San Diego County Orchid Society hosts annual show weekend before Earth Day

SAN DIEGO – Orchid appreciators, growers, and vendors from the U.S. and abroad will celebrate the orchid at the San Diego County Orchid Society 2024 spring show and sale, in Balboa Park the weekend before Earth Day. Orchids of the Earth is free admission and runs Friday to Sunday, April 19-21.

"Visitors can explore, firsthand, the beauty and variety of the orchid world," said SDCOS Past President and Show Committee Chair Debby Halliday. "With hundreds of plants on display, and many more for sale from top local and international growers, this show will offer something fresh for the appreciator, the new grower, and the seasoned collector. We invite everyone to come enjoy the sensational flowers, learn from the free classes and impromptu conversations, and purchase exciting new orchids to take home."

In celebration of Earth Day and the event's "Orchids of the Earth" theme, the showroom will feature impressive specimens, locally bred hybrids, and rare species from around the world. Judges from both the American Orchid Society and SDCOS will award ribbons, trophies, and awards of merit to the show's top plants.

The event will draw notable local, regional, and international commercial growers and breeders selling orchids, orchid supplies, and other collectible plants. SDCOS members with large private collections will also offer plants for purchase.

Among the sales booths is one staged by the SDCOS conservation committee, which will sell donated plants and divisions benefiting the committee's non-profit conservation work around the world. Founded in 1991, the SDCOS conservation committee has provided nearly $300,000 in grants to orchid conservation projects in 24 countries.

Attendees can also expect to learn about caring for orchids from a wide variety of places around the world. Throughout the weekend, members of the society will teach free, walk-up classes about how to grow an orchid, how to repot an orchid, and how to rebloom an orchid.

Volunteers will be on hand to answer orchid questions and hand out free care sheets for a dozen different types of orchids.

Found on every continent except Antarctica, approximately 30,000 species have been discovered in habitats ranging from rainforests to deserts. The orchid family (Orchidaceae) is the second largest plant family in the world, smaller only than daisies (Asteraceae).

Casa del Prado's Room 101 and Patio A – located at 1800 El Prado, San Diego, CA, 92101 – will open Friday, April 19, 12-7 p.m., with early bird sales at 10 a.m .; Saturday, April 20, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m .; and Sunday, April 21, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more details, visit https://sdorchids.com/up-coming-show/.

Submitted by the San Diego County Orchid Society.