082013

We’re Moving!

Beginning with the October 16th meeting we will be at a new location in Pinecrest.

The address is Christ The King Lutheran Church, 11295 S.W. 57th AVE, Pinecrest, FL 33156.

This is just across from Pinecrest Gardens at the corner of S.W. 57th AVE (Red Road) and S.W. 111th ST.

Monetary constraints as well as space considerations once again made this necessary. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and hope that all of our members will bear with us during this move. We deeply appreciate your patience.

Mirta Russis Heineman Presents “A Peak into the World of Epidendrums” at the SFOS July Meeting

Speakers

Jun 212013

SFOS July 2013 Membership Meeting

Wednesday, July 17, 2013
The Hampton Inn Miami Airport West
3620 N.W. 79th Ave.
Doral, FL 33166
8:00 PM Program beings

The July meeting will be presented by long time supporter of SFOS, Mirta Russis Heineman. Mirta will present a program titled “A Peak into the World of Epidendrums”. The program will focus on the most common Epidendrums we can grow here in South Florida.

Mirta was born in Cuba and came with her family to the States in 1961. She did not speak English and therefore could not go back to college until she had tackled that rich and tricky language. After her children had finished High School she went back, graduated, and became a teacher.

Mirta bought her first orchid from the tailgate of a truck that was selling tempting specimens after one of the Miami Shows closed. This was some 20 years ago. Ask her about The First Time? She’ll tell you with a smile, “Phalaenosis”. After that she bought many orchids – but with very little luck in keeping them healthy until she started taking classes to learn how to take care of the little darlings.

After she retired she devoted more time to her new challenge. She joined six different orchid societies and attended just about every class that she heard about – all to learn more about orchids. She has traveled many times to many cities and countries to attend shows, conferences, and classes – and to rescue orchids.

She has been president, a vice president, and has occupied almost every board position in many orchid societies where she is a member. For the last two years she was the President of COS. This enthusiasm for orchids has taken her to many of our local societies to make presentations and attend shows. She has also taught at AOS. We hope you will join us for this wonderful program. Guests are always welcome!!

Segundo and Yolanda Cuesta Present “Growing Cattleyas in South Florida” at the SFOS June Meeting

Speakers

May 172013

SFOS June 2013 Membership Meeting

Wednesday, June 19, 2013
The Hampton Inn Miami Airport West
3620 N.W. 79th Ave.
Doral, FL 33166
8:00 PM Program beings

Our June meeting is always a very special evening. Tonight we will install the 2013-2014 Officers and Board of Directors and present awards for the outstanding orchid plants entered for SFOS judging throughout the year. Then when those activities are complete we will have a wonderful program presented by long time members and supporters of SFOS, Segundo and Yolanda Cuesta of Quest Orchids.

Segundo and Yolanda started hybridizing orchids in 1984 and in 1992 opened their retail orchid business. The started with two greenhouses and today have 50,000 sq, ft. of growing space. Quest Orchids specializes in Art Shaped Cattleyas and cloning old standards. They also have a new breeding line of standards flowers with compact plants, which has been very successful for them. Quest Orchids also participates in about fifteen Shows across the country each year, including the SFOS Annual Orchid Show.

Segundo will present a program titled “Growing Cattleyas in South Florida”. Their program will cover culture, disease and pest control. They will have several handouts for you to take home. Quest Orchids will be providing the raffle table this evening. Quest Orchids is located in Miami (Horse country) at 12110 SW 43 Street, Miami FL 33175, 305-219-2883 hours are Tuesday 9:30 to Saturday. They are closed on Sunday and Monday.

We look forward to seeing you at the meeting and remember guests are always welcome!!

Dr. Brian Monk Presents “Tolumnias: We Were All Weeds Once” at the SFOS May Meeting

Speakers

May 092013

SFOS May 2013 Membership Meeting

Wednesday, May 15, 2013
The Hampton Inn Miami Airport West
3620 N.W. 79th Ave.
Doral, FL 33166
8:00 PM Program beings

Our May program will be presented by Dr. Brian Monk. The title of Brian’s program is “Tolumnias: We Were All Weeds Once“.

Brian Monk was born in Milton, Florida in 1969. Shortly after his birth, Brian’s family moved to Charleston, West Virginia where he spent the next 18 years. As a young man, Brian’s intense passion for nature led to his profession and his many hobbies including bird watching, orchid growing, and natural history.

In 1992, Brian received his B.S., cum laude, from Hampden Sydney College in Virginia followed by a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Virginia Tech in 1997. In 2005, while working as a Veterinarian in Orlando, Florida, Brian met the love of his life Mary-Margaret, in Ft. Lauderdale. Because of Brian’s passion of all things orchids, he and Mary-Margaret form Blu Llama Orchids, Inc. Brian and Mary-Margaret were married on April Fool’s Day in 2006 and reside in Ft. Lauderdale with their five cats and their ever expanding orchid collection.

Brian started growing and hybridizing orchids in his backyard, but this has recently expanded to 4000 square feet of greenhouse space. He will grow anything green, but focuses on his hybridizing projects, which include the development of multi-floral white and pink paphiopedilums, warmth tolerant red Oncidiinae, and standard pink Cattleya with an all-white lip.

Brian’s photography has won awards online, in the 2007 Miami International Orchid Show and at the 2008 World Orchid Conference. He has had a solo exhibit of his fine art photography at the Leu Gardens in Orlando and has been a featured artist at the AOS Gardens.

We hope to see you at the meeting!!!

Paul and Mary Storm Present “Schombo-Sex 102” at the SFOS January Meeting

Speakers

Mar 182013

SFOS March Membership Meeting

Wednesday, March 20, 2013
The Hampton Inn Miami Airport West
3620 N.W. 79th Ave.
Doral, FL 33166
8:00 PM Program beings

Paul and Mary Storm are hobbyists who have a passion for anything “SCHOMBO” and their nursery in Sarasota, Florida holds what is believed to be the largest collection of Schombo/Laelia and Myrmecophila species and hybrids anywhere. Paul was a featured presenter at the Mid-America Winter Orchid Conference in Ohio a few years ago, as well as at the Symposium on Orchid Species sponsored by the Coalition on Species at Fairchild Gardens in Miami.

Paul and Mary look forward to returning to the South Florida Orchid Society with ‘SCHOMBO-SEX 102’ They will also be providing the raffle table for the evening as well as selling Schom species, hybrids, and seedlings. Pre-orders may be arranged by viewing their web-site at: mekealohaorchids.com. In addition Meke Aloha exclusively uses ORCHIATA as their potting media of choice and if anyone wishes to purchase gallon or 40 liter bags of ORCHIATA please order in advance stating the amount desired as well as the size of the bark (Medium/Coarse). Paul and Mary are not equipped to process credit card purchases; you can pay by cash or checks only.

Guests are always welcome at our meetings and we know you will enjoy this program.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Den. Joyce Kelly ‘Gabi’ SM/SFOS

Silver

Jan 172013

January 16, 2013

Den. Joyce Kelly ‘Gabi’ SM/SFOS (83 points)

Exhibitors: Christa Collins

Dr. Ruben Sauleda Speaking at the SFOS January Meeting

Speakers

Jan 162013

Please join us at our new location for a wonderful program presented by Dr. Ruben Sauleda, a long time member and Past President of South Florida Orchid Society. Ruben’s program is titled “Flasking and Propagation of Orchids” which covers from pollination to flowering. Ruben will also provide the plant raffle table and have plants for sale.

Dr. Ruben P. Sauleda began growing orchids at the age of 12. At the age of 16 he established Ruben In Orchids. Almost half a century later Ruben In Orchids is recognized internationally and is the oldest orchid business in Florida. After graduating from Miami Senior High School, he attended Miami-Dade Junior College where he received an Associate of Arts. He was the first biology student in the first graduating class to receive a Bachelor of Science at Florida International University. He was then accepted to Florida Atlantic University where he received a Master of Science in biology working on the orchids of the Bahama Islands. During this time he was asked by Dr. Donovan S. Correll to collaborate on the Flora of the Bahamas by contributing the treatment of the orchids. After graduating from FAU, he was accepted to the University of South Florida, where he received his Ph.D. in Orchid Taxonomy. He has held positions as a Research Associate at Fairchild Tropical Gardens, Florida Atlantic University, the University of South Florida and several other research institutions. He has taught classes at Florida International University and Miami-Dade College.

Dr. Sauleda has also written several books on orchid culture and has written over a hundred articles in scientific journals. He was Chairman of Education for the 2008 World Orchid Conference in Miami and was responsible for arranging all the lectures, overseeing all the photography and was the editor of the proceedings. His specialty is flasking and he is presently the leader in reproducing Encyclia, Cattleya, Schomburgia and Tolumnia species and hybrids.

Please join us at our new location, Hampton Inn Miami Airport West, 3620 NW 79th Ave., Doral, Florida 33166. The meeting will begin at 8:00 PM and refreshments will be provided. We know you will enjoy the wonderful program Ruben will present.

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