Brandon Tam has been growing orchids since the age of seven, starting with a white flowering Cymbidium his grandmother gave to him. She has been the source of his inspiration to further his studies within the botanical world and pursue a career within that field.

At the age of 14, Brandon began volunteering at The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens. When Brandon turned 16, he graduated from high school and began attending college. A few months after graduating high school, the Director of the Botanical Gardens at The Huntington offered Brandon an internship within the Orchid Department to reorganize and perpetuate the collection. Brandon earned his Bachelor of Science in Plant Science at the California State University, Pomona, by the age of 21.

Brandon has been with the institution over eight years in total, but over five years with the Orchid Collection specifically. Currently, at the age of 22, Brandon is the Orchid Collection Specialist, focusing mostly in Paphiopedilums as a large portion of the collection at The Huntington consists of that specific genus.

Brandon oversees one of the largest Orchid Collections in the United States’ of about 16,000 plants. Which involves hybridizing new plants, to the propagation of rare and endangered species.  It is a high priority for The Huntington to further the advancements of plants within the orchid world.

Brandon also maintains the Amorphophallus titanum collection, better known as the Corpse Flower. He manages and oversees 50 titanums and has successfully bloomed one flower during his tenure there in August of 2014.

Currently, Brandon is working on the conservation aspect of the collection while acquiring and adding more rare orchids to The Huntington’s collection. He belongs to several orchid societies in Southern California. Brandon plans to travel the world orchid hunting on behalf of The Huntington Botanical Gardens.