Brassia’s are known as the spider orchid.  They present large stately presentations of large flowers from the Oncidium family.  They are relatively easy growers in our region and add size and nice presentations to their hybrids.  

Robert  was born and raised in Eagle Rock, CA.  He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Occidental College and then a Master of Science in Zoology from the University of Hawaii.  He is a retired Fisheries Biologist from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA) in Honolulu where he specialized in deep water benthic fish, crustaceans, and mollusks.

He received his first orchid from his then future father-in-law in the early 1970s.  He joined the Honolulu Orchid Society since the mid 1970s where he is a life member.  He is also a life member of the American Orchid Society.  He is an accredited judge of both American Orchid Society and Honolulu Orchid Society

Through recent travels in Southern China, Steve gives us a look at a group of unique and wonderful orchids only recently becoming known in the US.  The insight into their native environment will help us provide the conditions they need to grow successfully.

Steve grew up in New York and was educated at the University of Delaware and then received a Masters degree in Horticulture at Penn State. After a stint running an apple orchard and plant nursery in   Pennsylvania, he settled in Southern California. He is senior horticulturist at the famed Roger’s Gardens in Newport Beach where he is a well known and popular lecturer. He has a reputation for being very knowledgeable on sweet peas, water lilies, dahlias and daffodils as well as orchids. He is very fond of the pleurothallid alliance and grows a large collection of those species.