Cental Iowa Orchid Society's
Speaker's Day History


     Speaker's Day is an annual event hosted by the Cental Iowa Orchid Society. This year, 2024, will be our 35th annual Speaker's Day and will be held on Saturday, July 20th.
     The first Speaker's Day was held in the summer of 1989. In the past we have had speakers from all over North America, some coming from as far as Canada, Mexico, Ecuador and Hawaii. The speakers give presentations on all aspects of orchid growing and commonly grown genera of orchids.
     The registration fee for the event is $30.00 per person in advance or $35.00 per person at the door. The cost covers all the speakers as well as a continental breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon desert bar. With your paid admission you also get a ticket for the doorprize drawings held following the last presentation. You can purchase additional doorprize tickets at the door.
     Also, each speaker usually brings plants to sell throughout the day so we get a chance to buy plants we usually cannot obtain locally.


Scheduled Speakers - 2024

Ivan Portilla (Ecuagenera Cía. Ltda., Ecuador)
(Topics to be determined)

David Sorokowsky (Paph Paradise, CA)
(Topics to be determined)


Speakers - 2023

Fred Clarke (Sunset Valley Orchids, CA)
"Spotted and Splashed Cattleyas"
"Becoming an 80 Percentile Grower"

Alan Koch (Gold Country Orchids, CA)
“Unusual Species for the Cattleya Grower”
"Mini Vandaceous Species and Hybrids for the Home Grower"


Speakers - 2022

Francisco Miranda (Miranda Orchids, FL)
"The Genus Cattleya in Brazil"
"Orchids of Rio de Janeiro"

Peter T. Lin (Diamond Orchids, CA)
“Mini-Catts: Delightful Cattleyas in Miniature”
"Genus Dendrobium: A Family Portrait of Dendrobium Species"


Speakers - 2021

Alan Koch (Gold Country Orchids, CA)
"A New Look at Intergeneric Phalaenopsis"
"Cattleya's 365, 24/7"

David Sorokowsky (Paph Paradise, CA)
“Novelty Paphs”
“Multifloral Paphs”


The 2020 Speaker's Day

cancelled due to the Coronovirus pandemic.


Speakers - 2019

Art Chadwick (Chadwick & Son Orchids, Inc., VA)
"Large Flowered Cattleya Species"
"Cattleyas and the Golden Age of Orchid Fashion"

Jason Fischer, (Orchids Limited, MN)
“Phragmipedium kovachii and It’s Hybrids”
“The Jungle Log and Alternative Orchid Growing”


Speakers - 2018

Peter T. Lin (Diamond Orchids, CA)
“Spectacular Orchids from Around the World”
“Mini-catts”

Ron Midgett (New Earth Orchids, NM)
“Oncidinae Intergeneric Hybrids -What Are They and How Do I Grow Them”
“Green With Envy: Green Cattleyas - Origins”


Speakers - 2017

Jim Roberts (Florida Suncoast Orchids)
“A Few Encyclia to Enjoy”
”Fertilizing Your Orchids 101”

Dr. Kristen Uthu (New World Orchids)
"Japanese Orchids: The Small and Mighty"
"Miniatures: Honey I Shrunk the Orchids"


Speakers - 2016

Fred Clarke (Sunset Valley Orchids)
"Spotted and Splashed Cattleyas"
"Catasetums and Their Culture"

Hadley Cash (Marriott Orchids)
"Paphiopedilums In General"
"Orchid Rainbows"


Speakers - 2015

Sam Tsui (Orchid Inn)
"Paphiopedilum sanderianum Breeding and Culture"
"The Wonderful World of Parvisepalums and Their Culture"

James Rose (Cal-Orchid)
"The Laelias of Mexico"
"Orchids of Madagascar"


Speakers - 2014

Peter Lin (Big Leaf Orchids)
"Creating Novelty Phalaenopsis for Color and Fragrance"
"Phalaenopsis Species"

Russ Vernon (New Vision Orchids)
"Lycaste Orchids"
"Minicatts"


Speakers - 2013

Alan Koch (Gold Country Orchids)
"Growing in the Home"
"Miniature Cattleyas for the Home"

Roy Tokunaga (H&R Nurseries, Inc.)
"The Secret Lives of Orchids"
"Dendrobiums in the Latouria and Formosa Sections"


Speakers - 2012

John Stubbings(Clown Alley Orchids)
"Oncidium Intergeneric Orchid Care"
"Unusual Relatives of Cymbidiums"

Francisco Miranda (Miranda Orchids)
"Orchids from the Brazilian Amazon"
"Brazilian Cattleyas and Laelias"


Speakers - 2011

Norito Hasegawa (Paphanatics Unlimited)
"What's New in Paphs"
"Multifloral Paphs"

Iván Portilla (Ecuagenera Cía. Ltda., Ecuador)
"Orchids of Ecuador in their Natural Habitat"
"Cattleya maxima and Its Different Forms"


Speakers - 2010

Fred Clarke (Sunset Valley Orchids)
"New Hybrids with Catasetum, Cycnoches and Mormodes"
"Today's Mini and Compact Cattleyas"

Tom Harper (Stones River Orchids) -
"Taiwan International Orchid Show"
"Multiflora Phalaenopsis"


Speakers - 2009

Glen Decker (Piping Rock Orchids)
"Phragmipedium kovachii hybrids and culture"
"A trip to Europe's orchid growers and what we can learn from them"

Jim Rose (Cal-Orchid, California)
"Epidendrum Culture and Breeding"
"Lycaste Culture and Breeding"


Speakers - 2008

Alan Koch (Gold Country Orchids)
"Miniature Orchids that Grow in Cattleya-like Conditions"
"Understanding Brazilian Cattleyas and How They Affect Breeding"

Roy Tokunaga (H&R Nurseries, Inc.)
"Breeding for Flares"
"Dendrobiums"


Speakers - 2007

Peter Lin (Big Leaf Orchids)
"Red Phalaenopsis Development"
"Phalaenopsis gigantea"

George Hatfield (Hatfield Orchids)
"Miniaturized Cymbidiums"
"Pendulous Cymbidiums"


Speakers - 2006

Chuck Acker (Flasks by Chuck Acker)
"Phrags"
"Phrag. kovachii"

Harry Phillips (Andy's Orchids)
"Mounted Orchids"
"Miniature Orchids"


Speakers - 2005

Tom Harper (Stone’s River Orchids)
"Harlequin Phalaenopsis"
"Species"

Jim Hamilton (Petite Plaisance)
"Species"

Ron Ehlers (Petite Plaisance)
"Mounting Orchids Demonstration"


Speakers - 2004

Dr. Tom Nasser (Carolina Orchids)
"Species"

Dr. Martin Motes (Motes Orchids)
"Vandas in northern climates"


Speakers - 2003

Jerry Fischer (Orchids Limited)
"Paphs and Phrags"

Weyman Bussey
"Mexican species"


Speakers - 2002

Bill Schneider (Countryside Orchids)
"Species"

Alan Koch (Gold Country Orchids)
"Mini and Compact Catts"


Speakers - 2001

Roy Tokunaga (H&R Nurseries, Inc.)
"Dendrobiums"
"Mini Catts"

Ron Parsons
"Species"


Speakers - 2000

Dennis Olivas (D&D Orchids)
"Laelia purpurata"
"Multi-floral Paphs"

Howard Ginsberg (Bedford Orchids)
"Deflasking"
"Taiwanese Phals"


Speakers - 1999

Steve Gettel (Sunset Orchids)
"Lycastes"
"Intergenerics

Sam Tsui (Orchid Inn)
"Paphs"

Marcia Whitmore
"Wild Orchid Conservation"


Speakers - 1998

Ken Wilson
"Let's make a new orchid"

Steve McNerney
"Lavender Catts"

Joe Gray
"Wildcatt Database"


Speakers - 1997

E. Christiansen
"Phal species"

Muguel Angel Soto Arenes
"Mexican Species"


Speakers - 1996

Robert Fuchs (R.F. Orchids)
"Ascocendas & Vandas"


Speakers - 1995

Dr. Clair R. Ossian
"Unusual Orchids"

Norito Hasegawa (Paphanatics, Unlimited)
"Paphs"


Speakers - 1994

Jose Exposito (Soroa Orchids)
"Phals"

Jerry Rehfield (Starbek Farms)
"Catts"


Speakers - 1993

Anita Aldrich (Sundance Orchid)
"Equitants/Variegata"

Tom Harper (Stone's River Orchids)
"Phals"


Speakers - 1992

Ron McHatton

William Rhodehamel (Hoosier Orchid Company)
"Species"


Speakers - 1991

Bob Gordan
"Phals"

Alan Koch (Gold Country Orchids)
"Mini Catts"


Speakers - 1990

Dr. Clair R. Ossian
"Dendrobiums"

William W. Burke
"Paphs"


Speakers - 1989

Norm Baker

Jerry Fischer (Orchids Limited)
"Collecting orchids in Peru"


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