Orchid Problems: What You Need To Know, Judy Bailey
2026-03-09 19:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | 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.

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

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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.

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.

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/

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.

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

Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society will present “Orchid Odyssey:”
2027-01-08 09:00 - 2027-01-10 17:00 | War Memorial Auditorium, 800 NE 8th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33304, United States
The nonprofit Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society will present “Orchid Odyssey:” 67th Annual Orchid Show & Sale, with dozens of vendors at the War Memorial, 800 NE 8th St. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304. Admission is $20 available at FLOS.org soon. Parking is free.
Show Hours

Friday: 9–11 AM VIP Early Shopping • 11 AM–5 PM Public
Saturday: 10 AM–5 PM
Sunday: 10 AM–5 PM

BUY TICKETS
T-SHIRTS COMING SOON

The 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 as we return to the Fort Lauderdale War Memorial.
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 Odyssey” 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.

The 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 War Memorial. 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 2027 “Orchid Odyssey” show, featuring expert judging by the West Palm Beach Judging Center of the American Orchid Society (AOS). This means hobbyists could potentially collect up to $2,000 in cash prizes spread over 20 categories please check the next page for details! So, bring your plants. They can be brought to the War Memorial on Thursday 1/8 from 3-7 PM and can be retrieved at the closing on Sunday at 5 pm.
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

James Mackey, Barefoot Orchids
2027-01-11 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Lutheran Church Social Hall, 1955 East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park, FL, 33306, United States
Jason Mackey’s fascination with orchids traces back to his childhood days spent alongside his great-grandmother, tending to her extensive collection. What began as a youthful curiosity blossomed into a serious passion in his twenties. Despite the ups and downs inherent in cultivating these exquisite plants, Jason’s devotion to orchids only deepened over the years.

Inspired by his familial ties and Floridian heritage, Jason decided to establish Barefoot Orchids. The name not only reflects his roots but also honors his great-grandmother, whose love for orchids passed down through generations, influencing both his mother and himself.

Jason will be bringing plants to sell to the meeting.
