April 8, 2024 – Greg Griffis / Longwood Gardens – The Genus Tolumnia: Small Wonders of the Caribbean
April 8, 2024 – Greg Griffis / Longwood Gardens – The Genus Tolumnia: Small Wonders of the Caribbean
Joining us for April will be Greg Griffis, orchid grower at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Greg was grower and manager of Parkside Orchid Nursery, and has also worked for Hilo Orchid Farm fin Hawaii, spending a large amount of time working with Paphiopedilum, as well as Intergeneric Oncidiinae, and Miltoniopsis. He arrived at Longwood Gardens in 2015.
At Longwood, Greg has helped to develop a collection of terrestrial orchids from across the globe, and has initiated a number of breeding programs. Among these are breeding lines in the Habenariinae, Cattleya Alliance, Intergeneric Oncidiinae, Paphiopedilum, Masdevallia, Disa, and more. He continues to work on improving and expanding the collection, as well as networking with growers and hybridizers across the country.
According to the American Orchid Society, “the group of orchids now called Tolumnia were at one time called Oncidium section Variegata or commonly referred to as “equitant oncidiums”. The foliage seldom exceeds 6 to 8 inches in height, and a 4-inch pot can house a “specimen” plant.
Compared with most mainstream genera, the Tolumnias have been hybridized for a relatively short time — about 50 or so years. The short time it takes to reach flowering size (approximately 2 1/2 years from pollination to bloom) has enabled breeders to make significant advances in just a few years. Today’s hybrids offer an astounding array of colors and patterns not seen in the species. Their petite size and ability to adapt to a fairly wide range of conditions make them suitable for growing spaces under lights or on windowsills.”
Doors open at 6:00 p.m., meeting begins at 6:30 p.m., at our usual meeting place, the Louis S. Wolk JCC of Greater Rochester. The Show Table will be back, so don’t forget your blooming orchids. We’ll see you there!
Rodrumnia The Hollow’s Promise ‘Caversham’ (AM/AOS) – ©Cyril Kastner
Map to the Louis S. Wolk JCC of Greater Rochester
Our Meetings
The Genesee Region Orchid Society (GROS) is a 501(c) non-profit organization based in Rochester, NY.
Our regular meeting night is the first Monday following the first Sunday of each month. We occasionally change the meeting date as our schedule requires, but we always list the correct date well in advance both on this website and in our monthly newsletter. Our meetings are open to everyone without charge – feel free to attend and find out what our Society is all about!
Meetings typically consist of a brief business meeting to conduct our club’s routine activities, a special presentation on an orchid subject, an orchid raffle (2 tickets for $1), and a Show Table where members can display their flowering plants for everyone to see. For more information, please contact any of our officers.
See our entire meeting schedule with all locations and maps here.
Membership
Membership includes:
- Free admission to our annual Spring Show
- Notices of special vendor discounts and pre-ordering opportunities
- Voting privileges for officers and constitutional changes.
Click here to see our Bylaws.
The dues for single membership are $20. Family membership dues are $25. You can download a membership application here.
You can also join online here and pay securely with PayPal – you don’t need to have a PayPal account, and can pay with your credit or debit card.