South Florida Orchid Society

Paul and Mary Storm, “The Fantastic Variety of Schom Hybrids”

Paul and Mary Storm are hobbyists who have a passion for anything “SCHOMBO” and their nursery in Sarasota, Florida holds what is believed to be the largest collection of Schombo-Laelia and Myrmecophila species and hybrids anywhere.

Paul and Mary are proud that they have been at the forefront of the increasing popularity of Schoms and Schom-Hybrids for almost twenty years. Paul and Mary intend that their programs are entertaining as well as informational and they invite the audience to interact with them.

Paul was a featured presenter at the Mid-America Winter Orchid Conference in Ohio a few years ago, as well as at the Symposium on Orchid Species sponsored by the Coalition on Species at Fairchild Gardens in Miami, the Merritt Huntington Symposium, and the Orchid Extravaganza in Aruba/Curacao.

Paul is the botanical author of several RHS accepted nothogenera and the RHS Registrar has created Stormara, Paulstormara , and Marystormara as new orchid genera. In addition, a few orchid nurseries and hybridizers have registered schombo-hybrids after Paul in honor of Meke Aloha’s “Schombo-Mission”

The Storms will provide plants for our raffle table as well as having plants to sell.

(There will be no members auction this month)

Visit their website at (www.mekealohaorchids.com) to see photos of their plants and to pre-order.
(Please note: Cash and checks only, No credit cards.)

Yvette Cano began her affinity with Everglades National Park as a young student; today she is the Education Specialist for the park’s environmental education program and supervises the very program that she was a part of as a student. Following her true passion, Yvette started her career as an elementary school teacher and after 13 years in the classroom she had the opportunity to take the teaching outdoors, a dream come true!

Born and raised in South Florida, Yvette has a very special place in her heart for everything Florida, especially the outdoors. Today, she will showcase that passion as she shares the value of Everglades National Park, its priceless biological diversity, and the importance it all serves to the people of South Florida.

Yvette Cano

Rafael Romero

What a time to be an orchid nut in South Florida. The 69th Miami International Orchid Show has just ended and once again, the South Florida Orchid Society brings you a well-known international speaker.

Rafael Romero, was born in Caracas, Venezuela and graduated as a biologist from the Universidad Simon Bolivar. He began working with orchids in 1986 with his father in law, Henrique Graf, owner of Plantio La Orquidea, the largest orchid nursery in Venezuela.

Together with his wife, Rafael started a laboratory at Plantio La Orquidea in 1986 where they produce the species and hybrids for which they are well known. They moved to Sarasota in 2003 and established a 10,000 sq. ft. nursery featuring a many of the species and hybrids they produced in Venezuela as well as interesting species and hybrids from around the world.

So sit back and enjoy this special talk entitled “Orchids Tales”. Rafael will also be sharing his knowledge and experiences as well as answering questions.

In addition, Rafael will have a fine selection of orchids available for sale.

OFE International will be providing plants for our raffle table this month.

We will also be once again be having our popular silent auction!

Reminder: If you plan to bring plants for judging, be sure to have them registered no later than 7:30PM. This gives our team of judges time to properly evaluate your plants and present them for award photography. It also allows our judges to see this months program which starts at 8:00PM.

Armando Mantellini

We at the South Florida Orchid Society bring the most distinguished world class orchidist speakers. This month we bring you a man recognized all over the world. A world class pioneer in Cattleya species, Armando Mantellini. Born in Caracas, Venezuela. With a master’s degree in both mechanical and electrical engineering, orchid breeding since 1966 in his native Venezuela is his true love. Armando is mostly interested in Venezuelan and Colombian cattleya species. Fresh from giving a lecture at the annually cattleya symposium, Armando will speak on Breeding Cattleya mossiae. So sit back and enjoy. The master is in the house.
Jorge Merlo—Program Chairman

69th Miami International Orchid Show

Click Here for a list of Show Vendors

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