Southern Suburbs Orchid Society Inc.

Prosthechea prismatocarpa [Grower: V Hayes]

Encyclia Cochleata ‘Octopussy’ [Grower: T Liston]

Masdevallia Coccinea Litacina [Grower: M Caruana]

Cymbidium Vogels Magic ‘Waikanae’ Champagne Robin [Grower: A&J Randle]

Brassia Verrucosa [Grower: C Scerri]

Oncidium Banf Bicton Field [Grower: M Fraraccio]

Phalaenopsis [Unknown] [Grower: T Hill]

Dendrobium Gerald McCraith [Grower: E Kelly]

Dendrochilum Filiforme [Grower: S Craven]

D. Nobile ‘Cooksonii’ [Grower: J Derham]

Yes, as Alice Cooper once sang “School’s out for summer” and so is meeting in halls and other activities we were used to in pre-Covid19 days (but hopefully things may get better soon). But, that hasn’t stopped the members of Southern Suburbs Orchid Society from getting their cameras and camera phones out and taking photos of orchids from their collections and submitting them to our first virtual competition in January 2021.

We have never had a January competition before so it was fascinating to see what is in flower, in what is normally a very hot month. This is just a sample of the varied and quality entries we had.

• There were 42 entries in this competition and all are on display in the categories – Open, intermediate and Novice.

See all entries on our What’s Flowering in January 2021 page.

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Cattleya (Erin Kobayashi x walkeriana) ‘Plush’ [Grower: C&G Trainor]

Wilsonara Opalescent ‘Springtime’ [Grower: M Caruana]

Dendrobium ‘Kate’ [Grower: J Derham]

If you are looking for your astrological predictions for the month of January in 2021, you are on the wrong page! These stars are competition winners.

• Normally Southern Suburbs Orchid Society (SSOS) members do not show any flowering orchids in January as meetings usually resume in February. But, this does not mean that there are not any flowering orchids at this time of the year. In fact members submitted 42 entries over the three grower categories (Open, Intermediate and Novice).

Our members have voted for the most popular plants for January and the winners are:

OPEN: Cattleya (Erin Kobayashi x walkeriana) ‘Plush’ [Grower: C&G Trainor]
INTERMEDIATE: Wilsonara Opalescent ‘Springtime’ [Grower: M Caruana]
NOVICE: Dendrobium ‘Kate’ [Grower: J Derham]

Southern Suburbs Orchid Society:  Website | About Us |  Contact Us | Facebook | Twitter

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Apart from great flowering plants, meet some with great sounding names. Who would have thought to name a flower Dracula, Scallywag ‘The Crumpet’, Wildcat, Doo-Wop or even Measles? Then of course there is ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. Well, I don’t know, but…

‘Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide No escape from reality’

And in 2020, there wasn’t. In a far from normal year we have made it to December and let’s hope that 2021 is a much better year.

• SSOS only managed to hold two monthly meetings in 2020, the first in February and the following month – March.
• Our ‘normal’ life changed rapidly and after an Iso-Easter, SSOS introduced a Members-Only virtual voting competition in May, and at the time, we thought we would be running these for a couple of months.
• Now we have just conducted our eighth virtual competition (which included our Annual Spring Show in September).

The December competition gave members an opportunity to showcase plants in flower which we may not have normally seen at a meeting. Here are some examples from December’s competition.

Masdevallia Copper Angel x sanctae-inesae [Grower: C & G Trainor]

Sarc Highfields (Duno Nicky’s Twin x Kulnura Vibrance) [Grower: M Fraraccio]

Dendrobium Lichenastrum [Grower: J Derham]

Den Aussie Parade ‘Carrot Splash’ x Star of Gold ‘Boronia’ [Grower: M Caruana]

Den Bohemian Rhapsody [Grower: E Kelly]

Epi Purple Queen [Grower: L Bunning]

Rcls ‘Yellow Cascades’ x Sarc australis [Grower: T Hill]

Dracula sibundoyensis [Grower: C & G Trainor]

Cymbidium Scallywag ‘The Crumpet’ [Grower: S Craven]

Colmanara Wildcat ‘Red Star’ [Grower: V Hayes]

Laelia Coronet x Laelia Icarus [Grower: E Kelly]

Cym Cricket ‘Judith Anne’ [Grower: H Formica]

Cymbidium suave [Grower: T Hill]

Cym Doo-Wop ‘Dark Cherry’ [Grower: H Formica]

Cymbidium Lowianum ‘Compte de Hemptine’ [Grower: J Derham]

Cymbid Carisbrook Red [Grower: S Hill]

Cattleya Goldenzella [Grower: V Hayes]

Cym Picaninny ‘Measles’ x Sarah Jean ‘Vapour’ [Grower: M Caruana]

• You can view all the entries in our What’s Flowering in December page.

‘Nothing really matters, Anyone can see ….
Growing flowering orchids, Is the way to be!’

Southern Suburbs Orchid Society:  Website | About Us |  Contact Us | Facebook |Twitter

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Normally members do not show any flowering orchids in December as it is usually the night of our Christmas Party, but during COVID-19 restrictions, we managed to have our party at an external venue. We also managed to run another virtual voting competition. This gave members an opportunity to showcase plants in flower which we may not have normally seen at a meeting. These are this months winners.

Cattleya intermedia v. orlata ‘Crownfox’ [Grower: J Derham]

Den Nobile pink-white [Grower: J Summers]

Zygoneria (Memoria Peter Nelson x Adelaide Meadows) [Grower: C & G Trainor]

Novice: Cattleya intermedia v. orlata ‘Crownfox’ [Grower: J Derham]
Intermediate: Dendrobium nobile pink-white [Grower: J Summers]
Open: Zygoneria (Memoria Peter Nelson x Adelaide Meadows) [Growers: C & G Trainor]

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Orchids grow all year round so it is not difficult to find something flowering during every month of the year. At Southern Suburbs Orchid Society (SSOS), members grow a wide variety of orchids and seldom have difficulties finding something to bench each month. Here are some examples of what we exhibited in our monthly competition for judging in October 2020.

Our October virtual vote highlights include:

Cattleya sophronitis [Grower: M&S Early]

Lc. Intercepts ‘Cream Flash’ [Grower: T Liston]

Cymbid Ruby Valley [Grower: C Scerri]

Cymbidium Bedivere Highbury x Tom Thumb Calliope [Grower: C Scerri]

SLC Hazel Boyd ‘Elizabeth’ [Grower: E Kelly]

Sarc Fitzhart kwr x Lyn [Grower: H Formica]

Cymbidium crassifolium [Grower: S&M Early]

Cym. Sarah Jean Golden Showers [Grower: T Liston]

Cym Mary Green ‘Houston Street’ [Grower: H Formica]

Cymbidium Sarah Jean ‘Golden Cascade’ [Grower: M Caruana]

Blunt Greenhood [Grower: L Bunning]

Cym ‘Nickelodeon Queen’ [Grower: S Craven]

Cym Summer Breeze, [Grower: L Bunning]

Laelia Guerero [Grower: L Bunning]

Cymbidium Mary Green ‘Ruby Lip’ [Grower: S Craven]

Den Sweetheart [Grower: L Bunning]

Cymbidium First Dance [Grower: M Caruana]

Cymbidium Mary Green ‘Fruitful’ [Grower: M Caruana]

Den Yukidarima (softcane) [Grower: V Hayes]

Coelogyne cristata [Grower: T Hill]

Pleione Formosana [Grower: J Derham]

Cymbidium Burgundy Fury [Grower: M Fraraccio]

Cymbidium Templestowe’s Charm ‘Aidan’ [Grower: J Derham]

Dendrobium linguiforme [Grower: S Hill]

Cymbidium Ken Gorey x Borough Green [Grower: T Hill]

Cymbidium ‘(John John Fry x Jill) x (Miss Muffet) Tiddles [Grower: A&J Randle]

Cymbidium Wallacia ‘Burnt Gold’ x Uluru ‘Orange Delight’ [Grower: T Hill]

Dendrobium kingianum x unknown [Grower: A&J Randle]

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I don’t know, but ‘three’s not a crowd’ in our competition.

Members of the Southern Suburbs Orchid Society (SSOS) were this month eligible to submit images of their currently flowering orchids and to vote for their favourite flower in each of our growers sections in our October Virtual Vote competition. Here are the winners:

Sarcochilus falcatus [Grower: J Derham]

Cymbidium Mary Green ‘Fruitful’ [Grower: M Caruana]

Cym Mary Green ‘Houston Street’ [Grower: H Formica]

• Novice Section: Sarcochilus falcatus [Grower: J Derham]
• Intermediate Section: Cymbidium Mary Green ‘Fruitful’ [Grower: M Caruana]
• Open Section: Mary Green ‘Houston Street’ [Grower: H Formica]

View previous month’s winners during 2020 at our Judges vs People page.

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Den Bergen ‘St Albans’ x Australian Rose Beauty ‘Pink Delight’ 1st Prize INTER Australian Native Hybrid [Grower: S Craven]

Den Bergen ‘St Albans’ x Australian Rose Beauty ‘Pink Delight’ 1st Prize INTER Australian Native Hybrid [Grower: S Craven]

This beauty is Dendrobium ‘St Albans’ x Australian Rose Beauty ‘Pink Delight’.

• This was the 1st Prize Winner of Intermediate Section at the recent SSOS inaugural Virtual Spring Show, September, 2020.

To view all entries in our Spring Show visit our Entrant Section pages

NOVICE | INTERMEDIATE | OPEN

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Yes it’s true, Australian Artist cleans up awards. Dendrobium Australian Artist, that is!

Dendrobium ‘Australian Artist’ 1st Prize NOVICE Australian Native Hybrid [Grower: J Derham]

Dendrobium ‘Australian Artist’ 1st Prize NOVICE Australian Native Hybrid [Grower: J Derham]

Australian Hybrid Champion
Novice Section Champion
Reserve Champion

Three major awards for this Australian Artist in the inaugural SSOS Virtual Spring Show in 2020.

To view all entries in our Spring Show visit our Entrant Section pages

NOVICE | INTERMEDIATE | OPEN

Southern Suburbs Orchid Society:  Website | About Us |  Contact Us | Facebook | Twitter

“Where Friends Meet”