Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society

Florida’s Rare and Endangered Orchids, Prem Subrahmanyam
2022-07-11 19:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Native-orchid expert and award-winning photographer Prem Subrahmanyam will discuss
“Florida’s Rare and Endangered Orchids” at 7:30 p.m. on July 11.
Born and raised in Tallahassee, Prem is a software engineer, video game developer and 3-D
animator whose work has been featured in the PBS series “Florida, the Outdoor Adventure,” and
“Florida Takes to the Trails.” He has BS in computer science from Florida State University with
minors in physics, math and botany.
He lives in Orlando with his wife Joy. The couple have 15 children who share their father’s love
of slogging through swamps hunting orchids and geocaching wildlife and wildflowers around the
state.
Prem is an avid orchid collector whose photographs have appeared in national magazines,
textbooks, educational displays and orchid society newsletters and brochures. His works were
published in “Illustrated Dictionary of Orchid Genera,” “Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants,” on
OrchidSpecies.com and featured on PBS’ “Nova” science series. One of his stunning
photographs of an encyclia tampensis will grace the cover of our upcoming member directory.
He publishes photographs works, a trove of information on Florida natives and documents his
family’s adventures at flnativeorchids.premdesign.com. Prem will bring a variety of native
orchid merchandise to the meeting, including signed photographs, canvas art, T-shirts and
greeting cards.
– Doreen Christensen, Newsletter Editor

Segundo Cuesta: Growing Cattleyas in South Florida
2022-08-08 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Cattleyas are Segundo Cuesta’s passion.
The long-time Miami grower, who owns Quest Orchids with his wife Yolanda, will present “Growing Cattleyas in South Florida” at our monthly meeting at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 8. His program will cover culture, disease and pest control of the beloved plants.
Segundo started collecting orchids after graduating from Florida International University in 1980, and started hybridizing orchids in 1984. His goal was to make new crosses of compact cattleyas with art-shade tones which feature strikingly vibrant color combinations with contrasting lips.
Segundo and Yolanda founded Quest Orchids in 1994. While they specialize in Cattleyas, the couple also grow many orchid species, including Vandas, in their 50,000-square-foot greenhouse. Visit Quest at 12110 SW 43 Street in Miami off Turnpike exit 23. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays; QuestOrchids.net.

Roger Hammer: Orchids and other Wildflowers of the Fakahatchee Swamp
2022-09-12 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Roger L. Hammer
Roger Hammer is an award-winning professional naturalist and a survivalist instructor for the Discovery Channel’s reality TV show Naked and Afraid. He was the manager of the 120-acre Castellow Hammock Nature Center for the Miami-Dade County Parks Department for 30 years, retiring in 2010. He received the first Marjory Stoneman Douglas Award presented by the Florida Native Plant Society in 1982, Tropical Audubon Society honored him with the Charles Brookfield Medal in 1996, in 2003 he received the Green Palmetto Award in Education from the Florida Native Plant Society, and in 2019 he received the Florida Native Plant Society Mentor Award. Roger has given keynote speeches at Florida Native Plant Society state conferences as well as the 1984 and 2008 World Orchid Conferences held in Miami. He was also the opening speaker at the American Orchid Society’s 100-year anniversary celebration held at the Biltmore Hotel in Miami in 2021. In 2012 he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Florida International University.
Roger’s first passion with the flora of Florida was finding and photographing Florida’s native orchids, and during his travels he discovered two species of native orchids in Florida not previously known to occur in the state. In 1979 he discovered a population of atala butterflies, listed in 1965 as presumed extinct.
He is the author of Everglades Wildflowers, Florida Keys Wildflowers, Central Florida Wildflowers, Complete Guide to Florida Wildflowers, Attracting Hummingbirds and Butterflies in Tropical Florida, Exploring Everglades National Park, Paddling Everglades and Biscayne National Parks, and Florida Icons: 50 Classic Views of the Sunshine State. He lives in Homestead, Florida with his wife, Michelle.
Roger will Have his books for purchase at the meeting.

AOS judging at November 14 meeting
2022-11-14 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Can’t get to the regular monthly American Orchid Society
judging at the West Palm Beach Judging Center at Flamingo
Gardens in Davie? No problem! Judges will come to you at
FLOS’s Nov. 14 meeting.
AOS Judging centers offer outreach as part of its ongoing
commitment to demystify orchid judging. This service, both
practical and educational, is only available to AOS-affiliated
orchid societies. However, the public is invited to attend, and
can bring an orchid in for judging.
Teams of qualified AOS judges will be at the 7:30 p.m. meeting
along with the official AOS photographer. Clean up your best
plant and register it at 7 p.m.
There also will be an educational presentation on how the AOS
judging system works given by your scholarship recipient and
accredited judge Joan Connors.

“The Catasetum Alliance: a description of each genus and how to grow them”
2023-01-09 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Olivier is a hobbyist and orchids have become a passion/obsession for him. He focuses on species and primary hybrids (75% of his orchids) and grows many different genera but he is particularly fond of Catasetums, Trichocentrums and Stanhopeas.
Olivier has been a Board member of the Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society (FLOS) since 2020. He has been a monthly newsletter contributor at FLOS since 2018. He also started a YouTube channel two years ago called “Orchid House, Fort Lauderdale, Florida” which features growing tips for specific species or genera.
Olivier has received two AM/AOS & one FCC/AOS award from the American Orchid Society.
Olivier has a Bachelor degree in Finance and Economics and has been a Fort Lauderdale-based realtor since 2013.

Luis M. Ortiz Jordan B.S., M.S.E.M. "How to Grow Miniature Orchids in South Florida"
2023-02-13 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Our February featured speaker will be Luis Manuel Ortiz Jordan, an expert on growing miniature orchids.
Luis has been growing orchids for more than 20 years, since he was 12. He discovered his love for orchids after his grandfather gave him his first plant, Cattleya dowiana. When it bloomed, he was infected with the orchid virus.
Luis has a mixed collection of orchids with numerous awards from the American Orchid Society, but his passion lies in cool-growing miniatures. They can be a challenge to grow here in hot, humid, South Florida. Luis will give his best advice to help your minis thrive.
Luis is a research scientist at the UF-Scripps Biomedical Research in Jupiter. In April, he published a paper on Eurystyles luisortizii, an orchid he discovered in Puerto Rico.
To compliment his talk, we will have a rare opportunity to acquire some exceptional miniature orchids that can be grown in warm conditions from the Tarzane Group. If you would like to research them, here is the list of what will be on our raffle table: Bulbophyllum moniliforme. Bulbophyllum sanitii, Dendrobium senile, Haraella retrocalla, Psygmorchis pusilla, Pleurothallis picta, Dendrobium toressae, Leptotes pauloensis, Oberonia seidenfadenii, Barkeria palmerii and Lepanthes telipogoniflora.

I am excited to learn about growing these varieties and maybe winning one myself. Bring that cash!

Graham Ramsey: “Repotting with New Zealand’s Finest”
2023-03-13 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Our March speaker is Graham Ramsey, who will discuss “Repotting With New Zealand’s Finest.” His comprehensive lecture will cover using different orchid media as well as repotting and mounting techniques at 7:30 p.m. March 13.

Graham is an Asheville, North Carolina native. Like many orchid enthusiasts, his first orchid was a white Phalaenopsis purchased at the local hardware store. It wasn’t until Graham’s mother-in-law sent him home with 18 orchids from her Florida home that he realized there was more to orchids than white Phals.

With his daughter off to college and a mix of orchids to care for, he co-opted her bedroom and attempted to create the perfect growing space. That is, until his wife objected to the humidifying of the bedroom! So it was off to the basement to create a full-blown growroom and, eventually, a 600-square-foot greenhouse.
A friend of Graham’s mother-in-law, the founder of the Western North Carolina Orchid Society, insisted Graham attend a a WNCOS meeting. In no time, Graham joined the society’s board serving for six years as president. Currently the vice president, Graham has served for 10 years as show chair for the society’s annual Asheville Orchid Festival coming up on April 1-2.
During his orchid journey, Graham met his mentor and friend H.P. Norton of Orchidview. Next followed breeding and growing Phragmipediums, with a focus on kovachii influenced Phrags – one of Graham’s favorites.
After 18 years, Graham has a propagation lab, a new indoor growroom and a greenhouse with about a thousand orchids. He has registered eight new hybrids and received 36 American Orchid Society awards. Graham serves as a member of the AOS Membership and Marketing Committee and the Affiliated Societies Committee.
At this meeting, we will have Orchiata and tree fern mounts and media available for purchase at a significant discount.

Brian Spitler, Researching Your Orchid Background and Dendrobium Culture
2023-05-08 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Brian has been growing orchids for 25+ years. He is experienced in growing orchids in diverse climates including California’s hot dry deserts and coastal climate as well as the Midwest. His travels in locations such as Sweden, Brazil, Costa Rica, Japan, and Colombia allowed him to understand orchid growth in native conditions. As an American Orchid Society judge, he has visited many regional and international shows. He holds a Computer Science degree and works in the IT industry. As Past President of the Cincinnati Orchid Society he facilitated marketing and educational endeavors. They include online presence and payment systems, initiated and lead the Beginners Group, and a two weekend educational and society promotion endeavor via the local Home and Garden Show. He also led the creation of the restricted speakers fund targeted at financing the more expensive expert presenters. He feels these endeavors are vital to the future of societies. Having international orchid grower friends and visiting many growing facilities, he has developed knowledge of both the commercial and hobbyist market.

Keith and Dina Emig: Vandaceous…But Not Vandas
2023-06-12 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
We are delighted to have Keith and Dina Emig, owners of Winter Haven Orchid Nursey in Winter Haven, present a program entitled “Vandaceous…But Not Vandas” at our 7:30 p.m. meeting on June 12. Keith and Dina grow, hybridize and register plants in the Oncidium, Cattleya, Phalaenopsis, Vanda, and Dendrobium alliances, and have created their own genera (Emigara). They have received more than 45 American Orchid Society awards, so far, including nine for their original crosses. Keith’s orchid journey started with a trip to the dentist where, on the receptionist’s desk, was a small plant with three leaves and an inflorescence with twenty blooms suspended in a beautifully presented fashion. He learned the dentist was an orchid hobbyist who grew the multifloral Phalaenopsis. It was on. Orchid fever is infectious, and all possible information and plants were obtained. What resulted was a uncontrollable driving force of endless experimentation to better grow and flower these plants. There is no substitute for the company of other enthusiasts, with whom to share this fever. Soon the passion of combining the attributes of two beautiful plants, by cross pollinating, stimulated his imagination. A flasking case was built, and has been a fixture in their kitchen for over a decade. More than 1,000 seed pods have been flasked to date and it seems each season there is some new cross that has more exciting possibilities. Keith’s passion also drew him to the Ridge Orchid Society in Lakeland and the American Orchid Society, revealing the orchid world’s secrets. Keith has served on the board of directors of the Ridge Orchid Society for more than a decade, including at least seven terms as president. Be sure to check out Keith’s article “Luck of the Draw” in the March 2017 “Orchids Magazine” (p. 208).
We are excited that Keith and Dina will be sharing their growing knowledge, bringing their plants for our raffle table and selling plants at our meeting.

Rafael Romero, Schomburgkia hybrids
2023-07-10 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Rafael Romero will be sharing his extensive knowledge about Schomburgkia hybrids at our 7:30 p.m. July 10 meeting.
Rafael, a native of Caracas, Venezuela, studied for two years at the United World College of the Atlantic in 1978. He later graduated with a degree in biology from Universidad Simon Bolivar in 1984.
He started working with orchids in 1986 with his wife and her father, Henrique Graf, owner of the largest orchid nursery in Venezuela. In 2003, they moved to Sarasota, opening the 7,000-square-foot nursery Plantio La Orquidea (plantiolaorquidea.com) which specializes in warm-growing species and hybrids from all over the world. Because of political troubles in Venezuela, in 2015 they decided to open a small lab in Sarasota where they are now producing plants.
Rafael also will be selling plants at the meeting and supplying plants for our raffle table.

Jim Roberts: Summertime and the Growin' is Easy
2023-08-14 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Grower and hybridizer Jim Roberts of Florida SunCoast Orchids will be the speaker at our 7:30 p.m. Aug. 14th meeting. The topic will be “Summertime and the Growin’ Is Easy.”
It was in the college days of 1979 when Jim first encountered orchids during a routine doctor’s visit.
While there, Jim noticed a large cattleya on the desk. He asked the fateful question: “What kind of flower is that?” To which the physician laughingly replied, “You do NOT want to know!” A short story by the doctor about his all-consuming hobby ensued and within two days he had gotten two orchids of his own.
During his college years in Northfield, Minnesota, he was put in charge of the St. Olaf greenhouse and its repository of orchids. Jim knew little about the plants but read everything he could get his hands on.
After graduating, he moved to St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands where he happened upon a sidewalk sale by the local orchid society. Jim joined the group, learned much about growing in a tropical arid environment, and about the native orchid species. He won his first American Orchid Society award for Encyclia bifida ‘Loves Favor’ AM/AOS.
After leaving the island three years later, he found himself trying to take 10 boxes of plants through customs back to Minnesota. Little did he know that the customs encounter would be the easiest part. It was a totally new experience trying to grow plants in a cold Midwestern state. Many plants did not survive. But many did, and Jim learned that orchids actually could be grown quite successfully in the stifling environment of a house surrounded by ice and snow.
During those years in Minnesota, he worked in the horticulture industry, served in various capacities with orchid organizations and lectured at many garden clubs.
He also had the privilege of traveling extensively around the United States, Europe and Hawaii for his career, visiting all of the major orchid nurseries. It was during this time that he started to turn this avid hobby into a small business.
In 2001, Jim moved to Florida with a small collection of plants and his dream of operating an orchid nursery became a reality. He currently grows the beauties in three gutter connected greenhouses encompassing 10,000-square-feet of growing space near Myakka City, near Sarasota. Visit his website at floridasuncoastorchids.com.
Jim also will be providing plants for our raffle table and bringing an assortment of plants to sell.

Larry Cox, "A Slipper Collection for South Florida"
2023-09-11 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Larry Cox acquired his first orchid, a cattleya, in 1972. His second was a paphiopedilum, Paph. Maudiae ‘Magnificum.’ The cattleya is long gone, but he still has a piece of the paph. When he began with paphs, he commonly heard, “You can’t grow those in South Florida,” but the first one lived and bloomed, and the paphiopedilum collection continued to grow. In the mid 1980’s most of the other orchids were sold or given away, all for the love of paphs. In 1989 he moved from his South Miami residence to a more spacious property in the farming district of southern Miami-Dade County where he built his dream greenhouse of 3000 square feet. He has suffered setbacks, such as hurricane Andrew in 1992, but with perseverance and with the discovery of new paph species ,and the consequent new hybrids, Larry’s love of paphiopedilums has been renewed over and over again. In 1983 Larry won his first AOS award for Paph. Maudiae coloratum ‘Elektra’ AM/AOS, one of the first vinicolors. Since then his orchids have earned sixty AOS awards, including five FCC’s.
Eighteen years ago, Larry retired from thirty-seven years as a teacher, the last fifteen teaching Advanced Placement high school English . He now spends his time reading, traveling, maintaining his property and, of course, growing paphs. Larry has experimented with other orchid genera and has found success with lycastes, phragmipediums, and pescatoreas. He has even rediscovered the wonder of cattleyas, particularly species.
We will have our orchid meeting Monday, September 11, featuring Larry Cox. He will be speaking on slipper orchids that are suitable to grow in South Florida. He has his own collection that have been raised at his home in Miami. You have an opportunity to reserve your plant before the meeting as seen in the list below.
The plants are mostly divisions from his collection. He cannot bring all the orchids but will be glad to reserve plants. Just drop him an e-mail with the name of the plant and preferred price if there is a range. His e-mail address: lawcox@bellsouth.net
Brassia Rex ‘Tahoma’ AM/AOS – $30 (established on a log)
C. intermedia orlata ‘Crownfox’ AM/AOS – $45 (6” pot) supposed to be from the original plant
C. trianae ‘Mary Fennell’ HCC/AOS – Japanese breeders were able to meristem this classic clone, and I obtained a seedling some years ago. Good grower and bloomer. $50 (4 back bulbs and 1 new to bloom in season)
I grow the following lycastes with cattleyas.
Lycaste Agnette ‘Elektra’ AM/AOS (Lyc. macrobulbon x Lyc. schilleriana) – $35, 1 new, several old growths)
Lycaste macrobulbon – largest flowered of the yellow/orange lycastes, warm grower. $40, 4 new growths to bloom, $35 2 new growths to bloom
Mexipedium xerophyticum – $35, 5” pot with several growths
Paphiopedilums
Paph. randsii – rare striped multifloral – $35, 3 growth division
Paph. concolor – $35 multi growth, $20 single growth; easiest of the brachypetalums, yellow
Paph Linda Booth ‘Nike’ HCC/AOS (Paph. chamberlainianum x Paph. St. Swithin) – $50 6” pot in bloom; $35 5” pot
Paph Linda Boot h, a different clone – $40 6” pot; $25 2-growth plant
Paph. Andronicus ‘Nike’ AM/AOS (Paph. rothschildianum x Paph. Victoria-regina) – $50, 1 old, 4 new growths
Paph. praestans $35, $30
Paph. philippinense $35, $30
Paph. HoneY ‘Nike’ HCC/AOS (Paph. philippinense x Paph. primulinum) – $35, $30, both multi -growth
Paph. exul – $40, $35, both multi-growth. Give good light.
Paph. Rolfei ‘Nike” AM/AOS (Paph. bellatulum x Paph. rothschildianum) – $40, several growths. Reluctant bloomer, but worth the wait.
Paph. Starr Flies ‘Nike’ AM/AOS (Paph. Maudiae x Paph. St. Swithin) – $60. This is truly spectacular from an unusual hybrid, vinicolor multifloral. Blooming size division.
Paph. Susan Boot h (Paph. rothschildianum x Paph. praestans) – $45, $30, $25; free blooming dark flowers from praestans var. bodegomi
Paph. Delrosi (Paph. rothschildianum x Paph. delenatii) $30 – several growth divisions, pink flower
Paph. Betty Burkham ‘Elektra’ HCC/AOS (Paph. Edna Ratcliffe x Paph. lowii) $35 – 1-growth division, blooming size
Paph. Black Diamond ‘Elektra’ HCC/AOS (Paph. delenatii x Paph. fairrieanum). $30, 2 growth division
Paph. chamberlainianumd – $35, 2 growths, 1 in flower
Paph. glaucophyllum – $45, large with 3 bloom spikes; $30, several growths
Paph. liemianum – $40, 3 growth division
Paph. Sander’s Pride ‘Elektra’ HCC/AOS (Paph. sanderianum x Paph. stonei) – $50, 2 old growths, 2 new growths. Has the long ribbon-like petals of sanderianum
Paph. Sander’s Pride ‘Nike’ AM/AOS – $60, several growths
Paph. Shin-Yi’s Pride ‘Nike’ AM/AOS (Paph. Michael Koopowitz x Paph. rothschildianum) – $40, several growths
Paph. Leeanum ‘Marshall’ AM/AOS (Paph. insigne x Paph. spicerianum) , AOS awarded 87 points – $50, 6” pot full of growths, has the warmth tolerance of P. spicerianum, large flowers with huge dorsal
Paphiopedilum Astraea (Paph. philippinense x Paph. spicerianum) $35, 6” pot, many growths. Multifloral with big white dorsal
Of course, we will have our spectacular raffle table, including some plants from Larry’s collection. Don’t forget your plants for ribbon judging!

Dave Off, Picture Perfect
2024-01-08 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
For our first program of the New Year, we are honored to have Dave Off from Waldor Orchids be our speaker. He will present “Picture Perfect,” an informative talk on how to look at flower presentation and color at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 8.
Dave was born into the family orchid business in 1979. He grew up in a home on property adjacent to the greenhouses and was taught in a hands-on environment from an early age. He currently is a manager at Waldor Orchids (Waldor.com) in Linwood, New Jersey, where the Off family has been growing plants since 1925.
In addition to his personal collection of several thousand plants, Dave oversees the care and maintenance of Waldor’s renowned classic Cattleya collection.
Dave will supply orchids for our raffle table, and also be selling his beautiful plants.

Tony Millet, GOOD GROWING….the BASICS and WHAT IT TAKES
2024-05-13 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Tony Millet’s mom started started his growing career at a very young age, growing everything from seed. Growing up in Brooklyn NYC, his orchid growing career delving into cool, intermediate and warm types. Having the experience of growing in underground cold frames to an above greenhouse did set the tone for his new semi-retirement growing style. Presently he is growing under plastic covered lathe houses South Florida style (open on all sides) to include a small greenhouse for early seedlings. The early childhood experience of growing from seed set the tone for his own orchid hybridizing program.
He breeds and grows unusual hybrids in the large cattleya alliance. He performs all flasking activities, lectures and teaches He is an AOS judge. Many of his hybrids have been AOS awarded and are one of a kind, meaning not cloned or meristemed. His present growing goal is to impart warm tolerance to some of the cooler growing colorful hadro laelias now cattleyas. Enjoy natures best…Orchids.

Melana and Jim Davison from Jim-N-I Orchids
2024-06-10 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Jim and Melana Davison, American Orchid Society
Accredited Judges who have an extensive and diverse
orchid collection, will speak at our next meeting at 7:30
p.m. on June 10 about brassavolas. Many of
these species are familiar to us and grow very well here.
The couple are not only involved in caring for their
orchids, but also are active in several South Florida orchid
societies and are past presidents of three. Jim’s appreciation for orchids stems from his scientific background as a Nuclear Chemistry Manager at the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant in Homestead. Melana is more interested in the aesthetic qualities of orchids, especially the ones that look
strange and other-worldly. She owns her own orchid
maintenance business and is known as “The Orchidiva.”
After Jim retired, they opened their own retail
nursery, Jim-N-I Orchids. They travel the show circuit,
selling their Florida-grown orchids. Their also
daughter joined the crew.
Jim and Melana will have orchids on hand for sale and also will
provide orchids for our raffle table.

Olivier Turina, Stanhopeas
2024-08-12 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Olivier Turina moved to Fort Lauderdale from his hometown Brussels, Belgium in 2005 to join his husband Tommy and he started growing orchids in 2013 after attending the Fort Lauderdale Orchid Show where he discovered “Paradise” and got the “orchid bug”. It has since become a true passion/downright obsession of his.
Olivier is a hobbyist with a collection of 450+ orchids. He focuses on species and primary hybrids and grows many different genera with Catasetums and Stanhopeas being his top favorites but in reality, there are few orchids he does not like…..
Olivier has been a Board member of the Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society (FLOS) since 2020. He has also been a monthly newsletter contributor at FLOS since 2018. He gives lectures on various subjects and he also started a YouTube channel in 2019 which has now over 3,200 subscribers and close to 300,000 views. It is called “Orchid House, Fort Lauderdale, Florida” and it features growing tips for all sorts of orchids.
Olivier has received seven awards from the American Orchid Society: one FCC, four AM, one CCM and one HCC.
Olivier has a Bachelor degree in Finance and Economics and spent the first part of his professional life in the corporate world in finances (banking and financial analyst); he has been a Fort Lauderdale-based realtor since 2013. He speaks 7 languages.

Christine Morales, 'Guarianthe aurantiaca and its influence on Cattlianthe.'
2024-09-09 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Christine Morales is an Associate Judge with the West Palm Beach Judging Center as well as an American Orchid Society Trustee. A Miami native, she is a development consultant who enjoys travelling, yoga and the arts. She and her husband, Alex, love sharing their home with orchids, other flora and fauna including their dogs, cats, turtles, fish as well as neighborhood songbirds. They belong to Ft. Lauderdale Orchid Society, enjoy exhibiting their orchids and have received 13 AOS awards between them.

Academically, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in French and Political Science and is a LEED Accredited Professional as well as FGBC Designated Professional for Building Design and Construction. Considered a subject matter expert in municipal compliance of redevelopment within emerging neighborhoods, she has been instrumental in the success of countless transformative projects and events within neighborhoods such as Miami’s Wynwood Arts District. She is fluent in French and Spanish.

Francisco Miranda, Miranda Orchids: Brazilian Orchid Habitats - the Amazon
2024-11-11 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
A taxonomist, naturalist and orchid grower, Francisco travels extensively in the U.S. and internationally speaking at orchid-related events and meetings. He has been doing this since 1988, while still living in Brazil. The subjects of his presentations reflect Francisco’s extensive travels to study orchids in their natural environments.

Miranda Orchids started in 1999 and is a nursery specializing in growing mainly selected Cattleya alliance species. In a sense, it is a continuation of Boa Vista Orchids, a nursery we ran in Brazil from 1986 until we moved to the U.S.A. Many of the plants available are produced in our lab and nursery in Central Florida from our extensive collection of stud plants. The rest we bring from Brazil to increase variety and novelty. Being native Brazilians, and having had a nursery for many years, we know that there is a lot of development in Cattleya species being done there. This is mostly because a lot of those species are native from Brazil (including all the bifoliate cattleyas) and because these plants are favorites of growers there.

Carlos Cahiz, 'Tips and Tricks of Orchid cultivation in South Florida'
2025-03-10 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Got orchid problems? OFE’s Carlos Cahiz has answers
Carlos A. Cahiz , who runs OFE International Orchids & Supplies, will hold an interactive discussion about frequent problems we encounter with orchid cultivation in South Florida at 7:30 p.m., Monday, March 10.
You won’t want to miss our general meeting to learn his “Tips & Tricks of Orchid Cultivation.”
Potting time has arrived, and Carlos will cover multiple topics to help us identify frequent problems and offer potential solutions to improve our growing. Subjects will include fertilizing, watering, treating problem insects, as well as using pesticidesand fungicides. We encourage participation, so bring photos of any issues you may be experiencing so he can help diagnose your problem.
Carlos is a native of Valencia, Venezuela, and is a past president of the South Florida Orchid Society. He graduated from the University of Kansas in 1989. In1990, he joined his family orchid business in the Redland, working with brother Chris. His first big test as a manager was to deal with the devastation leftbehind by Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
Many of you have visited OFE on our Redland rambles and know that there is always something new happening. OFE’s has an expanded product line of chemicals and potting supplies and has orchids and tropical plants for sale, too.
Carlos lives in West Kendall with wife Amanda, their son and various adopted dogs, birds, turtles and, of course, orchids and tropical plants. He says his growing approach can be distilled into two simple ideas: Tender neglect and listening to your plants.
OFE’s is at 17899 SW 280 St., Homestead; ofeintl.com; 305-253-7080. Carlos will bring supplies for purchase after his presentation. With his help, your orchid collection soon will be bursting with blooms.

Lady Vanda, Serena Roman, The beautiful world of Vandas!
2025-04-14 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
The beautiful world of Vandas!
Serena Roman, aka Lady Vanda of Lady Vanda Orchids will hold an interactive
discussion about vanda cultivation in South Florida at 7:30 p.m., Monday, April 14th. Spring has arrived in South Florida and how better to celebrate than diving deep into the showy world of Vandas! Lady Vanda will cover multiple topics to help us cultivate healthy, beautiful vandas focusing on watering, fertilization, light, temperature to promote healthy roots, leaves and of course the gorgeous flowers! As always, we encourage participation as the presentation is intended to be interactive.
Serena was always drawn to nature and plants but her love for orchids truly blossomed through her grandmother’s extensive Phalaenopsis collection and it was she who gave Serena the nickname Señorita Vanda and Señorita de las Orquideas. Serena’s husband encouraged her to start the business and Lady Vanda Orchids was born.
Lady Vanda Orchids is located in Homestead FL , (ladyvanda.com) where their mission is to help both seasoned enthusiasts and newcomers start, grow, and enjoy their very own orchid collections. The business is built on offering a diverse range of high-quality orchids. From popular vanda hybrids to rare miniature species, all plants are blooming
size—most of which have already bloomed several times and are well established. Plants are a combination of imports and those grown from flasks purchased from reputable growers and hybridizers with a focus on bringing unique new orchid crosses to the market, especially vandaceous intergenerics.
Lady Vanda will be bringing a nice selection of plants for sale so plan to spend time perusing the colorful selection.
– LEN EMORY Program Chair

Juraj Kojs, Developing an Orchid Collection
2025-09-08 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Developing an Orchid Collection. A practical guide to building a collection based on personal preferences, culture and microclimate knowledge
Dr. Kojš will reveal his secrets for curating a personalized orchid collection tailored to South Florida’s unique environment. Recently honored as an accredited AOS judge and boasting over 60 awards from the American Orchid Society, he combines artistic creativity with botanical science to transform your approach to orchids. In his talk, he will cover essential principles for building a collection, focusing on how to balance personal preferences with growing conditions and care needs.
Dr. Juraj Kojš is an Associate Professor of Professional Practice at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, where he combines his passion for music and orchids in innovative ways. He is the creator of Orchid DNA Music project and the founder of the FETA Foundation, which promotes experimental and interdisciplinary art forms. Dr. Kojš’s works have been commissioned by prestigious organizations such as The Knight Foundation, The Quiet Music Ensemble, Miami Light Project, Meet the Composer, Harvestworks, Miami Theater Center, Miami Live Arts, Deering Estate, and Vizcaya Museum & Gardens.
In addition to his musical achievements, Dr. Kojš is an accredited American Orchid Society judge. He is the past president of Coalition for Orchid Species and a board member of Miami Beach Orchid Society. In 2024, he chaired the Orchids & Arts Festival at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden. He has received over 60 awards from the AOS to date. His multifaceted career reflects a unique blend of scientific rigor, artistic creativity, and a deep love for orchids. www.kojs.net

Rich Ackerman: "What’s in a Name?"
2025-11-10 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Rich Ackerman has lived in Fort Lauderdale for almost forty years, where he has grown a wide variety of plants. His current interest is Florida native orchids. He caught the orchid bug attending the World Orchid Conference in Miami in 2008.
Rich works closely with UF/IFAS Extension, Broward County, where he is a Florida Master Gardener Volunteer, serves on the Urban Horticulture Advisory Board, and is leader of the Broward County Native Orchid Project. Through a partnership with Fairchild Tropical Botanic Gardens, they are restoring native orchids in the urban environment, installing several thousand orchids every year. He also runs browardnativeorchids.com.
He is former President of the Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society and retired from Broward College in 2018. His work career focused on software research and development, along with project management in computer and library information sciences.
This introductory talk will help you understand the basics of orchid naming. From the tag in a pot you can tell whether the orchid is a species or a hybrid, and a whole lot more.
Rich will also have a selection of plants for sale including native species.

December 19, 2025 – Holiday Party
2025-12-19 18:30 - 22:30 | Coral Ridge Yacht Club, 2800 Yacht Club Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33305, United States
Our annual Holiday Party will be held on December 19th at the Coral Ridge Yacht Club. Enjoy a relaxing evening together with your FLOS friends.

Hors d’oeuvres & Cocktails, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Bang Bang Shrimp Skewers
Beef Wellington
Kosher Franks en Croute
Kosher Franks en Croute
Chicken Satay
Ginger Hoisin Chicken Satay
Bruschetta
Dinner and dancing 7:30 – 10:30 p.m.
Music and entertainment all evening

Meal Description:
Greek Salad: Romaine, Cucumbers, Tomato, Feta, Kalamata Olives, Red Onion, served with a Greek Dressing
Choice of Main Course:
Mahi: Pan Seared, topped with Red and Yellow Tomato Ragout, finished
with a Leon Basil Beurre Blanc, served with Buttermilk Whipped
Potatoes and Steamed Asparagus with Carrots
Chicken Marsala: Seared Chicken Breast, Wild Mushrooms in
Marsala Wine Sauce, served with Buttermilk Whipped Potatoes,
Steamed Asparagus and Carrots
Filet Mignon: Pan Seared, topped with Haystack Onion Curls, Cabernet
Compund Butter Sauce, served with Buttermilk Whipped Potatoes
and Steamed Asparagus with Carrots
Vegetarian Option: TBA
Dessert: German Chocolate Cake
Beautiful Orchid to Take Home

We hold this Holiday Party instead of a regular meeting in December. Everyone gets an orchid!
$130 per person

The Coral Ridge Yacht Club is located at 2800 Yacht Club Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale.

Claire Garrett: Rio Negro Orchid Adventure with the Orchid Conservation Alliance
2026-01-12 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Claire Garrett has been a member of the Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society since 2011 and has received one FCC (91 points), one HCC, one CCE (92 points) and five CCM awards from the AOS for the orchids that she grows in her backyard in Hollywood. She has an eclectic collection of species and hybrids ranging from the tiny Dendrobium peguanum to the oversized Myrmecophila christinae. She especially loves fragrant orchids. Claire attended the 2024 World Orchid Conference in Taiwan, and traveled to Papua New Guinea in August 2025 to discover orchids in the wild with the Orchid Conservation Alliance under the leadership of intrepid guide and OCA President Mary Gerritsen. She hopes to return to the Amazon in 2026 for another repeat the Orchid Conservation Alliance’s trip on the Rio Negro River in Brazil.

In May 2023 Claire went for the first time on one of the Orchid Conservation Alliance’s many “Orchids in the Wild” Ecotours. This trip took a small group of orchid lovers to the Rio Negro River in the Brazilian Amazon onboard the Otter, a three story riverboat. Several times every day, and also often at night, people climbed into motorized canoes to explore the treetop canopy in search of orchids. This presentation gives an overview of some of the many orchid species, such as Cattleya violacea and Epidendrum nocturnum that were observed blooming there at that time of the year. Welcome aboard to vicariously experience this trip of a lifetime! In June 2024 Claire returned there once again and saw some additional orchid varieties in bloom at that time.

Keith and Dina Emig – Winter Haven Orchid Nursery, Fun Cattleya Species You Can Grow
2026-04-13 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Keith Emig’s Orchid Bio Keith’s orchid journey all started with a trip to the dentist where, on the receptionist’s desk, there was a small plant with three leaves and an inflorescence with twenty blooms suspended above in a beautifully presented fashion. When asked, the receptionist replied that the dentist grew this orchid, and he was an orchid hobbyist. This multi floral Phalaenopsis captured Keith’s attention and it was on. Orchid fever is infectious, and all information and practice plants acquirable were obtained and the endless experimentation to better grow and flower these plants was a driving uncontrollable force. As the passion grew, joining our local orchid society and the American Orchid Society opened the orchid world’s secrets. There is no substitute for the company of other infected souls, with whom to share this fever. Soon the passion of combining the attributes of two beautiful plants, by cross pollinating, stimulated the imagination. The flasking case was built and has been a fixture in the kitchen for almost 20 years now. Over 1000 seed pods have been flasked to this point and it seems each season there is some new cross that has more exciting possibilities than anything before. Keith and Dina have now registered plants in the Oncidium, Cattleya, Phaleanopsis, Vanda, and Dendrobium alliances, and have created their own genera (Emigara). In recent years they’ve enjoyed going to judging and seeing everyone’s beautiful plants and bringing their own plants. They’ve been excited to received over 70 flower quality awards, so far, including 9 awards on their original crosses. In August 2024 Keith became a student AOS judge. It has been a great pleasure, for Keith, to have served on the board of directors of the Ridge Orchid Society for over a decade, including at least 7 terms as President. The highlight is the fellowship of the membership and sharing the passion of orchids with the orchid community. Be sure to check out Keith’s article in the March 2017 Orchids magazine (pg 208). It is titled Luck of the Draw. We can be found on social media at fb.com/whorchids and IG.com/wh_orchids
We are excited that Keith and Dina will be sharing their growing knowledge, bringing their plants for our raffle table and selling plants at our meeting.

Julien Baruch- Krull Smith, Introduction to Bulbophyllums
2026-06-08 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Julien Baruch is an accredited judge for the American Orchid Society at the Florida-North Central Judging Center and has grown orchids his whole life, but became more serious about them in 2014 after joining the Sarasota Orchid Society. Julien went on to intern at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Gardens for The Million Orchid Project before moving to Apopka to work at Krull-Smith where he manages their sales, website, and social media and works with Frank Smith on the nursery’s hybridizing.

Julien Will be bringing plants for purchase along with some plants for our spectacular raffle!

Orchid Bingo
2026-07-13 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
ORCHID BINGO is back! We will kick things off with a yummy summer potluck and then get down to B-I-N-G-O business!
What better way to celebrate the dog days of summer than having an indoor picnic surrounded by orchids? We ask each member to please bring a dish — entree, appetizer or dessert — to share. We plan on eating at 7:30 p.m. during announcements. Then, our annual big Orchid Bingo event will begin.
Here’s how it will work:
Bingo cards will be available for purchase when you arrive: $20 for 6 or more games and 1 bonus game card. Please bring cash to purchase bingo cards. Prizes for winners of each game will, of course, be wonderful orchids, and we have a great array of very cool plants to award. Please bring bingo ink daubers if you have them (we will provide them if you don’t). We will explain all the details about how Orchid Bingo will work while we eat.
In order to get in as many games as possible, there will be no orchid judging this month. New membership/renewals will not be processed at the meeting either. As always, memberships can be managed at FLOS.org/membership, and Membership Chair Rich Ackerman will be available to answer questions.
We look forward to seeing you at Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale.
Mary Jo Frick
Program Chair

Phillip and Liz Hamilton - Bredren Orchids
2026-08-10 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
https://www.bredrenorchids.com/

2026 Annual Auction
2026-10-12 19:00 - 22:00 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Auction Rules and Etiquette
Our annual auction will be at 7 p.m. Oct. 12. This fun night happens just once a year.
This is our nonprofit society’s annual fundraiser, so get ready to bid on hundreds of interesting, hard-to-find orchids. We will offer blooming plants from your favorite growers and member donations. Money raised helps underwrite a variety of functions, such as the holiday party.
Here’s how the auction works:

The bidding gets started at 7 p.m., not at our regular 7:30 meeting time. Registration begins at 6:30. Arrive early to sign in preview plants you’re interested in bidding on.
There will be no ribbon judging. Bring only your donations.
Walk-in donations for the auction are welcome. Drop off your much-appreciated contributions at the donation table beginning at 5 p.m. Make sure plants are properly tagged and include a description of blooming color and season. Other items, such as orchid growing supplies, artwork and books, are also appreciated.
Pick up your numbered bidding paddle after registering. When you are ready to leave, collect your bill from the tabulators, and pay at the exit.
We will provide snacks and drinks, so you won’t need to bring in any food items.
Please bring a cardboard box to hold your purchases. We want to keep the carpeting clean
We could really use your help setting up. Please arrive at 5 p.m. as there will be hundreds of plants to bring in to the church social hall. If you can stay after the auction and help us get the room put back in order, that would be wonderful.
Click on catalog below, updates will be made up until auction day.

2026 Catalog Coming in October
Happy bidding!

Mary Jo Frick, Program Chair
Please send any questions to mjfrick@chsfla.com. We will not be able to answer questions during the auction.

Action starts at 7 pm
Be ready to bid
Auctioneer will confirm final bidder and price
Sales are final, no shipping

AUCTIONEER
TBA

DONATIONS
Many thanks to our vendors who supply fabulous plants to supplement those donated by FLOS members
R.F. Orchids
Jim n I OFE
Soroa
Broward Orchid Supply
Florida SunCoast Orchids
Mickey’s Orchids
Green Barn Orchid Supplies
Mac’s Orchids (aka Asian Orchid Source)
Quest Orchids Springwater Orchids
Red Hawk Nursery
Greenhouse Orchids
R and R Orchids
Allen Black, Renowned Hobbyist Hybridizer
