January 2021 – Ron Parsons (online presentation)

Ron ParsonsOur first Joint POS/SDCOS Zoom meeting of the year will be on Tuesday, January 5th at 7:30 pm and feature Ron Parsons. Ron is well-known to many of our members since he has spoken to our society several times. On Tuesday, he will present to us a new talk on ‘Orchid Rarities and Oddities’. This talk features some of the strangest and rarest plants in the orchid family, and includes both terrestrial and epiphytic species. The majority of terrestrial orchids are not in cultivation, and many of those shown were photographed in nature. Most of the epiphytic species presented are in cultivation, and though some may be relatively common, others are not, but hopefully all will inspire awe.

Ron Parsons has been growing orchids for more than 45 years, and has been interested in species orchids for most of that time. Ron loves to photograph orchids and most other flowers whenever he can, whether it be on trips to see them in nature or in collections. He loves to travel to see orchids in the wild, and does so as often as possible. Ron has more than 80,000 digital images, most of which are of orchids, and still retains a slide library that exceeds 100,000 botanical images. He has 4000 published photos that have appeared in magazines, periodicals, journals and books. 

Ron has co-authored four botanical books, all with Mary E. Gerritsen. The first two, published by Timber Press, are Masdevallias, Gems of the Orchid World and Calochortus, Mariposa Lilies and their Relatives. The third book, a large, luxurious, 18.5 pound, two-volume set, A Compendium of Miniature Orchid Species was published by Redfern Natural History Productions in January of 2014, and has 1200 pages, 1800 photos (1600 are his), and features 500+ species in detail with many others included for comparison. In 2019, The American Orchid Society Guide to Orchids and their Cultural was released, and is on its third printing. Currently, Ron and Mary are working on a second edition of A Compendium of Miniature Orchids Species, which will have over 1100 new photos including photos of nearly 500 species not in the first edition. There will now be four volumes and more than 2600 photos, with up-to-date text revision and taxonomy. Ron willingly shares his knowledge about plant habitats and suggestions for culture with all who are interested. Follow him on flickr , or visit his website flowershots.net.