August 2016 General Meeting – Harold Koopowitz

Harold KoopowitzThe Palomar Orchid Society is welcoming Harold Koopowitz for a presentation on “Understanding color in orchid flowers.” Aside from being a well-known lecturer in the orchid circuit, Harold has been honored by being a recipient of the Herbert Medal from the International Bulb Society; the Orchid Digest Medal for meritorious service to orchids; the Ralph B. White Medal from the Royal Horticultural Society for innovations in daffodil breeding; the Gold Medal from the American Daffodil Society and the Gold Medal from the American Orchid Society as well as the Westonbirt Medal from the Royal Horticultural Society for outstanding achievement with orchids.

Harold grew up in South Africa where he attended university, majoring in both Botany and Zoology. He then completed a doctorate at UCLA in California in 1968. A professor at the University of California at Irvine since graduating, he was also the Director of the UCI Arboretum for twenty years. Harold is now Professor Emeritus of Biology in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UCI, where he did research on conservation and ecology. 

He is Editor Emeritus for Orchid Digest, which he edited for ten years and still works on the editorial committee of that Journal. 

He gardens in Tustin, Orange County, California and is well known internationally for breeding both Slipper Orchids and Miniature Daffodils. Harold has written over a hundred scientific papers and book chapters. He has also authored eight books. His most recent orchid book is Tropical Slipper Orchids and he is currently working on several new books, including Topics on Slipper Orchids and The Autumn Flowering Daffodils. 

Harold also writes novels and short stories that have orchid themes, Orchid Tales is a compendium of short stories all featuring the characters George and Matilda. Diamonds and Disas is his first full length adventure novel. He is currently working on a new novel George and the Emerald Orchid. All proceeds from these novels go to fund Orchid Digest. Harold will have some copies to sell at the meeting and will even sign them if you wish.

The plants for the opportunity table will be an interesting collection of orchids from Kalapana Tropicals.