SWFL’s largest Orchid Show & Sale on March 21-23 in Naples
MEDIA CONTACTS:
GCOA Communications Chair and board member Robin DeMattia, 239-963-5232
GCOA Show Co-chair and board member Diane Ervin, 239-273-7754
WHAT: 8th annual Orchid Show & Sale hosted by the Gulf Coast Orchid Alliance, the largest orchid club in Southwest Florida (more than 350 members)
WHEN: Friday, March 21 from noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday, March 22 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on; and Sunday, March 23 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
WHERE: Exhibition Hall at North Collier Regional Park, 15000 Livingston Road, Naples
OVERVIEW:
Admission is $10 and good for all three days. Parking is free. Proceeds benefit the education and outreach programs of the non-profit Gulf Coast Orchid Alliance, which meets monthly, offers hands-on classes, and has a speakers bureau.
Hundreds of blooming plants, flower arrangements, and large displays featuring multiple species that are entered for American Orchid Society Judging, which takes place on Friday, March 21 from 9 to 11 a.m. by independent judges hired by Gulf Coast Orchid Alliance. Ribbons and cash awards are presented. Judges will be available for interviews when judging is completed.
Orchids entered by members of Gulf Coast Orchid Alliance and Naples Orchid Society, with a combined membership of more than 500.
Show theme is “Rockin’ n Rollin’ with Orchids” with displays tied to the theme.
Five vendors selling thousands of orchids and orchid supplies.
Tip sheets for orchid care are available at GulfCoastOrchids.com and for guests to complete when talking with vendors.
Three free workshops (with paid admission) on Saturday:
- Orchid Propagation (9:30) by John Finer, OSU professor, GCOA board member, and “The Plant Propagator” on YouTube
- Orchids 101 (11:30) by past club president Jim Longwell
Mounting Orchids (1:30) by board member Rae Jean Walker
INTERVIEWEES:
American Orchid Society judges on Friday around 11:00 a.m. to noon
GCOA President and Show Co-chair Elaine Gates (all three days)
Winners of ribbons and cash prizes (there will be winners present all three days)
Guests attending the event
Vendors selling orchids
GCOA WEBSITE: GulfCoastOrchids.org
ORCHID FACTS:
The orchid family (Orchidaceae) is the largest flowering plant family on earth with about 28,000 species.
Orchids are one of the oldest plant families – developing about 100-125 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous Period.
Orchids are found on every continent except Antarctica.
Orchids come in every color, fragrance, size, and shape imaginable.
Most flowers have radial symmetry (around a central axis), but most orchids have bilateral symmetry (mirror image on left and right).
Orchids are pet-friendly and hypoallergenic, with pollen that sits in sticky sacs.
Orchids are surprisingly easy to grow, do not require a lot of care/upkeep.
Do not ever put an ice cube on an orchid’s pot; they are tropical plants that never see cold or ice like that.
The vanilla we enjoy in candy, ice cream and other foods comes from the vanilla orchid!