Eron Borne: Orchid Viruses

Professionally, Eron is a pilot, but he is also a very diverse orchid grower and hobby breeder. He received his first orchid (a Cattleya) as a gift from his dad in 2002 and first started growing them hanging outside, on windowsills, and then under lights. His orchid collection really took off in 2008 after he built a greenhouse and now has about 1,000 orchids. He specializes in Phragmipediums and blue Cattleyas and has even done his own hybridizing with them. His most recent passion are the Vandas! Eron has won many show trophies for best grown plants and best flowers and has won the coveted Best Grown Plant and Best Flower in Show multiple times with his orchids. His orchids have also received numerous AOS awards to date. Eron is the 2020 recipient of the AOS James and Marie Riopelle Miltonia award and the 2021 recipient of the AOS Roy T. Fukumura Vandaceous award. He received the AOS Certificate of Meritorious Achievement in Orchid Education in 2023 and the AOS Team Award in 2024.

Eron is an AOS Trustee, the current Vice-Chair of the AOS Education Committee, Chair of the Southwest Regional Orchid Growers’ Association (SWROGA) Education Committee, a past President & Vice-president and current Webmaster & Editor for the Central Louisiana Orchid Society. He is also an AOS Accredited judge and Vice-chair of the Louisiana Judging Center in Alexandria, LA. In addition to Phragmipediums, Cattleyas, and Vandas, he is growing over 60 different genera in the same greenhouse, including Masdevallia, Dracula, Miltoniopsis, Restrepia, Zygopetalum, C. coccinea, and many other intermediate to cooler growing orchids. Eron loves sharing his passion for orchids with others. Eron currently lives in Harrisonburg, Louisiana along with his wife Anna, and his twin daughters Elizabeth and Julia.

Eron’s presentation is on the dreaded orchid viruses. He has done extensive orchid virus testing over the past 15 years both on his own, and using professional services. He has researched the subject extensively and compiled the PowerPoint presentation showing many symptoms and confirmed virus pictures. He eventually tested over 200 plants in his collection using professional ELISA testing services, home test kits, and also indicator plants.

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