


Brandon Tam
Huntington Orchid Collection Specialist
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.
Dinner with the speaker
Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month.
Culture Class at 7:00 p.m.
General Meeting at 7:45 p.m
Costa Mesa Community Center
Greenhouse & Garden Tour
Wanted: Orchids in Bloom
Members in the News
Membership Corner
Refreshments
Orchids Aweigh
Officers 2015 - 2016
Volunteers Needed
NHOS Summer 2015 Exotic Plant and Orchid Festival

2016 NHOS Winter Orchid Expo: ”The Many Faces of Orchids”

Mark Your Calendars
2015 August Judging Results |
||||
GENUS | FIRST PLACE | SECOND PLACE | THIRD PLACE | JUDGES |
POINTS | 5 pts | 3 pts | 1 pt | |
CATTLEYA | C. Chocolate Drop X BLC Ryo Iwata Espie Quinn | C. Leopoldii Merle Robboy | L. Mini Purple Jan Hennessey | Winn Winmaw |
CYMBIDIUM | NA | NA | NA | |
EPIDENDRUM | Enc. Prismatocarpum Merle Robboy | Encyclia radiate Espie Quinn | Encyclia cochleata Tina Coombe | Barbara Livingston |
DENDROBIUM | Den. mohlianum Ha Bui | Den uniflorum Espie Quinn | Den. Laeviflolium Nancy Benay | Guy Gottschalk |
MAXILLARIEAE | Maxillaria marginata Nico Goossens | Guy Gottschalk | ||
ONCIDIUM | Brsdm Henry Melczer ‘Fangstastic’Joe Rupp | Oncidium unknown Tina Coombe | Psychopsis papilio Gen Gundersen | Kayoko Nebrig |
PAPHIOPEDILUM | Paph parishii Lynn Wiand | Phrag calurum Joe Rupp | Paph Mrs. Coburn Rosemary Krumme | Winn Winmaw |
PHALAENOPSIS | Phal unknown Kenton Boettcher | Phal unknown Kenton Boettcher | NA | Lisa Humphreys |
PLEUROTHALLID | Masd. Fuschia Dawn Lisa Humphreys | Peurothallis tribuloides Lynn Wiand | Pleurothallis aveniformis Laura Perry | Guy Gottschalk |
VANDA | Neofinetia falcate Nico Goossens | Vanda Rothschildianum Nico Goossens | Aerangis luteoalba rhodosticta Lynn Wiand | Guy Gottschalk |
MISCELLANEOUS | Coelogyne massangeana Winn Winmaw | Habenaria rhodecheila Richard Hess | Dendrochilum filiforme Merle Robboy | Roberta Fox |
POINTS | 3 pts | 2 pts | 1 pt | |
NOVICE | Cattleya Caudebec HybridVan Anne Phan | |||
CULTURAL AWARDWINNER—7 points | Phrag calurum Joe Rupp | Phyllis Prestia |

The majority got this one correct. It is a Phrag Kovachii. Thanks for participating and keep on the lookout for other polls and quizzes.What is the pictured orchid from the culture class email?Phrag Besseae10%Phrag Kovachii50%Phrag Warscewiczianum30%Just a pretty flower10%