Newport Harbor Orchid Expo and Sale 2016

The event will be on Friday, February 12th through Sunday, February 14th, 2016, at the Westminster Mall located in Westminster, CA with easy access from the 405 Freeway and the Bolsa exit. Parking is free. The mall is fully handicap accessible. The event is free and open to the public. To read highlights written by the OC Register for the 2015 summer show visit: ocregister.com/articles/orchids-675807-festival-orchid.html.

The Orchid Expo and Sale hours are: Friday, 10am – 9pm, Saturday, 10am – 7pm, and Sunday, 11am – 6pm

This year’s event, themed “The Many Faces Of Orchids” will showcase thousands of orchids in bloom from all over the world. *Please note the display room will be open to the public after judging is completed, estimated opening time is noon.

Orchids are the largest family of flowering plants with over 35,000 known species and hybrids, and they grow in every part of the world. Without having to leave Southern California, show goers will be dazzled by the diversity and beauty of the orchids displayed by professional growers, local orchid societies, and individual hobbyists. A large sales area will feature expert local and international commercial growers who offer unique species and hybrids for sale.  There will also be plant orchid judging, which is conducted by accredited judges of the American Orchid Society, as well as by local society members.  If you are interested in bringing your plants for judging, or would like more information on judging in general, please use our contact form below.

In addition to the orchid and bonsai displays, judging, and sales, there will also be hands on potting demonstrations. The three potting workshops are scheduled for Friday February 12, Saturday, February 13, and Sunday, February 14. The time for all three workshops will be 2 pm. Registration is limited to the first 20 registrants for each class. This is a hands on workshop conducted by Paula and John Butler.  Participants will be provided with an orchid to repot (plant type TBD), potting mix, and a pot. At the end of the demonstration participants get to take their newly potted orchid home. This is a great way to learn more about orchids, potting, virus pathogens, and proper sanitation techniques.  There is a $5 fee per participant (orchid and supplies included). To register please complete the Contact Us form below.

Founded in 1979, the Newport Harbor Orchid Society has over 100 participating members who reside in Orange, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside Counties.  The organization’s primary mission is to foster the culture, cultivation, and conservation of orchids and to educate its members and the public about orchids.  The society meets on the third Tuesday of each month at the Neighborhood Community Center in Costa Mesa, 1845 Park Avenue.  Guests and new members are welcome.

Press Release

Lions and Monkeys and Donkeys, Oh My!

“The Many Faces of Orchids” at Westminster Mall showcases amazing abilities of orchids to adapt to nature with cunning disguises

COSTA MESA, Calif. (January xx, 2016)  – The Newport Harbor Orchid Society (NHOS) will host its 14th annual Orchid Expo and Sale at the Westminster Mall, February 12-14, 2016.  Beautiful displays featuring hundreds of exotic, colorful and amazing orchids will showcase this year’s theme, “The Many Faces of Orchids.” According to NHOS, orchids are a remarkable and incredibly diverse group of plants with approximately 28,000 different species and over 100,000 hybrids.  They are prized for their visual beauty – there is much more to orchids than “what meets the eye.”  These fascinating plants have adapted to a wide range of climatic conditions from tropical rain forests to high elevation and cool conditions, growing almost everywhere in the world except in the Antarctica. NHOS representatives add that over time, many orchids have evolved to resemble and smell like the females of certain insects in order to be pollinated. “The Ophrys apifera”, found all over Europe and the Mediterranean, looks like a bee, hence its common name ‘The Bee Orchid’,” said Nancy Benay, a former NHOS President who travels to France in the spring to study Ophrys and other native orchids.   “Or consider Dracula simia, often referred to as the “Monkey Orchid” from Central and South America, which features an uncanny resemblance to a monkey’s face. There are orchids that resemble doves, butterflies, dancing ladies, egrets, just to cite a few.  The “many faces of orchids” is just one of the captivating qualities of these beautiful flowers that entice botanists and hobbyists,” Benay added. The largest winter orchid show in the Southland features:

• Twenty orchid nurseries and professional growers selling orchids, exotic plants and supplies.
• Hundreds of expertly grown orchids in artful displays by local orchid societies, hobbyists, and professional growers.
• Repotting and culture workshops on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2PM. A $5 fee covers supplies and an orchid to take home.  Register in advance on-line.
• A Bonsai display and botanical art exhibit by area painters and photographers organized by the Vietnamese Orchid Society.

Show admission and parking are free and the event is handicap accessible. About the Newport HAbout Usarbor Orchid Society The Newport Harbor Orchid Expo and Sale is an opportunity for NHOS members to share with the public their passion for nature’s botanical jewels.  Dedicated hobbyists and novice grower’s alike can further their knowledge of orchids by attending a workshop or talking directly with experts.  There will also be plenty of opportunity to buy one or more special orchids for your collection. For complete information about the Newport Harbor Orchid Society and the Show visit nhosinfo.org or the organization’s Facebook page.

Newport Harbor Orchid Expo 2016 Awards