Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society

Francisco Miranda, Miranda Orchids: Brazilian Orchid Habitats - the Amazon
2024-11-11 19:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | 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
