Mary Gerritsen PhD, Miniature Orchids and How to Grow Them

Mary Gerritsen currently works an independent biotechnology consultant, her “retirement” after a long career in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry. However, much of her free time now involves orchids in some fashion or another.

Mary has a large collection of miniature orchids, as well as numerous pleurothallids, paphiopedilum, bulbophyllum, and dendrobium species which she grows outside in one of three lath houses, or in one of her two greenhouses . In addition to growing orchids, Mary likes to see and photograph them in their native habitats, doing so in Australia, Papua New Guinea, Southeast Asia, China, various Mediterranean islands, Europe, Madagascar, South Africa, Mexico and other parts of Central America, many countries in South America, as well as various parts of the USA and Canada.  In addition to her interest in orchids and their habitats, Mary has written, with co-author and photographer, Ron Parsons, a number of books on orchids including Masdevallias: Gems of the Orchid World; A Compendium of Miniature Orchid Species; A Bay Area Guide to Orchids and Their Culture; and The American Orchid Society Guide to Orchids and their Culture. Currently Mary and Ron are working on a new four volume edition of the Compendium to be published in 2021 . Mary is the chief financial officer of the Orchid Conservation Alliance, serves on the board of directors of the Orchid Digest, and is a past president of the San Francisco and the Peninsula Orchid Societies.

Talk synopsis:

Miniature Orchids and How to Grow Them

Mary ‘s talk will cover one of her favorite topics, miniature orchids. After a brief introduction to the topic and cultural recommendations, she will present a selection of some of the most desirable species. Hopefully this will entice members of the audience to add some of these cuties to their orchid collections.