"The 12th annual Redland Orchid Festival... nearly 8,000 orchid enthusiasts... flocking to the three-day Redland Orchid Festival... 57 vendors from around the world. ... The festival also has a philanthropic aspect. The profits reaped from the festival go to research grants for the University of Florida Tropical Research Education Center, located in Homestead.
The grants are specifically designated for research in diseases affecting orchids that grow in tropical climates. ... most of the research on orchids is done on species in cooler climates. The festival included growers from Brazil, Thailand, Venezuela, Peru, Malaysia, Colombia, the Philippines, Ecuador, as well as from all over the United States. ... South Florida has the highest concentration of orchid growers in the United States, according to Alan Koch of Gold Country Orchids, a Sacramento grower. One reason: South Floridians are not restricted to maintaining a greenhouse or keeping plants on a windowsill, he said. Added Koch: ``... South Florida is unique because people can grow their plants outdoors, so you can have larger plants that can tolerate the warm, wet summer nights.'' http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami_dade/south/story/540821.html ************ Regards, VB _______________________________________________ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [email protected] http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
