TALK DESCRIPTION: Sobralias are beautiful reed like plants with exquisite flowers yet

are not common in many orchid collections. This presentation will enlighten the hobbyist

about this genera, the species and hybrids, where are they are from and how to grown

them. Don’t be surprised if you feel the need to have a few in your collection after

seeing an array of these stunning plants and how easy they are to culture.

BIO:Deborah’s interest in orchids was sparked by a trip to Hawaii and has been under

their spell for over 30 years. She started with a few plants and her mixed orchid

collection expanded exponentially with the construction of a greenhouse in 2014. She

joined the Windsor Orchid Society in 2013 to gain more orchid knowledge and found

herself in the Presidents position six months later. She is very active member of the

WOS, involved in fundraising and publicity and has recently taken on the role as Show

Chair.

She is an Accredited judge in the AOS judging program at the Great Lakes Judging

Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan and enjoys presenting and educating audiences about

orchids. She was the recipient of the Orchid Digest Diamond Award in 2016 and invited

speaker to the WOC Tainan in 2024.

Academically, Deborah has a degree in Chemistry and spent her first years of work as a

researcher in medical microbiology and infectious diseases at both the University of

Calgary and Foothills Hospital in Calgary, Alberta. She recently retired from St. Clair

College in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, where she taught chemistry for over 28 years.

She now has time to enjoy her passion for orchids, gardening, photography and trave