Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society

2026 Annual Auction
2026-10-12 19:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | 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

Melana and Jim Davison, "Conversations with My Orchids"
2026-09-14 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 September 14th. The topic of the presentation is “Conversations with My Orchids” which should appeal to our novice and experienced members alike. 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.

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/

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

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!

Gabriel Cuesta, 'Standard Cattleya Hybrids and How They Came About'
2026-05-11 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Our May meeting will feature speaker Gabriel Cuest of Quest Orchids who will be discussing the development of major lines of standard Cattleyas hybrids (US), and the important contributions of species to those hybrids that form the bases for modern Cattleyas. He will also be explaining the approach used by hybridizers of the 19th through the 20th century.

Gabriel was born into the family orchid business in 1988. He grew up in a home on property adjacent to the Quest greenhouses and was brought up and taught in a hands-on environment from an early age. After graduating from SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) in 2014, Gabriel went full time into the Orchid business. He’s currently a manager at Quest Orchids where the Cuesta family has been growing plants since 1984.
In addition to his personal collection of plants, Gabriel oversees the care, maintenance, and hybridizing of Quest Orchids Cattleya collection.
Quest Orchids is located in the Miami-Dade Horse Country since 1994. Quest currently grows Cattleyas and many other varieties of orchids, including Vandas. They are located off the Turnpike, on exit 23, 12110 SW 43rd St, Miami, FL. Hours of operation are Tuesday – Saturday, 9:30 am – 5 pm.

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.

Luxury Coach Day Trip To Homestead Orchid Growers
2026-03-21 08:00 - 18:00 | Park at Catholic Health Services, 4790 N State Rd 7, Lauderdale Lakes, FL, 33319, United States
Itinerary:
Itinerary includes 4 Vendors stops (see below) with OFE hosting multiple orchid and plant vendors especially for our arrival
Snacks and water provided on the bus
Bring: your lunch for our Picnic lunch stop at RF Orchids
Please Bring: 1…Box or Crate with Your Name Printed Clearly (for your purchases)
Cost $50, payment due by Monday, March 9th
Contact Grace Boston at graceboston2010@gmail.com for questions

Buy Tickets

Orchid Problems: What You Need To Know, Judy Bailey
2026-03-09 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Judy has always been an enthusiastic plant aficionado and stumbled across her first orchid show more than thirty years ago while seeking a warm indoor respite during a particularly cold, snowy winter day in Northeast Ohio.
As a long time Master Gardener, both in Ohio and Florida as well as a Senior Judge with the American Orchid Society, Judy embraces opportunities to learn, share and teach plant knowledge, frequently speaking with many local South Florida orchid societies, garden clubs, botanical gardens and Master Gardener classes.
You are sure to find her at most local plant events and orchid shows as she continues to explore all things plant related here in beautiful South Florida while encouraging others to do the same.

Naoki Kawamura, Presentation on Coryanthes
2026-02-09 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
After a friend bought a house and requested a white Phalaenopsis as a housewarming gift, and mentioned a boutique orchid store in Portland, Oregon. Naoli visited the store and was overwhelmed by the variety of orchids, especially a multi-growth Paphiopedilum micranthum priced at $800. He left that day with only a white Phalaenopsis. A few days later, he returned to the store and purchased a Dendrobium for himself. As he began learning how to care for it, he also joined the Oregon Orchid Society to gain knowledge from other growers.
Although he did not buy the Paphiopedilum micranthum, he acquired his first green Paphiopedilum at a society meeting. With each monthly meeting he attended, more orchids came home from local vendors and speakers. Before long, his dining table had turned into an orchid table. Because of Portland’s cold winters, all of his orchids were grown under lights. They responded well to the environment, and he was able to rebloom them successfully.
Relocating to Florida had been a lifelong dream for him and his Partner, Mike, and it became reality when he accepted a National Sales Support Manager position in April 2017. Why Venice? They had never visited Venice before, but thanks to John Masters—whom they met through FOG—and his friend, a realtor, they managed to purchase their house without ever walking through it. His orchid collection was shipped to a friend in Orlando, who helped the plants acclimate to the Florida sun.
All of his orchids are now grown inside the pool cage, a completely different environment from what he was used to in Portland. He soon learned that even in Florida it can get too cold for Vandas. He embraced the challenge and continues striving to improve his growing skills.
He received his first two AOS awards while still in Portland. As of September 2025, he has earned 89 awards, including five FCCs and two CCEs. He is currently serving as a first-year student judge with the AOS Florida North Central Judging Center.

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.

Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society Show “Orchid Magic:” 66th Annual Orchid Show & Sale
2026-01-09 11:00 - 2026-01-11 18:00 | Charles F. Dodge City Center, 601 City Center Blvd, Pembroke Pines, FL, 33025, United States
The nonprofit Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society will present “Orchid Magic:” 66th Annual Orchid Show & Sale, with dozens of vendors at the Charles F. Dodge City Center, 601 City Center Blvd., Pembroke Pines. Admission is $15 available at FLOS.org soon. Parking is free.
VIP Early Shopping: 9 to 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 9 ~ $40
Show Hours:
11 a.m. to 6 pm Friday, Jan. 9
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 11The Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society’s annual show and sale is recognized as one of the largest and best juried orchid shows in the country. This highly anticipated show is filled with breathtaking orchid exhibits, exotic orchids and related items available for purchase. There also will be free orchid educational classes to help your plants thrive.Our amazing show and sale will feature thousands of rare blooms from around the world along with stunning displays at the Dodge City Center. This spacious state-of-the-art venue has loads of free parking and a covered area for drop off and pick up.This well-attended show will include a gathering of thousands of orchid enthusiasts, hobbyists, award-winning growers and hybridizers from around world. Growers will exhibit and sell thousands of orchids of every variety at this breathtaking public event. Vendors will create artistically designed exhibits following the theme “Orchid Magic” Orchid gift items, books, educational materials and orchid supplies also will be available for purchase. Society members will be on hand to answer orchid growing questions. Hourly prize drawings will add to the excitement. Food and drinks will be available for purchase.
Individual plant entries will be exhibited, along with displays from local orchid societies. Judges from the American Orchid Society will judge plants and exhibits, awarding ribbons and cash prizes. There also will be art displays from area elementary schools and a conservation booth as part of the societies mission to restore native orchids in South Florida in partnership with Fairchild Botanic Garden’s Million Orchids Project.
For media inquiries, or more information, please contact Publicity Show Chair. John Soto at jayso@aol.com.
The Ft. Lauderdale Orchid Society invites all orchid enthusiasts to participate in the prestigious orchid judging event at the 2026 “Orchid Magic” show, featuring expert judging by the West Palm Beach Judging Center of the American Orchid Society (AOS).
Whether you’re a seasoned grower or a passionate hobbyist, bring your best orchids to showcase their beauty and compete for exciting cash prizes!

Beautiful huge vendor exhibits
Local orchid society display tables
Raffles – win orchids!
Orchid artwork from local schools
International plant vendors
Potting and growing supplies
American Orchid Society accredited judging
Hospitality table – store plants, get help taking purchases to your car

Click here for Event Details
Buy Tickets-Coming Soon

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.

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.

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

Rafael Romero, "Brassavola Hybrids"
2025-08-11 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 Brassavola hybrids at our 7:30 p.m. August 11 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.

Overnight Spring Bus Ramble
2025-05-17 08:00 - 2025-05-18 19:00 | FL
An Overnight Bus Ramble! Join Us for a Fun-Filled Orchid Adventure!
The Ramble Coach fare is $160 per person
Bus Payment

Please reserve your hotel room lodging as soon as you can or by April 1st at the latest
Please let us know if you would like to share a room to defray costs. We will do our best to pair single, same gender members who would like to share lodging.

To reserve a Hotel Room please use the following link:

https://www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/flos-ramble-room-block/

Pack your bags and get ready for an unforgettable overnight bus ramble with the Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society! We’re heading on a scenic journey to explore stunning growers, visit unique nurseries, and enjoy special stops along the way.
FLOS Spring Orchid Ramble Stops

Visit Order
Vendor
City
Address

Pickup
Catholic Health Services
Lauderdale Lakes
4790 N St Rd 7, Lauderdale Lakes, FL 33319

1
Odom’s Orchids
Fort Pierce
1611 S Jenkins Rd,
Fort Pierce, FL 34947

2
Krull-Smith Orchids
Apopka
2800 W Ponkan Rd, Apopka, FL 32712

3
Orchids in Bloom
Apopka
2001 Rock Springs Rd, Apopka, FL 32712

4
ECUAGENERA USA
Apopka
3600 Plymouth Sorrento Rd, Apopka, FL 32712

Hotel
Hilton Garden Inn Apopka City Center
Apopka
580 E. Main Street Apopka, Florida 32703

5
Driftwood Garden Center
Estero
20071 S Tamiami Trail, Estero, FL 33928

6
Naples Botanical Gardens
Naples
4820 Bayshore Dr,
Naples, FL 34112

Dropoff
Catholic Health Services
Lauderdale Lakes
4790 N St Rd 7, Lauderdale Lakes, FL 33319

Dr. Courtney Hackney, ”Re-Blooming Orchids”
2025-05-12 19:30 - 21:30 | FL
Dr. Hackney is Emeritus Professor of Biology and the former Director of Coastal Biology at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida. Previously he was Professor of Biology and Marine Biology at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. Courtney began growing orchids in the Florida Keys in 1962, while working for a small orchid nursery. He has continued his interest in both orchid hybridizing and orchid culture since then. He grows many different genera, but his favorite is the Cattleya Alliance. He has about 500 mature cattleyas and even more seedlings, but his favorites are classic clones, some of which appeared in orchid collections over 100 years ago. He makes 10-15 hybrids and species sib crosses per year in various genera.
He wrote a Growing Tips column for 20 years, which ended in December 2013. Growing Tips appeared in newsletters around the country. He has also published in the Orchid Digest and Orchids. In 2004, he published “American Cattleyas”, the culmination of a decade of study and interviews with many of the “Orchid Greats”, which summarizes in old photographs and print how all of the modern cattleyas came to be. The book also describes what we know about cattleyas and cattleya hybrids, how to grow them, and what to expect from modern hybrids. During the past decade he has been researching the coerulea (blue) color form of cattleya species and hybrids, which was completed and published in 2018.
He is a member of the American, St Augustine, Jacksonville, and Cape Fear, NC orchid societies. During the Pandemic he has been hosting the monthly “Show Table” of the St Augustine Orchid Society via ZOOM, many of which are available on the society web site.
He and his wife Rose live in Jacksonville, Florida adjacent to a tidal swamp. Rose retired as a professional artist in 2017, but continues painting for fun. Epi magnoliae (conopseum) grows in trees of the swamp in his backyard. His orchids reside in a 24’x25’ Florida shade house adjacent to the swamp.
See preorder list below:
Dr Courtney Hackney May 2025 Price List

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

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.

Ron Kaufmann: 101 Ways to Kill an Orchid
2025-01-13 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Ron Kaufmann is chair of the American Orchid Society Conservation Committee and a founding director of the Orchid Conservation Alliance. Ron has been growing orchids for more than 25 years and has travelled extensively to view orchids in the wild in Asia and South America, particularly Brazil, Ecuador and Colombia. Ron is a marine biologist by training, and his scientific work includes studies of Antarctic and deep-sea ecosystems as well as marine communities in coastal Southern California. His orchid collection began with a reedstem Epidendrum and progressed to a diverse assemblage that contains mostly species orchids. Ron has a long-standing interest in conservation. He joined the San Diego County Orchid Society’s Conservation Committee in 1999 and became chair in 2004. Since 1991, the Conservation Committee has awarded over $285,000 to support projects in 24 different countries. Ron also helped to found the Orchid Conservation Alliance and serves on the boards of the OCA, Orchid Digest, and Fundación EcoMinga (an Ecuadorian conservation organization). Most of Ron’s orchids are grown in a 36 x 24 foot greenhouse and several outdoor shade-covered areas around his house in San Diego. Friends have suggested that he build a second, much larger greenhouse to accommodate the many plants that often make walking through his greenhouse an exercise requiring extensive training in gymnastics and yoga to avoid serious injury. Thus far, this recommendation hasn’t been followed, although the temptation is always there.

Home Ramble November 16, 2024
2024-11-16 10:00 - 15:00 | FL
FLOS Home Ramble
November 16
Sign up now for our exciting Fall Home Ramble. See how other FLOS members grow and display their orchids as we tour five members’ beautiful gardens. Join in the fun as we visit two gardens in Fort Lauderdale, two in Coral Springs and one in Weston. We will have goodies and snacks along the way, with a special get-together 🍷 at the last home. Carpooling is encouraged.
Cost: Free
When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 16
Sign up: At the library table or email GraceBoston2010@gmail.com
Questions: Grace Boston

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.

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.

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.

Keith and Dina Emig
2024-07-08 19:30 - 21:30 | FL
We are delighted to have Keith and Dina Emig, owners of Winter Haven Orchid Nursery in Winter Haven, present a program introducing us to flasking and some Vandaceous tips at our 7:30 p.m. meeting on July 8. 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.

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.

Redlands Orchid Festival Bus
2024-05-18 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
RAMBLE to the REDLANDS
What: Day Trip via Luxury Coach to the Redland International Orchid Festival
Who: FLOS Members and/or Guests
When: Saturday, May 18, 2024
Bus departs 8:00 AM Sharp
Where: Christ Lutheran Church Parish Hall, 1955 E. Oakland Park Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, Florida
How Much: $45.00
Please Bring: 1. Box or Crate with Your Name Printed Clearly. (for your purchases) 2. Bring your lunch, bottled water will be provided on board the coach.
Itinerary:1. Redland International Orchid Festival
2. Isaac Farms (on the way home) Orchids & Succulents NOTE: Price Includes Admission Plus a $5.00 voucher for orchid purchases, Bus will park near gate, no lines. Many Food Trucks and Caterers are on the site.
Contact: Capt. Allen Cogar call: 954.553.1351 or email: tacogar@gmail.com

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.

Jose Exposito, Growing Orchids in South Florida, a survival guide “Orchid Survival Guide”
2024-03-11 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Jose Exposito of Soroa Orchids in Homestead will present his “Orchid Survival Guide” at 7:30 p.m. March 11. Members will learn basic growing information with emphasis on water, light, air and fertilizing with tips on repotting and pest control. There will be a Q&A session at the end.
Jose, who founded Soroa in 1985, was born in Cuba and emigrated to America during the 1980 Mariel Boat Lift.
He is a well known grower who has won numerous awards for his Phalaenopsis breeding program. He is a senior judge of the American Orchid Society as well as a world lecturer who has given presentations at the World Orchid Conference in Brazil and Malaysia.
He is a past board member of the South Florida Orchid Society, past president of the East Everglades Orchid Society and the Coalition for Orchid Species. He also is the Orchid Curator at the Bonnet House in Fort Lauderdale.
Soroa Orchids, at 25750 SW 177th Ave. in Homestead, is a wonderful grower to visit. The front entryway is full of award plaques from the American Orchid Society.
Jose will be bringing plants to sell as well as supplying our raffle table.
