Awarded Paphs from Rod McLellan Co.

[Ross]

In doing research with OrchidWiz and AQ Plus, I've run across several plants that were awarded and grown by the Rod McLellan Co. in the 60's and 70's, that I'm interested in acquiring divisions of. Does anyone know of a way to contact the company that works? Are there other individuals that might have divisions from the collection?

 

[Candace]

I have at least one awarded cattleya division from them. I thought they sold their orchid nursery quite a few years ago. I'm thinking in the 80's for development purposes???

 

[Roy]

I think Candace is right. McLellans closed years ago.

 

[rdlsreno]

Taisuco bought Rod McLelland and they have a farm at Gilroy. The still produce paphs hybrids. Once a year they open their gates to the public. They are so whole sale.

Ramon

 

[Candace]

Yes, I went to one sale there about 4 years ago. Very disappointing. I also toured their paphs and they still had some, but not many. Being that they are wholesale only, this sale is really the only way to buy plants from them. And when I got there, it was 99% of the typical "stuff" you find for sale in grocery stores etc.

 

[Ross]

Does that mean all the fine awarded complexes they had were lost? Shipped to Taiwan? Sold piecemeal to the public? I have made attempts to contact the company such as it exists today, but got only one reply, which was from the fertilizer division, saying that they could not help me, but giving me another email address. I got no response from that address.

One specific plant I am looking for is Paph Noyo 'Button' AM/AOS.

Thanks for the responses.

 

[paphlady]

Rod McLellan Company used to produce many quality plants when Rod himself was alive. They had great hybridizers like Bob Jones, Frank Fordyce and Herb Hagers working there during their heydays. In addition to the nursery, they used to have a stall at the San Francisco flower market (not sure if they still have this). They sold the property in South San Francisco in the 1990s and made their Aromas/Watsonville nursery (which they bought many years earlier) the headquarter. Around that time, they started to strictly produce plants more suited for the general public and no longer cater to orchid hobbyists. Taisuco bought the business about 7-8 yrs ago and has kept it pretty much the same since the relocation.

Bob Jones bought a lot of Rod McLellan Company's breeding stock after he left and started Mount Madonna Orchids. In the early 1980s, Dr. Mustafa bought Mount Madonna Orchids' collection and started A&P Orchids.

If you're looking for a particular old clone, you might want to check with A&P Orchids or ask other private collectors. Good luck!