Dennis was born on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. As a child, he helped his mother and aunt grow their orchids and got hooked. He joined the Future Farmers of America, and his project was raising and selling these beautiful and exotic plants. In 1980, he moved to the mainland and swore off orchids, but not for long, as he went to Rod McLellan’s Acres of Orchids in South San Francisco. From there, his whole life became one downward spiral. First, he filled his home with upwards of 6,000 plants. Later, he leased greenhouse space for his ever-burgeoning orchid collection. Glutton for punishment, his collection grew to overflow that 3,000 sq. ft. greenhouse in Half Moon Bay.

In November of 2013, with the help of close friends from the Bay Area, Napa, and Fresno, Dennis moved his obsession to a greenhouse in Daly City. A whole new ball game of learning how to raise orchids, still without heat but in an area that gets more sun and higher temperatures, with good water year-round. That original 3,000 sq. ft. greenhouse space has since expanded to 5,500 sq. ft.

Dennis has been the President of the Peninsula Orchid Society, San Francisco Orchid Society, Diablo View Orchid Society, and Santa Cruz Orchid Society. He is an accredited judge of the American Orchid Society. Dennis belongs to over 14 orchid societies and tries to assist them whenever possible.

Members of DVOS are invited to a no-host, pre-meeting dinner with our guest speaker, Dennis Olivas. We will meet for dinner at 5pm on Thursday, May 8th at:

Yan's Garden

2223 Morello Ave

Pleasant Hill, CA

This restaurant is a 10-minute drive from the meeting venue. If you wish to attend, please RSVP to dvosshowandtell@gmail.com by 5PM Wednesday, May 7th so I can make reservations.

It’s that time again. Please send in your dues for next year so we can continue to keep DVOS going.

There are two easy ways to pay- electronic or good old snail mail. See the instructions below.

Get those dues in so that DVOS can continue to be the society we all depend on.

Electronic submission of DVOS dues:

https://forms.gle/3FzHywMkM7o1hrSJ9

Electronic payments can be made at:

http://bit.ly/40tnpje

Mail in the submission of DVOS dues:

1. We ask for the following LEGIBLE information:

• First Name
• Last Name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Address

2. Write a check for $30, payable to Diablo View Orchid Society.

3. Mail the check along with the information indicated above to:

Maggie Woo

PO Box 492

Danville, CA 94526

You will be notified by email of the receipt of funds and the membership form.

Dear Orchid Friends,

Spring is here—and with it, a burst of blooming orchids and, yes, a little hay fever. Thankfully, none of us are allergic to orchids! This is the perfect time to take stock of your collection, tidy things up, and consider dividing your plants. If you have overgrown or hard-to-grow orchids, why not think about sharing them? Not only does our society benefit from plant sales, but so do fellow members, and it's a great way to make space for something new.

We’re also fortunate to have Dennis Olivas of D&D Flowers as part of our orchid family. With his wealth of experience as a hobbyist, commercial grower, and AOS Judge, Dennis brings a rare depth of knowledge. His upcoming talk, “Everything You Want to Know About Orchids,” is like an Orchid 101 crash course—perfect for growers of all levels.

Speaking of judging—have you ever wondered what goes into awarding orchids? It's a fascinating and rewarding journey. As a student AOS judge myself, I can say that it doesn’t require a huge time commitment—just two days a month—but it offers a world of knowledge in return. You’ll learn from experienced mentors, deepen your understanding of orchid varieties and species, and even gain insight into preparing and scoring plants for presentation. My journey recently led me to research Cattleya pumila, examining its traits and how they influence hybrid offspring. The learning never stops!

If you're curious about what it’s like to be part of the judging world, I’d love to chat. You’re even welcome to attend an upcoming orchid judging session—just reach out!

Here’s to a season full of growth, learning, and gorgeous blooms.

Warm regards,

George Su
President
Diablo View Orchid Society

Henry and George present the Show and Tell plants to a rapt crowd!

Aerangis hariotiana

(synonym Microterangis hariotiana)

Grown by Mara Kauffman

Mara brings in a beautiful miniature Aerangis that you don't see very often. It is native to the Comoro Islands (between Madagascar and Mozambique). It grows in humid forest near sea level. Mara grows this plants indoors in Oakland in a south facing window.

Cymbidium NoID

Grower Sonya Provasnik

Sonya brought in a beautiful Cymbidium NoID. These plants can grow outside in our climate as long as you protect them from frost in the winter. Provide bright, indirect light, maintain a temperature range of 50-75°F (10-24°C), ensure good air circulation, water thoroughly when the potting mix is dry, and fertilize regularly during the growing season.

Masdevallia Prince Charming

Grower Mara Kauffman

Mara brings in a beautiful Masdevallia hybrid. It is a primary hybrid of Masdevallia angulata and Masedvallia veitchiana. This plant likes low to dappled light conditions. It should be able to grow in cool to warm temperature and like to remain moist. Mara grows this plant outdoors in Oakland.

Dendrobium NoID

Grower Sonya Provaznik

Sonya brings in a beautiful Dendrobidum NoID. This is a nice specimen with fine substance. This plant should be able to grow in conditions similar to Dendrobium kingianum which means it should be able to grow outside in our area as long as you protect it from winter rains and frosts.

Ophrys scolopax

Grower Henry Shaw

Henry brought in a beautiful terrestrial orchid from Greece. Ophrys scolopax blooms in the spring then looses its leaves and goes dormant for the summer. In the fall, leaves come back and it gets ready to bloom again the next spring. This plant can grow outside in our area as long as it is protected from too much winter rain. Henry grows it outdoors in San Ramon

Paphiopedilum appletonianum

Grower Chen-Hao Hsu

Chen-Hao brought in another one of his beautiful Paphiopedilum species. This species is native to Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. In nature it grows in dappled light and warm conditions (66- 75°F

at night) but Chen-Hao grows it outside in San Jose.

Dendrobium papilio 'Sue Davis'

Exhibitor Chen-Hao Hsu

Chen-Hao brought in another beautiful species from Asia. Dendrobium papilio is native to the Philippines. They grow in mossy forest trees at elevations of 4600-7200 ft above sea level. In nature they enjoy dappled light and warm conditions (66- 75°F at night) with ample water all year. Chen-Hao grows this plant outside in San Jose all year round.

Phalaenopsis Tying Shin Fly Eagle

Grown by Linda Castleton

Linda Brought another one of her Phalaenopsis hybrids. Novelty Phalaenopsis hybrids can be difficult to grow but Linda seems to know the secrets. They like low light conditions and hot temperatures (75- 85°F at night) . Linda grows this in her house.

Ansellia africana

(synonym Ansellia gigantea)

Grower Phyllis Aurther

Phyllis brought in a beautiful species that is native throughout tropical Africa. These plants are temperature tolerant, growing in cool to warm conditions (58- 75°F at night), bright indirect light and they like to be kept moist when actively growing. Phyllis must have plenty of room because these plants can get very large!

Cymbidium NoID

Grower Marcia

Marcia brought in a beautiful Cymbidium NoID. These plants can grow outside in our climate as long as you protect them from frost in the winter. Provide bright, indirect light, maintain a temperature range of 50-75°F, ensure good air circulation, water thoroughly when the potting mix is dry, and fertilize regularly during the growing season. Marcia grows this plant outdoors in Concord.

Dendrobium speciosum

Exhibitor Henry Shaw

Henry gets points for lugging in this beautiful Australian Dendrobium. It is perfectly happy growing outside with his Cymbidiums. It appreciates a dry rest in the winter.

Dendrobium Specio-kingianum

Exhibitor Diane Bond

Diane brought in a hybrid of two of our favorite Australian Dendrobiums. Dendrobium Specio-kingianum

is a hybrid of Dendrobium speciosum and Dendrobium kingianum (I know- not very imaginative hybrid name...) It makes a large, fragrant show in the spring. It is perfectly happy growing outside with her Cymbidiums. It appreciates a dry rest in the winter.