South Florida Orchid Society

Meet Martin Motes

Martin Motes

Author of Vandas: Their Botany, History, and Culture, Florida Orchid Growing: Month by Month, and Florida Vanda Growing, Martin Motes is a second generation orchidist who has been growing orchids for 60 years.

He is president of Motes Orchids, a major producer of vandas. He has bred hundreds of new hybrids for which he has received scores of American Orchid Society awards including three FCC’s and three Awards of Quality. His hybrids received Gold, Silver and Bronze medals at the March 2005 18th World Orchid conference in Dijon, France. One hybrid garnered the trophy as “Best Vanda in Show”. Other hybrids have won medals in previous WOCs as well as at the European Orchid Conference. Additionally numerous of his hybrids have been recognized by the Royal Horticultural Society and in other international judging venues.

He is an accredited American Orchid Society judge. Martin’s frequent articles have appeared in The Fairchild Garden Bulletin, The South Florida Orchidist, The Orchid Digest, The Orchid  Review, The Malayan Orchid Review and Orchids.

Jim and Melana Davison

Jim and Melana Davison are AOS Accredited Judges. They have an extensive and diverse orchid collection that seems to be continuously growing.  Not only involved in caring for their orchids, they are actively involved in several South Florida orchid societies .Melana is the current President of the Orchid Society of Coral Gables and past President of the South Dade Amateur Orchid Club. Jim is the past President of the Orchid Society of Coral Gables and the East Everglades Orchid Society.

Jim’s appreciation for orchids stems from his scientific background. He works as a Nuclear Chemistry Manager at the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant. 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.” They have plans to eventually open their own retail nursery.. Together, Jim and Melana have 7 grown children and five grandchildren. They live in Homestead with their 4 dogs, four of the five grandchildren and 3,000 plus orchids.

They specialize in L. anceps, C. walkeriana, and C. aclandiae.  The “L. anceps” presentation will showcase Jim’s favorite species, L. anceps. Aspects of both the species and hybrids will be discussed.

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Dan Christensen of Dan & Margie Orchids will be providing plants for our raffles this month. Thanks, Dan!

Dan Christensen

Dan & Margie have been growing orchids first as hobbyists for over 35 years and as Commercial Growers for nearly 20 years. Dan & Margie’s business name is Dan & Margie Orchids located in West Broward just 3 miles west of I-75, approximately ¼ mile North of the intersection of Sheridan Street & 185th Way.

Dan and Margie Orchids have over 12,000 square feet of covered growing space. Currently there are 5 greenhouses.

The nursery specializes in growing Vanda/Ascda. Crosses, Cattleya hybrids, warm growing Oncidium, Dendrobium, and some species.

Dan & Margie Orchids is a family owned business and cater to the small grower, but is capable of handling wholesale inquiries.

The nursery sells orchids, some supplies and will assist any orchid grower with information and re-potting instruction.

The nursery is currently open by appointment Tuesday thru Sunday, 12 noon to 5 p.m.

Dan & Margie Orchids can be reached by phone, fax, or e-mail. (damorchid.com)

Dan Christensen has been speaking on general orchid culture, Vanda culture and various subjects related to orchids for over 30 years. He uses the ‘common sense’ approach to growing. He has been guest lecturer at all local orchid societies. Margie runs the day-to-day business and is an accomplished pottery artist.

Together they run the business, participate in local shows from Tampa to Key West.

Dan is a member of the South Florida Orchid Society Board of Directors. for over 15 years and has served as the president of SFOS for two consecutive terms. He is the SFOS Show Chairman and Treasurer of South Florida Orchid Society.

He has served as a board member of several local societies, Miramar, Gold Coast & South Florida serving in various capacities. He has also auctioneered at SFOS, North Dade, Gold Coast, Sunrise, Plantation, Coral Springs & Flamingo Orchid societies for several years.

Dan will be speaking tonight on Vandas

Remember, guests are always welcome at our meetings.

Peter Kouchalakos

Peter Kouchalakos will present tonight’s program. Peter will lecture on orchid pests and diseases.

Peter and his wife Clara own PCK Orchids. He is a native of Coral Gables, Florida and is past president of the Pan American Orchid Society.

He is also a past president of the Bromeliad Society of South Florida.

Peter is a Florida Nursery Growers Association Certified Horticultural Professional, and a State of Florida licensed Commercial Landscape Pesticide Applicator. He has operated a private orchid maintenance and consulting business with his wife Clara for the last 10 years. Peter is also a Miami-Dade County Code Violation Appeals Hearing Officer and lawyer.

Greg Hamra

Greg Hamra, founder of The Hamra Group, is a ‘climate solutionist’ whose mission is to enable society to mitigate the impacts of climate change.  To fulfill his mission, he focuses on education and advocacy.

Greg’s passion is education, primarily focusing on educating academia, business leaders, and policy-makers. He teaches climate literacy, corporate sustainability, and LEED green building on behalf of the US Green Building Council and at the University of Miami’s School of Architecture.  A frequent lecturer at universities, professional organizations and industry trade shows, Greg delves into a myriad of topics at the nexus of energy, environment and society.

Greg is very active in climate advocacy, on the local and national stage. As the leader of the Miami Chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby, Greg is committed to bridging the partisan divide on climate while promoting a solution to the climate crisis that has the endorsement of leading economists, top scientists, and most respected thought-leaders in the energy and climate policy space.

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Greg Hamra will give a basic discussion of Climate 101 to help us understand effects Climate Change & Sea Level Rise is having on the world population, with a specific emphasis on those of us who live & grow orchids in South Florida. The increasing temperature index & changes in weather patterns will affect decisions that growers will need to make in the near future

Seating is limited so be sure to register as soon as possible. Call (305) 256-0483 to make your reservation!

The party begins at 7:00 P.M. on December 20th (our regular meeting night).

Hope to see you there!