CLUB NEWS 2026
In place of regular newsletters, this section of the website will feature club activities and news of orchid interest.
Shown here is club member Robert Bannister's greenhouse in Des Moines. He grows amazing Phalaenopsis and supports our club with plants for shows and fund raising events.
Summer blooming Orchids grown by EIOS members
Marcia Whitmore's Dendrobium lyonii
Three weeks ago I noticed a couple of spikes popping up from a leafless pot. It was my gorgeous Dendrobium! After it finished blooming I divided it into two pieces and repotted both. Every day I check to see if any green growth has started. So far nothing has happened.
I have had this plant for a long time. About five years ago it produced lots of spikes and flowers. Then it dropped all its leaves and the pseudobulbs shriveled. I thought it was dead. But instead of throwing it in the compost pile, I set the pot in a back corner of a southeast bench and forgot about it.
Marcia
I loved my Dendrobium lyonii so much that I painted it! .
Dendrobium lyonii is an orchid now known by its accepted scientific name [Dendrobium treacherianum] (or [Epigeneium lyonii]), native to the high forests of the Philippines and Borneo. It features small, angled pseudobulbs, leathery leaves, and fragrant summer flowers.
Orchids by Sharon & Jean
Sharon shared these three beauties:
Left top to bottom - LC Lucy Chuha ‘Hot Hot’ x Bactria ‘Grape Wax’
Phal Jiuhbao Sweetie x Talkin Red and Slc Mahalo Jackection bottom left corner.
Jean presented this Zygopetalum hybrid:
Galeopetalum Arlene Armour “Conching”. She’s having a moment!! Love her.
More Beauties
Carmen's Phals in bloom in Sumner. great as long as can keep cool.
Two classic Cattleyas; Lavender Slc Mahalo Jack and C. Hawaiian Wedding Song grown by Jon our President !
Club Activities and news
Pictured here is Awarded Bc. Morning Glory "Doc's Treasure' to Central Iowa Society member Maria Federova, plant from EIOS member Robert Bannister. awarded at Speaker's Day Julyof 2026.
President's Message for Fall
I am writing this note on a day when I feel as though I am living at the equator. The heat index is presently 105 on this beautiful day. I always wondered what it would be like to grow my orchids in the tropics, now I know.
A big Thank You to all that submitted photos of their blooming plants to share. Interesting to see what is blooming in this heat.
The Orchid Show and Meeting Season will be upon us soon. I hope you will enjoy the meetings and speakers we have scheduled for the season. Copies of the schedule will be available at the Sept meeting.
Mark your calendar for our fall Orchid Show. It is Oct 23-25 at the Radisson Hotel, same as last year.
If anyone would like to provide refreshments for our Sept 10th meeting, please contact me. I will have a sign up sheet for the rest of the year at the meeting. Thanks.
Our Meeting season begins with Steve Gonzalez Sept 10th, presenting 'Preparing Your Plants to Display at a Show' and determining what Class to enter your plant for judging. Steve is one of our Judges from the Chicago Judging Center.
Oct 1st will be our Plant Auction. If you are transplanting and/or dividing plants, please consider donating a division to the auction. A huge Thank You in advance.
Take care. Hope to see you in September! Jon Lorence
May June Meetings
Cheryl Erins presented via Zoom the program and officers were elected for 2026-27.
June: Nile and Lois Dusdieker hosted a picnic at their home that was well attended.
Fall Orchid Events
Our September meeting will be all about setting up orchid displays and what makes a good one! The meeting is just before we go to the Wisconsin Show in Milwaukee. Maybe we can pickup some tips! Below how we set our Racine display this year.
How to set up an orchid display
First: size up where the exhibit will be placed in the show.
Our display at the Racine WI show, 3/26
Next setup the tables and staging.
Cover the staging with black drape getting ready for the orchids
Sort the orchids by color and feature plants
Arrange orchids so each plant has its own space and blends nicely with surroundings.
WA-LAA! all done. We got a first place ribbon. Nile and Lois and Jeff and Jim shown here.