Next Meeting: Thursday 9th May at 7:30pm
Mike Gallagher "Disas in the Wild"

The genus Disa contains some of the most beautiful flowers of all the orchids. The vibrant colors and large, long-lasting flowers make for a spectacular display. Unfortunately Disas have a reputation for being difficult to grow. As terrestrial orchids, their culture is quite different from that of the more commonly grown species. Many of our rules about "wet feet" or over-watering do not apply. Our speaker will guide us to the proper methods for growing these showy orchids in our area.

Michael Gallagher, our speaker, has become an expert in the Disa world, gaining a number of A.O.S. awards for his plants along the way. He has also registered almost 20 new Disa hybrids. He has visited Disas in their native habitats in South Africa and in their captive habitats of well-known international growers. He is a self-described "Disaphile" and frequent contributor to the DisaPhile newsletter. His business "Diablo Disas" is located in Lafayette, California. His website, www.disas.com, has fabulous photos of these beautiful orchids and plenty of information about the techniques for successful culture.

Next month Matt Swift from Rancho Cucamonga will discuss all you wanted to know about the delightful Caribbean orchids Equitant Oncidiums. Rancho Cucamonga has weather conditions similar to Concord so his culture tips should prove invaluable for those of you who are trying to grow these miniature orchids.

Hope you can join us!
Charlotte

Culture Session @ 7 PM: Michael Gallagher: "Growing Disas in the East Bay".