This speaker has been rescheduled for our May meeting.
Speaker:
Robert Griesbach, Ph.D.
Title:
What is an Orchid ?
Orchids are fascinating plants. The orchid family is the largest plant family, occupying almost all possible environments and very diverse in their features. Orchids grow wild in our climate and of course the tropics. But what makes an orchid, an orchid?
Dr. Griesbach has
been
Research Geneticist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture since
1981. He manages a
broad
based research program in the genetics of floral plants. The
research focuses on
determining
the inheritance of horticulturally valuable traits, such as flower
color.
Enhanced germplasm is created from wild species that is disease, insect
and stress tolerant. New technologies such as embryo rescue, genetic
engineering,
molecular markers, etc. are developed to aid in creating novel
germplasm.
Awarded the Outstanding Scientist of the 21st Century Award in 2000, he
has a B.S. in biology from DePaul University and a Ph.D. in Genetics
from
Michigan State University.
Speaker: William
Ackerman,
Ph.D.
Title:
Growing
Camellias in Cold Climates
Dr. Ackerman will
discuss his research on breeding camellias which can withstand cold
winter temperatures and grow in the mid-Atlantic region and even in
Toronto, Ontario, Canada ! Dr. Ackerman earned his B.S. and M.S. in horticulture
from
Speaker: Mike and Carole
Bordelon
Title:
Plant Exploration in China and
Burma (Myanmar)
Visit both China and Burma in one
evening with Carole and Mike Bordelon. Carole will talk about
plant collecting trip she made in Fall 2002 to Shanxi Province.
She will discuss the plants that were collected as well as highlight
some of the Chinese culture. Mike will talk about one of his
plant collecting trips to Burma. His presentation will focus on
culture, geography, weather of Burma along with discussing rare new
species of tropical gingers.
Carole is Curator of the
Asian, Camellia and Holly/Magnolia collections at the U.S.
National Arboretum in Washington D.C. She received a degree
in agriculture from the University of Maryland in 1979 with an emphasis
on botany and entomology. Mike is Greenhouse manager in the
Department of Botany, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian
Institution also in Washington D.C. He is also a University of
Maryland graduate receiving a degree in botany in 1979.
Speaker:
Carol Allen
Title:
Hardy Wild Orchids that grow in Beltsville (mid-Atlantic region)
Did you know you could grow orchids outside in your own backyard? Ms. Allen's presentation will be on hardy native orchids that can be grown in the Beltsville area. Ms. Allen's has considerable experience in both native and tropical orchids. She has been involved in coordinating the international conference entitled "North American Native Terrestrial Orchids: Propagation and Production" since 1996. She worked formerly as the managing partner of Arbec Orchids, Inc., a retail orchid store in Laurel, Maryland. Carol enjoys teaching people about orchids and their care. She has been an avid tropical orchid hobbyist for over twenty years. Ms. Allen is currently using her skills in horticulture as a plant care specialist under the trade name 'Orchid Lady'. Look for culture and care articles as well as her workshop and speaking schedules on her soon to be finished website, http://www.orchidlady.us .
Speaker:
Robert Griesbach, Ph.D.
Title:
What is an Orchid ?
Orchids are fascinating plants. The orchid family is the largest plant family, occupying almost all possible environments and very diverse in their features. Orchids grow wild in our climate and of course the tropics. But what makes an orchid, an orchid?
Dr. Griesbach has been Research Geneticist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture since 1981. He manages a broad based research program in the genetics of floral plants. The research focuses on determining the inheritance of horticulturally valuable traits, such as flower color. Enhanced germplasm is created from wild species that is disease, insect and stress tolerant. New technologies such as embryo rescue, genetic engineering, molecular markers, etc. are developed to aid in creating novel germplasm. Awarded the Outstanding Scientist of the 21st Century Award in 2000, he has a B.S. in biology from DePaul University and a Ph.D. in Genetics from Michigan State University.
Speaker: Diane
Lewis
Title:
Hardy
Ferns for the Beltsville Area
Diane Lewis has been associated with Brookside
Gardens in Wheaton, Maryland for almost thirty years. Her special interests include native species
of the Eastern U.S. and shade plants, including, ferns. She is
both college-educated and
self-taught in horticulture, botany, and landscaping. She lectures frequently (on many topics, including conifers, bark,
plant oddities, the winter garden, fall interest in the garden, big
leaves, etc.) to master gardeners, garden clubs and other
organizations and entities. She is currently giving a series of flower family
talks, which have -- so far -- included the aster (Asteraceae), rose
(Rosaceae), legume (Leguminosae), and lily (Lliliaceae) families.
Currently, Ms. Lewis is
supervising and training Brookside's adult tour guides and
writing/editing a monthly Plant-of-the-Month article for
Groundwork, a magazine published by the Landscape Contractors Association,
MD-DC-VA. For information about Brookside Gardens, see http://www.mc-mncppc.org/parks/brookside/
.
Speaker: Phil Normandy
Title:
