HANAPEPE — Carol Kanna’s large exquisite orchid specimen greeted patrons to the Spring Fantasy Orchid Show and Sale at the Hanapepe United Church of Christ on Friday. “If I were a voting judge, I’d give it the ‘Best in Show,’”
HANAPEPE — Carol Kanna’s large exquisite orchid specimen greeted patrons to the Spring Fantasy Orchid Show and Sale at the Hanapepe United Church of Christ on Friday.
“If I were a voting judge, I’d give it the ‘Best in Show,’” said Neill Sams of Orchid Alley. “It’s definitely deserving.”
The judges agreed, presenting Kanna the Best in Show award for her large “Lc Gold Digger’s Fuch’s Mandarin” specimen which filled a large pot to near capacity.
“I have another one,” Kanna said. “This one (which won) was in a shadier place and looked better so I just brought it out.”
The show stopper anchored the display of orchids from local growers who also offered a variety of plants, both blooming and non-blooming, for orchid afficionadoes.
Dennis Olivas, born and raised on Kauai’s Westside, returned home from California to be the show’s plant doctor, answering questions about plant health as well as offering demonstrations on various aspects of orchid growth.
“I started orchid growing a long time ago,” Olivas said. “My first orchids was when I did a Future Farmers of America project at Waimea High School. Since then, I now have a 3,000-square foot greenhouse in California which has more than 15,000 plants from around the world.”
Olivas said he belongs to 15 different orchid societies and has traveled around the world speaking about orchids. Friday’s show was hosted by the Garden Island Orchid Society.
Sams, while not having as many plants, was proud of the specimens he submitted for judging.
“The cold weather has been wonderful for the Paphiopedilum this year,” Sams said. “This is probably the best year I’ve had for them.”
His ‘Paph. lowii x lowii bea5’ was awarded a Blue Ribbon by the judges, the only Blue Ribbon award in the paphiopedilum class.
Koloa grower Al Sugano was concerned about the weather, noting how his phalaenopsis, or moth orchids, were not as open as those from Orchid Alley’s.
“Mine are just opening now,” Sugano said. “Neill’s are fully open. I’m wondering if there is that much of a difference in Koloa from Kapaa.”
Sugano, however, earned a Blue Ribbon for his ‘P. Maki Watanabe’ specimen, the honor further enhanced when the specimen also earned Best Pink Phalaenopsis accolades.
In addition to orchid talk, the GIOS Spring Fantasy Orchid Show and Sale offers orchid crafts, and other orchid-related pieces. The show continues Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free to the public.
