Friday was a good day of the week to go. There was less of a crowd than Saturday or Sunday, and a large selection of plants.
I got to make the acquaintance of the President and other members of the Conejo Orchid Society, who were helping out at the sales table at Cal Orchid. They issued a warm invitation to me to some of their upcoming events. Upon perusing their website, I was amazed to see such an awesome society. They have a large board along with other chair-people responsible for membership, website and other duties. They do many fun events throughout the year.
Cal Orchid
This is one of the "wet" walls at Cal Orchid. It was noticeably cooler next to this wall. The day was very warm for Santa Barbara.
I am always pleased to see old greenhouse construction in these nurseries, just as it's been for decades.
Orchid hybridizers today attempt to breed small plants with a large number of flowers.
This is Cattleya Leopoldii, an old fashioned species. This tall plant reminds me of orchids from my childhood in my grandfather's orchid house.
Cattleya Leopoldii's bouquet of fragrant flowers.
One of the benches at Cal Orchid, where many offerings of Orchids and Platyceriums were available.
Like most orchid growers the owners here, James and Lauris Rose, are interested in many other plants. This trip, I presented them with a Puya Mirabilis from my collection, and they were thrilled.
Since my last visit here several months ago, Cal Orchid has sold through many of their Reedstem Epi's, making room for new hybrids. It does the heart good to see a successful business.
Lycaste Aromatica
A semi-alba Cattleya hybrid
The Santa Barbara Orchid Estate
Both parking areas at Santa Barbara Orchid Estate were almost full, even before noon on a Friday. One gentleman in an Aloha shirt told me he had flown in from Seattle just for this event.
Many orchid lovers have dreamed of collecting orchids in the wild, while slashing our way through the jungle with machetes. We sit for hours and read books about the collectors of old, while romanticizing about what it must have been like.
Facilities like this one would be considered luxurious in the jungle.
A stand of Knopfia adjacent to the parking area.
Roots hang freely from this orchid. Most of the plants at Santa Barbara Orchid Estate grow out in the open, or under minimal shade cloth.
Orchids for sale are temporarily displayed in a parking lot.
Customers peruse offerings in the sales area.
Since it was lunch time, I availed myself of a picnic table in the shade where I got to share crackers with a friendly Blue Jay.
The picnic area.
Friendly staff members relax adjacent to a Kentia palm. They were happy I shared some tree-ripened peaches from my yard.
Part of the charm here is the architecture. This potting bench is still in use.
A growing room adjacent to the picnic area that features architectural components from many years ago.
After lunch I started touring the growing areas.
Even people who like other plants besides orchids would enjoy Santa Barbara Orchid Estate. A Platycerium grows on a post here. The Gripp family, who owns the estate, told me they have many Platyceriums growing volunteer from spores floating in the air. These can become weeds when they sprout on roofs of greenhouses.
A camera cannot do justice to am area that stimulates many senses at once. The fragrance in the air was hypnotic.
A Sobralia specimen in flower.
A closeup of the flower.
A Cattleya hybrid specimen.
Brightly colored little Masdevalias.
I wanted to obtain some Epidendrum
Parkinsonianum to fill up some beautiful pottery sconces brought to me as gifts from Ray and Paula Romines. I was concerned that they were rare. Actually, they were ubiquitous, with quite a few growing out in the open year round. I obtained a couple of small plants from the mark-down table. They will grow quite rapidly.
Epidendrum Parkinsonianum flowers.
A beautiful orchid in flower. It was hanging too high for me to read the label.
Laelia Purpurata is the national flower of Brazil. Santa Barbara Orchid Estates never disappoints with its display of varieties of the species, hybrids and other summer flowering Cattleyas.
Laelia purpurata carnea
A mounted Laelia for sale.
A Filipina lady and her assistant prepare her massive haul for shipment. It boggles the mind to see the large specimen plants that go on a weekend like this. I often wonder what happens to these plants in the hands of amateur growers with a wide array of experience and skill.
Father and son, Paul and Parry Gripp. They entire family is very hospitable. In fact, Paul took the time to talk to me for over an hour about the old days and orchid growers who aren't here any more. I will be featuring some of these growers in future articles.
My Haul
I was fortunate to bring home several plants.
An oddity of the Orchid world, this is Bulbophyllum Phaelenopsis. It is grown as much for its foliage, which resembles Phaelenopsis leaves, as for its flowers. The flowers will emit a smell of rotting meat and attract flies for pollination.
This is a line-bred cross of Laelia Purpurata. Breeders often cross plants within a species to improve color, form, substance, number of flowers or plant habit.
This is a seedling of Cattleya leopoldii 'Spreckles" by self. It should flower in a couple of years. Sometimes breeders will self a plant to maximize positive traits or improve chromosome counts in the progeny.
This is Dendrobium Victoriae- Reginae from Cal Orchid.
Air Plant Alchemy
In addition to the Orchids, I bought a couple of Tillandsias from Air Plant Alchemy, who had a booth at Cal Orchid.
Tillandsia concolor x xerographica. The pod parent (concolor) is dominant for plant habit and color.
I was surprised that xerographica is used as a parent. It is quite plain looking. This is from my collection.
Tillandsia Houston
As always, I thoroughly enjoyed my day trip. I always meet great people at these events. A trip to these nurseries is like a mini vacation any time of year, without the expense of a flight.
