Floral Reunion: Nancy and Charlie Munger Orchids
Nancy and Charlie Munger stand in front of the Munger Research Center at The Huntington. | © Don Milichi.
Nancy, who had served as a Huntington Trustee, introduced her husband to the institution several decades earlier and encouraged his affection for its vitality and future. Charlie became even more involved after Nancy’s death. Always generous, he adopted major projects that he was particularly fond of—notably the Munger Research Center, which has helped to manage the massive growth of the Library’s collections. He also helped to create an Education and Visitor Center that would engage public audiences. Most recently, Charlie provided a transformative gift of $40 million to create housing for visiting research fellows, fulfilling one of The Huntington’s longtime strategic goals. The communal space in this residential complex will be named for Charlie’s daughter Wendy, a stalwart Huntington supporter, adviser, and now a Trustee Emerita.
Charlie Munger “leaves a legacy that will benefit scholars and visitors for generations to come.” —Karen R. Lawrence
The reunion of Charlie and Nancy in floral nomenclature was made possible by Doug Overstreet, a Huntington orchid specialist who made a discovery during a 2018 visit to the Santa Barbara Orchid Estate. At the nursery, Overstreet noticed an orchid that he described as “an extraordinary flower and plant, very handsome, very unique.” His interest piqued, he asked nursery manager Paul Gripp about its registration status because there was no registered name on the tag. Gripp did not know who made the intergeneric hybrid (Epidendrum parkinsonianum x Rhyncholaelia digbyana) and could not recall when the plant came into the nursery’s collection—even though it had been growing there for at least 20 years. Because it grows slowly and cannot be divided frequently, it is a rarity. Gripp granted Overstreet permission to register a name for it in the future.
After a few years, Overstreet began the registration process. “I’m glad I waited,” he said. “When Charlie passed in November 2023, it seemed natural to register this plant in his honor to join the white Phalaenopsis grex Nancy Munger.” The Munger family agreed. So, in January 2024, the hybrid was officially registered as Rhynchodendrum Charlie Munger.
“We are deeply grateful for the Munger family’s remarkable commitment and generosity, which has allowed The Huntington to blossom and grow,” says President Karen R. Lawrence. “Charlie leaves a legacy that will benefit scholars and visitors for generations to come, and we’re delighted to honor him in our orchid collection alongside Nancy.”
From left: Phalaenopsis grex Nancy Munger and Rhynchodendrum Charlie Munger blooming in the orchid nursery at The Huntington. | The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.