Linwood, Washington, March 6, 2024—The Linwood Event Center hosted the inaugural Northwest Orchid Society Indoor Plant Festival from March 2nd to March 3rd, featuring a variety of plant exhibits and an impressive lineup of vendors.
The Seattle-based Northwest Orchid Society brings together people from across the region around a common interest in one hobby: the complex practice of growing, protecting, and propagating orchids, one of the most difficult plant species to grow. doing.
“Our shows are a great way for people to come a few times a year and get involved and meet some people or just enjoy the plants and see what the club is doing.” Ben said. Mr. Johnson, vice president of events for the Northwest Orchid Society. “We find plants that fit your price range and growing conditions. We try them out. We're sure to find something that meets your needs. , an endless supply of people and plants to beautify your home.”
Andy Wright, one of the exhibitors and a member of the Northwest Orchid Society since the age of 18, became passionate about the hobby at an early age. His father was a horticulture instructor at Garfield High School in Seattle, which gave him access to greenhouses throughout his life. Wright, a Woodinville resident, runs his own business on Instagram called Age Tropical, which specializes in carnivorous plants.
Wright started his hobby as an orchid collector, and about 90 percent of his collection is still both warm and cool climate orchids (his greenhouse is divided into two). He became interested in carnivorous plants about five years ago, and currently grows mainly Nepenthes. Nepenthes, a genus of about 170 plants, each have a jug at the end of their leaves, which contain digestive juices for catching prey.
“I had a lot of fun changing my hobby from orchids to carnivorous plants.” Wright said.
Another exhibitor, Denny Van Dorn of Lynwood, who specializes in Gesnerias and African Violets, won Best Gesneriado or African Violets at the Indoor Plant Festival, and is a native of the Brazilian highlands. Cattleya orchids, which are also the national flower, were exhibited.
“Doing things like this creates connections and allows you to talk to other people about the plants that are for sale.” said Van Dorn, who has been collecting plants since 1972. “It’s really convenient for people to come, make connections, get plants, buy raffle tickets and get them for free.”
Exhibitors Bob Marki and Fiori Cipoletti, who specialize in cacti and succulents, spoke to the Lynwood Times about the appeal of that particular genus. Cipolletti loves plants that can “Frankenstein” different plants into something new, and said cacti and succulents are the easiest plants to do that with. Cacti may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Washington state, but Cipolletti says it's more important than ever to grow cacti in Washington than anywhere else for conservation reasons. I shared that there is.
“As temperatures change on Earth, we're going to lose a lot of plants unless we actually try to grow these plants in different environments, because if we left it up to the growers, they wouldn't grow really fast. This is because we can only grow products that can be shipped very well.” said Cipolletti. “The people who have clubs like this all over the country and are trying to grow plants in their bathrooms and kitchens with steam and stuff are actually members of the conservation movement.”
Mr. Cipolletti points out that 40% of all succulents on earth come from South Africa, and that while all cacti are succulents, not all succulents are cacti, so it is important to note that South Africa's climate is He added that it is very useful to know what it is like.
Li Huang, another seller who makes a living from African violets, has been very interested in plants since she was a young girl growing up in China in a family that loved plants and gardening. When she entered high school, she wanted to somehow make a living with plants, but thought there was no future in it and instead went into the field of education, teaching Chinese in Connecticut and eventually I taught Chinese in Chicago public schools. She moved to the Seattle area to teach Chinese to her Facebook employees.
During her first year after immigrating to the United States in 2008, she discovered her first African violets at a grocery store and immediately started collecting them, selling them on eBay over the weekend. In 2020 she realized she could make a living selling plants, quit her job as a teacher and is now selling African violets full time.
“It was difficult at first, but gradually the business started to grow and we were finally able to sustain ourselves.” said Mr. Huang.
The Northwest Orchid Society, an affiliate of the American Orchid Society (AOS) and the Orchid Digest Corporation (ODC), was founded in 1947 with the goal of creating a community for orchid growers and promoting public education about orchids. It is a non-profit organization established in. hobby. The group welcomes beginners and those eager to learn more about the hobby and meet other like-minded people through monthly meetings, plant raffles, special events, and display tables where members show off their latest blooms. Both experienced orchid growers are welcome.
Monthly meetings are held on the second Monday of each month at the University of Washington Center for Urban Horticulture in NHS Hall, and often feature distinguished guest speakers giving lectures on non-cultural topics. To the breeding program. To history. The meeting is free and open to anyone.
Also during these meetings, the association hosts exhibition tables where members can display their blooming plants. During meetings, members conduct a “plant table walk,” pointing out plants that are unusual, interesting, or growing very well, and asking several growers for information about the plants and growing conditions. The association also hosts a variety of community events, including summer picnics, plant shows, giveaways, and maintaining a library of orchid books, videotapes, and periodicals.
The Society's librarian brings a selection of materials from the library for members to check out at monthly meetings, but all materials are available by arrangement with the librarian. Check out the contents of the library here. If you would like to borrow books or tapes from the library, please contact the librarian at least two weeks in advance of the next meeting.