Orchid Events - 2025 Monthly Meetings
We normally meet on the first Tuesday of each month. The main meeting begins at 6:30 with a plant sale followed by a review of the show table plants and presentation by an orchid expert. The meeting closes with a plant raffle where members can expand their collections. Members bring their orchids for display on the monthly show table. If you have some divisions or extra plants you would like to share, feel free to put them on raffle table. It's fun and informative for beginner and experienced growers. Join us, visitors and guests are always welcome!When: First Tuesday of Each Month at 6:30 pm
Where: Memorial Lutheran Church, Enter Hall from Back Parking Lot
3375 US 1 South, St. Augustine
January 7 - Vandaceous... but not Vandas
Keith Emig, Winter Haven Orchids
Keith will talk about other varieties in the vandaceous alliance besides the vandas and ascocentrums we all love to grow. More unusual vandacous orchids include the Aerides, Angraecoids, Neofinetias, Renantheras and Rhynchostylis.
February 4 - Restoring Florida Native Orchids
Mike Sands, Tangled Roots Nursery
Mike will speak about the repopulation of native orchids and other epiphytes in Palm Beach County. Mike and his partners are passionately invested in bringing them back to healthy numbers and restoring the orchid paradise that once graced Florida’s wild spaces – who knows, maybe you can help by growing native orchids in your own yard!
March 4 - Brassavolas and their Hybrids
Claude Hamilton, Hamlyn Orchids
tentative dateClaude will talk to us about the different Brassavola species and some of their many hybrids. These mostly star shaped flowers are night fragrant, with native habitats ranging from Mexico, Central America and the West Indies into South America.
April 1 - Orchid Pests and Diseases
Sue Bottom, St. Augustine Orchid Society
tentative dateSue will talk about the different kinds of problems you may occasionally have with your orchids, from cultural issues to pests and diseases. Many times you might suspect the problem is disease or pest related, when in actuality a slight change in your cultural habitats can eliminate the problem.
May 6 - Bifoliate Cattleyas
Ben Oliveros, Orchid Eros
Ben will talk about bifoliate cattleyas, those beautiful cattleyas that bloom in the spring and fall with clusters of flowers. You can learn a lot from this expert grower about how to grow your orchids to be the best that they can be.
In the last 20 years, he has won over 200 awards on his plants. He will talk about how to grow your orchids to their full potential. 
June 3 - Beautiful, Unique and Weird Orchids
Nicholas Rust, RustyExotics Orchid Nursery
Nicholas will discuss over 30 different genera, including common ones like Phalaenopsis and Cattleya to the lesser-known like Porpax and Coryanthes. He will aslo define "what is an orchid" to explain how the vast and bizarre variation of flowers could all possibly be orchids. Lastly, there is loads of cultural information and some "tips and tricks" to becoming an award-winning orchid grower.
July 1 - Epicatts
Jim Roberts, Florida SunCoast Orchids
Jim will talk to us about Epicatts, those hybrids between Encyclias and Cattleyas that produce charming sprays of colorful flowers on tallish stems. Jim strives to grow and sell the best quality orchid plants, building a lasting reputation in the industry as one of the very best.
August 5 - Mounting Workshop
SAOS Members, St. Augustine Orchid Society
This mounth we are hosting a mounting workshop, where SAOS members will be available to assist you in selecting a plant that will work well on the mount of your choice. We'll have a variety of different genera to choose from as well as different materials to mount them on. You'll go home with a new plant or two, for a $10 donation.
September 2 - Summer Blooming Phal Breeding
Phillip Hamilton, Bredren Orchids
tentative datePhillip will talk about growing the summer novelty phalaenopsis with lots of practical information on the does and don'ts, as well as pests and diseases. He will show us pictures of the results of his novelty breeding, phals with colorful, often fragrant flowers and lovely foliage.
October 7 - Growing and Flowering Better Cattleyas
Courtney Hackney, Hackneau Art & Orchids
tentative dateCourtney will talk about growing and flowering your cattleyas to perfection. Cattleyas are Courtney's favorite orchid, and he has been creating better hybrids for years. He'll talk about how best to grow your cattleyas to get the best blooms.
November 4 - Becoming an 80 Percentile Grower
Fred Clarke, Sunset Valley Orchids
Learn about the underlying reasons of how and why orchids grow as they do. Then explore the fundamentals and advanced growing techniques to best grow them. Orchid plant culture is explained as you have never heard it before.
December 2 - Christmas Orchid Auction
We’re looking forward to our Christmas party and auction where we get to kick back, have fun and spread holiday cheer with our orchid buddies... and come home with orchids. Hope to see you there!
Our Christmas orchid auction is on our normal first Tuesday meeting night. Drive around to the back, closest to the hall entrance. We'll be there setting up around 5:30. We’ll start our social hour at 6:30 pm. This will give us a chance to exchange holiday cheer before we hit the vittles. Bring your beverage of choice. The club will provide the low octane water, iced tea and coffee, but if you enjoy a cuppa with your meal, feel free! One thing you can always count on is all the good food. Wonder what Lady Di will conjure up for the main courses this year! Bring a dish to round out the meal. Salads, potato and pasta side dishes, vegetable side dishes and desserts have been big favorites in years gone by.
We’ll have calendars and seedling orchid plants. We’ll finish up the evening with an orchid auction where you can bid on a nice variety of different types of orchids.