An Overview Of The Genus Paphiopedilum presents one of the most popular and sought after genus of orchids. It includes the history of the genus in cultivation, an introduction to the sections of the group and the most important species in each section. Examples of hybrids are shown and discussed. Cultural notes are provided for each section.  The presentation provides a solid introduction to the new hobbyist and some important reminders for more experienced growers.

DOUGLAS OVERSTREET has grown orchids continually since he was 10 years old.  He comes by his interest in plants and animals naturally.  His family have been American farmers since 1684.  The first orchid he purchased in 1972 was Cattleya Trimos, a primary hybrid between C. trianaei and C. mossiae.  The first orchid he flowered was a phalaenopsis hybrid.

Doug moved to California in 1975 and continued his love affair with orchids.  In 1984, his collection began to grow by leaps and bounds with his first professional job.  He also became a very active participant in the local orchid community.  He began to work with orchids professionally in 2000 as a private consultant.  Gradually, this became his full-time occupation. He has managed private collections for leading hobbyists in Southern California for the last 15 years. He is an Accredited American Orchid Society Judge in the Pacific South Region.  An accomplished writer and educator, Doug has written articles for many different publications including Orchid Digest and has served on the Editorial Committee of that publication as Assistant Editor.  He has spoken for orchid societies and other groups nationwide.  Prior to joining the Huntington full time as a horticulturist, he was a frequent guest lecturer for the Huntington.  Currently, he is the orchid specialist in charge of the Thornton Conservatory and the Ernest Hetherington Memorial Cattleya Collection.

Please email Arthur Pinkers at arthur.pinkers@gmail.com to get the Zoom Link for the presentation.

We hope you will join us for a look into a wonderful genus of very unique flowers.  Brandon will help us learn to grow this great genus.  What he shares will help us grow these great plants to their best.

Brandon Tam is passionate about his career as the Orchid Collection Specialist at The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California.

Brandon’s grandmother first introduced him to orchids when he was seven by giving him a white cymbidium. He volunteered at the Huntington during high school, and when he graduated at age 16, Dr. James Folsom, Director of the Botanical Gardens, offered Brandon a full-time position as the Orchid Collection Specialist. Brandon has managed the collection for over ten years.  While working with Dr. Folsom to reinvigorate the Huntington’s orchid collection, Brandon attended California State University Polytechnic, Pomona, and earned his Bachelor of Science in Plant Science degree in 2015.

Brandon now oversees one of the largest orchid collections in the United States, which has grown from 2000 to over 10,000 plants in the past ten years. The Huntington has quickly built one of the five most diverse orchid species collections in the world. The collection is housed in over 26,000 square feet of growing area, which includes the Rose Hills Foundation Conservatory and three collection greenhouses, dedicated specifically for tropical plants.   He also oversees the Huntington’s 50 Amorphophallus titanums (better known as the “Corpse flower”), and has successfully bloomed six since 2014.

Under Brandon’s direction, The Huntington has won over 100 awards from the American Orchid Society within the last three years, which includes five First Class Certificates and three Certificates of Cultural Excellence. At the American Orchid Society Fall 2016 Members Meeting, The Huntington received The Merritt W. Huntington Award, which gives international recognition for the “Most Outstanding Orchid” in the year of 2015 for Paphiopedilum micranthum ‘Huntington’s Perfection’ FCC/AOS. In 2016, The Huntington received not just one, but two American Orchid Society Special Annual Awards! Lycaste consobrina ‘Huntington’s Finest’ AM-CCE/AOS received the Butterworth Award which goes to the grower of the plant exhibiting the finest orchid culture. It also received the Benjamin C. Berliner award which is given to most outstanding example of the genus Lycaste or its closely allied genera. At the time of judging, it had a total of 287 flowers and 7 buds.

In Brandon’s spare time, he loves to travel, and of course…EAT!  He joined Harold Koopowitz and others on a trek in Ecuador led by Pepe Portilla, where the group saw many wild orchids and focused on the study of Selenipedium aequinoctiale. Additionally, Brandon was elected as Trustee of the American Orchid Society, for a three-year term, which started March 2018.