Orchid show and sale ushers in the new year in colorful fashion

Tracie Cady, president of Sarasota Orchid Society, said the society's annual show and sale has become "kind of a tradition" for the start of the New Year.

She said the unique plants, of which there are over over 27,000 species worldwide, hold a mystique for the public, who have the chance to discover the varieties that Florida offers at the event. 

"You can grow orchids almost anywhere, but in Florida, we're lucky enough to have a climate that we can grow a wide variety of these really cool plants," she said.

The scene at Sarasota Municipal Auditorium was busy on Jan. 4 for the first of the two days of the event, which this year was titled "Orchid Delirium: Sarasota Orchid Society Annual Show and Sale."

The public turned out to view displays by regional orchid societies and commercial growers, which were judged by accredited American Orchid Society judges, as well as take advantage of offerings such as educational orchid culture classes, raffles and on-site experts.

Jim Roberts of Suncoast Orchids in Myakka City has been a vendor at the event for at least 20 years, and calls the experience "wonderful." 

He said the event is an opportunity for people to find accurate information about orchids, in contrast to inaccurate information he said is frequently found online.

"Getting good information from good sources allows people to have good orchids and grow them well, which is what we're really all about, and the society here in Sarasota really puts on a very good event," he said.