January Is Show Time for Orchids

Housing one of the country’s largest orchid collections, the Missouri Botanical Garden is home to more than 7,000 orchid plants. As visitors enter the St. Louis greenhouse complex where the collection is housed when not on display, they are greeted by an explosion of color, form and scent. In January, Just Add Ice Phalaenopsis Orchids and exotic orchids of every species reach blooming perfection, providing a feast for the senses. In St. Louis and across the country, botanical gardens and orchid societies are preparing to put their most beautiful orchids on display. January is show time for orchids!

In addition to breathtaking displays of exotic beauty, many orchid shows offer special speakers and presentations, orchid care classes, orchid photography workshops, and orchid clinics where novice, amateur and expert orchid enthusiasts can mingle to share and learn.

Below are listed some of January’s more notable American orchid shows. For complete information about each show, click the links provided. A complete list of orchid shows can be found on the American Orchid Society website.

• Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, North Carolina will host the North Carolina Piedmont Orchid Society’s annual Orchid Spectacular from January 14 to March 14. After you cruise the show, make a point to visit the stunning Orchid Conservatory. A tropical oasis, the charming five-story glasshouse is dedicated to the display of orchids and other tropical plants.
• Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, Missouri will hold its annual orchid show from January 29 to March 27. Set in a Maya-inspired landscape, the show will feature 800 exotic orchids.
• Tamiami International Orchid Festival in Dade County, Florida will be held on January 29 and 30. More than 50 U.S. and international orchid growers are slated to attend. Free lectures, classes and unique orchid arts will also be presented.