Do you like orchids? Did you know that Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties are home to two species of native orchids?
According to Doug Jenzen, executive director of the Guadalupe Dunes Center, they aren’t the type of big and colorful flowers you’ll see at the grocery store, yet they are still important enough to be included in the nature education that Jenzen teaches thousands of school kids each year.
Starting on Friday, April 1, the Five Cities Orchid Society hosts ORCHID Foolery, the 21st annual Central Coast Orchid Show and Sale, which will be held at the South County Regional Center in Arroyo Grande. The three-day bonanza highlighting the flower is part of a fundraiser for an education program at the Dunes Center that focuses on nature, Jenzen said.
The Dunes Center is a nature history museum based in Guadalupe. According to Jenzen, this is the fourth year the Dunes Center has been featured at the benefit.
“The fundraising component allows us to raise money for our elementary school program where I teach kids about nature,” Jenzen told the Sun. “It teaches about 10,000 kids each year through in-class education and field trips. It’s a do-good thing for the community.”
Although the show and sale event doesn’t actually start until Saturday, April 2, there will be a preview benefit held for the Dunes Center April 1 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets to the benefit are $50. Wine, hors d’oeuvres, and live music will be included that night, as well as a silent auction and an awards presentation.
Attendees of the opening benefit will also get first dibs on orchids for purchase.
The show opens up to the public on Saturday, April 2, and Sunday, April 3, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., respectively. General admission tickets are $6, although you can get $1 off by presenting the festival’s advertisement featured in the Sun’s sister paper, New Times. Admission includes a door prize ticket.
Kids 12 and younger get in for free.
A variety of orchids, as well as orchid literature and supplies, will be on sale. During the show, orchid culture re-potting demonstrations will be held, and plant specialists will be on hand to provide information to enthusiasts.
As far as the native orchids are concerned, Jenzen said you could find one species growing along creeks and riverbeds. Considered one of the most abundant species of orchids, the stream orchid (Epipactis gigantea) is native to western North America and its range includes territory as far east as Texas and Oklahoma, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
According to efloras.org, the stream orchid, also known as the giant helleborine, is one of the most abundant species of orchids of the Pacific Coast.
There is a patch of them growing near Lopez Lake, Jenzen said.
Tickets for the April 1 benefit are for sale online at dunescenter.org. For more information, call 343-2455 or 801-6850.
Highlights
On April 20, Santa Barbara County Association of Governments Public Affairs and Public Information Manager Gregg Hart will speak during a public forum to give an update on the Highway 101 expansion. The forum is hosted by the Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce and the Committee to Improve North County and will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Pea Soup Andersen’s in Buellton located at 376 Avenue of the Flags. There is an admission fee of $20 for chamber members and $30 for non-members. For more information about attending the event, contact Jennifer Harrison at register@santamaria.com call the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce at 925-2403.
Staff Writer David Minsky wrote this week’s Biz Spotlight. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, email, or mail.
This article appears in Mar 24-31, 2016.
